Animal Magnetism - The Kidnapping, Part 5

This fictional account contains adult language and graphic sexual themes.  If
such language and themes offend you, please do not read further.  The persons
and events described in this work are purely fictional.  Any similarity to
actual persons or events is strictly coincidental.  Copyright 2002 by
SSTORYMAN.  All rights reserved.  Permission is hereby granted to reproduce
this story in any form and for any purpose as long as this notice is
reproduced and no financial remuneration is received, directly or indirectly,
by the person reproducing or using it.

This story is a second sequel to "Animal Magnetism" and "Animal Magnetism -
The Sequel" posted elsewhere on this story page.  You may find it helpful to
read them first before this one.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM - THE KIDNAPPING

5.	Cracking the Case.

	Bill and Ashley headed back downtown.  "So, did you have fun?"

	"Yeah, I sure did," the brunette detective sighed.  "The weird thing
is, I know you put all those new ideas in my head.  Rosemary and Micaela may
not realize it, but I do, since you told me ahead of time.  It's strange,
though.  It doesn't make any difference in how I feel.  I don't resent it.
I'm happy you did it to me.  Isn't that weird?"

	"It is," Bill agreed.  "It's really cool most of the time.  And this
morning was great.  It was really hot watching you and that sexy teenager
having fun pawing each other."

	Ashley let out a throaty laugh.  "God, I loved it, and I know Micaela
did.  Yeah, she's quite a girl!  The weird thing is, I know better.  I mean,
there's no consensual sex if a minor's involved.  Micaela's sixteen.  That
means I just committed statutory rape; it's a fuckin' crime, for God's sake.
But that never dissuaded me.  You said I wanted to do it, and bang, suddenly I
did.  I loved every minute of it.  Bill, you could be very dangerous!  Is
Debbie Simpson just as powerful as you are?"

	He nodded.  "As long as we're together.  The power runs down as we get
older.  But being with anyone else who has the power boosts it for both of us.
Debbie's dominant if she's around me.  Apart from me, she becomes only
slightly more persuasive than the average person."

	"So, is that her mother's strategy?  Keeping Debbie sedated till her
power gets weak?"

	"That might be," Bill agreed.  "But what I can't figure is, how can
she change Debbie back into an anti-smoker?  You can't deprogram her with
ordinary techniques.  Her mother must have some ace up her sleeve."

	"Does Debbie's mom have the power?"

	"I don't think so.  Her grandma did, but Debbie never said her mom had
it.  I know her brother doesn't.  Her dad's deceased; I'm pretty sure he
didn't have it, either.  Unless her mom knows someone with the power, I don't
think she can change Debbie's thinking about smoking and the other stuff."

	"The other stuff?"

	Bill grinned.  "We had great influence over each other.  She's a very
sexy lady, and she's become a perfect companion.  She loves baseball now,
because I do.  She loves fooling around with girls, too, like me.  That was a
new idea to her, just as it was for you, Ashley."

	Ashley folded her arms.  "We need to find her.  I have to meet Debbie,
and I want her to still be smoking."  She gasped.  "Oh, God.  I never told you
the news I got this morning.  I was so preoccupied with Micaela and the
smoking thing that I totally forgot."

	"I figured we'd get back to it," Bill reassured her.  "In the
meantime, I want another cigarette before we get to the station.  Why don't
you light one up for each of us, Ash?"

	It was her turn to grin.  "I'd love to, Bill.  I was thinking I'd like
to smoke again.  I should be pissed as hell that you did this to me, but I'm
not."  She put a Marlboro 100 in her lips and clicked his lighter.  "Instead,
all I want to do is smoke," she sighed, exhaling a thin stream of blue-gray
smoke into the car's interior.  She lit up a second one and gave it to him.

	"Anyway, here's the latest.  We confirmed Andrea Simpson from
California rented a white van locally last week.  We tried calling her in
California.  We even dispatched a local police cruiser to her house.  No one
there; no surprise.  So we called the FBI.  Even though they're not in the
case, because it looks like a family dispute, they did me a favor.  They got
Andrea Simpson's long distance phone records for the last month.  That's the
important part.  One number she called repeatedly is a Florida man who the
Bureau keeps an eye on.  He's been involved in many deprogramming kidnappings.
He's a foreign national named Petr Soudek; but now he goes by Daniel Meyers."

	"What's a deprogramming kidnapping?"

	She drew on her cigarette and released an exhale.  "Say a family's
worried about a child involved in a religious cult.  They hire Meyers and his
team to abduct the kid.  They deprogram the brainwashed kid back into reality.
The Bureau watches him because, though no one's ever pressed charges, they
consider him potentially dangerous."

	"Wait.  How can the FBI get Debbie's mom's phone records?  Don't you
need a court order, or something, to get that information?"

	Ashley roared.  "Shit, Bill, you're so fuckin' naïve!  The Bureau does
whatever the hell it wants and, other than the Waco fiasco, almost never gets
called on the carpet.  Nah, if there's a potential kidnapping, especially if
someone's life might be in danger, they collect info first and get permission
later.  In this case, they got the confirmation I wanted.  Andrea Simpson's
been working with Daniel Meyers, a notorious deprogrammer.  So we may be able
to crack this case."

	"How's that?"

	"I talked to a guy at the FBI earlier today.  They have a dossier on
Meyers, his whole modus operandi.  They've never used it against him, but
they're waiting for the day someone presses charges.  They faxed me their
info.  Meyers typically steals license plates and puts 'em on a rented van,
and rents short-term warehouse space somewhere in town using a newly formed
bogus corporation.  I have my intern checking available warehouse space in
town, and getting names of every company who leased any in the last thirty
days.  He'll cross check the new, short-term leases against a list from the
Secretary of State, to find out which lessees are newly formed companies.
Bingo!  We'll get the location where Debbie's being held!"

	He watched Ashley exhale a luscious stream of thick smoke.  "But why
are you doing this?  You said the police department's treating the case as a
family dispute, low priority.  Why involve the FBI and all this
investigation?"

	She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  "Because as soon as I
met you, I liked you, Bill.  I knew finding Debbie was important to you.  I
did it to impress you."  She took a last, long hit on her cigarette and threw
it out the window as Bill pulled into a parking spot.  "You're charismatic,
Bill."  She pursed her lips and exhaled.  "I wanted you to like me.  I still
want that.  But now I guess I'm one of your girls.  Whatever that means."

	He opened his car door.  "It means that as soon as we find Debbie,
you'll meet her.  You'll like Debbie.  She's gorgeous, and loves to smoke.
Regardless of what her mom does, I can quickly reinforce her love for smoking
and her desire for beautiful smokers, like you.  Ultimately you and Debbie and
I can fool around, Ashley.  Debbie will suck your tits just like Micaela did,
while I fuck you at the same time.  Sound good?"

	Ashley let out another throaty, guttural laugh.  "Sounds fuckin'
yummy!  God, that's incentive!  Come on.  Let's check with my intern.  Unless
I miss my guess, before long we'll know the address of the location where in
all likelihood Debbie Simpson's being held captive!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"How are you doing, honey?"

	"Fine, Mom," Debbie sighed.  "The trouble is, I need to leave this
town as soon as possible.  I can't stay here.  If I do, Bill will find me
eventually.  Then he'll reassert his power.  I doubt I can withstand him next
time."

	"But right now you're okay, right?  I mean, you don't want to smoke
anymore?"

	Debbie smiled warmly.  "The tapes are magic, Mom.  Listening to and
watching them, I'm convinced I need to quit, and I want to.  That's not the
problem.  The problem is that Bill's power is so strong.  He's stronger than
me.  He got to me once, and I fear he'll do it again.  No, I need to go to
California with you.  I hate to leave my job at Allied, but I have no choice.
Otherwise, he'll manipulate me and I'll be a smoker again.  We don't want
that."

	"No, we sure don't," Andrea agreed.  "I'll talk to Mr. Meyers and his
partner, Mr. Rogers.  Maybe we can arrange to fly out tomorrow.  I didn't know
how long we'd need to bring you back to your senses.  We planned to stay a
week.  Mr. Meyers says no one will find us in this warehouse complex, though
I'm still nervous.  But now that I have you back, honey; nothing else matters.
I couldn't stand the thought of my beautiful daughter smoking, which was bad
enough, but also promoting it!  Ugh!"  She shuddered.  "I had to do something,
so I did.  You know, I think Grandma would be very proud."

	"She would, Mom," Debbie smiled.  "She definitely would."

	Returning to California with her mom was a good idea.  She'd have a
new start, far away from Bill Johnson and his pernicious power.  California
was the most anti-smoking state.  There'd be relatively few temptations, fewer
pretty women smoking.  Yeah, it was a good idea.  She'd simply start over.

	"I need to lie down, Mom," she sighed.  "I might take a nap.  Running
those tapes all night, I didn't sleep much."

	Andrea kissed her on the forehead.  "Sweet dreams, honey.  Meanwhile,
I'll find out about getting a flight out tomorrow.  It'll be wonderful to have
you back home with me."

	"Yeah, it'll be great, Mom," she said.  At least, she hoped it would.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Bingo!" Ashley triumphantly proclaimed.  Stan, her intern, had a
broad smile on his face.  "The Metro Warehouse Complex on Sallinger Road.
Last week they leased a small unit to a new corporation formed this month.  We
confirmed the lessee was just formed by checking the Secretary of State.  I
bet that's our target."  She smiled at her intern.  "Thanks, Stan.  Great
work!  I'll get George and a team of officers together.  We'll go out there
this afternoon with a show of force.  If we play it right, we won't need a
search warrant.  The mother will be scared shitless.  She'll let us in, and we
can rescue Debbie from the bastards."

	As Stan the intern, left, Bill shook his head.  "I want to go, too,
Ashley.  I can do more with my animal magnetism than you can with officers or
search warrants.  Let's just you and me go out first."

	"No, Bill.  If they know we're on to them, but don't scare them,
they'll move her before we come back with a warrant.  No, we need to
intimidate them with at least a dozen cops."

	He stared at the lovely brunette.  "Ashley, listen.  I want to go.
That's final.  You don't have any objection, do you?"

	She rolled her eyes and laughed.  "Oh my God!  There you go again.
God damn it, Bill, don't you think I want what's best for Debbie?  The
department has experience dealing with these situations.  I can take you out
there, but it might be a mistake."

	"Wrong, Ashley.  You'll take me out there, and it won't be a mistake.
You saw how I played Rosemary and Micaela."  And how I played you, too, he
thought.  "We only need someone to answer the door.  In minutes I'll be
inside, and they'll do anything I ask.  That's how we should play it.
Otherwise, we might be screwed."

	She frowned.  "Why?"

	"If I were Meyers, I'd think staying in town is a mistake.  I'd want
to move her as soon as possible.  Didn't you say the lease was only for
another week?"

	Ashley nodded.  "Yeah, the leasing company told Stan the lease started
last week and ends the end of next week.  Real short term."

	"That doesn't mean they'll stay that long.  Mrs. Simpson can't afford
for Debbie to see me again.  She has to be planning to take her out of town.
We need to get out there right now.  If we do, I can make her captors
cooperate with the police.  Hell, if you want, I can make Meyers turn himself
in and confess to any crime you want."

	She laughed.  "You're right.  Okay, genius.  You and I'll go first.
But can I at least tell George what we're doing?  I can be in big trouble if I
don't."

	"Nope.  I'd have to spend time convincing him.  That may be time we
don't have.  I can smooth things over with your boss later.  Let's go, Ashley.
What do you say?"

	With a big sigh, she nodded.  "You're right, of course.  You're always
right, damn it.  Let's go."  She smiled impishly.  "Can I smoke a cigarette on
the way?  I'd like that."

	He grinned back.  "Yeah, sure you can.  You're feeling desperate for
another cigarette, aren't you, Ash?  So you want to smoke again?"  She nodded
eagerly.  He laughed.  "God, it's so sexy when you say you have to smoke.
Don't worry.  I'll let you smoke again and again!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Debbie awoke from her nap and looked around the room.  She still felt
groggy.  She rubbed her eyes.  Her hands were trembling.  She sighed.  She
knew why.  Her body was telling her it needed nicotine.  She hadn't smoked
since yesterday.

	Despite her body's longings, her mind said something different.  She'd
never smoke again.  Never.  She took a deep breath and sighed sadly.  Quitting
wasn't easy, but she wanted to, she was sure.  Listening to herself on the
tapes convinced her, didn't it?  She got up and walked around.  She poured a
cup of water and drank it quickly.

	She had to distract herself and take her mind off craving nicotine.
She opened the door and walked into the hall.  No one was there.  Then she
remembered.  Mr. Meyers and her mom were getting a flight out of town.  There
didn't seem to be any phones in the warehouse, and they wouldn't want to use
cell phones, so they probably went to see a travel agent or an airline.  Maybe
they were even picking up the tickets!  Regardless, it amused her that her
captors now trusted her enough to leave her alone.  That was a good sign, a
further indication she was back in her right mind.

	Walking down the hall, she noticed the back door slightly ajar.  Ah,
maybe she _wasn't_ alone after all!  Someone was outside.  Maybe it was Sarah,
she mused.  If her lovely female captor was around, there was something she'd
love to do with her that would distract them both!

	She quietly approached the back door.  A warm breeze from outside
wafted by.  She decided to peek outside to see who was out there.  Hoping it
was Sarah, she began rehearsing a proposal to invite her blond friend back to
her room for another sexual romp.

	She walked into the sunlight.  At first she couldn't see, but her
vision quickly adjusted.  She couldn't believe her eyes.  Lovely Sarah was
standing outside the back door, still dressed in her scrubs.  She was smoking
a cigarette!

	"Oh my God," Debbie gasped aloud.  "What in the hell are you doing,
Sarah?"

	The blond girl froze.  In her hand was a freshly lit, one hundred
millimeter cigarette.  Apparently she just finished hitting on it because, as
she spoke to Debbie, thick smoke spewed from her lips.  The bright sunshine
highlighted the tendrils of escaping smoke.

	"Oh, Debbie," she startled.  "I'm so sorry.  I didn't mean for you to
see this.  I thought you were asleep.  As soon as Meyers, Rogers and your mom
left, I just had to have a cigarette."

	"You smoke?  But God, that makes no sense," Debbie muttered, still in
shock.  "Why in hell would they use a smoker as part of the team that's
rescuing me from the habit?"

	"They don't know.  See, I don't smoke.  At least, I hadn't in years.
But remember yesterday?  I pretended to need a light so you'd come up to the
van.  We knew you'd never suspect a girl asking for a light for her cigarette.
But right before I sprayed you with mace, you smiled at me and said something
to me.  You said that I must love to smoke.  Do you remember?  Well, right
then, something changed inside me.  I wanted to smoke again.  I couldn't help
it.  It's that damn power of yours, I guess," she concluded, raising the
cigarette to her lips for a hit.  "Ever since, I've been dying to do this,"
she went on, inhaling smoke.  "Last night I sneaked out and bought a lighter
and a pack of my old brand."  She pursed her lips to exhale.  "I'm so sorry,
Debbie.  Please don't tell them.  I couldn't help it."

	A light breeze carried exhaled smoke towards Debbie.  Seeing Sarah
smoke, and smelling the cigarette's fragrant aroma, pushed Debbie's buttons.
It overrode all the reprogramming the anti-smoking tapes had done.  All of a
sudden she wanted Sarah, but even more she wanted the cigarette Sarah was
smoking.

	"Oh God, I need a hit," she whispered breathlessly, approaching her.
"Please?"

	Sarah was horrified.  "Debbie, no, you can't!  I mean, I don't even
know why I'm smoking, for God's sake.  Shit!  I mean, I guess you made me do
it, but that was before you changed back.  You're still quitting, aren't you?
My God, I thought you _wanted_ to quit now!"

	"Fuck that," Debbie snarled.  "Let me have that cigarette, Sarah!
Give it to me!"

	Suddenly Debbie cared about only one thing, to do what Sarah was
doing!  But Sarah wouldn't give her the cigarette.  So Debbie became more
forceful.  "Sarah, listen.  Pay attention.  You really _want_ to share that
cigarette!  You still definitely want to smoke, but you want _me_ to smoke,
too.  Do you understand?"

	"But Debbie," Sarah whined pathetically.  "You have to quit.  You
can't smoke anymore.  That's the whole point of doing this.  I can't seem to
stop myself, but you can.  Can't you?"

	Debbie looked her straight in the eye.  "Sarah, listen.  You're so
fuckin' sexy, and seeing you smoke a cigarette has completely changed my mind.
I don't _want_ to quit anymore.  God, woman, the smell of that cigarette's
driving me fuckin' crazy!  I need it.  I have to have it."  She narrowed her
eyes to slits and turned on her power as persuasively as she knew how.

	"Sarah, you don't care what my mom, Meyers, or anyone else thinks,"
she went on.  "You don't care what they might do if they find out.  More than
anything in the whole world, you _do_ love to smoke now, and you also want me
to enjoy it with you.  You _want_ me to smoke with you.  So hand me that
cigarette, God damn it, so I can have a hit, too."

	Obediently, Sarah held out her hand.  Debbie took the cigarette and
without delay raised it to her lips.  She wrapped her mouth around the white
filter and dragged hard with eyes closed.  Oh God, it tasted so good!  She
double-pumped and sucked as much smoke as she could muster deep down into her
waiting lungs.

	"Oh God," she gasped, holding the smoke deep inside.  "Shit, that's
good!"

	When Debbie opened her eyes again, the look of disbelief, amusement
and horror on Sarah's face was curious.  The poor girl didn't know what to
think, do or say.  Debbie laughed.

	"Sarah, honey, you bought a whole pack last night, didn't you?  Then
for God's sake, girl, get it out!  Light up another one.  You want to smoke
with me!"  Seeing her captor nod, Debbie dragged on the cigarette and went on.
"Smoking's the best, for sure.  All that anti-smoking bullshit on those tapes
is just that:  bullshit!  You and I, we want to smoke, Sarah.  So let's get to
it, darling!"

	Sarah silently took a pack of Marlboro Lights 100's from her pocket.
Shaking out another cigarette, she put it between her lips.  Debbie grew wet
in the crotch as she watched the blond girl obediently light it up.

	"Good girl, Sarah,' she praised her.  "Now, drag hard.  Yeah, that's
it.  It'll feel really good when you suck that luscious smoke down into your
lungs.  Yeah, perfect.  Good girl!"

	All the anti-smoking shit was totally erased from Debbie's brain.  She
wanted to smoke; and that was all.  Well, not all.  Seeing Sarah with a
cigarette also revved up her sexual desires.  Hitting on her cigarette, Debbie
forced her body against Sarah's and began to gyrate her pelvis against hers.
Smoke escaped from her lips as she whispered lustfully into Sarah's ear.

	"Sarah, honey, you look _so_ fuckin' gorgeous smoking that cigarette,"
she cooed.  "Smoking makes a beautiful woman like you look so much hotter, so
very sexy and desirable.  And I bet you think that smoking a cigarette makes
me look much sexier, too, don't you?"

	Sarah, too, was getting excited.  "Yeah, it sure does," she
breathlessly whispered back.  Debbie's face was only inches away, but Sarah
put her cigarette in her mouth and dragged again.  "Shit, Debbie, I love to
smoke, and I want to look good for you.  I'd do anything for you, baby.
Anything at all!"

	Yeah, you would, Debbie sighed, as she gazed longingly at Sarah's
luscious exhale.  And very soon, you will, too!

	Their bodies were pressed together against the wall.  Debbie kept on
grinding against her companion's torso, totally focused on her lover and
smoking with her.  "Look, Sarah, as soon as we finish these cigarettes, we
need to get the hell out of here.  We'll go back to my place and call Bill.
Do you have a car we can use?"

	Before Sarah answered, Debbie heard a voice behind her.  "No, Sarah
doesn't have a car, Debbie.  But don't worry, you won't need it.  All of us
are going back into the warehouse."

	She wheeled around.  There stood her mother, Meyers and Rogers, his
muscular assistant.  They'd just gotten out of the white van which was parked
a few yards away.

	"Oh shit," Debbie muttered.  She and Sarah had been so focused on each
other that neither of them heard or saw the white van pull up behind them.

	"That's right, Debbie," smirked Andrea Simpson.  "Shit is exactly what
just happened.  I don't know how you got to Sarah, but next time I won't be
fooled when you say you're cured.  God, I admit, I totally believed you were
reformed.  You're quite an actress."

	Debbie groaned.  She couldn't admit that seeing Sarah smoke instantly
broke the spell, the brainwashing influence, of the tapes.  She might need the
same escape to free her from their influence the next time.  She shuddered to
think that there now might be a next time.

	She screamed in anger.  "Mom, don't you get it?  You can't win.  My
love for smoking's way too strong.  You might change me for a moment, like you
did last night, but it'll never last.  It's because I'm a smoker, Mom.  That's
who I am.  I smoke.  Whatever you do to me, I'll still be a smoker deep down
inside.  So, fuck you!"

	Andrea Simpson wasn't paying attention.  She was humming.  "Don't
listen to her," she shouted to Meyers and his sidekick.  "Hum, sing, do
fuckin' anything, damn it, but don't listen to her!  Meyers, go inside and
find the surgical tape to tape her mouth shut.  Get the drugs, too, to knock
her out again.  Silence her, now!"  Meyers bolted to the door and entered the
building.  "Rogers, stay with me to stop them from escaping while Meyers gets
the stuff to neutralize her!"

	"Sarah and I are smokers," Debbie shouted while Meyers ran inside.
"We'll always be smokers.  We love our cigarettes.  We won't stop.  We can't
stop."  She was almost hysterical.  "Smoking's what we do, because smokers is
what we are."  She stopped to drag on her cigarette.  "You can't make me quit,
Mom.  I'll never stop smoking!"

	Meanwhile, Sarah was afraid.  She was in trouble.  Meyers would fire
her.  She thought about trying to run away, but Rogers was too big and burly.
She'd never make it.  She was screwed!  Plus, Debbie was right.  More than
anything, she _did_ want to be a smoker now.  She'd never thought about it,
but whatever happened to Debbie, she knew that Debbie's fearless assessment of
her was true.  She never wanted to quit smoking!

	Meyers reappeared with a roll of surgical tape and a syringe filled
with the tranquilizer they used on her before.  Debbie shrank back.  "Get her,
stupid," Andrea barked.  "Knock her out right now."

	"Meyers, you don't want to do that," Debbie yelled frantically.
"Don't listen to her!  Don't you dare do it!"

	Undaunted, Meyers approached his victim with a cruel smile.  "I can't
hear you," he smirked.  "I put earplugs in my ears when I went inside.  You're
toast, girlie!"

	He grabbed Debbie violently while Sarah stood helplessly by.  Debbie
dropped her cigarette to the ground in the struggle.  First he put the tape
over her mouth to silence her screams.  Then, as Rogers held her against the
wall, Meyers readied the syringe.  Andrea sighed with relief.  Soon she'd have
her daughter back under her control, ready for the second round.

	"Drop it, right now," a voice snarled behind them.  "Police!"

	Andrea turned.  A man and a woman were getting out of a car next to
the white van.  She scanned the horizon.  No police cars in sight.

	"I mean it," the female voice repeated.  "Drop the syringe and let her
go."  She took a gun from a holster concealed under her jacket and walked
toward the struggling girl.

	But Meyers was wearing ear-plugs.  Unlike Rogers and Mrs. Simpson, he
couldn't hear.  He was focused on restraining Debbie long enough to
tranquilize her with his syringe.  Only when Rogers finally pulled away did he
turn.  There, fifteen feet away was a cross looking woman with a firearm
pointed directly at him.  He froze.

	"You're all under arrest," Ashley barked out.  "Raise your hands and
get up against the fuckin' wall.  All of you.  Right now."

	Debbie's mom and Rogers immediately backed up against the wall.
Meyers realized he was overmatched.  He dropped the syringe, and did likewise.

	In a flash Bill was at Debbie's side.  He embraced her briefly, and
then pulled off the tape covering her mouth.

	"Ouch," she exclaimed.  "God damn it, Bill, that hurt!"  But she was
smiling from ear to ear.  She gave him a big hug.

	"Just like a woman," he muttered sarcastically with feigned umbrage.
"God, we show up to rescue the damsel in distress, and look at the thanks we
get!"  He raised Debbie's chin and planted a tender, passionate kiss on her
trembling lips.  "Baby, I was so worried," he whispered.  "It looks like we
got here just in time."

	"Yeah, you did," she nodded, still shaking.  "I'll explain later.
Suffice to say, Meyers was about to tranquilize me, like yesterday.  Thank God
you're here.  How did you find us?"

	He turned and smiled at Ashley.  "Debbie, meet Detective Ashley Carey.
She and I've become very close since yesterday afternoon, and she moved heaven
and earth to follow up every possible lead.  But actually, the first person to
thank is Micaela Moore."

	Debbie frowned.  "Micaela who?"

	"Micaela Moore," Bill laughed.  "She's one of the high school girl in
your Female Entrepreneurs club.  Micaela saw these bastards in the white van
kidnap you yesterday after school.  Otherwise, we'd never have known what
happened.  From Micaela's description of the van, Ashley and her colleagues at
the police department figured out what happened."

	Ashley held Meyers, Rogers and Andrea at gunpoint.  "Hi, Debbie.  Nice
to meet you at last.  Bill's told me so much about you.  I'm glad we got here
in time to rescue you from these scum!"  She looked at Bill.  "Do me a favor
and get my cell phone from the car.  We need to call a squad car to come over
and pick up these guys."  She looked at Meyers.  "The FBI has a dossier on you
a mile long, buddy," she scowled.  "I think it's safe to say you'll be off the
streets awhile."

	Meyers had his ear plugs out now.  "You didn't read us our rights
first," he whined.  "My lawyer will have us out in no time."

	Ashley's face fell.  He was right.  "Damn," she muttered.  "Shit, I
screwed up."

	"No, you didn't screw up," Debbie interjected.  "No one's getting
arrested, Ashley.  Let me suggest an alternative.  Now that Bill's here, let
us talk to my mom and her helpers.  It'll only take a few minutes and
everything will be fixed up," she added, with a wink at Bill.  She reached out
to give Sarah a hug.  "Sarah's the one I need to thank.  God, if it weren't
for her, I'd still be inside the warehouse repeating the anti-smoking shit my
mother force-fed me."  She gave Sarah a soft kiss on the cheek.  "Thanks,
honey.  If anyone's a hero on this end, it's you."

	Sarah blushed.  "Debbie, I didn't do anything.  I just came out to
smoke a cigarette.  That was all."

	"Hush, Sarah," Debbie smiled.  "It was enough, more than enough,
really.  It won't be the _last_ cigarette you ever light up, either.  I
promise you that.  But it may have been the most crucial one, at least as far
as you and I and our smoking careers are concerned."

	"Debbie's right, Ashley," Bill interjected.  "We'll take these jokers
inside.  Let us sit them down and talk to 'em for a few minutes."  He winked
knowingly at Ashley.  "You know what I mean?  By the time we're done with
them, everything will be fine."

	Ashley laughed.  "I get it.  Okay, Bill, you win, as usual.  Mrs.
Simpson, you and your co-conspirators, get your sorry asses into the
warehouse.  Bill here is going to give you a little lecture.  Don't worry.  It
won't hurt.  In fact, by the time he's done, I suspect you'll be absolutely
delighted with the results.  I know I was when he talked to me.  I hope you're
looking forward to becoming irredeemable smokers!"

	As they filed into the building, Ashley stopped Debbie and put her
hand on her shoulder.  She smiled warmly.  "Debbie, I really am happy to meet
you.  I'm glad you're okay.  What I mean is, I'm glad you're still smoking.
You know, you're every bit as pretty as Bill promised.  Bill's a darling, and
I hope you and I can get to know each other better, too."

	Debbie grinned.  "Ashley, I can tell Bill's been talking with you.
Rest assured that you and I will have a chance to get to know each other a
_lot_ better!"

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