[Unorthodox 01.0] Unorthodox Therapy

by Lilah E. Noir

  “Don't waste your time, Tommy boy,” Allie muttered and took another bite of her Chinese, staring at the computer screen. I was sitting at the coffee table with the small laptop in front of me. “At this point, she hates you too much. I can't say I blame her, but if she picks up, you'd better be ready with some evidence.”

  “Yeah, I know.” I took my glasses off and rubbed my eyelids when she gave me another pearl of wisdom. “I just wish she wasn't taking the blow all by herself. I should have done a better job of protecting my pet.”

  Allie turned around and set the cardboard aside. She stretched out her arms and gave me the closest thing to a tender smile she was capable of.

  “You're doing something more important, silly. We are tracking down the snake in her home and possibly uprooting even greater danger. Quite frankly, I don't think you'd do her any service if you were there with her.” Allie turned back to the console blinking in front of her. “She'd be accused of both indecent behavior and an affair with an employee.”

  “You're right. I'm being stupid.” I stared at her for a moment before putting my glasses back on. My eyes were sore and red. “You're truly the best, Allie.”

  “Yeah, I know. Now shut up and keep looking at the traffic.”

  We'd been going through my traffic for the last six months to track the suspicious IPs, which weren't part of my normal communication. It was a cumbersome task since I was an active Internet user and online most of the time. It'd been a long and tedious process but two sets of eyes were better than one. Allie checked every one of our suspects and did some hacking of her own.

  Watching her work made me thank my lucky stars she was by my side.

  Finally, after days of empty searching and quiet despair, Allie cried out victoriously.

  “Fuck, yes! I think we got him.”

  I nearly broke an ankle as I rushed to her side. She pointed at a string of numbers on the screen with a proud look on her face.

  “This buddy here copied some pretty big files out of your computer exactly two months ago. I tracked him down. It turns out he or she used it at a storage unit on Jerrold Avenue. I also got the exact unit number.” She licked her lips and her fingers kept flying over the keyboard. “I'm going to check the storage unit's web system. Luckily, they use some laughable app. Breaking into it would be child's play,” she said in a sing-song voice and winked at me. “Hold on, Thomas. We may have the bastard soon.”

  It took her less than half an hour to break through the security of the storage place. She got to the database table with the name of the man who rented that specific unit and her smile instantly faded. She stared at the computer screen and it was the first time in days she’d showed any sign of insecurity.

  “Allie? What is wrong?” I asked with growing concern. “Allie, please, talk to me.”

  “Mick Masters,” she said almost soundlessly and narrowed her eyes. “He’s paid in cash for six months ahead.”

  “Well, that name sounds fake as shit and means nothing to me.” I stepped from foot to foot and used my best dominant voice to break her out of her spell. “Come on, Allie, spit it out.”

  “It may mean nothing. It could just be some fucked up coincidence, but...” She bit her thumb to the point of bleeding and finally looked up at me.

  “About six months ago, a client with the same name requested a session with a submissive masochistic girl. These are even more expensive than what I usually get paid. They require the presence of a third party to keep things in line. The girl he ended up picking asked me to supervise their session. She’s an absolute painslut, but his methods proved to be too much even for her. Honestly, if I hadn’t been there, I'm sure he would have killed her.” Allie shivered in fear. I'd known this woman for years and it was the first time I've ever seen her look so scared. “He was positively insane, exactly like the guys–”

  “What did he look like?”

  “Very tall, muscular, hazel eyes, thick eyebrows. Sound familiar?”

  I picked up my Canon from the shelf and started searching for a particular picture from the last office party. It was difficult to find it amongst the hundreds of cookie-cutter images. After some zooming, I got a relatively clear image of Seth's face. The asshole would go ape if he ever caught someone taking pictures of him. God forbid they posted them on any kind of social media. It was becoming clear why.

  “Is this him?” I pointed the screen to Allie and she trembled.

  “This is your angry co-worker, right?” After I nodded, she stared back at me with growing concern. “Thomas, Lina may be in greater danger than simply losing her job or reputation.” My friend was growing paler by the minute. By the time I felt like screaming at her, she whispered, “Mick Masters specifically requested a ginger haired girl with pale skin and big breasts.”

  ***

  I left Allie at my place so she could keep on digging for proof about Seth Anderson/Mick Masters, and headed straight for the headquarters of ChaosTech. Lina had switched her phone off and nobody in the office responded to my calls. Even Katie wasn't at her desk. My thumb was nearly blistered with how many times I'd tried to reach someone while waiting in my car, stuck in the Friday traffic. Panic choked me with every passing minute, along with rage at my own helplessness.

  Perhaps things weren't as bad as I feared. There was no logical reasoning behind my urgency. Lina could simply have been busy in a meeting or thinking over her strategy. The last few days, I'd been out of touch with all the events at the company. She might have resigned and left town to spend some time at her ocean side home for all I knew. Or...

  No. Assumptions would only drive me mad. After all, Seth Anderson had been lurking like a snake in the grass for the past decade. There was no reason why he would strike this particular night. Still, my gut feeling rarely lied to me. Allie's words and her distress at the memory of Mick Masters were enough to make me act immediately. The sooner Lina found out the danger she was in, the better.

  I gripped the wheel hard. Time and again I slammed my palm against the horn out of sheer despair. I kept going over the events of the last few months – Seth's behavior, his sudden retreat after constantly trying to antagonize me. Why didn't I see anything suspicious back then?

  Love makes us so blind to the rest of the world.

  It was 7pm when I finally reached the office. My nerves were still pretty shaken but I forced myself to stay calm. Any hope of finding her there evaporated when I walked into Katie's reception area, my old work station. It was pitch black and the door to Lina's office was locked.

  Maybe I'd have better luck searching for Seth. He often stayed at work until midnight, but his presence in the office wouldn't mean Lina was safe. I suppressed the horrific images floating through my mind and rushed out into the hallway. It was possible she was in one of the other departments, or the conference halls, or on her way home... Or tied up in some basement with no way to escape.

  My shirt stuck to my back with sweat as I hurried across the floor. I was out of my mind with anxiety and all sounds turned into painful white noise. I stopped dead in my tracks. Last time my mind was this out of control the consequences were nearly fatal for both of us, but how could I keep calm when every second was essential?

  One of the new programmers passed me by with a vague hello. I called out his name and he turned back with an irritated expression.

  “Sorry, have you seen Lina Riley around?”

  The guy just shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “I think she left with some of her entourage about an hour or so ago. I overheard that they'd be celebrating.” He leaned forward and whispered to me in a secretive voice. “Can you believe that bitch is still CEO after those nasty slut pictures everyone saw? Fucking women get away with everything. Am I right?”

  Any other time I would probably have got angry at such blatant misogyny, but I didn't even dignify him with an answer and dashed for the elevators. In that instant, I remembered I had Katie's personal cell phone number
. Anxiety had really made me stupid.

  When the girl finally picked up there was music and laughter in the background. At least it sounded like they were in a public place so if Lina was there I could easily take her away without much noise. Maybe. I took the stairs to the ground floor while I was on the phone.

  “Katie, is Lina with you? I need to talk to her.”

  “Well, hello, Mr. Jett.” Katie spat my last name out with venom and sarcasm. The noises around her were fading, as if she was moving away from the crowd. Good. “Nice to talk to you as well.”

  “Katie, I really don't–”

  “That's right, Thomas. You really don't have the right to approach her after all you did. Even if she was here–”

  I cut her off with my best authoritative tone, not even worrying that Katie seemed to know about us.

  “I don't have time to explain myself, but it's important that I talk to Lina as soon as possible. Her life may be in danger.”

  “What?” I heard fear creeping into her voice. “What the hell are you–”

  “Katie, where the fuck is Lina? Every second matters.” I growled at her impatiently. An unpleasant gut feeling had been growing throughout the entire evening.

  “I can't tell you. I promised her.”

  “Tell her I threatened you. If you don't tell me where she is, you may not need to lie.” The girl on the other end of the line fell silent. Shit. I went a bit too far. “Sorry, Katie, I didn’t mean to be an asshole, but I'm at my wit's end. Please. I didn't send those pictures.”

  That seemed to do the trick and Katie finally spoke after some hesitation.

  “She was here about ten minutes ago but she had a headache and left. It's fine. Seth accompanied her.”

  “Thank you, Katie.”

  “Thomas, wait–”

  It was amazing how such a simple sentence could unleash a wave of utter horror. Allie's words resurfaced in my mind again. Fear and anger would be the end of me in such a situation, but if this bastard hurt my woman, I'd slice his throat without hesitation.

  Allie.

  She picked her phone up immediately.

  “Text me the address of that storage place,” I ordered her without any introduction. “Stay tuned. I’ll dial your number later tonight but I may not have time to tell you anything. The moment you get my call, just call the cops.”

  It took me great effort to look happy and content with the day's events. The fun night out only increased my dull pain. All my longing was directed towards the moment when I'd finally cuddle up under the covers and sleep. The world could sink its cruel claws into me on Monday. My strength would be back by then. The whiskey was leaving a hot trail in my blood but it didn't erase my melancholy and despair. The more I drank, the more those negative emotions grew.

  It was difficult to admit it but I missed Thomas. We'd only been separated for a few days but they seemed like an eternity. I hated myself for being so weak, but just like I’d told him back then, problems didn't disappear if you swept them under the rug. The truth would remain even if I tried my best to persuade myself I was an iron lady who didn't need anyone.

  It was wrong but I missed him so much I hurt. His strong body pressed against me, his warm breath on my neck, his quiet orders uttered in my ear, our sensual phone sex and romantic getaways. I missed the warm feeling that spread inside me every time I told him something no one else had heard before, sharing my darkest and most difficult moments.

  As for sex... could I ever go back to vanilla now that I knew what my body and mind were capable of?

  My feelings for Thomas were a lot like a basket of kittens thrown at my door, a burden and an unpleasant obligation. They annoyed me with their shrieks, demands and the need to take care of them, but I slowly grew fond of them and accepted them into my life. And now I was forced to choose between watching them die one by one or killing them myself.

  Either way, it would be agony. The sharp pain of denial was like acid to my insides. I no longer knew what would be worse – if he withdrew from the company by his own choice or if he decided to stay.

  After I finished my drink, I turned to Seth and said I was leaving. He threw me a look of concern and placed his hand on my shoulder. It was strange how such a cold man was suddeny all touchy-feely, but that was the least of my concerns.

  “Let me walk you to a cab. I doubt you’re fit to drive.”

  “You're right, I drank too much.” I picked up my purse and coat and shimmied out of the booth we were seated in. “I'm so tired I may fall asleep at the wheel.”

  “We can't allow that, can we?” Seth smirked and offered me his arm. Now that was suspicious. Chivalrous gestures were something he had always despised with a passion. Maybe he knew I was distraught but empathy wasn't his strongest suit either.

  We said goodbye to Katie who hugged me and made me promise I'd call her if I needed someone to talk to over the weekend. She probably knew I'd never do it but it was nice of her to offer.

  Seth and I walked down the street to the nearest cab stand. The rain that had been pouring ever since the beginning of the week stopped but the air was ice cold.

  “You look awfully gloomy for a woman who won such an important battle.” Seth gripped my elbow a bit tighter as if to attract my attention. Maybe I should have left by myself. All this talking was making me feel even more exhausted.

  I just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up again.

  “Well, the battle is over but not the war. It will be difficult to persuade some of the clients my personal life won't affect the business side of our arrangement.”

  He laughed and dug his fingers almost to my bone. I tried to pull away but it made him grip me even harder.

  “Maybe that’s the biggest problem. How can they trust that the same thing won't happen to them? If you can't control your personal files, how can you handle their sensitive data?”

  Seth didn't wait for my response. He stopped and forced me to turn to him with a strange smile I wasn't sure I liked.

  “It must be difficult when your lover betrays you in such a crude way.” He was squeezing my arm so tightly I'd probably have bruises in the morning.

  “Seth, I don't want to discuss it and I'd appreciate it if you–”

  “You don't have to hide it.” My breath froze in my lungs as Seth reached out to stroke my hair. Oh, no, I couldn't handle another employee trying to seduce me. And Seth Anderson, of all people? “It happens even to the best of us. Though...” He moved his face closer to mine. His words sounded a lot like the hiss of a snake. “I'm deeply disappointed in your lousy taste. Are you so desperate, Lina?”

  “Seth, I’ve no idea what you've been drinking but you're hurting me.” I’d always known this man had anger issues, but I’d thought it was just your run-of-the-mill hot temper that he had trouble controlling. His strong fingers nearly dislocated my elbow. His dilated pupils made me shiver, as did the gleam of insanity I read there. “Stop it now!”

  “Lina, you know very well I don't drink.” He grinned widely and pinned my body against a nearby wall. If someone observed us from a distance, we’d appear like a normal couple sharing a moment of passion. I should have screamed for help right at that point, but the street was deserted.

  Seth leaned forward and his lips nearly brushed against mine. The emotion in his eyes was not love, passion or even basic lust. He was staring at me with a bitter contempt that made me sick.

  “You don't have to answer. I can smell the disgusting despair you reek of. When did you become so easy to manipulate? Or were you always nothing but a cheap slut like everyone else?”

  “What? Seth, let me go right now. You’ve gone way too far this time!” The anger was suffocating me. Those words were meant to be a deafening roar but came out weak and barely audible. How could I have been so wrong in my evaluation of this man? “Let me go now and I'll forget about it.”

  He ignored my words and wrapped his big hand around my throat in a vice-like grip.

  �
�What did Thomas ask in exchange for his sexual services? Did you go with the little suckling to prove you still had it? That you're not getting old? Did he make you feel special and play on your insecurities? I never thought you’d stoop so low, Lina. To make business decisions with your cunt. To debase yourself and allow him to fuck his way up the ladder.”

  My chest burned with outrage and I yelled at him.

  “Get the hell away from me now. You're fired, Seth. And don't talk about things you don't understand. Get your fucking hands away from me.”

  One tear ran down my cheek. I shivered with disgust when Seth wiped it away with his thumb and grinned at me.

  “You're not going anywhere.” And then I felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed to my stomach. “Slut.”

  The first thought in my mind when I woke up was that someone had brought me back to the dungeon, but when my senses adjusted to the new environment, any mental process was cut short by the mind-numbing pain in the side of my temple. The line of burning fire was spreading through my skull and each pulsation made me writhe. I vaguely remembered Seth's heavy palm landing on my face. It was the last visual I had from the surreal, insane evening before darkness embraced me with its velvet touch.

  The sharp ache, numbness and discomfort of being restrained in the same position hadn't allowed me to stay unconscious for too long. I heard my own stifled, muted groan and made a weak attempt at raising my hands. The cold steel of handcuffs dug into the skin of my wrists and ankles.

  Blinking was just as painful as trying to move any other body part, as if the bastard had sedated me and deprived me of any willpower. When the world finally came back into focus I realized this was not Thomas's basement at all. It wasn't a place I'd been before. There had never been such a strong stream of light, blinding and white hot. It was piercing my brain, rendering me as helpless as the restraints binding me to the cold metal chair. The harder I tried to fight, the crueler the bite around my limbs.

  Speaking was just as futile because of the painful tightness at the back of my throat and the duct tape keeping my lips fully sealed. A stream of warm fluid with a metallic taste was running down the rough fabric of the tape. Perhaps I was slowly losing my mind. For a moment I swore I could hear drops of blood gathering in the valley of my breasts. The sound of each poignant droplet resounded in the space around me. The repetitive rhythm added to my enhanced soreness and pulsing headache as if someone was hammering my skull.