The next thing Christian was aware of feeling when he slowly came to, was the hard floor he was lying on. Every bit of his body ached from the awkward position he was forced in. His abductor had tied his hands together behind him, and this way he could only lie on his side. His legs were also tied together. He tried to find out where he was by wriggling round on the floor. There was a little light coming from a small, narrow window above him. But it was enough to facilitate him looking around a bit.

He established he was locked up in some sort of cage. All around him there were iron bars reaching till the ceiling. The room with his cage was huge. It reminded him of a warehouse. While studying medicine, he had often worked in the depot of a big dispatching company to earn some money.

He blinked to discern what was in the darkness. His eyes gradually got used to the diffuse light and he started to see more clearly. On the floor right in front of him one could make out some brown-red stains. If this was the same place where Kimber was kept hostage as well, then that adhering mess on the floor was possibly her blood, it crossed his mind. He started to shiver.

So he was right after all. Quentin did come back for him. A terrible thought crossed his mind suddenly. If Quentin followed him, then he also knew where to find Kimber. Christian desperately tugged at the restraints on his hands, but he had to give up the idea of freeing himself quite quickly. He suddenly heard a noise. He turned his upper body to look into the direction the noise came from. There were steps without doubt, and they were approaching. Panic overtook him and he started to tug at the restraints that his hands and feet were strapped together with once more.

The door of the cage opened with a rattling noise right in front above him and let his kidnapper right in.

"Hello Christian! So we meet again," Quentin went over to Christian smiling and mustered him patronisingly from above, "I didn't think it was gonna be that easy...maybe even a bit too easy," he laughed, "but you are even more stupid than your little blonde."

Christian felt an untamed anger rising inside as Quentin mentioned Kimber. He started tugging at his bonds once again.

Quentin laughed again, "save your energy," he said, "you will need it later on."

"What...do you want from me?" Christian spit it out.

Quentin went over to Christian, still lying in a ball on the floor and looked at him disparagingly, "you ruined my master piece before I was finished with it," he said with a dangerously calm voice. He pulled a knife out of his black Carver outfit and glared at the sparkling edge of it fascinated, "you know, Christian. Somehow I like you and I'm sorry you make me do these things."

Christian felt his heart starting to race. So this is the end, he thought. He was allowed to live for forty years and now his life will end-on the cold floor of a warehouse. Christian closed his eyes as Quentin came closer.

Quentin raised his knife and cut through the ropes with which Christian was shackled with two precise slashes, "get up!" He ordered him.

Christian got himself up stiffly. He stood on his feet a little swaying and breathing heavily and rubbed his throbbing wrists. He still couldn't understand why Quentin didn't kill him yet.

"I need you...at least until I get what I want," Quentin shoved Christian urgently in front of himself and pushed him into an area that looked almost like an operation room. In the middle there was a daybed on which there were some straps, the ones they used in psychiatric units. There was medical equipment all around, and a lot of clamps, scissors, scalpels and other surgical instruments laying on small tables in a well organised manner, "may I show you around," Quentin moved forward so he could face Christian and gestured with his hands, "my praxis!" He said proudly.

Christian stared at all the instruments and got sick to his stomach. So it was here that Quentin "operated" on Kimber and made her the way she became.

"You should call it torture chamber instead," Christian said.

Quentin grinned, "I like your sense of humour, Christian. I found that surgeons don't usually have one. And that is why you are going to get special treatment."

Christian felt his pulse doubling. The man was nuts and especially unpredictable and dangerous as such! Quentin didn't kill him at all, but given the many surgical instruments in this room, that wasn't such a good thing for him.

"Lie down!" Quentin grabbed a scalpel and took Christian by the neck, "a false move and you are gone to glory!" He said threateningly.

Paralysed by fear, Christian did what he was asked to do.

Quentin strapped Christian's hands and feet down with practised motions, "if you comply, nothing will happen to you," he bent over him, "you still trust me, don't you?"

Christian nodded helplessly. He had sat in the trap and was totally in Quentin's hands. And nobody knew where he was. They will only notice his absence in a couple of days the earliest. But then it would be too late and Quentin would've finished him a long time ago. Christian closed his eyes.

"By the way, I wanted to thank you that you make it possible for me to work on my master piece a little bit more," Quentin said smiling.

Christian felt his stomach contracting painfully. Some quiet anger took over him, "if you touch her with one finger again I'll kill you," he said gloomily, "I swear!"

The sound of Quentin's chuckles filled the room, "for a man in your situation you open your mouth fairly wide," he lifted the scalpel again and went over to Christian, "you should be a bit more nice to me. Maybe I'll spare you then," he stroke Christian's cheek lightly with his free hand, "it's really a pity I can't show you how much I like you."

Christian moved his head a bit away sickened.

Quentin turned around and went over to a cabinet. He opened a drawer and took out a small box from there, "I have something for you," he told Christian. He showed him the contents of the little box by putting it under his nose.

Christian thought the blood froze in his veins, "Kimber's ring..." He stammered.

Quentin nodded, "you recognise it? It's a really peachy piece. You probably had to operate many times on poor innocent people to be able to buy that, am I right Christian?" He said quizzically.

Christian pressed his lips together and kept quiet. He was afraid he will say something that will enrage Quentin and he will loose control over himself again.

"Do you think Kimber would like a present?" Quentin asked grinning while staring at the ring spellbound.

Christian grew stiff, "leave her alone! She went though enough. She is still suffering from what you did to her!" He shouted angrily.

Quentin shook his head slowly, "not me, Christian, what you did to her. And you will finish it all off too," he went to a table and got a piece of paper and a biro. He released Christian from the straps with one single movement, "sit down and write what I tell you to!" He said gruffly.

Christian sat and took the pen and paper into his trembling hands.