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Part 3

Cathrine explored her new limited world with her one free foot after she brought herself under control. A dingy mattress over a cold smooth floor. She was hooked to some pipes as far she could tell. She attempted wrangle the blindfold off with no success. She bashed her pounding head back in frustration as tears sprang forth.

She tried to analyze things calmly, but her mind kept replaying her situation over and over. The man’s spicy smell filled nostrils. All she wanted was to ball up against the icy cold and fall asleep. She wanted to be clean again, but their was no shower that could clean her inside.

Her mind kept throwing up questions at her. Who had kidnapped her? Why was he doing it? Why her? If only she could figure these things out, maybe she could figure out if she could maybe persuade him to let her go? That had to be her goal. She kept her mind firmly off the other darker questions invading her mind. What if he didn’t come back? What if he planned on killing her? It was like tightrope walking. If she looked down, she could fall, out of control.

She kept flexing her hands and feet to keep the circulation going, and it kept her muscles from cramping up. It also kept her slightly warm. After a while, she occupied her mind with thoughts of her friends. All the people at the circus, the ringmaster, even Heero Yuy’s face came to mind. Foremost was Trowa. He needed her protection, and he needed her to provide a nurturing place. She had to find a way out of this situation for him. She wondered what he was doing right now. Did he know she was gone? Did he miss her?

Distant footsteps came closer to the door. She felt relief and fright mixed together with rage binding it all together. The door unlatched and slammed back. She held perfectly still with the irrational thought that he wouldn’t see her. She felt a soft blanket cover her as he sat by her left.

“I couldn’t wait any longer,” he whispered. She felt him lay beside her and snake an arm around her waist.

“Please let me go,” she begged as he snuggled his head under her chin. He kissed her neck. “I didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

“Don’t think that, Cathrine. You deserve to be loved and cherished. I’m working to earn your love in return. I’m confident one day you’ll let me take care of you without these,” he whispered, fingering her nicked up wrists.

“How can I love you when I don’t who you are?” she had carefully planned out this line of questioning.

“You know me, but your mind is too crowded with evil influence. When the veil lifts from your eyes, I can reveal everything to you. First you have to let me drive the demons out.” He began to lick and nip at her neck. He snuggled close and held her tight while he played with her hair.

She forced herself to be analytical and to think over every detail about the man. Something was familiar, but it was just out of reach. The cuff on his sleeve was strange. She couldn’t follow her train of thought because his hand slid under the blanket. Gloves?

He parted from her briefly. Cathrine started to shake in fury and disgust as she listen to him strip down. He drew back the blanket and slid next to her. His naked body pressed up against her side caused her to flinch back automatically. He only scooted closer, rubbing his hardness against her leg. Licks and nips where placed all along her neck.

“I don’t want to do this.”

“You only think you don’t want to, but I know what’s best for you. You’re so cold. If you're good tonight, I’ll let you keep the blanket.” Cathrine kept her legs clenched together as he climbed on top of her. “Spread you legs.”

“No, I don’t care if I freeze to death!” She shouted upwards. He jumped off her and moments later she felt the electric shock coming from her hip. She wailed as the white hot current flowed through her. She tried to get away, but the third shock had her numb. He climbed on top off her once again and made his request. She obeyed timidly as he began to kiss her breast.

“Please don’t make me do that again. I hate to see you suffer,” the man said. She sent her mind elsewhere as he claimed her body as his own again. She came back around as he suddenly stilled himself. He slowly withdrew and slumped on her as his breath began to slow. “See how beautiful it can be when you let me do what’s best for you? How do you feel?”

“Sick. I want to go home. Please let me go. I swear to God that I won’t tell anyone. You have my word, just please let me go,” she begged.

“You’ll never see those people again so just forget about it. I’m your whole world now so don’t ever talk about it again,” he said. She started to cry at the very idea. “Haven’t I made you happy? I know I have. Here,” he said, rearranging it so he was holding her from behind. “That’s much better. Did you get any sleep, sweet Cathrine?” She shook her head. “Rest a little and I’ll get us something to eat.” She couldn’t sleep now, even if she wanted to. He intended on keeping her. Permanently! She began to wonder how long forever was.

*

“I told you! The man had glasses and a beard, kind of curly hair, and had a strange accent,” the ringmaster snapped at the mountainous, ancient man in front of him, while the spry pixie fluttered around the room with his notebook. “It was a little over three weeks ago. I saw him hanging around the trailers. Once in the morning by Tisha’s and then about noon by Cathrine’s. That’s when I asked to see his ID. He told me to take a leap. He ran off before I could find out who he was.”

“All the ID numbers are here accept for that one,” the man’s monotone boomed out.

“Mister Kazanski and I find it impossible that out of three thousand, six hundred, and eleven entries you neglected three. One of which, was three weeks before the kidnapping. Do you have any possible theory on it?” the young girl asked.

“I told you! He ran off before I could get it,” he groused threw gritted teeth. “I bet it’s him. I can identify him if you bring him in here.”

“Where should we look?” Kazanski asked.

“Never Never Land,” Wing said and finished flipping through the notebook again. “What was it any way? Sex? You’ve been watching her for a long time haven’t you? You finally approached her and she rejected you, didn’t she? You came up with a plan when you knew her brother would be away and you could have her all to yourself, didn’t you?”

“No! No! No! Stop saying things like that. Cathy’s like a niece to me. I was friends with her parents, for Heaven’s sake. I was there when her baby brother disappeared, and then when her parents died,” the ringmaster said, running his hands over his receding hairline before he lit a cigarette.

“What did you do with Miss Bloom after you removed her from her home?” the Polish detective asked.

“Nothing! I didn’t do it! Why aren’t you going out there to find the bastard who really did it?” the ringmaster shouted.

“Why should we go outside..,” the old man growled.

“...when we have our prime suspect here,” Wing finished with a sinister smile that ill fitted the childlike face.

*

Trowa woke in terror at the nightmare that hit him square. He banished the images and made his way to the shower in the dark. The others were all sound asleep and he had an assignment. He quickly started the shower and threw on the mechanic’s overhauls he had stashed there earlier.

It was simple to slide through the window and dart to the mobile suit hanger bay fifty feet away. He dragged the duffel bag out of the bushes and looked inside at the explosives he had manufactured yesterday.

In no time, he had planted the bombs on most of the feet of the Taurus suits and slipped back out into the foggy night. He quickly darted to the window he had used folded paper to prop open. He peered in to make sure the shower was still empty. Trowa turned and stripped down, putting all of his clothing in the now empty duffel bag. He toed it under a bush and hoisted himself back inside.

The spray of water was so welcome after the chilly night air. He slicked his bangs back and slid down with his back to the icy, white tiles. He drew his knees up to his chin and squeezed his eyes closed. Cathrine’s smiling face came to his mind. It had been three days and the detectives still had no leads. They had finally let the ringmaster go and started searching again.

He slipped back into the dark dormitory and went to his bed. He slipped off his towel and snuggled under his covers. Trowa tuned out the deep breathing around him. It was like being in the Mercenaries again, so he felt unusually comfortable with the situation. He and Midii used to make out all night long with people sleeping around them.

His mind began to wish Midii was with him now. He was still passionate about her, even though she had betrayed him. He tried to keep his mind from going over the dangerous 'what ifs' with Midii, but once he did that, Cathy came back to his mind, each time a fresh wave of worry.

*

“Good morning,” he said, waking up after the long empty moments. He kissed the nape of her neck tenderly and snuggled his naked body closer to her. “How did you sleep?”

“Not very good,” she said as her eyelids felt oppressive cloth on her moist orbs. It wouldn’t be long before her body gave in to sleep. Her stomach growled and the pressure to urinate was horrible. She had to ask him for help even though her very soul cried out against it. “I need to use the bathroom, and I’m hungry.”

“You should have told me earlier, silly girl. Wait right here.” Cathrine wasn’t so far gone that she couldn’t roll her eyes at his stupid statement. He helped her use a bedpan to her utter embarrassment. She began to feel a little more human by performing the simple necessity.

He handcuffed her again and fed her some sort of vitamin shake instead of the real food she could smell him eating. Cathrine made up her mind she would rather rot then beg for the food she found tempting. He cuffed her ankle back and put a pillow under her head and a blanket over her.

“Are you leaving?” she asked.

“I have to,” he replied stroking her bangs out of her face. “Last night you didn’t make me very happy with having to hurt you, but I’ll be nice and make sure you're warm anyway. If you behave like that again I will take it away.” Cathrine bit her bottom lip from making a tart reply. “I’ll be counting the minutes,” he said. Cathrine found herself more angry today than in the past. The more she figured out about him, the less she feared.

All she was doing now was biding time and figuring out ways to escape. Avoiding the man’s punishments were almost figured out, but the rapes came on a constant basis. The more she tried to avoid those, the move vicious his torments got.

She had to leave soon, because she could already notice a difference in her body. She hadn’t seen light in days or walked. Things had to change. Besides, the people she loved had to be living in agony, not knowing what had become of her. She had to show up again for them.

*

“Barton,” Nikol said, poking his head in the war room door. “Colonel Une needs to see you about your last report before you leave this weekend.”

Trowa gritted his teeth slightly. The gloating tone in the man’s voice confirmed Colonel Une wasn’t thrilled by his work. He knew it was lousy, but he had hoped she would let one report slide.

They walked in silence for a minute until Nikol cleared his throat and said, “So, how is the manhunt going? Did they find the perpetrator yet?”

“No, Sir.” He glanced over to Nikol and almost looked away. More injuries? Thick scratches along the collar and jaw line looked deep enough to leave scars. Trowa shook his head and stared in front of him, hoping he wouldn’t have to discuss it with the Russian Captain.

“My uncle is in the Russian Sector's police. I told him about your problem and, since we're so close to the border, he said he would put her picture out on the wire in case they try to take her over,” Nikol said.

Trowa kept his face carefully devoid of emotion. He had never once been offered a gift in his whole life without obligations, except for Cathy's fraternal affection and care.

“Thank you, Sir,” he answered warily.

“I know we’ve had our differences, but I would like to put all of that aside. We are fighting for OZ. We should be comrades. Did you know I bought a house? Right here in Prague. I want to invite you over for drinks and a game of chess. It would make Lady Une happy to know we were getting along,” Nikol offered.

Trowa found the idea distasteful, but knew better then refuse offers by superior officers. He nodded.

“Tuesday? After my shift?” Nikol asked. Trowa nodded again.

To be continued.