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Katrielle took a dainty sip of her tea, humming in interest as she viewed her morning paper, taking in the front page.
LOCAL INSPECTOR FOUND IN A BIND !
Just this morning, renowned Scotland Yard investigator was found bound and gagged in a cellar within an abandoned apartment building just on the outskirts of the city. The man was brought to safety by police and interrogated as to why he was found in such a state.
“I was on a solo investigation and got overpowered by a gang.” Hastings says.
“Couldn’t see the faces of the blokes. Got knocked out cold and woke up in that basement.”
Authorities are still in an ongoing investigation on the captors’ whereabouts. Citizens are advised to be careful when traveling through certain areas of the city.
Kat clicked her tongue when she read further.
"Tsk tsk, Hasty." She whispered to herself.
As if by coincidence, the Agency's phone rang.
Ernest was in the kitchen at the moment, so Kat ran to answer it herself, picking it up quickly and putting it to her ear.
"Layton Detective Agency, Any Mystery Solved! This is Katrielle Layton! What can I do for you?" She chirped.
"Hey, Kat." Inspector Hastings rough voice sounded through the receiver.
"Ah, Hastings. I've just read the papers. Are you doing alright?" Her joyful tone calmed down, concern and comfort showing in her voice.
"Doing fine. S’pose you want to rub it in my face for running headfirst into a case?" He said, sounding annoyed with himself.
"Why, Hastings, you know better! I run headfirst into cases all the time! No, I'm only going to state that you should have had a backup plan." She chuckled a bit.
"Ugh, very well, Kat. I just called to tell you to watch out for yourself. The criminal seemed to talk about you quite a bit before running off and abandoning me in the cellar. Be careful, Kat." Hastings sighed.
"I was found rather quickly, but that's because it was flaw in the man's plans. I... don't want you going missing, Kat."
"That is appreciated, Hasty. I'll be on the lookout. You take care of yourself, alright?"
"Will do. Bye." Hastings hung up quickly.
"Goodbye." Kat sighed. She set the phone back on its stand.
Ernest walked in with a tray full of scones.
"Oh, Miss!" He said in surprise, expecting her to still be on the couch.
"Were you on the phone just now?" He tilted his head.
"Yes, Ernest. It was Inspector Hastings. Did you hear he was kidnapped?" She asked, turning her head toward him.
"Goodness, no! Is he alright?!" He raised his eyebrows.
"He's fine. He just gave me a warning. Apparently the crook has eyes for me." She sighed, leaning on the table the phone stood on.
Ernest blinked. He was processing what she had just said.
"Oh dear!" He gasped. "You mean the cad could be coming after you soon?"
He inhaled and bit his lip as he turned to set his tray down on the coffee table. He cleared his throat.
"Pardon my language."
"It's fine, Ernest. It is rather unnerving to think I'm being targeted. I guess the best thing we can do is prepare ourselves, right?" She stood straight and put her hands on her hips.
"I suppose so, Miss." Ernest looked down nervously as he prepared some scones.
"How do you think we should prepare, Miss? Extra security? Night watch? I'd be willing to take the night shift so I can watch the agency." He looked to her as she once again sat on the couch.
"No, Ernest. You need your sleep." She said.
"Maybe Sherl could be a watchdog!" Ernest snapped his fingers.
"I'm no watchdog, and I'm not nocturnal." Sherl groaned, sitting on a cozy chair across from the two, only now making himself known.
"I need my sleep as much as Pinstripes does."
"Oh no. Wh-what are we supposed to- mph!" Ernest was interrupted as Katrielle shoved a scone into his mouth.
"Calm down, Ernest. I simply must train myself if I end up being captured. I'm already excellent at getting out of a captor's grip, but if he ends up binding me then I'll need to train myself to untie myself. It's as simple as that." She said, sounding confident in her logic.
Ernest took the scone out of his mouth with a little 'pleh' noise and looked up at Kat.
"How are you supposed to train yourself to do that, Miss?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmm..." Kat tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I believe I have some rope somewhere in the supply closet." She said quietly.
Sherl raised his head. "You can't be serious." He said in disgruntled awe.
"I am very serious. Ernest, later, at my house, could you tie my wrists?" Kat looked to her assistant.
Ernest nearly choked on the scone he had just started munching on. He briefly coughed and gasped for air.
"Pardon?!" Was all the poor boy could gasp out as his widened, reddened eyes looked up at his boss in disbelief.
"You heard me! It's very simple, Ernest. If I can learn how to slip out of the ropes, then I can easily escape if I'm kidnapped!"
"Y-Yes, Miss, b-b-but-!" Ernest started.
"Come on, Kat. You can't do that to poor Pinstripes! You've tortured him enough!" Sherl yapped.
Katrielle tilted her head.
"'Tortured'? Whatever do you mean, Sherl?" Kat raised her eyebrows, the concept of torturing her assistant strange to her.
"I'm fully willing to help you in any way I can, Miss!" Ernest saluted quickly, hoping to distract Kat from any revealing explanation Sherl had. Kat seemed startled by the sudden movement but soon she smiled with satisfaction.
"Perfect, Ernest!" She beamed. Ernest smiled nervously.
"So, should we start the training around seven-o-clock? I should be tired and vulnerable by then, so it would be perfect to train myself at my weakest, so I can strengthen that."
Ernest shivered at the word 'vulnerable' but forced a smile and nodded.
"Sounds like a swell idea, Miss!" He swallowed hard.
"Oi. He'll be dead by eight." Sherl grumbled.
-
The rope was ready, and it was nearing seven. Ernest nervously grabbed the long, rough rope and played around with it in his hand. Sherl, who was sitting on the floor, looked up at Ernest.
"Have fun." The hound chuckled.
"Oh, shush!" Ernest huffed.
"Alright, Ernest! You can come in! I've got a kitchen chair!" Katrielle called from her room.
"Coming, Miss!" Ernest started walking down the hall.
"Bow chicka bow wow~" Sherl called out.
"SHUSH!" Ernest squeaked with an agitated hoarse voice. He opened the door and walked in.
Kat was sitting on a wooden kitchen chair with her hands in her lap and her legs crossed.
"Were you yelling at Sherl just now?" She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head.
"Haha, we were just playing around, Miss." Ernest said nervously, trying to calm down.
"Right then." Kat said.
"Let's begin."
She stretched her arms out. She put her hands behind the back of the chair. Ernest sighed and walked behind her, grabbing her wrists gently and tying them up. Katrielle groaned softly.
"No, Ernest. You're supposed to be doing a criminal's work. You have to do it harshly." She said, rolling her eyes. Ernest bit his lip.
"Sorry." He quickly tightened his grip along with the rope.
"Ah!" Kat yipped.
"Sorry, Miss Layton!" Ernest looked to the back of her head. She turned her head to the best of her ability to look at him.
"Oh, it's fine, Ernest! That was perfect!" She sounded excited.
"Now, let the practice begin!" She smiled. Ernest crossed his arms and walked to the front of her.
Kat immediately started to struggle in the binds, grunting softly.
"Gh. Grr! Wait, nono. I can't be too vocal. If my captor hears me, he could find out I'm trying to escape." She mumbled to herself.
"Take your time, Miss Layton." Ernest said supportively.
"No, I can't take my time, Ernest! If I'm too late, my captor could come back and try to dispose of me!" Kat looked up to him.
Ernest raised his eyebrows. "Oh! You're right! In that case, hurry!"
Kat silently struggled for about eight minutes before groaning and dropping her head.
"I can't." She sighed. "I'm too tired."
Ernest sighed and reached to untie her before an idea rang in his mind.
"Well, Miss Layton. Usually if you're being held captive, you're scared, correct?" He asked her.
"I would guess so." Kat raised an eyebrow as she listened to him.
"Well, being in such a situation would give you an adrenaline rush, correct? You'd be more motivated and have more energy to escape because you're fearing for your life, right?"
"Correct." Kat said. "What are you implying, Ernest?" She tilted her head, his words piquing her curiosity.
"Well, staying in the comfort of your own room has to be the most tame atmosphere, right? With an assistant who's right in your sight that you can ask to untie you. My point is, why don't we try to make this an intimidating situation? I suggest we raise the stakes.” Ernest proposed.
Katrielle hummed. "How do you suppose we do that, Ernest?"
Ernest was silent for a moment. He took a deep breath, mentally setting the mood.
"Picture this. You've just woken up in a..."
He switched the lights off.
"dark, unidentifiable room."
He walked to the window and closed the curtains, shielding the room from the illuminating grace of the moonlight.
"I see...?" Katrielle urged him to go on.
"And...in enters the captor." Ernest slowly stepped towards her, hands behind his back, glaring down at her with a puffed out chest.
"Where-?"
"Here. Right here." He stopped in front of her.
"Ernest-?"
"Adamas."
"What?"
"I'm Adamas. Lord Adamas." His voice darkened.
"I'm sure you remember me."
Katrielle felt a shiver go down her spine.
"So...you're playing the role of the captor...?" She asked.
He chuckled.
"I am the captor, Katrielle." He got closer, putting a hand on her leg and tilting her chin up with his other hand.
"You're mine." He looked deep into Katrielle's eyes and her heartbeat quickened.
Was he faking this, or was this a secret plan he had under his belt all along? She was sure he was faking it but she was still slightly frightened.
"Ernest, please..."
"Don't. Do not call me by that stupid name. You're a smart girl, aren't you? You know what to call me." His grip on her chin got tighter but Kat did not react. She tried to look back into his eyes with bravery, but to be honest, that was very hard to do when his glare was intimidatingly sexy.
"A-Ah..." her mouth hung open a bit and he pulled her bottom lip down gently between his fingertips.
"Mm? Say my name, Katrielle."
Kat shivered and gave in.
"Lord Adamas."
"Such a good girl, doing what you're told." Adamas chuckled.
Katrielle felt both butterflies and boiling rage in her stomach. Being belittled to follow orders but in such a seductive manor gave her a head rush.
Adamas' hand went down to her chest, over her heart. He made a pouting face, tracing her collar bone with feathery touches, as if he were painting her features with his fingertips.
"Aww, is Miss Layton scared? Your heart is beating like mad." He spoke with a smirk.
Katrielle felt pathetic as she squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't look at him. This was so much that she hadn't expected.
"Ah, looks like my assumption was correct! You're like a cowering little kitten." He whispered the last sentence in her ear and Kat had to hold back a whimper. Her face was red hot at this point and it made her head spin.
"Well, I have something I must tend to. Don't even think about trying to escape." He said, standing up and walking towards the hallway. He walked out and closed the door behind him, leaving Katrielle in complete darkness.
-
"The hell is going on in there, Pinstripes? You sounded far too aggressive."
"Shhh! I'm trying to intimidate her so it gives her energy!"
"If you keep treating her like that, she's going to take you down once she's free."
"I won't mind that, because once she’s freed herself, her goal will be achieved!"
-
Katrielle pulled at her ropes with quiet grunts, her mind unclear. She had one goal in her mind now, and that was getting free and confronting...Adamas.
She gasped happily as she felt the ropes loosen.
"Yes!" She yipped happily.
"Tsk tsk, Katrielle. Are you that daft that you didn't consider I heard your struggling?"
Katrielle gasped and looked up. Adamas had returned.
He walked towards her and Kat’s breath hitched as he gripped the collar of her dress, tugging her forward as the chair tipped and leaned against his knee.
"Now, what did I say?"
Katrielle huffed. "'Don't even think about escaping.'" She repeated.
"Smart girl. And you did much, much more than that, didn't you, Kitten?" He spoke as if he was condemning a child for their oblivious behavior.
Katrielle shivered a bit and didn't respond. Adamas sighed and let go of her collar, and in turn, letting the chair clatter back to its original standing point.
"Let's see what you've done, Layton." He walked behind her and examined the ropes.
"Hm. Doesn't look like they're loose. What did I expect? You've got weak arms." He laughed quietly as Kat gritted her teeth.
"It's very, very cute how you fell for my trap, Kitten." He pet her hair, running his fingers through Kat’s locks. She hated how good that felt.
Adamas moved in front of her once more, resting both hands on her knees. He tilted his head with a smirk.
"Now, what to do with my kitten? I've got her aaalll to myself, so...what shall I do?" He got closer to her face.
"Hmm... maybe I can spoil you. Give you all of my...attention~." His hand brushed her cheek as he chuckled darkly.
His face inched closer to hers, their lips inches apart.
Katrielle's hands were free. She yelled and tackled Adamas to the ground. Adamas yelped softly as they both tumbled. Kat grabbed his wrists and held them to the floor.
She had her teeth clenched as she gripped him, breathing heavily.
Adamas blinked before grinning like a complete dork.
"Good show, Miss! I didn't expect that!" He cheered.
"Hah, you got me!" He giggled. This wasn't the dark chuckle he sported before.
Katrielle stayed silent for a moment before loosening her grip on his wrists.
"...Ernest..?" She asked quietly.
"Of course, Miss!" Ernest nodded sweetly. Katrielle sighed with relief as she buried her face into his chest.
"You scared me! I-I thought..." she trailed off.
"You thought-?" Ernest gasped softly.
"O-oh, Miss Layton! I was merely playing the criminal! I wasn't going to hurt you at all!" He tried to pat her shoulder in an attempt at comfort, but she still had a harsh grip on him.
Katrielle straightened up, towering over the boy.
"Wait, Ernest." Her grip on his wrists tightened.
"Were you going to...kiss me..?" She spoke as if she had just processed his last intimate little act.
Ernest blushed a deep red that reached all the way from his face to the tips of his ears.
"Ah- I wasn't going to! Actually, Sherl was meant to interrupt that little session, and I was going to run off and see what all the ruckus was about, thus giving you another chance to escape!”
Katrielle raised a brow.
“Did you want to kiss me?"
Ernest swallowed.
"Ah...I...um..." he looked away and looked back into her unidentifiable glare.
"J-Just a tad, Miss." he admitted.
"Ernest."
"Yes, Miss Layton?" Ernest felt intimidated. Was that slight venom in her voice?
"You know it's not gentlemanly to tie a woman up just to kiss her, correct?."
"H-haha...um...It was just my persona's character, Miss. I-I'm aware of tha-!"
He was cut off by soft lips touching his. Ernest let out a muffled yelp but melted immediately.
"Mhh.."
Katrielle pulled away and let go of his wrists. She smiled as she saw his big eyes and his jaw dropped in awe.
"There. You got what you desired! Now, don't be afraid to ask for affection in the future, alright? Also..." She gripped his chin.
"I don't mind if you steal a few kisses. Keep that in mind, alright?"
Ernest exhaled and nodded.
"Yes, Miss Layton."
There was the sound of a certain dog clearing his throat coming from the other side of the door.
“Can I go home now? It, uh, sounds like Kat escaped just fine. And...Er...I don’t wanna stay around and listen to your ruff-housing anymore.”