She can't say what wakes her. When she opens her eyes, it feels like she's slightly out of time, her eyes taking seconds to brush away the deep dark of unconsciousness. When she can see, everything is hazy, swirls of greens and dark blues and blacks and she swallows back a wave of sudden nausea, the motion of it unsettling. That's when she feels the gag, heavy and suffocating, stretched tight across her mouth. It's course and it scratches at the corners of her mouth. With that comes the realisation that she can't move, that her arms, her legs and her stomach are strapped to what she believes is a metal table of some kind. It's cold, and smooth beneath her fingers. She can wiggle her arms to an extent but there's no getting loose. She is well and truly bound.
The slam of a door has her head snapping towards the right. Everything is that little bit clearer now, the green tinted walls with its plastic wrapping, the slightly disturbing black smears that do little to assuage her anxiety. The silhouette framed by the door takes a while to come into view, the shadow keeping whoever it is in mystery. Whoever it is, it's like they're just standing there and watching her. Maybe they are. And then they step forward.
"Ah, good. You're awake." The woman is slim, with red hair that gets caught in a sunbeam from a window in the hallway. "I have to say, I was beginning to think you'd never wake up. I think I gave you too strong a dose. But not to fear. You're okay. There'll be no lasting effects. It'll be unfortunate to kill you before the fun starts."
She walks close, standing by the gurney. She smells like bleach, like a too clean hospital corridor that's desperately trying to fight off the lingering stench of death. Her fingers drift over her cheekbone, soft, a caress almost, but Kate flinches back from the careful touch. "I can take the gag off. But don't scream, it's tedious, and anyone that can hear you will not come to your aid."
She nods in agreement, eyes still wary as the woman reaches for her, but she simply pulls the gag down and around her neck and Kate is dragging in a huge breath of air as the harsh cloth is removed. The air tastes stale, but it's better than breathing through material. If it weren't for the bright light from the one window, she would have said she was in a basement of some kind. Next option, probably an old house. Outside of the city, maybe. "Where am I?"
"Oh, there's no need for you to know that."
"You're going to kill me." It's not a question. She doesn't really need to ask it. Everything about this is screaming murder murder murder at her. The way the woman looks at her is enough as it is.
"Not yet. Eventually, yes. We have use for you first."
"What's that?"
"All in good time, Katherine." she grins, her smile creepy in the dim light. "Don't want to ruin the games straight away, do we?"
"How do you know my name?"
"Oh, we know all about you. Birthday, seventeenth November, ninety seventy nine. Born to Johanna and Jim Beckett, lovely people. All three of you lawyers. Good lawyers, actually. If I'm ever in need of one I'll be sure to give them a call. That would be fun. Sitting in the courtroom next to your parents. They wouldn't know, of course. They'll probably never know. Shame, really. You graduated from Harvard Law School, second in your class, and you've hated Kieran Borowitz ever since. Did you know he cheated his way to the top? There you go, you can die happy, morally, you were first. Always been competitive. Thriving for the top, bit of a sore loser. Best friend is Madison Queller, and I believe she owns a restaurant. Pretty girl."
"Anyone told you that that's really creepy?"
"A few. They stop talking after a while though. Jerry tends to make sure of it."
"Who's Jerry?"
"Oh, I believe you've met before. You'll see him again in a few days. In the meantime, you're all mine. We have a kind of deal, he and I. I get to practice, and he gets to fulfil his deepest darkest desires. Though, admittedly, I don't know why he chose you. You're not really his type. He prefers blondes. But, I suppose we can work with that."
"Practice what? What desires?
"You ask a lot of questions, but I suppose that's what we get for taking a lawyer. Are you hungry? I imagine you are." She remains silent. "No need to deny it. We need to keep you healthy and in good condition. We'll treat you well."
"I'm strapped to a table. Forgive me for not leaving a five star review." That earns another smile, and it sends a shiver down a spine.
"This is only for when you wake up. Just as a precaution, you understand. Of course, if you fight back I can leave you here, it's no trouble to me. Or, you can co-operate, I can feed you and take you to your room. What do you think?"
She nods, simply because if she is going to take this woman at her word then it means it's been hours, maybe days, since she was taken which means it's been longer since the last time she'd eaten. She can't even remember what it was she'd had. Breakfast, she expects. And if this is going to be as much of an ordeal as she thinks it's going to be, then she's going to need her strength. She lets the woman unstrap her, lying still until she is able to sit up. She backs off slightly when she swings her legs over the side, bare toes barely brushing the floor. "Do I get shoes?"
"You'll find adequate clothing in your room. I'll take you there now and you can get yourself cleaned up, and then we'll see about some food."
"Do I at least get to know your name?"
"You can call me Kelly. You won't be doing much talking though, I'm afraid." she sweeps her hand in front of her, the universal gesture ordering Kate to go before her. "After you."
The room she's led to is only next door, but it is at least better decorated than the one she woke up in. The bed is clean, the window, though she's certain it won't open, is spacious and lets in plenty of fresh light. "We've even given you your own bathroom. We're trusting you, okay? But you won't find a mirror in there, and the window won't open and is reinforced. Trying to escape will only make things worse for you. Believe me, people have tried."
"So I'm not the first person to stay here?"
"And you won't be the last. I'll leave you to it, I'll bring food up in about ten minutes. " Kelly leaves the room, the door closing quietly behind her, and the ummmistakeable sound of a lock echoes in the space she left.
Kate walks to the window, pulls back the thin white netting that covers the glass, and knows without a doubt that Kelly was right. The seals are well and truly stuck. Whether with paint or something stronger, she doesn't know, but without some serious brute force she's not getting out of there. Even if she does, there's no promising she can find her way back to civilisation. She has no idea where she is, no idea whether she's even in New York any more. And the way Kelly was speaking makes it seem like there's a whole lot more than just her and this Jerry person. She said she knew him. Or at least, she'd met him. But she's certain she doesn't know any Jerry. Then again, fake names are common in her line of work. He could be anyone. He could be her neighbour, the guy she buys coffee from every morning. A guy she smiled at in a bar once. Realising that she's shivering, she presses her toes into the soft carpet before padding across to the wardrobe. There's actually a fair amount of clothes hanging up, shoes ranging in sizes, and Kate swallows back more nausea at the thought of how many other women have worn these clothes. But she takes a pair of socks, a decent pair of sneakers, and a jumper that looks like it has seen better days and slips them on.
The bathroom is simple enough, thankfully with running hot water too, and the shower seems in working order. At least she won't be living in filth. The water is cold and refreshing, clearing away what dregs of the drug were still lingering on her skin. And then there was nothing to do but wait. Three minutes pass, and she spends it by the window, trying to work out which direction in which she might be facing. All she can see out of the window is trees, but as it gets later the sunset should give her a clue.
"I hope you like burgers. One of the guards here, he's an excellent chef. I keep telling him he should hang up his gun and go straight, but he won't have it. Can't say we mind when we get food like this."
She hadn't heard Kelly enter, too lost in her own thoughts, and it makes her jump back against the window, head knocking into the frame with a thud. "Apologies, I didn't mean to scare you. Come, sit down. I had him make a strawberry milkshake too. That is your favourite, yes? It is what you usually order at Remy's at least."
"That's - why are you ... why me?"
"I don't know. It's Jerry who picks them out. Does his homework, gets inside their lives, works out those itty bitty details. He can blend in to a crowd, has one of those faces that after two seconds you've forgotten. Now come on, sit down. Eat."
Kate sits down carefully on the edge of the bed, and pulls the tray towards her. The burger does smell divine, and she can feel, and hear, the low rumble of her stomach as it realises just how empty it is. "You said I knew him." she asks, before taking a large bite from the burger. If anything, it tastes even better than it smells.
"They all do. Like I said, he works his way into your life. You've spoken to him, laughed with him, he flirted, but you didn't. I don't think he was your type-"
Kate swallows quickly, but the food lodges in her throat, and her words come out slightly strained as it works against the lump in her oesophagus. "If this is all because I wouldn't flirt-"
"Oh, no, no, of course not." Kelly simpers, her smile doing little to soothe Kate's worries. "Not Jerry. He's not doing this because you turned him down or damaged his ego." she sighs, almost happily, like Kate should be pleased that that wasn't the reason she's being held captive. "No, nothing like that. Anyway, please, eat. The rest of the day is yours. If you want I can bring up some books, some paper, maybe. A pack of cards. One of my guards is rather good at poker."
"I don't suppose I can explore?"
"I'm afraid that is out of the question. There are things here that I would rather you not see. This door will remain locked at all times."
"Books, then. I'll take a couple of books."
"Good choice. I'll return in a few minutes." She turns to leave again, and gets to the door before Kate speaks up.
"My parents – do they – do they know I'm missing?"
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry." Her smile does look genuinely sympathetic, and it makes her skin crawl. "They think you're dead." and then she's gone, and the burger no longer seems at all appetising.
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