Chapter 4: The Pick-up
The shrill ringing of the phone startled Rachel. Could it be Madame Tussard
already, it seemed barely 5 minutes ago that she had ended her first phone call
with Madame Tussard. How could they have confirmed her assignment in such a
short period. There was only one way to find out and she anxiously lifted the
phone from its cradle.
Madame Tussard: "Rachel! Its me again, I have marvelous news. The client simply
adores you and cannot wait to meet up with you tonight."
Rachel: "Tonight, oh that's very short notice."
Madame Tussard: "Well you did indicate you were available for Discreet
Assignment tonight. And you should really be flattered that you are in such high
demand. I can assure you that this is a very wealthy and respectable client and
it would be a very lucrative first assignment for you. Things could hardly have
gotten off to a better start for you, you are most fortunate."
Rachel: "Well, ok, I will just make a casual short meeting with your client. Its
my first assignment and I prefer to get to know the client a little better first
before we proceed further into any business relationship."
Madame Tussard: "Yes, by all means stay just for the obligatory 1st cocktail,
make some pleasant conversation, talk about the weather and then if you are not
impressed, just call Ben on the department mobile and he will be waiting outside
ready to pick you up."
Rachel: "Ok, that sounds fine to me."
Madame Tussard : "Good, Ben will be over to pick you up at 7.00PM sharp. Its
only around 5.00PM now so you have 2 hours to make yourself presentable. Please
do take effort to make a good first impression. I would recommend a black formal
evening dress that accentuates your lithe figure and shows off a bare back and
supple shoulders."
Rachel: "Don't worry, I know how to look my best and I have a dress that meets
your requirements. I'll see Ben at 7.00PM then."
As Rachel hung up she could not help but feel that events were developing faster
than she liked. Quickly she hurried to the bath room to prepare a fragrant hot
bubble bath. She felt a tad nervous and soaking in the scented water for an hour
would help to calm her nerves and clear her mind.
Stepping out of her clothes, she stopped to admire her long lithe figure,
flawless white skin and firm supple breasts. She knew that she was still a head
turner but the past few months had shattered her self-confidence as she was
greeted by rejections from all the major tabloid magazines and fashion houses.
And it angered her that she was now reduced to this desperate measure. Six
months ago she would not even have given an agency like Cleo's a second glance,
let alone consider accepting Discreet Assignments. But beggars can't be
choosers.
Adding a liberal dose of scented oil and bath salts to the bubble bath, she sank
gratefully into the comforting embrace of the warm scented waters and
immediately felt more relaxed. Closing her eyes, she allowed her face to slide
below the surface of the warm water, remaining submerged for long seconds before
surfacing.
Rachel realized that she was beseeched by conflicting values and emotions. The
religious ethical side of her balked at the notion of even considering a
Discreet Assignment. This was basically a more refined high-end version of
prostitution, selling one' self and body for sex.
However there was a darker more adventurous side of her that found this
arrangement strangely exciting, sensual and even erotic. Here she was, about to
be whisked off in a Limo to meet an unknown man who found her attractive. And no
one knows how the evening would unfold or what course events would take. She
blew gentle at the bubbles that had congregated around her sensitive rosebud
tipped nipples and was amused to note that they were already semi-erect.
The loud buzz of the alarm clock woke her. She realized she had dosed off in the
fragrant water for over an hour. Stealing a quick glance at the clock, it was
already 6.20PM and she hurriedly showered and toweled herself dry. Wrapping a
towel around her she reached for the hair-dryer and proceeded to blow-dry her
long luscious hair.
It was a stroke of luck that she had the exact dress that Madame Tussard had
requested her to put on. The black sleeveless dress was simple but very elegant
with a low cut back which left her shoulders bare. It had long splits on either
sides which allowed the casual observer a tempting glimpse of her supple legs.
She elected to wear sheer white lacy silk bra and panties which hugged her
contours like a second skin. This was because she knew the black silk dress also
hugged her body and accentuated every curve of her figure.
She elected not to wear any perfume as the dress was a gift from a famous
Italian designer and he had warned her that the reach silk fabric did not agree
with toxic chemicals. Thankfully she also did not need much make-up, save for
some lip-gloss and a slight touch of mascara. The loud blare of a car signaled
the arrival of the agency Limo and Ben.
Taking a deep breath she took one last approving glance of herself in the full
length mirror before grabbing her small purse and stepping out of the apartment
into the warm summer night. She spotted Ben the chauffeur immediately and took
comfort in the fact that he was tall and broad. He smiled briefly at her, giving
her the usual once over and commenting ; "Wow, you look stunning, even to me and
I have seen quite afew models in my line."
Rachel: "Thank you, where's our destination for tonight?"
Ben: "Sorry, that's classified information, agency rules. But you will find out
anyhow. It will be a long ride though."
Rachel: "Oh, seems like there are lots of things I am not allowed to know."
The car started and they drove in silence for awhile before Ben spoke again.
Ben: "Madame Tussard would have given you the introductory lecture on the
agency's policies and client confidentiality."
Rachel: "Yes she did, what's she like, this Madame Tussard?"
Ben laughed: "Wow you really are new here. No one has laid eyes on her yet. If
you think the agency is shrouded in secrets, she is the final enigma. I have
been working here for three years and have never even caught a glimpse of her."
Rachel: "So you really don't know anything about her at all then."
Ben: "Word in the industry is that she is a retired model who had good
connections and started the agency with some of her savings."
Rachel: I suppose that is believable enough."
Ben: "Oh Yes, before I forget, there is an agency mobile next to you in the back
seat, you can use this to call me when its time to pick you up."
Rachel slipped the mobile into her purse, feeling slightly more secure. She
noticed that they had slipped onto an expressway and were rapidly headed away
from time.
Rachel : "Just how long do we go before we reach the client's place, or is that
classified also?"
Ben: "I reckon we should be there in under two hours. Just sit back and enjoy
the ride, I'll turn on some soft music for you."
Rachel mentally noted that it would be four hours back and forth, minimum.
Already she regretted taking the Discreet Assignment. If she collected only the
Attendance Fee, it was really not worth the time and effort.
As the minutes dragged on, she noted that they were making their way towards the
secluded, outskirts of town. After an hour, the Limo had left the major
expressway and slipped onto a smaller road leading towards a heavily forested
area.
Rachel: "The client certainly stays in a very remote area."
Ben: "Oh yes, many of the rich and famous do. Don't worry, this is quite usual
for the wealthy. They cherish their privacy and want to be as far away from
public eyes as possible. Most of these places are not even listed on the map to
discourage pesky journalists and the press."
On and on they drove. The Limo left the small road and slipped onto a dirt
track. She noticed they were driving up a small hill. Dense forest surrounded
them on either sides and it was pitch black outside. Only the powerful
headlights of the car cut through the wall of darkness like a knife through
butter. After what seemed like an eternity, Ben broke the silence: "Wake up
sleeping beauty, we should be there in 5 minutes."
She expected to see an immense estate. Instead, what greeted her was reminiscent
of a gothic scene from Bram Stroker's "Count Dracula". The Limo pulled up to
immense spiked gates which marked the entrance to the estate. These appeared to
open automatically and an ancient castle sprang into view.
