Chapter 10

Raven smirked as she pulled up across the street from the warehouse. She knew a little of the building from her early sortie. She scanned the building for activity, but none was visible.

Marco watched her from a window on the third floor. Who else could it be. No one else would drive up here at this time of the night. He slipped carefully away from the window and headed back to the main lobby.

Von Teufel had seen her lights as she pulled up. He was ready. Jefferson sat calmly in a chair. Ramon had tied Traci into a different chair and she sat quietly next to Jefferson, gagged, hatred blazing in her eyes as she stared at the main door. Ramon stood behind the door, and evil smile on his face, rocking lightly on his toes ready for action.

Jesus and Marco reached the room and von Teufel motioned them into the hallways. No one spoke.

They would be waiting for her, she was sure. No sense in delaying. They've already seen me, Raven thought. She quickly set the homing beacon on her laptop and slipped it under the seat of her rented black Camaro.

She opened the door and stepped out. She tossed the keys onto the floor board and locked the door. It closed with a click of finality.

With carefully measured steps, Raven crossed the dark road. Anyone watching closely would have seen the intensity burning in her eyes as they swept back and forth across her path. The meager light from a streetlamp cast exotic shadows across her face.

She paused when she reached the door and took another deep breath. Then she pulled the door open.

"That's far enough," Jefferson said as Raven stepped through the door. Ramon stepped up behind her and kicked the door closed. His knife slipped under her chin as he grasped her right hand and pulled it up behind her jerking it hard. Raven grimaced, but refused to cry out.

Jefferson and von Teufel stood as Marco and Jesus entered the room with their guns ready.

Raven could see the tears in Traci's eyes as Traci struggled to free herself.

"Well, well," Jefferson said, stepping forward and caressing Raven's cheek and tracing his finger down to the zipper of Raven's jacket. "If it isn't the elusive agent Raven. She doesn't look that threatening boys."

Ramon, Marco and Jesus shuffled uneasily. Von Teufel looked in her eyes and said, "Zhere is no escape zhis time."

Jefferson grasped the zipper and pulled it down, opening Raven's leather jacket. He reached up and pushed the jacket off her shoulders, letting it drop to her elbows. He watched as her chest raised and fell, admiring her firm breasts in embrace of a black lace brassiere. "Now where do you keep your weapons, Raven?" He squeezed her breasts through the brassiere. "A pair of 38s perhaps but not terribly deadly."

Raven made no sound. Her gaze was on the wall over his shoulder, intent on enduring his actions and stalling until she could find a way to escape with Traci.

Her silence began to infuriate Jefferson. He was used to intimidating people, especially women into doing what ever he wanted. Not finding a weapon under her jacket, Jefferson stepped back and surveyed his captive.

"What do you think, Wilhelm? Would she come unarmed?"

"I don't think zo, Jonny. She should have her revolver hidden zomewhere."

"Check under her skirt, boss," Marco suggested, just hoping to see if Raven wore matching black lace panties.

"That's just what I was thinking, Marco. Probably for different reasons than you, but I guess that doesn't matter, does it Raven?"

Jefferson reached down to Raven's waist and unbuckled her belt. Then he unbuttoned the skirt and unzipped it. It fell in a puddle of black leather surrounding her feet. A black leather holster was strapped to her inner thigh. Jefferson grasped the revolver as Jesus and Marco whistled.

Raven was indeed wearing matching black lace panties. Marco and Jesus both inched forward. Even Ramon relaxed his grip on her arm and moved his knife hand to her shoulder. Ramon reached down and grasped her left buttock with the hand that had been holding her arm. As he squeezed, Raven pivoted her torso, driving her elbow into Ramon's stomach. He doubled over instantly, dropping the knife onto the floor.

With her other arm, Raven pushed Jefferson into Marco and they both fell backward over a chair and into the wall behind them. Jesus started to raise his gun, but a kick from Raven connected between his legs and Jesus dropped to his knees, clutching his aching groin.

"I zhink you vill stop now, Raven," von Teufel said. Raven turned to face him. Von Teufel held Traci before him with one hand wrapped in her long blonde hair and the other holding a pistol to her head. Raven could see the pain in Traci's eyes. No more tears could Traci's body find. She stood only because von Teufel held her up by her hair.

Raven stopped dead in her tracks and glared at von Teufel. Jefferson recovered quickly and strode back in front of Raven. He looked into her eyes and then slapped her face with all the strength he could muster. Raven's head jerked to the side, a red splotch appeared instantly where his hand had struck. Jefferson slapped her with the other hand snapping her head the other direction. A small stream of blood appeared at the edge of Raven's mouth.

Jefferson stepped back and pulled his jacket off. He tossed it at Raven. "Take these two bitches back into the warehouse and keep them there. I'll be back in an hour and we'll dispose of them then." With that he stormed out of the warehouse.

Marco grasped Raven by her arm and thrust her forward into the hallway. He and Jesus followed, their weapons raised and ready. Von Teufel pushed Traci in behind them and Ramon picked his knife up off the floor and followed.

When they reached the warehouse, Marco held his gun on Raven while Jesus tied her hands to the hook of the overhead crane. Ramon tied Raven's feet together and then Jesus raised the crane's hook until Raven's toes just reached the floor. She stared stoically forward.

Von Teufel tossed Traci aside and said, "Keep zhese ladies company. Ramon and I vill check for others." Ramon started to protest, but followed von Teufel out of the room.

Marco walked over to Traci. "The boss never said not to touch, did he Jesus?"

"Not that I heard."

Marco pulled the gag out of Traci's mouth and tossed it aside. "Now we're gonna find out what the boss has been dippin' into."

Marco pulled Traci to her feet. He grasped the front of her white silk blouse and pulled. The fabric tore and buttons flew. Jesus whistled as Marco revealed Traci's nearly transparent white lace brassiere. Traci's hands were still tied behind her back so Marco just pushed the blouse off her shoulders and began to caress her breasts throught the lace. He laughed wickedly as her nipples began to harden.