The Grey Zone

by Easton, Don

  “Hang on,” Celeste said. “Give me a chance to wiggle out of these jeans and enjoy myself.”

  Alicia heard the sound of a zipper and a moment later felt the brush of silk panties across her face.

  “Hey, baby, do you like how I smell?” Celeste asked.

  Alicia stiffened. She heard the bed squeak as Celeste lay down on it. “Okay, start the show,” she said.

  Alicia twisted her torso violently when Skye stood between her legs, but was unable to stop him from undoing the top of her blouse and unfastening her bra.

  “Ooh, you’re a fighter,” he said, digging his fingers deep into her breasts in a twisting motion.

  She squirmed and strained at the bonds, begging him to stop, but through the tape it came across only as a muffled cry.

  “Oh, yeah. Real, too,” Skye commented as he continued to grope. “These aren’t store-bought.”

  Oh, God. Please stop.

  Skye continued for a moment longer, then released his grip.

  “Hey, not so fast,” Celeste said. “I’m not even wet yet. Don’t rush. Be nice to her. Stroke her nipples. See if you can make ’em hard. Get her to want you.”

  Alicia felt him massaging and stroking her breasts with his fingers, pausing intermittently to lick her nipples.

  “Oh, yeah, does that feel good, baby? Come on, lean into him.” Celeste’s voice had gotten husky. “Let yourself go. Sway into him … you know you want to.”

  Alicia remained rigid, and eventually he stopped.

  “She doesn’t want to play,” he said, then undid the rest of her blouse.

  She heard him take his pants off, then felt his legs straddle her body as he stood over her. His fingers caressed the sides of her face, then he used his hands to clamp his penis between her breasts as he slowly pumped his body.

  “Ah, a titty-fuck isn’t doing it for me,” Celeste said a moment later. “Come on, you can do better.”

  “Okay, but I need a little insurance,” he replied, briefly stepping away. When he returned, he grabbed her throat with one hand and peeled the strip of duct tape from her mouth. “Be a good girl,” he said, bringing his penis toward her mouth. “You know what to do.”

  “Try it and I’ll bite the end right off!” she spluttered.

  “Ooh, I think she means it,” Celeste said. “You better be careful.”

  Skye’s grip on her throat tightened, and she started to gag. “I thought you might say that,” he said. She then felt the cold muzzle of a pistol in her ear. “You ready to die, little girl?”

  “You might need me alive for the ransom,” she retorted in a tone whose confidence surprised her.

  The bed squeaked as Celeste approached. “Put the gun down,” she said. “I’ve an idea.”

  Skye obeyed. “I don’t believe you’d really bite,” he said. “Not if you want to live.”

  You’re going to kill me, no matter what. I know it. She felt the knob on her lips and clenched her teeth.

  “Open up,” Skye said, digging his thumb into her throat.

  She started to choke and opened her mouth.

  “That a girl,” he said.

  Go ahead. Blow my brains out. I don’t care anymore.

  She bit down as hard as she could. As her teeth sunk in, she shook her head wildly from side to side like a dog trying to rip gristle off a bone.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  “Settle down!” Derek said, after Peter and Horace started roughhousing and bumped into him. “You’ve each had four beers. We need clear heads tomorrow.”

  “Four?” Peter questioned. “Naw, I think it was only three.”

  “It was four. Look at the fucking empties on the bench,” Derek replied.

  Peter pointed to the bottles and started to count them one at a time, then screwed up his face and started over again.

  “It’s eight,” Derek stated.

  “Yeah, yeah, okay,” Peter replied. Then, in an apparent attempt to change the subject, he said, “So, tomorrow’s Celeste’s birthday. Who do you think will be making her birthday wishes come true?”

  “Personally I think she favours Jack,” Horace said. “You see how she looked at him when they met?”

  “Yeah, I noticed,” Peter replied. “Bet you noticed too, eh, Jack?”

  Peter and Horace looked at him with silly grins. Even Derek looked amused.

  “Okay, guys, let me in on the joke.”

  “Let’s just say that Skye and Celeste have a real open relationship,” Derek said.

  “What do you mean by open?” Jack asked.

  “She enjoys other guys, and I think it turns Skye on,” Peter said.

  “For sure it does,” Horace said. “He likes to watch, but I don’t care.”

  “You’ve had sex with her while he watches?” Jack said.

  “Well, one time I was doin’ it to her on the sofa and I look up and he’s standin’ there with his hand down his pants,” Peter replied. “Horace and me both have had her. It’s like we’re all … what did the hippies call it? In a commuter.”

  “A commune,” Jack said.

  “Yeah, that’s what I said.” Peter looked at his brother. “Except for Derek, ’cause women don’t turn his crank.”

  “You guys have had too much to drink,” Derek stated. “You should watch what you say.”

  “Aw, come on,” Peter said. “You saw the moves she was makin’ on Jack. He’s gonna find out, anyway.”

  “I think I already figured out that she enjoys sex,” Jack said.

  “Enjoys sex?” Peter laughed. “That’s an understatement. She likes to tie you up and then tease you until you’re begging for it. Damn near drives you nuts trying to hold your load.”

  “You call it teasing, but the fucking riding crop scares the shit out of me,” Horace said. “It hurts.”

  “She’s used a riding crop on you?” Jack repeated.

  “Yeah, she does like her toys,” Peter said. “Sometimes she wears a black leather mask, a leather bra, and tight leather shorts.”

  “That turns me on,” Horace said. “Makes her seem wild. Kind of catlike.” He glanced at Derek. “How about you? Your friends do shit like that?”

  “None of your business.” Derek looked disgusted. “Christ, you both sound like a couple of goofs. Have at it, I’m playing a game,” he said, turning his back to everyone.

  Thank you for not sharing your exploits.

  “Better than what Skye lets her do,” Peter said, ignoring his brother’s comment.

  “Fuck, yeah,” Horace said. “She’s one wild ride, though. I think Skye lets her peg him with a dildo to keep himself from being thrown off.”

  “You guys are shitting me, right?” Jack asked.

  “Maybe,” Peter admitted, “but I’ve seen him so sore he had trouble sitting down, so somethin’ was goin’ on. Once she got Horace and me trussed up at the same time, then teased us to see which one she’d choose. The last one to keep his dick standing up won … and that was me.”

  “She sounds like quite the girl,” Jack noted. “Wonder if Skye’s ever brought her home to meet his mom?”

  “More like his dad,” Derek replied, not bothering to take his eyes off the game.

  Peter and Horace guffawed, and Jack pretended to join in. Then he had a horrible thought. “I wonder if she swings both ways?” he asked.

  “For sure she does,” Horace said. “I’ve seen her drooling over girly magazines more than most men do.” He eyed Jack. “Where you going?”

  “Back to the trailer. I, uh, need to use the toilet.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

  Alicia didn’t hear a scream or taste any blood as she bit down. What she got was the taste of rubber, and she spit it from her mouth.

  “Holy fuck!” Skye commented. “Glad I didn’t shove my pecker in there.”

  “The fucking little whore!” Celeste uttered. “She damn near took the end off my favourite johnson.”

  Alicia found herself hyperventilating and tried to co
ntrol her breathing.

  “Think you can be defiant and in control, sunshine?” Celeste hissed. “You’re lucky I don’t have my boyfriend rearrange your face with a bat.”

  An image of Greg Dalton lying in a parking lot flashed into her mind, and she gasped some more. Celeste was close enough that Alicia could feel the heat from her breath on her face.

  “Let me teach you a little something about who’s the master,” Celeste continued.

  Before Alicia could utter a sound, the tape was placed back over her mouth. Next, her chair was tipped backward onto the floor so her face and torso pointed up toward the ceiling.

  “Your turn to watch and learn,” Celeste said to Skye, who grunted in response.

  Alicia tensed when she felt her jeans being unzipped and yanked past her knees along with her panties. She begged Celeste through muffled sobs to stop. A moment later she felt Celeste’s breasts against her face, then felt her tongue darting and licking her navel before moving onward.

  “Work with me, baby. Come on,” Celeste urged. “Let yourself go. Relax and enjoy. You’ll like it. Come on.”

  Although her feet were still tied to the chair, Alicia was able to clamp her knees together.

  “Want to be that way, do you?” Celeste said. “I told you, I’m the master. You will please me … one way or the other.”

  Celeste changed positions and sat on Alicia’s shoulders, facing the opposite direction. She felt Celeste’s bare thighs on either side of her head. She gasped as Celeste savagely grabbed her by the hair with both hands, pulling Alicia’s head tight to her body. She smelled the odour and felt pubic hair on her nose as the fleshy mound enveloped her face. Soon she couldn’t breathe, and panic set in as she madly tried to free her nose.

  “That’s it! That’s it!” Celeste said, urging her to struggle. “Oh, yeah. See?” she said. “Like riding a wild pony. Giddy up, little pony.”

  “I love it,” Skye replied.

  Alicia’s panic turned to terror as her body demanded air. Then, in a semiconscious state, she realized Celeste had backed off and given her a moment to breathe. Her nostrils flared as she quickly tried to inhale.

  She lost track of how many times this process was repeated, but eventually Celeste’s primal utterances faded — as did everything else.

  When she awoke, she’d been dressed and was upright in the chair, being dragged back to the other bedroom. Then they left her alone.

  How could this happen? Why? Her chest heaved as she sobbed behind the tape, then another horrific thought came to mind. Oh, God, what if people find out at work? That’s all anyone will think about when they see me. She envisioned people talking about her behind her back. I wish I’d died.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  Jack entered the trailer with Derek a few steps behind. He felt relieved to see Celeste and Skye sitting in the living room. “Feeling better?” he asked.

  Celeste smiled. “I feel much, much better. Thanks for asking.”

  “He needed to use the toilet,” Derek offered, as if by way of apology.

  “First door on the right,” Skye stated.

  Jack made a pretense of using the bathroom, then came back out. With a nod toward the rear of the trailer, he said, “I better check on our guest.”

  “She appeared to be asleep when we saw her earlier,” Celeste stated.

  “Still, I’ll check. She hasn’t eaten. Should at least get her to drink more water and see if she needs to pee or something.”

  Jack entered the bedroom and realized a moment later that Celeste and Skye had followed. He handed the plastic cup that Celeste had given him earlier to Skye, then motioned for him to get water.

  Skye took the cup and disappeared down the hall without hesitation. The action didn’t go unnoticed. Celeste regarded Jack, then, with a nod toward the hallway, said, “Yeah, he’s a good little lap dog. Something tells me that you’re not of that breed.”

  “What breed am I?”

  “I’m not sure. Perhaps time will tell.”

  At least you don’t think I’m a police dog. Jack touched his lips with his finger, then pointed to Alicia as a warning to Celeste that she should be careful not to be heard. He knelt beside Alicia. “We came to give you some more water.”

  Alicia didn’t move, but she stiffened when he touched her cheek to pull the tape from her mouth. Why so jumpy? You know it’s me.

  Skye reappeared with the refilled cup, and Jack held it to Alicia’s lips. She drank at little, then turned her head.

  “Would you like some more?” Jack asked.

  Alicia shook her head, then bowed her chin to her chest.

  You look as if you’ve given up on life.

  “Would you like a sandwich or to use the toilet?” Jack asked.

  Alicia shook her head again, seemingly afraid to speak.

  Has she had too much time to worry and now she thinks she’s going to die? Damn it, kid, get a grip. If you think that way, you’ll end up that way.

  * * *

  Jack took a seat in the living room on the sofa with Derek and Peter. Celeste and Horace sat in the upholstered chairs as Skye prepared spaghetti in the kitchen.

  While waiting for the water to boil, Skye opened a bottle of red wine and poured glasses for everyone. It was a chance for Jack to assess everyone’s mood, including whether or not anyone was avoiding eye contact with him or sneaking furtive looks.

  No signs of distancing — then again, anyone psychotic enough to go along with chopping off a child’s fingers, murder, and beating in a man’s face with a bat probably wouldn’t get stressed over killing me.

  During dinner, everyone seemed friendly, though hyper, which he knew was due to the excitement of what tomorrow would bring. Eye contact was also strong — perhaps too strong, when it came to Celeste.

  By the time dinner was over, the six of them had finished three bottles of wine, and Skye was cracking open a bottle of Irish Mist liqueur.

  Jack decided to check on Alicia. He was allowed to go alone, although Celeste made a point of adjusting her kitchen chair so she could see down the hallway.

  Once in the room, he quickly removed the tape from Alicia’s mouth, but kept one hand on her knee, ready to squeeze if anyone approached.

  “We can talk. Are you okay?” he whispered.

  “I’m fine,” she said quickly.

  “You don’t seem fine. Did something happen you’re not telling me about?”

  “Nothing happened.”

  “Okay, then what’s got into you? You seem worse than —”

  “How would you feel if you were me?” she snapped. “Tied up in here and —”

  “Keep your voice down,” Jack cautioned. “Try to hang in there. Tomorrow it’ll all be over. Rose will pay up. You need to be strong.”

  Alicia remained silent.

  “Is there anything I can get you? Maybe some food?”

  “No.”

  “Bathroom?”

  “I said no! I want to sleep. I just want to be left alone.”

  Jack placed his hands firmly on her shoulders to make her brain focus. “I get it. Blindfolded, scared, it’d be easy to give up hope. But we’ll get out of this. Trust me on that.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “I’ll be back to check on you in a little while.” He put the tape over her mouth and returned to the kitchen, where Derek, Skye, and Celeste were all seated at the table with lowball glasses filled with ice and liqueur in front of them. Peter and Horace sat on the sofa holding their glasses.

  Celeste looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

  “She doesn’t want anything,” he said, squeezing behind the table to sit on the bench across from her. “Just asked to be left alone.”

  “Here ya go!” Skye said, sliding a glass of liqueur across the table to him.

  “Slainte!” Celeste said, giving the Irish toast.

  Everyone gulped their drink and Skye started to refill the glasses, but Jack covered the top of his. “Thanks, but
no.”

  “Come on, you’re part of this team, aren’t you?” Skye chided.

  “Yes, give us a toast,” Celeste added.

  Jack relented and raised his glass. “An Irish toast comes to mind. May we get what we want, may we get what we need, but may we never get what we deserve.”

  Celeste laughed. “Perfect!” She blew him a kiss before downing her drink.

  “Hey, Celeste, all right if Horace and I play some video games on the TV?” Peter asked.

  “Go ahead. No more booze for anyone, though. We need clear heads tomorrow.”

  “I’ll clean up,” Derek said, getting to his feet and taking dirty dishes to the sink.

  “I’d help, but the kitchen is off limits for me,” Jack said, hoping to convey disappointment at not being trusted.

  “Maybe tomorrow night you can help,” Celeste replied. “Speaking of which, I want to talk to you about tomorrow.”

  “I’d like to know who’ll be doing what, where, and when.”

  “You’ll be making the call to the mother at one p.m.,” Celeste noted, “and if she has the money together, you’ll phone her again in two hours and give her a location. That’ll give the rest of us time to set up. At that location we’ll leave another phone for her to use. Then we run her around and make sure she’s not being watched and that she doesn’t have any bugs or GPS locators hidden on her.”

  “You and Skye will be up in the plane?” Jack asked.

  “Yes.”

  “And me? Will I be with Derek in his van?”

  “No, because he won’t always be in his van. He’ll be the one who checks for bugs when we send the mother for a walk. You’ll be with Peter and Horace.”

  “Once we know it’s safe and have got the money, we’ll all meet here,” Skye added.

  “After that, Peter and Horace will take Ally and drop her off someplace,” Celeste said. “Then it’s a simple matter of calling her mother and letting her know where to find her.”

  “Sounds good,” Jack said.

  Celeste gave a warm smile. “Once you get your share, Derek can take you back to your hotel, or you can stay and celebrate with us.”

  Jack faked a smile. “A double celebration. Your birthday, as well.”