The Stolen 20

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

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Saturday Afternoon

Kitty had sat in the back of the wagon all day so far. Riding as she had the day before, hands and feet bound. Though Griggs had seen to his own comforts he had, it seemed, taken great pains to ignore hers. No food, little water and nothing to shield her from the weather.

She wasn't concerned with these things, of course, except in the way they would impact her plans for escape. The longer she went without food, the less strength she would have to get away. She would need to do something now. She had already gone most of a week with little nutrition, and was beginning to feel the effects of it.

Being bound as she was, she knew jumping out of the back of the wagon would be fool hardy. At the very least, Griggs would stop the wagon and have her back in his clutches in no time. But even more likely than that, she'd get herself hurt and hamper any chance what so ever of getting away.

That left one option. She would have to get Griggs to stop this rolling torture device he called a wagon. "Mister," she called but he didn't acknowledge her. "Mister," she called a little louder, but he didn't turn around. "MISTER," her voice louder still.

"I told you to call me Master," he said finally without turning around. "I will not answer to any other name from you. Is that clear?" His tone left no room for argument.

Kitty Russell had never called any man Master in her life, and she didn't want to do it now. But she needed Griggs to stop before they got any further away. "Yes, Sir," she finally forced her self to say. "I…I'm sorry. I'm just not used to doing that."

"You'll learn," he replied knowingly.

Biting her lip to keep from saying something she knew she would regret, Kitty went on, trying to maintain an even tone. "It…it's just that…well I need…that is…" Lord she didn't want to say it.

Fortunately she didn't have to. He understood what she was asking. "Whoa," he called as he pulled the reins bringing the wagon to a halt. Laboriously climbing down, he waddled around to the back of the cart and stood looking at her. "How do you ask?" he demanded.

Kitty swallowed her pride for the cause and forced her self to say the words that were so foreign and vile to her. "Please, Master."

Laughing he reached in and grabbed her by the arms, pulling her to him. Pushing down the nausea that his touch inspired, she sat perfectly still on the edge of the wagon so that he could untie her legs. As he released the ropes he kept his hand on her leg and worked it ever slowly upward.

Kitty stood it as long as she could, before trying to wiggle away from the horrible sensation of his hand on her.

He removed his hand from her leg but roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her off the wagon and into his embrace. "You best get used to me, sweetheart," he huffed. "I own you now and I ain't letting you go."

With more strength then she knew she possessedm she restrained herself from attempting to claw his eyes outm even with her hands tied. Instead she smiled sweetly at him and said, "Yes Master."

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Matt rode hard, putting as many miles under him as possible. Once again, he was pushing his mount hard, and once again, he was sorry for it, but it didn't stop him at least not yet. When he finally did rein in, it was only because he knew he had no other choice. Climbing down he gave Buck some water, loosened the cinch and started walking.

He had a lot of ground to cover and a lot of time to make up. But San Antonio was a long way off yet, and he truly felt that if he didn't stop, except when necessary he might catch them yet. Griggs had a big lead on him, but he also had Kitty. That one thing was his weakness, as it made Matt all that more determined to catch and stop him.

Matt walked on, going more by instinct that any thing else. If pressed, he would never be able to explain it, but somehow he just knew the right trail to take. It was like a light shining that only he could see. A red headed light that glowed just for him and beckoned him on.

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Griggs cupped Kitty by the elbow and led her over to the side of the road and close to some bushes. "You can go there," he told her.

Kitty looked down at her still tied wrists and then back at Griggs, batting her eyelashes at him. "I ah…can't really do much with my hands tied like this." She said.

Griggs stared at her for a moment, then reached out and pulled her arms forward and began untying her wrists. Kitty waited until he almost had the ropes completely off, before drawing her leg up and kneeing him in the crotch, with all the power she could muster.

Griggs went down in an instant, groaning pitifully. Kitty finished pulling the ropes off and started towards Griggs to use them on him. But even though she had hurt him, he wasn't completely down. He was instead reaching for his gun.

Kitty decided this was as good a time as any to make her exit. Taking one last glance at him, she turned and ran. "Goodbye you fat bastard," she called over her shoulder.

Griggs got his gun out of the holster and despite the pain coursing though his lower body, managed to get a shot off in her direction.

TBC