Chapter 5

Carl drank his coffee and ate his donut. It was a simple shop with a simple clientele. It was just coffee and donuts. Sure there were cream filled and raised, old fashion and butterscotch donut in the case. But they just served coffee from a pot on the counter. Carl's kind of a place.

Carl was nothing to look at. In fact most people did not look at him at all. Gray hair that was thinning and cut fairly close to his head and his dark framed glasses gave him a grandfatherly look. No one paid him any attention and no one noticed when he came or left. He was close to invisible. That made him powerful.

He had once used this power to gather evidence for law enforcement, sometimes the FBI, sometimes the odd sheriff's office. Many departments had called on his services and his parent organization had complied. They liked having a superstar on staff. Carl could sit next to someone that was breaking the law and they would never notice he was there.

His favorite gig had been with fish and game. They paid him to sit, fish and watch other people fish. When someone around him caught too many or a fish that was too big, he would keep sitting there watching where they hid it but quietly radio to the rest of the team. The lawbreakers were always stunned that law enforcement knew right were the evidence was. Some thought they had been caught on satellite while other spread rumors about spy drones. The truth was, it was just Carl.

How does a billionaire and an ex undercover cop become friends? It was a flat tire. Carl's neighbor was an elderly woman living alone. Carl thought of her like a mother. One day she blew a tire on Highway 101 north of Gilroy. Scared and confused, she called her only friend, her neighbor Carl. Carl rushed down the highway to get to her before she wandered into the road or something worse. But when he arrived at the spot, she was nowhere to be seen. Carl was sure something bad had happened.

When his cellphone rang a few minutes later it was a stranger asking if he would come down and sit with the neighbor while her car was being fixed. Carl charged into the shop expecting the elderly lady to be in tears. Instead she was sipping her tea and telling everyone in the room stories of growing up near Death Valley. When the mechanic came to tell them her car was ready, they were told the bill had already been paid and that they had changed all four tires seeing as how they really needed replacing. They had a number for the man that had paid the bill and Carl called him to say thanks. The call led to coffee at the donut shop and that led to a friendship.

Carl knew him as Peter, a 30ish man that had done well in the valley with the computer stuff. Blackmon knew him as a friendly retired cop. So when Blackmon called and asked to meet him for coffee Carl accepted.

"Peter" came in and sat across from him with his own cup of coffee and asked how Carl was. Then he got down to business.

"Carl, I have a problem and I wanted to ask you if you could help me. I am leaving town for four months. I need someone that can watch over my family while I am gone. I trust you, and I wanted to ask if you could do it?"

Carl thought for a moment. "You asked if I could do it. You did not ask if I would do it. Why the evasion?"

"There is no evasion. I wanted to know if you were available first before we talked specifics. There is more to this than what I just said, but there is no use going forward if you were not available. So, do you want me to keep talking?"

"That was you that paid for Mildred's funeral?" The neighbor lady had died sitting in her chair doing a Sudoku puzzle. Blackmon had kept track of her through Carl and others. It seemed like the decent thing to do.

"Yes it was me. Is that a problem?"

"One universal truth is that bad people lie. Before we talked further, I wanted to know if you would try and lie to me about it. Even with the best of motives, I don't trust people who lie.

"Tell me more about this job."

Thus Carl learned a number of things he had not known about his friend "Peter." He learned that he was very rich; he learned he lived in the hills above Santa Cruz and he learned he owned slaves.

Lord Blackmon had to make some last minute arrangements in San Jose the night before he left for the South Pole. This allowed him to drive Page to her meeting with Shadow. Shadow was in town on punishment chip business and had agreed to meet with Page. It was arranged that Lord Blackmon would drop her off at the high rise condo in downtown San Jose and meet with Shadow alone first and her master would pick her up after his business was concluded.

Page rode the elevator up to Shadow's floor trying to identify the emotions she was feeling. Shadow had possessed her and Carol for three months. She had been fucked, whipped, caned, flogged and strung up by him. She had sucked, licked, fondled and crawled for hours on end to please him. He had taken a sheltered spoiled girl and made her a slave. Somehow being near him made her feel close again to that spoiled stupid girl that he had seen at the slave store. Page realized she was afraid.

She had dressed for the meeting. She knew what he liked and what would impress him. She had worn blood red thigh high boots with black stocking visible over the tops of the boots. She had on a red corset and opera gloves. Her slave collar and red lace across her eyes completed the outfit. There was meaning to her selection. Red had been her color when Shadow was training her. Green had been the color for Carol. By wearing red she hoped to honor Shadow's training and Carol's memory.

She rang the bell at the front door of the rented condo and then knelt. Her palms were up, her back was straight, her knees were apart and her head was bowed. There she waited.

After a few minutes the door abruptly opened and her former master and trainer was looking down on her, checking her posture and appearance. Page did not move.

"Come inside." Shadows voice was like a bolt of lightning through Page. It was a cocktail of fear, lust, comfort and dread blasting through her bloodstream all at once.

She stood quickly and gracefully, knowing he was watching her every move. He moved aside and she moved into the room. She saw a kneeling mat already in front of a large chair and moved to kneel there and wait. When he sat down across from her she smoothly and gracefully bowed down, face to the floor with her arms extended in front. This was the position requesting the opportunity to speak. Again, she waited.

"I was, saddened to hear about Carol." he said with warmth in his voice. "I know you loved her and I know you miss her." She still remained motionless. Yet she was affected by his words. He knew her and he had known Carol. His words carried much more than a pro-forma platitude. He did know and it warmed her heart to hear from someone who understood.

But this was not the time to cry or break protocol. She was being watched and judged by her trainer and she would be perfect. She would be perfect to honor him. She would be perfect to honor Lord Blackmon. She would be perfect to honor Carol.

Shadow had been watching, even before she rang the doorbell he had watched her on the security monitor. She was beautiful. She moved with grace, poise, and confidence. Each movement was sensual and erotic. Her outfit was stunning and her manners perfect. He was tempted to run her through a series a movement commands just to watch her complete them but she had requested this meeting. It was important to her and it was important to him that he respect her request.

"You may speak" he finally said.

She sat up but kept her eyes down. "Thank you sir for the kind words regarding Carol. She is missed by My Lord."

"And you?"

"And me sir."

"Page, why did you wish to speak to me?"

"Sir, I have been given a task by My Lord that I am not sure I can complete. You taught me, taught us, to strive to do our best and to achieve the best. I fear I will not do my best completing this task. I am seeking your wise council so My Lord will be pleased with me."

"What is the task?"

"Sir, the task I have been given is to train a new slave. My Lord will be gone for some time. He will expect a trained slave when he returns. I am afraid I do not know enough to complete the task."

Shadow waited for a minute before speaking again.

"Page, what is the most important piece of knowledge a trainer can teach a slave?"

Page was not sure what he was asking. She tried to think. Was positions the most important or verbal responses, or was it sexual skills that were the most important? There was so much that a slave must learn.

Page returned again to her touchstone of truth. "Sir, please forgive this worthless slave for not knowing the answer. I promise that when you educate this slave she will never forget the answer again. Please sir..."

"Page, what have you taught her so far?"

"Sir, so far I have taught her how to groom herself and wash her face and hair. I have begun teaching her about nutrition and exercise and yoga for her balance and movement. We have talked about some positions and what they are called."

"Page, you have already failed you lord."

Page could not catch her breath. Failed? Already? Lord Blackmon has not even left for his trip and I have failed already?

"Oh sir, please tell me how I can fix this and not fail my master, please sir."

"Page, what is the most important piece of knowledge that a trainer can teach a slave?"

It was the same question! Her panic rose higher in her throat. She was going to break down and flee in shame.

No ... she was not going to break. Page took control of her breathing and slowed it down. She began her relaxation process to get her emotions under control and centered. How interesting it was that Shadow could cause her as much stress with his words as he could with a whip.

Was that the answer? No, those were techniques to deal with pain and panic. There had to be something else ... Was it related to why the control techniques were needed?

"Sir, this slave can see the importance of many things the trainer can teach them. But it is even more important to know when to use those tools and skills. So part of the answer of what is most important is not something a slave does but something they know..."

Shadow continued to wait without impatience. He was letting her evolve from a slave to a trainer. It was interesting to watch.

Page, seemed to be stuck until he saw her sit up a little straighter.

"Sir, I think I see my error. I was teacher Willow how to have pretty hair and skin and how to walk and eat.

"I must teach her she is a slave."

"Page, you will do fine."

With this foundation laid, Shadow and Page talked for an hour about different approaches to accomplishing the goal. By the time Lord Blackmon came to the door Page had begun relating the story of how Willow had come into their lives.

Lord Blackmon and Shadow greeted one another with genuine warmth and respect. They talked for a few moments about industry issues but Lord Blackmon needed to get home to complete his trip preparations. The friendship renewed, they parted with a promise that they would get together after the trip and he would tell Shadow all about it.

Page was quiet during their talk and all the way home. She had much to plan. Her abortive attempt had not done much damage Shadow was sure. It was just a matter of getting the training on the right track.

They arrived back at home around the time for dinner. Food was cooked and ready to eat thanks to Willow, but she was still keeping out of sight. Page ate kneeling beside her master's chair being fed by hand. It was a very intimate way to eat and Page felt tears roll down her face thinking about the long separation they were about to endure.

They made love that night. The tender touching, kissing and sex could only be described as that. They would slow down for a few minutes then they would come together again.