might say I’m your superintendent, care officer, concierge and private nurse all in one.’ Her eyes sparkled at ‘private nurse’ and he wondered if she was consciously flirting. If she even knew she was doing it.
Let’s find out.
‘Were you the one who changed my underwear?’
‘Ah, now that would be telling,’ she grinned, and he decided that she knew she was flirting. She was accustomed to being desired, and revelled in it.
She placed her briefcase on the coffee table and stood with her hands on her hips. ‘You’ve worked out that we have you under surveillance, then?’ she said.
‘Yes. Why do you need to do that?’
‘Don’t they tell you these things?’ she said, with mock irritation. ‘They really should, you know. You’re the prize in ahigh-stakes game and your identity is closely guarded, your whereabouts a secret. The only thing our players know about you is that you’re a Royal Marine commando. Thus we have to make sure you’re kept free from any interference or communication.
We don’t want to give any of the players an advantage now, do we?’
‘It’s a competition?’ asked Shelley.
‘Bloody hell, I’m going to have to have a word with Tremain – he really didn’t tell you anything, did he? Yes, of course it’s a competition, with quite a purse for the winner. Mr Miyake is the current holder, but there’s a few who will be hoping to claim his title.’
‘Where does all this take place? Here?’
‘No, in the woods somewhere. I trust you’re an outdoorsman?’
‘You have to be, in the Marines.’
‘You should be in your element, then.’
Shelley pulled at his overalls. ‘Where are my clothes?’
‘We’re having them fumigated. You can have them back when the game is over, if you like. I mean, if you insist.’
‘Yes, I do insist,’ he said. ‘I’d like my clothes back.’
‘You’ll be able to afford some new ones when this is all over.’
He looked at her, seeing through her façade, seeing how much she was enjoying herself, and then forced himself to grin. ‘Yeah, of course. Old habits.’
She returned his smile. ‘And you play in the overalls, of course.’
‘Am I supposed to look like a prisoner?’
‘It’s not intentional.’
‘So I’m not a prisoner here, then? I can come and go as I want?’
She furrowed her brow. ‘Well, no, of course you can’t. There are all those pesky security issues I was talking about. But first you might want to know where “here” is. Can’t go into geographical detail, I’m afraid, but it’s an old reformatory school. These buildings were the staff dwellings. There’s a main school building and there are education blocks. There is also a gym, a swimming pool, a cinema and a library. Most of the complex is abandoned, but what bits you need are fully kitted out for your exclusive use. You are invited – one might almost say “required” – to use the swimming pool and gym on a daily basis. Use the cinema and library as you like, but we do insist that you maintain an exercise routine, eat well and abstain from alcohol and drugs, which is just as well, because of course there will be no drink or drugs available.’
‘And I’m forbidden to leave the complex?’
She laughed. ‘’Fraid so.’
‘What if I change my mind and don’t want to be a part of it any more.’
‘We hope that won’t occur.’
‘But what if it does?’
‘Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now,’ she said, changing the subject, ‘it’s time for your medical. I’m going to need a urine sample and your fingerprint, for programming internal security.’
‘My fingerprint?’
‘Yes, we need it for internal security,’ smiled Claire. ‘I’ll also be taking blood, but before we start . . .’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘How about I give you half an hour to take a shower?’
She left and he watched her go, his mind on what he knew about hostage situations. Be courteous with your captors, but remember
Let’s find out.
‘Were you the one who changed my underwear?’
‘Ah, now that would be telling,’ she grinned, and he decided that she knew she was flirting. She was accustomed to being desired, and revelled in it.
She placed her briefcase on the coffee table and stood with her hands on her hips. ‘You’ve worked out that we have you under surveillance, then?’ she said.
‘Yes. Why do you need to do that?’
‘Don’t they tell you these things?’ she said, with mock irritation. ‘They really should, you know. You’re the prize in ahigh-stakes game and your identity is closely guarded, your whereabouts a secret. The only thing our players know about you is that you’re a Royal Marine commando. Thus we have to make sure you’re kept free from any interference or communication.
We don’t want to give any of the players an advantage now, do we?’
‘It’s a competition?’ asked Shelley.
‘Bloody hell, I’m going to have to have a word with Tremain – he really didn’t tell you anything, did he? Yes, of course it’s a competition, with quite a purse for the winner. Mr Miyake is the current holder, but there’s a few who will be hoping to claim his title.’
‘Where does all this take place? Here?’
‘No, in the woods somewhere. I trust you’re an outdoorsman?’
‘You have to be, in the Marines.’
‘You should be in your element, then.’
Shelley pulled at his overalls. ‘Where are my clothes?’
‘We’re having them fumigated. You can have them back when the game is over, if you like. I mean, if you insist.’
‘Yes, I do insist,’ he said. ‘I’d like my clothes back.’
‘You’ll be able to afford some new ones when this is all over.’
He looked at her, seeing through her façade, seeing how much she was enjoying herself, and then forced himself to grin. ‘Yeah, of course. Old habits.’
She returned his smile. ‘And you play in the overalls, of course.’
‘Am I supposed to look like a prisoner?’
‘It’s not intentional.’
‘So I’m not a prisoner here, then? I can come and go as I want?’
She furrowed her brow. ‘Well, no, of course you can’t. There are all those pesky security issues I was talking about. But first you might want to know where “here” is. Can’t go into geographical detail, I’m afraid, but it’s an old reformatory school. These buildings were the staff dwellings. There’s a main school building and there are education blocks. There is also a gym, a swimming pool, a cinema and a library. Most of the complex is abandoned, but what bits you need are fully kitted out for your exclusive use. You are invited – one might almost say “required” – to use the swimming pool and gym on a daily basis. Use the cinema and library as you like, but we do insist that you maintain an exercise routine, eat well and abstain from alcohol and drugs, which is just as well, because of course there will be no drink or drugs available.’
‘And I’m forbidden to leave the complex?’
She laughed. ‘’Fraid so.’
‘What if I change my mind and don’t want to be a part of it any more.’
‘We hope that won’t occur.’
‘But what if it does?’
‘Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now,’ she said, changing the subject, ‘it’s time for your medical. I’m going to need a urine sample and your fingerprint, for programming internal security.’
‘My fingerprint?’
‘Yes, we need it for internal security,’ smiled Claire. ‘I’ll also be taking blood, but before we start . . .’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘How about I give you half an hour to take a shower?’
She left and he watched her go, his mind on what he knew about hostage situations. Be courteous with your captors, but remember
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