- - 12 - -
He woke up in bed. That was good...
The cuffs held his limbs out and down. That was bad.
Roy tugged on his restraints without much enthusiasm. A satin sheet had been laid over him. As he wriggled, it dragged over his biceps - way too close to his 'pits - and his nipples. And his cock was already coming to attention.
A water bottle lifted off the nightstand, and a hand gently picked up his head. It stayed there after he drained the bottle, maybe a half-liter, until a cigarette and lighter came up...
After he'd had a second drag, the hand was still there.
"Uh -"
"Morning," Lei whispered.
"Is it really?" he grumbled. His voice was barely even there.
The hand squeezed his neck. Tenderly. "No. It's almost sunset."
"Huh."
"Your days are going to be all mixed up."
"They already are -"
"How's our hero doing?" Max said, from the vicinity of the door.
"Our bad guy," Lei sighed. "Prisoner."
Roy took a drag, and stared at the ceiling. Something was different, above, and it finally hit him - "Hey. What happened to all the black shit?"
"Shee-it?" Max drawled.
"The cloth. You know. It looked like a... darkroom, or something."
"Ah," Lei said. "Tickelon."
Invisible fingers scratched his right foot through the sheet. It really bugged him. Outrageous, unstoppable... Roy grunted and bit down on the cigarette.
"We're chalking that one up to experience, Roy honey."
"What?"
"Too much," Lei said.
"Too much of a good thing," Max corrected. "You were intimidated by the whole cave-thing."
"I'd still like to get him in a padded room, Max."
"Uh-huh."
"Like that'd be any different?" he scoffed.
"You were gettin' pretty far out there. And we don't want that."
"Hell, no!" Lei whooped. "You gotta feel it, Roy. Sweetie. So we gave you your bedroom back."
"Sort of," he muttered, looking at the open closet. The leather outfits were still hanging there. And the latex clothes. Ten thousand dollars' worth, easy, and he had a good idea who paid for it.
"Lookit that face," Max chuckled.
"And that body. He's buff," Lei said.
"Whoo hoo," he shot back.
"Such a smartass," Max said. The cigarette popped out of his mouth and cruised to the ashtray. Lei giggled. Uh-oh. "Let's have a couple hours without any more of that." The sheet flew off him.
"Yeah," Lei agreed. "Keep him busy."
"Work up an appetite," Max said, and they laughed. Fingers slid around his neck, his shoulders. And, oh fuck, both feet.
A squadron of feathers flew up from the floor.
Roy lunged around. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, now look -"
"Too late," Lei said.
"Uh-huh," Max agreed. "Hold still."
As the soft dusting started, he tugged at the straps like he was having a seizure. Completely automatic. His body snagged a big, deep breath so he could laugh properly.
"I still think the ceiling mirror would be fun," Lei said.
"Maybe," Max replied - right before he started roaring.
He shot his load at least once. He wasn't sure if he came again.
Anyway, it was way more than a couple hours.
Hands carried him to the tub, and left him alone.
When he finally came out of the bathroom - wearing only the tiger-stripe thong that had been conspiciously left on the sink - a cigarette was shoved between his fingers. A plastic lighter flew at him, and he caught it. Roy lit up without a word.
The TV blinked on. A news channel.
"Trout almondine," Max said. It was another one of his favorites. They must have been tailing him for awhile, and tore his fucking house apart...
He saw a water bottle coming. Starting for the couch, he thought better of it and went to the recliner instead. It was closer to the bench, but that probably didn't matter anyway. If they wanted to move him over to the bench, he couldn't stop 'em.
"So you never told me...," Max hinted.
"Told you what?" he said looking up. His mouth was full of key lime pie. Incredible pie -
"We go to all that trouble, making a movie - starring you - and you never told us what you thought."
He thought for a second. No safe answer came to mind. "Did you really make that?"
"Uh-huh."
"I'm impressed." He leaned back, and burped. "Setting aside the fact that it's about, uh... me -"
"You're the star," Lei said.
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. That. It's... well, shit. It's good work. The pacing... Better editing than some of pros I can think of."
Click. Or a thump. Soft - and inside his skull. That sensation.
"Holy cow," Max said, sounding amazed. "You're serious."
"Yeah."
"Maybe it's not working," Lei teased. "Roy - which is more ticklish... your belly or your knees?"
"What?" Like he could choose... But memories started flooding back. He clamped his mouth shut -
"Knees," he barked, and relief swamped him. It felt so good to get the answer out. Just when he started to understand how fucked he was, here, it got worse.
"What's your favorite color?" Max said, also teasing.
"Black."
"And what do you tell interviewers your favorite color is?"
"Unh... Rrrred," he blurted.
"Good boy."
"Dammit. Knock it off."
"Not a chance."
"Uh-uh."
They got him drunk, and let him channel-surf.
He sat there and smoked, and the realization kept hitting him. So fucked. Up and down. Every which way.
The tickling was going to start again. He didn't know when. The suspense drove him nuts, but he fought to keep it hidden. Of course, if things continued the way they it looked like they were going to, he'd get used to the wait. Somehow. Fucked beyond words...
"Hey," he said.
"What."
He forgot what he was going to say, and one of them laughed at him. He snapped his fingers, or tried to - a-ha, it came back to him. "That's the real deal here. Isn't it?"
"What's the real deal, babe?" Lei asked.
"Movies. You wanna get into the business. Let's just cut to the chase -"
"O-ohh," Max snickered. "This is all an elaborate ploy. Blackmail. To get you to back our - heh - project. Is that what you think?"
That was it. But he realized, too late, he didn't want to hear what she said next.
"Sorry," Lei giggled.
"The number one thing we have in mind, Roy, is tickling you. Get it straight. That's why you're our captive. And that's why you're staying right here."
"You tell him, Max!"
"If you want to... collaborate, with us, that would be terrific. I know we could make some incredible stuff. But even if you're dead-set against it, stud-muffin, you're in for endless tickling."
"Endless," Lei echoed.
He must have dozed off. Next thing he knew, he was... swaying. The swing, hung from the bedroom ceiling. The cuffs were all in place, and the door was closed.
"Hey," he said, trying to wake up. One of the ever-present water bottles came to him -
Color caught his eye. All over him. Tattoos -
"No!" he yelled, looking at his chest. "Fuck -"
"Easy," Lei said, pulling his hair. "They're not real. FX."
Roy heaved a sigh. He was covered. At least, his top half. And his... calves. The chains clinked as he tried to twist around. The water bottle waited him out.
"What'd you use?" he growled.
"Speedwell-derm."
"This doesn't wash off, y'know."
"Really?" Max said. Way too innocent. "I guess we'll be admiring 'em for awhile, then."
"Sounds like you really want Emmer. He's up for anything. Fuckin' kinky shit..." But they couldn't recognize the nickname.
"He's skanky. Too old."
Whoops. It sounded like they did know who Emmer was. "Just kidding -"
"He is a bad boy," Lei said thoughtfully.
"Dangerous," Max agreed. "But Roy... you know you're much more versatile."
"No I'm not -"
"Oh, c'mon," Lei said. "Don't even try it. Mister 'Salt in the Wound,' here..." One of his films.
"Have a cigarette," Max said. "Let's see. Is there a photo around here? Of Sherri?"
He caught on. "That was a role! In a movie!"
She was referring to 'Benefactor'. Roy knew they'd bring that one up. Here we go.
"Bad Rudy," Lei said. "Bad..." And Max just chuckled.
"That wasn't me," he stammered. "Rudy was the name of my char-"
"We know, honey. Really... But, oh. That scene. After you set up whats-her-name! Framed her. Off to prison she goes. And you look all sad - for a minute. Lying in that crappy motel. Shirt off. All those tattoos. Mmmmmm... And then, you double-crossing son of a bitch! Lighting a cigarette off her picture - and chuckling!"
"Laughing at her!" Lei trilled.
"It gets us steamed every time we think about it... Turning on her like that. Getting away with it. You have no idea, Roy, how much we want to punish that sleazebag -"
"It's a role," he said miserably, letting the cigarette hang.
"Uh-huh," Max said quietly. "Ssssh. But we still wanna see him get it."
"No -"
"Before he sneaks off. Jump him, right in that shitty room. Tie him to the bedframe. Lots of rope. Wrestle those boots off his feet. Watch him sweat."
He shook his head. A lighter finally came in front of him, and clicked.
"It just makes us crazy," Lei remarked amiably. "Rudy. We want to see him thrash, there. Tied down real tight."
"Let me tell it, Lei. We stuff lots of blankets around the door, over the window - rip up that greasy t-shirt and make a fine gag for him - and let him have it! Pull out all the stops. Wear him out. And the next day, we confirm what we already knew - it's too late for whats-her-name, even if he did show up and confess what a big liar he really is."
"You're getting into this way too much," Roy said. "It wasn't real, dammit."
"And he actually thought he got away with it," Max continued, ignoring him. He took a hard drag. "Home free. But we totally kick his ass. Revenge tickling. She's going to prison. For something he did. It isn't fair - he's the one who should be locked up. Suffering. Every day. I mean, he turned on her. Heartless thug."
Lei hooted quietly.
"But we've got him. Caught. So we make sure he gets just what he deserves. We pick out a nice, quiet cabin... and turn it into a nice quiet prison. Just for him. Sneak him out there, and make sure nobody sees. And then we can go about the long, thrilling process of carrying out his sentence."
"No parole, either!" Lei squealed.
"Bad Rudy," Max said, seductively, close to his ear. His smoke was snatched away -
"Acting," he protested, "just a fuckin' movie -"
Oh, shit. Brushes were coming. The firmer ones. A good dozen of 'em. Not those brushes...
"But you were so bad in it," Lei said, as the brushes dived to his chest.
Max made a happy sighing sound. "So good at being bad..."
- - 13 - -
Days kept coming, one after the other, just like they always did.
"Whah hah haw whaaaww huh huh huh whuh huh wwwhuh whaah what whuh w-what do you want from meeeee?"
"Hmmmmmm," Max said, as if she was thinking it over. He waited, but she didn't continue talking. Head-games.
"We want you to suffer," Lei giggled, and the gloves petting his armpits sped up. "Way too much pleasure." He howled for awhile...
"Might as well roll with it, sweetcakes," she finally added.
Talking took a lot out of him. " Uh, I, uh, wha... what's it gonna t-take... C'mon, please, just tell me. What you want. I can give you anything. Just let me go. Anything. Money. How mu-"
"We've already got your money," Max chimed in.
That made him pause. What the hell? "Nooooooo -"
"You'll find out."
"Whuh... What? What do you want, then? Please..."
"I can't think of anything. Lei?"
"Oh, no. This is exactly what I want, Max. Right here." Fingers squeezed his hips, and sliding under to fondle his ass-cheeks. "We've got to do something about these hemorrhoids, though -"
"Pleeeeeez-"
"Roy. Listen up. We've been planning this for a long time. And everything's working out perfectly. Nothing you can do will get you out of this incredible tickling -"
"Aaaaah hah Mmmmaaaaax naaaaaaw haaaaawwwwwaaaah..."
"Get it into that beautiful head of yours. We're gonna play -"
"No! No no n-"
"You're going to have way too much fun. So are we. Get used to it."
"Whah hee hee hee nnnneeee hee heeeeeee..."
"So damn ticklish," Lei remarked.
"And so much tickling in store," Max said. "Roy? Roy, honey - how long are we going to be able to do this? How much can you take?"
"Whaaaaaaaa hee hee heeee heeeeeeeeeeeee..."
Smoke. Oh, yeah. A break...
Roy tried to wiggle his toes. They'd put little straps around 'em. It just made the tickling amazingly worse. Gloves on his hands kept his fingers relaxed.
The stocks whipped him up in a way nothing else did. It wasn't a secret, either.
"Nuh, nuh, nuh," he puffed.
"Breathe," Lei reminded him.
The cigarette probably wasn't helping. But he panted for a while.
A white glove held up a bottle of Jack Daniels.
"No!"
"Oh, yeah." Another glove drifted up and unscrewed the cap.
"You can't... Uh. Lei. You... L-Listen to me. Please?"
"Of course, Roy. Any time. I love listening to you."
He looked at the whiskey, and then all around the room. Snagged a couple deep breaths... "There is no way I can survive this, Lei. Not for a year. I don't think I can take another week of th-"
"Oh, now honey, you just have to stop thinking like that. Here." The bottle moved in. Nothing tentative there. "Drink. Take your time... Good. Do you know what else I studied, sweetie?"
He closed his eyes, sipping as little of the booze as he could.
"Homeopathy. And I hung around the critical care unit at Cedars. I learned a lot. Trailed a couple of dermatologists for awhile..."
Bullshit, he thought. Yet another fuckin' smoke slid out of the pack.
"I know what to look for. And you, Roy, are in excellent health."
The hell - But he thought it over. Considering what they were doing to him... He had to be able to come up with something. An injury, some chronic pain. Maybe an infection.
"Dammit," he said.
"I'm right, aren't I? Huh?" she laughed. "I know what I'm doing."
"Lei. It's... too much -"
He grunted... as fingers started wandering up and down his shaft.
Right away, his whole attention was on his cock. All the nearby muscles contracted. Damn, it felt good.
"Is this too much?"
Roy cackled out smoke. Talking was beyond him. Well, no, he wanted to say. That's not the same thing you've been doing to me. That feels... sensational.
"Hmmmmmm?"
He shook his head and groaned.
"Can I get a smile?"
"No..."
"Just a little smile? Roy?"
The fingers traced around the rim of his glans. Over the tip.
Roy tried to shake the stocks... and then he couldn't help himself. He grinned.
"Yay!"
"Huh huh huh."
"That's the spirit. Don't hold back on me. Embrace the tickling, big guy."
She took his cigarette away. The fingertips slowed down - and he shuddered.
"See? You love it. It's all over your face when you're watching the videos. And the movie Max made. Relax and get wild, babe..."
Feathers! Between his toes.
He howled. Voice cracking, damn near gone.
The fingers squeezed a little. Even better. Roy's attention was flicking back and forth. Cock, oh yeah - toes, major impact...
Thrilling. Both - together.
He didn't want it to stop.
He stared at the phone.
The ticklers had been too quiet. No telling where they were...
And Roy couldn't stop looking at the phone, sitting there on the kitchen counter. It was probably a trap. Lure him over to the phone, punish his ass. They'd hidden his cell phone somewhere.
Another eleven months of this shit... and he'd shrivel up like a raisin.
Roy thought it over for a few more smokes. He had to try.
He got up from the couch and stretched. Walked into the kitchen as if he owned it - bitter joke, there - and got himself a beer.
After he opened it and took a swig, he listened carefully.
Nothing.
It was a setup. Definitely.
But the damn phone was only about four feet away...
One more deep breath - and he slid around the counter. Picked up the handset. Oh, fuck yeah - a dial tone! Freedom -
He punched in 9-1-1. The line clicked.
"Number, please?"
It sounded like... Max. Only more nasal.
Gloves seized his arms.
"Roy!" Lei shrieked. "Now you know better than that."
He lunged around, yelling with frustration - but it was pretty much silent. The handset floated off the floor and dropped back in its cradle. The gloves picked him up off the floor...
"You're a very bad boy. Now you're gonna get it."
Despite the best fight he could give her, she carried him down the hall. It was depressing, how strong her hands were...
In his room, the stocks were wide open.
"No! Damn you!" he whispered. "You set me up -"
"The phones are off-limits," Max said sternly, "unless Lei or I hand one to you."
He landed on the bench, and watched the stocks close.
"No sneaking off -"
"No getting away from us."
Padlocks clicked, one by one.
"There. Now it's time to discipline you."
"Like you weren't gonna tickle me anyway," he shot back, hoarse as anything.
"Not like this..."
And they outdid themselves. Intensity beyond anything he'd felt yet.
Ice, liniment... tools with little wheels and other attachments that rotated real fast.
He completely lost track of how many times they made him cum.
- - 14 - -
"How'd you get in?" he panted, during a smoke break.
Leather gloves were rubbing mink oil into each other. "In where, babe?"
"My house. Here. The alarm codes."
"We got lucky," Lei said.
"No. Really," he rasped, watching another pack of smokes being peeled open. "It's not like I can do anything about it now."
"That's true," Max said thoughtfully. "Aw, hell. I was going to string it out. But you've been so responsive this week -"
"Ha."
"We owe it all to Sherri."
Roy sat up immediately - as far as the bench would allow. "Sherri? She set me up for this?"
"Well... not on purpose," Lei finally said.
"Lei," Max warned her.
"Oh, now. Max. We won."
"We did, didn't we?" and Max sighed. "Okay. You win. Sherri is kinda forgetful, Roy."
"Uh-huh," he said, thinking hard.
"Loses stuff, sometimes?"
"Sure..."
A small silver rectangle floated toward him. It looked like a Palm Pilot -
But it wasn't his. Roy's PDA was black. His new one...
"No fucking way."
"Finders keepers," Lei said.
"You stole her Palm Pilot?"
"No," Max said evenly, "And I'm surprised you'd say such a thing. She lost it."
"It was right next to her car, on the lot," Lei added quickly. "She almost ran over it."
"I don't believe this. She would've told m-" But then Roy shut up, because he was knew Sherri wouldn't tell him. Dammit...
"Uh-huh," Max laughed. "Sure she would."
"So... Are you telling me that's how you got the alarm codes?"
"Give that man a cigar."
A cupboard opened, in the kitchen. Sure enough... a cigar was coming. Literally. Only in here, he thought. I've gotta get out of this fuckin' nightmare...
A water bottle arrived first, and as he drank he watched a cutter clip off the ends of the cigar. A box of matches trailed behind.
"Roy, buddy - sweetie - it gets better," Lei said, with a giggle.
"Well, of course it does," he growled, biting down. A match was struck, and he puffed obediently.
"Sexy as hell," Max said. "Just like in 'Buckingham'."
Fuck you, he thought - and the words almost slipped out. "Okay. I'm smokin'... What's the other part?"
"What other part?" Lei asked.
"Lei. The part where it gets better."
"Oh yeah. That part." She laughed.
The PDA bobbed in midair. Max spoke up. "Where'd she get this from, Roy honey?"
"From me," he said. "So?"
"6387501... oh... one."
He took another pull on the cigar - and he froze. The truth slammed home like a boxing glove. That was one of his account numbers.
"I... I erased everything. Before I gave it to her."
"No you didn't," Lei said.
"You deleted it, but you didn't erase it."
"But she used it after I did," he complained, sagging against the bench.
"Not very much. The good stuff was still in there. Waiting for the right stalker to come and undelete it."
He let the cigar hang...
"Smoke up, Buchanan."
That made him flinch. Oh, no. From bad to worse.
It was true. "Who?"
"Don't even try it -"
"Marcel Buchanan," Lei said.
"You know," Max jumped in. "The name on the credit cards you use to buy your porn."
"This cannot be happening. To me," he said hollowly.
"Ha."
"And that Buchanan guy's been shopping like there's no tomorrow."
They kept finding new, mind-blowing ways to tickle him.
His computer was usually on. Roy could look over at it and see a web browser open, on the screen... but they didn't let him get close enough to see what they were up to. It worried him. All he could do was chain-smoke and glance over there, as the mouse rolled around and the keys clicked...
Something hurt. It woke him up...
His throat.
He usually hated discovering he was awake. The dream-tickling was preferable to the real thing, only because he could still believe it was a dream. That made it easier, somehow, to... enjoy it. Really get off.
But that backfired on him. If he wasn't careful, he surrendered during the real tickling too. More and more often, Roy gave up the fight and just wallowed in it. And then - well, it was on. He wanted it to continue endlessly, making it impossible to think. Grueling. No limits.
He didn't know how to fight that. They had his number...
"Ow," he growled - and he could hear himself. His voice was back. That got his eyes open.
A little glass tube was floating over the bed. Sand, inside. Or another powder - tan, off-white.
"Water," he moaned.
"Not yet," Lei said. "One more minute. Sorry, convict."
"It hurts."
"Nothing I can do about that."
"What is it?"
"Take a guess," Max taunted.
"Voice... fixer?"
"Bingo."
He started to sit up, but the cuffs stopped him. "Shit..."
The vial wiggled around.
"Damn, I'm good," Lei said proudly.
"She's not kidding," Max added. "You're getting more sensitive all the time. And those orgasms -"
"Drugging me. The food," he croaked, starting to cough.
"Yup. And there's five vials we haven't even cracked open yet."
"Plus I have to try all the possible combinations,"
Lei said.
"Years," Roy said, before he could stop himself.
"You wish," Max snickered.
"Oh, poo. Not years," Lei laughed. "Unless you want to."
"Don't fuck with me, I'm in pain here." His voice sounded... almost normal.
"Ten more seconds. Then you can wash it down."
Finally, a squeeze bottle came up. "Open wide..."
"Aaallrrrgghhh," he complained. There was a bitter taste in his mouth, like really old coffee.
"What a baby," Max said fondly.
"Fuck you," he said, out of reflex.
"What?" and gloves grabbed his feet. "Say that again. Louder." Roy shut his mouth. "No, really. I mean it. Let's test it." He frowned. "If you don't yell that, right now, I'm going to drill you so hard..."
"Go ahead, hon," Lei reassured him. "Yell it."
"Alright... Fuck you!" It came out loud. He hadn't been able to yell in at least a week.
The gloves let go of him.
"Very good," Lei said.
"Fuck both of you, then!" he hollered, so glad to hear his own voice again. "Fuck the horse you rode in on!"
"Okay," Max said. "We get it."
"Fuck your gloves - and your stocks!" Roy couldn't help but grin.
"Ooooooo-"
If you're going to dig a hole, might as well make it a deep one. "And that one oil - the one that smells like pond scum - fuck that, too!"
"Roy -"
"What? What the f-"
Something slid over his lips. A ball?
A gag. He squawked and thrashed around as they tightened the strap.
"Whew," Lei said.
"I thought he'd never shut up," Max chimed in. "So, now what?"
There was a long pause.
Finally, Roy wailed into the gag - because feathers and brushes were on their way.
He was afraid he'd suffocate or something...
When that didn't happen, and he noticed the snot all over his cheeks - he got angry. At the gag.
Well, chewing on it didn't seem to work.
Roy slammed his head on the mattress a few times and laughed. The feathers were really getting to him. They were in his ears, and some were tickling his palms. High on his legs, inside, but not high enough to get him off. Oh, fuck...
Wide awake. Feeling every stroke. Every stroke.
Quiet... why was it quiet? He listened. Faint brushing sounds. When he pulled on the straps, they creaked a little -
Oh. He wasn't laughing.
That was odd. The tickling was insane, as always. The ball-gag moved a little when he pressed it with his tongue. Eventually, he realized his jaws were relaxed. He was getting plenty of air.
His whole body was relaxed. Despite the fuckin' torture... The intense, exciting, careful, red-hot fun they were force-feeding him -
No. He reversed himself quickly. No, not fun. Not okay.
Way past that. Fuck "okay"... this was the best party he'd ever been to, and the doors were padlocked shut. Drive on.
That was all it took. Oh, yeah. He was on the wrong side of the fence again. Diggin' it. Totally psyched...
Roy tensed up - but it felt fake, somehow. That wasn't going to cut it. Wouldn't help. Nothing -
He chuckled. A slutty laugh. They kept rolling out of him.
Laying there, relaxed, not moving, he felt the bad-guy snickers. And they felt good.
Roy was enjoying himself more than he had in years. Oh, shit. Not smart. But he didn't care about that -
The tickling paused. Just for a second. He kept snickering... and opened his eyes.
He looked at the brushes, and shook his head, looking as smug as he could. Well? Is that the best you can do?
And gloves started in! They gave the brushes room to work. All were moving slowly...
Teasing the hell out of him. Any time now, and the fingers would kick it in. Hard-line tickling.
Well, it couldn't get hard enough, as far as he was concerned.
A bunch of feathers concentrated on his rod. Roy flopped slowly, and his head rolled back. He couldn't even snicker any more. It was incredible, it was far too much, and he was sure it would be a long time before he got any relief. And after he came, the tickling would be harder, because he was even more ticklish.
Oh, they noticed the change. He could tell by the way they were burying him. Light touches - everywhere.
They were so good at this...
Neither tickler was talking. He took that to mean they didn't want to distract him. His mood seemed to suit them just fine.
They kept the water coming... and a cold meatball sub showed up at some point. A bunch of vitamins and other pills.
Only a few cigarettes, but he was okay with that once he figured it out. They were eager to get back to it.
Roy was ready, too. He'd show them. Catch me and tickle me, huh? You think you're gonna win? Fuck you. I can take everything you can throw at me. I'll show you...
- - 15 - -
Man - he felt good. Ready to take on the world.
Roy sat up. He was on the couch. No cuffs on him.
The bench was right there, oiled and ready. All he was wearing was a jockstrap. No cup.
Staring at the bench, and then at the chain which held the sliding door closed, his hands got a cigarette lit before he even realized he'd done it.
Something had happened...
He thought he should remember more. It could be a big deal. But nothing came to him.
"Uh... Lei?"
"Right here, cutie."
"Did something happen, uh, yesterday? To me?"
"Well, you got tickled."
He rolled his eyes. "I know that. I mean, something unusual."
"Gee. No, Roy. Not really. Just another tickle-happy day."
"Huh." He was suspicious. Not sure why... And it sorta bothered him that he felt so damn good.
After they fed him, and he smoked for awhile, cuffs slithered out from under the couch cushions.
Roy fought like a eel, grunting hard... but he didn't yell. His heart kept pounding, long after the restraints were tightened down.
"Now," Max said, "let's all enjoy the brutality."
A lot of gloves started arriving. Satin, or silk.
Roy twisted harder, even though it wouldn't change a damn thing.
They kept it slow. Light. He shuddered a lot. Couldn't hold still -
"Oh. I know," Lei said, like she just remembered something.
The gag came over to him.
"Nnnnuhlllgh," he protested.
"Relax, babe," Max said. "You like this."
Roy wasn't so sure. There were so many fingers. He didn't wanna give in to 'em.
He fought with it all afternoon.
Exquisite pleasure, everywhere. Too much. He couldn't handle it.
And he couldn't seem to wallow in it, either. It puzzled him, for about twenty seconds, and then he couldn't think straight. As usual. The tickling was too fuckin' much.
He couldn't take it.
According to plan...
Roy laughed silently for awhile. Shaking on the sweaty leather of his couch. When he noticed that, he concentrated on his breathing until the laughter went away.
The gloves kept tickling.
Shit, he thought to himself. This is what I wanted. The joke's on me -
Joke. That did it. The dam burst. That was the reaction he needed...
The funniest fuckin' joke he'd ever heard.
He slammed his body down a few times... and a huge smirk came over his face. Then the snickering followed.
Fingers just confirmed it, every second. Unbelievably great joke.
"More," he growled.
Lei whistled her approval.
"You think you're man enough?" Max said.
He grinned real big, showing his teeth...
Ringing.
Roy remembered how to open his eyes...
Blurry. He blinked frantically. Oh, shit. Yeah. The phone. Someone was checking on him. Sal, probably. Hopefully. At last.
"Awwwwrrrmmf," he whooped happily - but the gag was still there. Uh-oh.
To his amazement, the phone moved. Handset - lifting. What now?
"Hello?" Max said.
Roy felt a little glimmer of hope. He knew better. Maybe it was Sherri. Hearing another woman, thinking about it, jealous rage, driving up here. Help me, Sherri. They're driving me nuts.
As if she cared. He was more rattled than he thought -
"No, there's no Roy here."
He froze.
"Waaaaawwwwnnnnff! Hoah! Huuuuuh!"
Brushes started creeping between his toes... On the outer boundary of his 'pits. Kneecaps. The short brushes, not too firm. All oiled up -
"You must have the wrong number," Max said coolly.
Roy hooted into the gag.
"No problem. 'Bye."
The phone... floated back down. Hanging up.
As he tried to pull his hands loose... the phone cord unplugged from the wall and fell to the floor.
During a break, he decided it was Lei on the phone. Cell phone. A setup.
He didn't know if it was true, but it was easy to believe. The alternative was just too frustrating.
That night, they had big fun with him. In the stocks...
It was something like the fifth rest break. Or maybe the sixth. He heard a tune. Far away. Living room?
He knew that tune - his cell phone! "Please," he said. "Oh, yeah."
It floated through the door. "Incoming, Sal. Who's Sal?" Lei said.
"Aay... Agent," Roy said. "Like you don't know."
The phone moved a little, and the ringing... stopped.
Something like a wail slipped out of Roy's mouth.
"Oh... Did you want to talk to him?"
They poured more whiskey down his throat. Not too much. "Just so you sound... loose," Max said.
Then he had a couple cigarettes. The phone stayed near the doorway. He stared at it...
"Roy."
"Yes, Lei?"
"Am I correct in thinking... that you want to talk t-"
He bit down on the cigarette and forced himself to count to five. "Why, yes. Yes I would. Please." He took a drag, and kept staring at his phone. "Now would be a good time."
"O-kay," Max said.
The phone came closer. "How do you work this thing?"
Please don't break it, he wanted to beg. Don't. I couldn't take it right now. Throw me a bone...
It jiggled a little. "There!" Turned around -
Calling Sal SPR.
Roy blinked, and took a gigantic drag to steady himself. They were finished with him. Why else would they let him call Sal? Oh yeah, yes. Please...
The phone snuggled against the side of his head. It was ringing. Private number - and if Sal wasn't in, it would be the last fuckin' straw.
"Good afternoon, SPR," a sultry voice said.
"It's Roy! I n-"
"Just a moment." And he was on hold.
"Dammit," he mumbled. At least Sal wouldn't keep him waiting long -
"Roy! Buddy! How are you holding up?
He kicked out smoke happily. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice."
"Back at'cha. The rough cut's done. Looks like a win-"
"I know. Sal," Roy interrupted. "Sal. Listen. Please. Listen carefully. I'm... I'm being held prisoner."
"Prisoner?"
"Yeah. In my own house. Loc-"
"I know," Sal said. "Believe me, I know. When Carl left me, I was a total wreck. But listen, you take all the time you need -"
"Stop," Roy barked. "Stop. Stop. Do not talk. I'm literally locked in here. By somebody else. Restrained."
There was a pause. "Roy. She's not worth all this. Are you... How much have you been drinkin', there, honcho?"
"I'm not drunk," he snapped. "Kidnapped. Tortured."
"Tor... Oh, now. Are you kidnapped, or are you at your house? On the lake?"
That threw him for a split-second. "Both. Here. They got m-"
The fucker laughed. "They, huh? How many?"
"Two."
"What do they look like?"
Fuck. "They're invisible."
A few seconds went by. Sal sighed. "Kidnapping usually involves moving somebody, Roy. Hiding the victim."
"I'm hidden here," he yelled. His cigarette was taken away. "Dammit, Sal. Chains. Restraints. On the couch. Involuntary..."
"Invisible kidnappers."
"You gotta believe me." Roy imagined Sal rolling his eyes in the pause that followed.
"How much do they want?"
A year, he thought wildly. One whole fuckin' year. "They... didn't say."
"Roy. Sorry to bust your chops, here, but your maid tells me you haven't been home in a while."
"Lake-house!" Roy yelled. "Oh, hell - I'm at the cabin! Prisoner - held hostage! You g-"
"But you can't see the intruders, and they haven't said anything about the ransom?"
"Call the police, Sal," Roy said, emphasizing each word. "Do it now."
"You're not going to do anything stupid. Are you? Roy?"
"No. Call th-"
"The fish-wraps would love that," Sal laughed. "You don't want to give 'em the satisfaction."
"Sal, will you fuckin' listen to me, Tortured every damn day -"
"Yeah. Tortured," Sal said. "I know. If anyone can understand that, hermano, it's me. And if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were strung out on coke -"
"Call. Now. Call the cops. Brownridge County -"
"At least lay off the booze for awhile? Okay? Get some food in you. You've gotta take care of yourself."
"Sal, shut up and lis-"
You're hallucinating, Roy. You're out there. It's the stress. All those feelings, they're gonna come out somehow."
"If you don't send help, you're fired," Roy said quietly. "I mean it."
"Now that hurts," Sal shot back. "You pay me to protect you. Trust me. Local fuzz hears you raving like this, and it'll be all over the internet in an hour. You don't want that, Roy. We're not gonna give her the satisfaction... What? He is? Oh. Roy, I love ya, but I gotta go -"
"Oh no, you don't."
"It's Gene Augusta. Gene head-of-fucking-studio-Augusta. He's holding right now."
"Sal -"
"Take a nap, and eat something, willya?"
Roy slammed himself around, but the stocks weren't nearly loud enough. "Sal - help. Help. Don't hang up... C'mon up here. See for yourself. Send somebody -"
"No way. Your little hidey-hole?"
"395," Roy babbled. "North. Past L-"
"Ah. Now I know you're drunk," Sal said triumphantly. "It's a secret. You told me before - you never want me to know where your getaway house is. Remember?"
That was all too true. "But this is an emergency -"
"You're not yourself right now, ace. Talkin' crazy. But you'll be okay. No more drinking today. You hear me? Food, sleep, breathing exercises, it'll get better, I really gotta take this Roy, just hang in there -"
Click.
Roy sat there for a while. Not moving at all.
A cigarette poked between his lips, and he took hold of it. The phone drifted over and touched down on the nightstand.
"Didn't go too well, huh?" Lei said, firing up the lighter.
He leaned forward a little and lit his smoke. "It went great - for you two."
Max snickered. "Imagine that."
On to Part 4
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