by Pat Powers
Gussett and his trusted film editor Mazuryk and Jack checked the key section of the videotape frame by frame, but there wasn't anyone there whose expression seemed inappropriate.
"Well, if our saboteur is in that crowd, he or she is a pretty good actor," Mazuryk observed.
"Imagine that, a good actor on a movie set," said Gussett.
"Last place I'd look," Jack said.
That evening, Jack reclined in his chair with his knees spread wide while Cindy knelt before him, her wrists cuffed behind her back, her head in his lap where she idly licked and sucked at his cock as they talked.
"So, what are you going to do?" she asked him.
"I don't know," Jack said. "It's hard enough keeping things safe on the set when all you're fighting against is entropy and human error. But with someone actively TRYING to hurt the Damsels -- hell, I don't know if ANYONE could protect them."
"So what do we do?" Cindy asked. "Stop production? Let them win?" Clearly she did not favor this course of action.
"Hell, I don't know," said Jack. "It's easy enough to say we don't let the bad guys win, but would you feel OK about that if Julia or Jenny or Bunny got killed in part because you just didn't want to let the bad guys win?"
"It seems to me that the damsels and their stunt crew are the ones who ought to know about this, not you and me," Cindy said.
"You're right," said Jack. "I'll talk to Gussett about it tomorrow. I'm sure he's planning to tell them about it."
* * * *
"Well, Jack, what are your thoughts on this?" asked Gussett after telling the key personnel about yesterday's discovery at the morning meeting.
"We have to tell the damsels and their doubles, since they are the ones who appear to have been targeted," said Jack. "And we really should tell everyone on the set, since there's no guaranteeing that they're the only ones who might be targeted. Two other points -- we should hire some professional investigators to see if they can ferret out the saboteur. We're oriented toward keeping things safe under ordinary circumstances -- we're going to need help under these circumstances. Third thing is, tomorrow morning we need to have a metal detector set up at the set entrance and make all the staff pass through it."
"So if the saboteur has a gun, they'll be caught red-handed," said Vice President in Charge of Production Staunton.
"Maybe, but I'm more concerned about the crew," said Jack. "I know some of the guys on this crew, and if they find out we got a saboteur on the set, tomorrow they'll be carrying some serious iron onto the set concealed under their clothes, so that if anybody tries any gunplay, they'll find themselves outplayed. As we noted yesterday, with all the prop guns we use on this production, it's just too damned dangerous to let weapons loaded with live ammo on the set."
"I'd say the simple prospect of nervous yahoos carrying loaded weapons onto a set is plenty dangerous in and of itself," said Gussett. "We'll do it."
"It'll drive costs up," said Staunton.
"Not nearly as much as a murder or a firefight would," said Gussett. "It can't be helped."
"I suppose everyone has considered the possibility that this is linked with that Sorokin woman's injunction," said Executive Producer Aaron Vickers.
"Hmmm, you think?" asked Garner.
"We'll definitely point our investigators at them when they come on board," said Gussett. "The possibility of a link is too strong to be ignored, but neither should we ignore the possibility that the sabotage Jack discovered is unrelated."
* * * *
"What's the story, morning glory?" Cindy asked the next morning as Jack sat giving his touchpad a quick buzz at breakfast.
"We are," Jack said, grinning. "I mean, not us personally, but the injunction has made the news."
"What's the spin?" Cindy asked.
"Whacko nutjobs attack innocent movie production," said Jack.
"What, are you telling me the press got it in one?" Cindy asked.
"Yes, they did, believe it or not," said Jack. "I am astonished."
"Well, I'm gonna keep my eyes out for burning bushes, skies that are raining small animals, that sort of thing," said Cindy. "This could definitely be a sign that the end is near."
Jack's cell phone rang. He picked it up.
"Hey, Jack, got your pad handy?" came Julia's voice from the other end.
"Sure do," said Jack.
"The go to movienooz.com and check out the "Live Set" section," said Julia. "You're in it, big guy."
"In a good way, I hope," Jack said.
"I think so," said Julia, "but then, I'm prejudiced."
Jack's fingers flew over the pad's keyset and in a few moments he was looking at a story entitled: "The Luckiest Man In America: The Damsel's 'Babe Wrangler'." Beneath it was a photo of Jack tying up Lacey Pepperdine in "Terror of the Haunted Bikini." The rope around her breasts had been very tight.
"God, your first publicity!" Cindy shouted, looking over Jack's shoulder. "And don't you look great, doing the thing you do best."
"Well, that's nice of you to say so, darlin'" said Jack, grinning. "But I look too much like me to look great."
With Cindy's warm breath on his shoulder as she read, Jack read the article. It said:
Prop Master Jack Davis is breaking into the big time on the set of "Damsels: The Arrival" the first in a new series of web-funded films produced by Digital Industry Dreams, a consortium of industry players and Web heavies.
The hook on the "Damsels" movies is that they'll feature "Damsel-in-Distress" story lines, i.e., hot babes in ropes and chains being rescued by hunky heroes, or by other hot babes, or escaping on their own, or maybe doing a little making out while bound. The thinking is that it'll go over big with the younger crowd if it's done right, which is where Davis comes in. He's built a name for himself over the years for knowing how to tie up babes so they really look like they can't escape, and more importantly, for paying great attention to the safety and comfort of the babes once they're in his bonds.
Double underline that word "safety" boys and girls because it's the one that counts. Insurers are so taken with Davis' sterling safety record that they have cut the rates for any production in which Davis handles the "Bondage Wrangling" as they call it on the Damsels set. The production company is actually saving more money in insurance costs than they are paying Davis, and they're paying Davis well -- he's an above-the-line player on this set with the ability to halt production for any reason.
"Well, we're not stupid," said Director Larry Gussett when we contacted him about Davis. "We value the safety of our players so of course we're glad to have Jack. He's a top talent in his field, and the insurance company is practically paying us to hire him. No, wait a minute -- they ARE paying us to hire him."
No, the folks on Damsels aren't stupid, although they are being plagued by the stupid. An injunction to halt production on Damsels was filed in Meta Luna County Superior Court by the Women's Empowerment and Defense Sisterhood (popularly known as the Dworks), a group of leftover MacCammon-style feminists who, like some southerners, refuse to admit that the war is over and they lost. They're claiming that the show degrades and exploits women and endangers the actresses. Digital Dreams had the injunction quashed within minutes of its arrival on the set, and word from our legal eagles, who've looked at it, is that it has no basis in current law and stands almost zero chance in any court except that of Myra L. Brodnick, who granted the injunction in the first place.
With Davis on board, Digital can reasonably claim due diligence in protecting its stars, leaving them very nicely situated in case the Dworks try any on-set shenanigans. And the stars themselves are singing Davis's praise too.
"Well, he is quite the stud muffin," giggled scream queen Julia Strange, one of the titular, and I do mean titular, Damsels. "He really knows how to make a girl feel safe and comfy when he ties her up. I envy the hell out of his girlfriend."
Davis's girlfriend, actress Cindy Sturges, seen here in chains in "Slave Dancers of Mars" won't comment on her l
ove life with Davis except that she's very much in love with him, though it's an open secret on the set that the two really know how to bond with one another in their private lives. She does say, "Well, Jack is a talented guy. He's talented on the set, he's talented off the set. He really knows how to make me feel special and loved, and to give me a chance to express my love for him. Really, what else is there?"
What else, indeed, sports fans? Cindy professes not to be bothered in the least by the fact that Jack is going to spend his workdays putting ropes around the scantily-clad figures of some of the hottest bods in Hollywood. Then again, a close look at Cindy explains why -- she's a match for any of them, from stem to stern and all parts in between. Which is where those ropes are going, if word on the set is accurate. Insider report that Davis has been asked to do some very, ahem, inventive work with ropes and chains and so forth for this production, which although it will basically be a sexy adventure series with humorous elements, will have bondage work right out of your favorite porny website. Keep an eye on this one, boys and girls, it's got surprise blockbuster written all over it, and the video hasn't even been edited yet."
"DID's gonna love this," Cindy said gleefully, "plus I now officially belong to the number one bondage stud muffin on the planet!"
Jack grinned at Cindy and then shared a long, lingering kiss with her. "You always have belonged to the number one bondage stud muffin, darlin," said Jack, "and you've always been the number one bondage babe on the planet."
"Well, sure," said Cindy. "But now it's official."
"Damn, that was a good kiss," said Jack. "Maybe we could call in sick or having plane trouble and stick around and work on our bondage skills."
"Can't," Cindy said firmly. "You have to get to work on time. Says right here on the pad that you're a top professional in your field."
"Damn!" said Jack, "I knew that publicity would cause problems. Tell you what though. I will save it up for tonight."
"Damn well better darlin'," said Cindy. "After what I said about you, I expect you to rope me and ride me like the sex beast I am. And none of this pissant bondage, I expect to be tied so well I won't even be able to think loose thoughts."
"Oh, I believe you can count on me for that, darlin'," Jack said softly, grinning an evil grin.
* * * *
When Jack and Cindy landed at the parking lot, a group of stuntmen and extras were clustered around their usual landing spot. They had their plane secured in its parking slot in no time. Then some of the crowd began clapping and cheering, while several of them formed a line and waved their arms up and down, chanting, "We are not worthy, O bondage master!"
Apparently, word had gotten around about the movienooz article.
"Guys! Guys!" said Jack, laughing. "Really, no need to make a big fuss. I still put on my pants two legs at a time and walk on water, just like I always did!"
There was a lot more backslapping and joshing as they headed for the studio. One of their own had made it into the big time and been publicly anointed a stud. The feeling was definitely festive.
The feeling in the pre-production meeting a short time later wasn't quite as festive, but it was still pretty good.
"All right, this is gold!" said Garner, holding up a copy of the movienooz article that he'd printed out and distributed around the room. "You can't BUY this kind of buzz -- I know, I've tried. You can buy publicity, but nothing this good. This is definitely the silver lining inside that Dwork cloud."
"What do you mean?" asked Gussett.
"Well, the reason we got this is that the Dworks sent out a press release about how evil and reprehensible we were and how they'd gotten an injunction to stop us but a corrupt judicial system stopped the injunction. Hoping to spark some outraged editorials along the lines of, "It's about time we got these crazed sexist pigs and the patrimony-identifying women victim/perpetrators." Most media ignored it, but this one guy thought there might be a story, so he gave me a call to check on our end of the story. So I told him about what we were up to and I mentioned that our insurer had lowered our rates because we had an expert on set who could tie women up and do it safely, and he was all over that. LOVED the idea of a bondage wrangler. Instant story, spun our way. What's more, I think this'll spin off other stories as well. You ever been interviewed by media before, Jack?"
"Coupla websites," Jack said thoughtfully, "having to do with movie props and such, and one bondage site, though they didn't use my real name."
"OK, this'll be general media, and a more arrogant, ignorant bunch of blowhards you'll never meet in your life," said Garner. "After the meeting, I'll tag along with you and help you prep, if you don't mind."
"No problem," said Jack.
"Might want to prep Cindy, too," Jack said. He figured it couldn't hurt her career to get some publicity, too.
Chapter 2 - Bondage Reveries
"I still can't BELIEVE the scene at the parking lot," Cindy said for about the tenth time that evening as she worked out at her Stairmaster in front of the big picture window overlooking the mountainside.
"It was something, all right," Jack said after finishing his set at the weight-lifting bench.
"Oh, I think 'something' is a pretty weak term to describe writing your name on screaming women's breasts and buttocks," said Jack.
"They weren't screaming while I signed them," Jack said calmly.
"They were screaming before you signed them, and after," Cindy teased. "They were screaming your name. Like you were the Beatles or something."
"So they were," Jack grinned as he began a set of leg extensions.
"I have never seen women so hysterical," said Cindy, "and I used to go to Screaming Hormones concerts. Well, OK, some of the women were as hysterical at the Hormones concerts, but you weren't playing a musical instrument and jumping around shirtless in spandex pants.
"Should I have jumped around shirtless in spandex pants?" Jack asked between grunts.
"Well, it might have frightened some of them off," Cindy said thoughtfully.
"True," said Jack, "all those rippling muscles and so forth."
"It's the 'and so forth' part that would have done it," said Cindy. "I swear, I don't remember being like that when I was young."
"Ha!" Jack said. "You're like that now! A frantic, screaming woman, her panties soaked with love juices at the very thought of my touch. That's why I have to tie you up and gag you so often, just so I can get you to hold still enough that I can do you."
"THAT's' why you do it," Cindy said. "I had assumed that it was because you were made insecure by my glorious womanhood and needed to have me properly subjugated before you dare approach me with your oh-so-vulnerable sex organs hanging out."
"Well, that, too," Jack admitted. "Plus of course I love the way you sound when you're gagged."
"Yeah, and I love being tied, that would be part of it," Cindy said. "In fact, my thong is starting to get kind of soaked just thinking about how much I like it. Almost as wet as that thong those girls threw at you."
"That surprised me," Jack said. "Who did they think I was, Tom Jones?"
"Oh, yeah, my great-great grandmother used to love him," Cindy said. "They used to throw thongs at him?"
"Panties," said Jack. "Nice girls didn't wear thongs back then. Hell, I didn't think they were invented."
"Hmph, what kind of fun would that be?" Cindy asked.
"Don't ask me, I've never been into nice girls," said Jack, grinning again.
"Well, if you're about through with your workout, I'm about through with mine, how about seeing if you can get into a naughty girl," Cindy said.
"Oh, I'm through," said Jack. "I've been just sorta hanging around, waiting for you to finish." We had some plans for tonight."
"Yes, indeed," Cindy said, eyes gleaming.
"Then you won't mind stripping for me," said Jack.
"Happy to, O master," Cindy said. She was wearing only shorts and a T shirt. She pulled them off in a graceful, enticing manner. Underneath her
shorts was a tiny workout thong, so called because it was made of one of those new galvanically responsive fibers that didn't irritate the wearer at all no matter how active she was. The thong did have a certain clingy quality as Cindy sloooowly peeled it off her ass. Instead of dropping it on the floor, however, she tossed it at Jack.
Jack casually caught it in midair and slid it under his nose, inhaling deeply. One eyebrow lifted.
"You HAVE been thinking naughty slavegirl thoughts," he said.
"Darned tootin'" Cindy smiled. "Whatcha gonna do about it, ya big, bad master guy?"
"I am going to force you to do the nastiest, most depraved things I can think of," said Jack.
"Well, that's what I was hoping for," said Cindy.
"You can start putting this back on,"" said Jack, tossing Cindy's used thong back at her.
Cindy grabbed the thong.
"Now I KNOW the end is coming," said Cindy. "The press gets things right on the first shot, and my master is ordering me to put clothes back on after I've taken them off."
"All will be made clear in the fullness of time," Jack said.
"I'm nervous about that, too," said Cindy, adjusting the thong.
"Pull it in nice and tight," said Jack. "Now, come over here and kneel between my knees, hands behind your back."
Cindy did as she was told. When she knelt back, Jack seized her face in his hands and pulled her to him, kissing her hard and deep, a wild, passionate kiss that had been building up inside him since the morning.
Cindy responded eagerly to his kiss, mouth open wide, yielding to him and returning his passion fully with passion of her own. Though she was constrained to keep her hands behind her back until Jack gave her the command to release them, she was able to writhe in his arms, which she did.
Jack's hands got very busy, following every line of Cindy's fulsome curves. He especially went for her crotch, pressing his fingers into her butt and squeezing her cheeks gently, running his hands up her crack, and down into the crevice of her pussy, rubbing hard against the fabric of her thong.