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"Come on, you've got to hold it together. You are better than them. They don't know how good you are." Karen told herself as she applied her make up.

She had been working this case for months now. Slowly, she had been accepted and even liked on the swinger scene. Everything revolved around "The Smoke", a small private club tucked away in a small corner downtown in the red light area. Strange things had gone on for a long time when it came to "The Smoke". There had been many missing persons reports filed involving the club. Now Karen was on the trail and she was going to find out what was going on.

The club was run by a known crime boss named Waller, although, from what Karen had found in her discreet research, nothing could be proven. In fact, the police seemed to shy away from any mention of Waller, even though only a month ago his right-hand man, John "Simple" Simons, and some of his other "associates", had been shot up by some unknown assailant. Been a blood bath by all accounts.

Karen had finally got the big invitation, to go to "The Smoke" after hours. Perhaps this would be her chance to get the big story her career needed and finally get into the big time. Karen looked in the mirror once more. "They don't know a thing about you and what you are there for" she said to herself as she got up to get dressed.

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Things were going well at the club. Karen was intimidated at first by the heavy atmosphere in "The Smoke", a feeling of violence and underhand dealings just bubbling under the surface. As the club shut down, the people filed out, leaving just her as the only female, along with the staff. Karen looked round. She had done her research well….. she could reel of the convictions of each of the persons left in the club. The list seemed endless.

Karen was sat by the bar alone when Dawson, the club manager, approached her. He introduced himself and with a kindly smile, sat down next to her. Karen knew that Karen knew that Dawson had taken over the management at the club when Simons had been shot. She knew not to push Dawson, and chatted to him amiably. Dawson's record was clean, spotless in fact.

They chatted about the club, how it had got started and how it was now a haven for people with "alternative" sexual preferences. Karen shuddered on the inside when this was mentioned, but that was part of her cover story.

"So, what do you do for a living, Karen?" Dawson asked amiably. Karen's internal alarm started to ring inside her head, but forced herself not to let it show.

"I am in investments" she replied, "Portfolios and that type of shit", she said. How many times had she rehearsed this moment. Her whole career now hinged on how she handled the conversation. Karen downed her scotch and continued.

"I've been in the trade for about 2 years. I found that I had a gift for it" Dawson nodded and smiled.

"It is always good to find out something that you are good at. Please help yourself to another drink. On the house, of course" Dawson smiled and handed her a bottle of scotch. "I gave up drinking many years ago, but I still enjoy people enjoying themselves, that is how I got into managing clubs" He explained. Karen took the bottle and poured herself another drink. She savoured the taste of the fine scotch.

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"What did you do before that?" Karen asked him. She knew that she had got under his skin and he would be able to give her lots of information without really knowing it.

"Well…. Remember how I was saying that it is always good to find something you are good at?" Damson asked her. Karen nodded in agreement. "I still do it. I found that it tied in well with managing clubs, places where people gather." Karen perked up as she sensed the big information she was looking for was coming.

"I found that I had a great talent for finding and distributing information. You want to know something, you come ask me. That is what I am good at." Dawson said with a proud smile on his face. Karen knew she had him just where she wanted him. Relaxed and talking freely.

"Tell me more," she prompted him

"Well," Dawson said with a shrug "Everyone needs to know something. You for instance, Miss Blenkinsop. You are here to find out all about the club and what we can do for your lifestyle. I have a feeling that we can help you greatly." Karen froze. How could he know?

"What do you mean?" she asked. Dawson smiled amiably.

"Nothing," Dawson replied, "I am just here to provide all the information about the club that you need. That is what I do" Dawson looked at his watch casually. "You want to know what happens in here. I am not only going to tell you, I am going to give you a unique demonstration" Then it dawned on Karen. He had not told him her surname. Karen could feel a cold ball in her stomach.

"For instance, I have lots of information. I am more than happy to share it with you. You won't have the chance to put it into print unfortunately" he had known all along. Karen knew that she was in trouble. She had to get out, quickly. Dawson looked at his watch again and smiled.

"You can deny it, and you can try to run if you like. I think in about 30 seconds, you are going to be very unconscious. You are going to learn all about "The Smoke" and it's real purpose" Dawson told her. Karen looked at him quizzically, then realized that she was starting to sway on her stool. How many seconds did she have left? Karen managed to get off the stool, but her legs gave way. She found herself on the floor. She flailed, unable to get up. She looked up at Dawson.

"Chloryl Hydrate, Miss Blenkinsop. Got you"

Karen's world slowly and irresistibly went black.

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Karen started to come around, Her head still spinning. Dawson was sat over her. He saw that she was coming around and stood up. From his waistband, he produced a pair of handcuffs. Deftly, he sat her up against the stool she had been sat on, took her arms and pulled her hands over her head. Karen tried to resist but was too weak. She gave up as her hands were cuffed to the stool. She tried to kick out, but realized that her feet had already been shackled with another pair of cuffs.

Dawson reached to the bar and got a roll of gaffer tape and a rag. He stuffed the rag into her mouth and then covered it with tape, effectively sealing her mouth shut. Karen tried to protest, but very little sound came out. Dawson stepped back and admired his bound captive.

For the first time in her adult life, Karen began to feel real fear. She knew she had told no one what she was working on for fear of someone stealing her story. This was now backfiring on her, for now there was nobody to come to her aid. Karen realized that she was starting to cry. She fought back the tears as Dawson stared at her, a smile playing on his lips.

"You wanted to know what was going on here?" Dawson asked her. Karen turned her head from him to avoid his gaze. A thousand emotions played in her head. Fear, rage and, for some reason, shame. She could not bear him looking at her in this helpless state. Karen pulled against the cuffs, even though she knew it was futile.

"It is now time, to give you all the information you wanted, Miss Blenkinsop" Dawson told her. "Sad irony, from your viewpoint, is that it will never be known and it is far too late to save you." The fear engulfed the whole of Karen's being. How had she got herself into this? Karen knew that whatever he was going to tell her, would also doom her.

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Dawson stood there for a moment, gazing up at the ceiling, as if composing his thoughts.

"You see, Miss Blenkinsop. This club has backers which require more than just play experiences. They want the real thing." Dawson told her. "What they want is a real slave to mould into their own vision of the perfect woman. To do this they need a totally clean slate to work with. A clean slate a lot like you" Dawson looked at her pointedly. "We pick them girls who have been interested in the slave type lifestyle and then spirit them away. You were picked as soon as you came through that door all those months ago"

Karen choked back her tears. She felt ashamed of herself. She had been baited and trapped. Her pride had got her here, her arrogance. How could she had believed that she could fool these people. Now, more fool her.

"Imagine my surprise when I found out who you really were", Dawson continued. "I implored your buyer to stop, but he insisted that he have you. Even when he was told what you really were, he was adamant. Even more so" Dawson said, a puzzled look on his face. Karen tugged at her handcuffs, but all she achieved was hurting her wrists.

"Maybe though, he had a point" Dawson said, looking at her thoughtfully. "It is not my thing personally, but I can see how he would look forward to a challenge like you. I wish him luck." Dawson smiled sympathetically. "Although you never wanted this, you did ask for it really" Karen bowed her head as it sunk in.

"Now to business" Dawson said suddenly. "You have to be packaged and left at a predetermined place, where your new owner will pick you up. Be assured, Miss Blenkinsop, give me any trouble and you will be hurt, badly." Karen chilled as she heard this warning. Dawson unlocked one of her hands from above her head and brought her hands in front of her. Quickly, he re-cuffed her wrists and hauled her to her feet.

Karen stood before him, cuffed and gagged. Dawson looked her up and down appraisingly. From his pocket he took out another pair of cuff, with a longer chain between the clasps. He pulled the chain, nearly pulling Karen over.

"Come on," Dawson said as he began to walk, Karen being forced to follow. "You new life awaits you"

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