Indian Assignment

This was my first story and introduces Claire Baxter and agent for C.O.I.L.  I wrote this so it could be posted at a specific site that required a theme.  I think you can guess what the theme was after a short time.  The next two stories, Of Spiders and Snakes and Size does Matter both follow this theme. After that things go everywhere but sometimes revert back to above stated themes.

Indian Assignment:

All human activity in India began early in the day for two reasons: one to escape the heat of the midday and two, the sheer volume of things that needed to be done each day. 

 “Both these truths apply to me,” thought Claire Baxter, as she stood motionless in the small garden of her rented bungalow practicing her yoga, no matter how pressing matters were she always found the time and matters at the present were pressing indeed.

Fluidly changing her position she kept her breathing low and steady the sign of a yoga expert.  She’d been a 22-year-old Fine Arts/History Grad Schoolgirl before C.O.I.L.  (Counter Operations Intelligence League) recruited her and here she was 8 years later still alive, no small miracle given the type of life she led.  One final move, then a quick walk round her small but attractive garden to smell the flowers.

  “Always stop and smell the flowers, life is short,” she thought and laughed out loud in spite of herself at the gallows humour of it all. 

 Picking up her towel she walked back inside pausing in front of the mirror.  Her cotton shirt clung seductively to her breasts and hips due to the perspiration from her morning workout.  Her body was slim, tanned and most importantly to her toned, in her line of work a fit body was a requirement.  The cotton magnificently displayed all the wondrous curves she processed, the very curves that men had become lost in so many times, until it was to late. Truth was she loved her job, the danger, the excitement, and the exhilaration of being the predator and yes, sometimes even the prey.  She dreaded the day when she would no longer be a viable field agent.  Sometimes she admitted to herself it would be better to die on assignment than behind a desk.  However much she thought that she wasn’t wishing it anytime in the near future

  “There’s still life in the old girl yet”, she thought and turned away from the mirror to a more important matter….her assignment.

Dr. Parvez Patel had been a noted genetic research scientist in both the animal and botanical fields.   A series of unauthorised gene splicing and grafting experiments; all with apocalyptic results had permanently removed him from any stable source of funding.  Without the money pit of government aid he turned to any organisation that would support his experiments into recombinant DNA.  Money came alright in the form of D.O.O.M. (Dominion of Organisation Mayhem) intent on destabilising the region of 1.5 billion people they had given Dr. Patel an order to produce genetically modified seeds for next year’s crop, under the guise that they would grow stronger plants.  Since the government controlled the seed distribution and what to grow they would take the blame when the seeds failed.  The result, chaos and anarchy would reign.  D.O.O.M. under the cover of perfectly legitimate companies would offer help to the poor unfortunate starving people in exchange for concessions from the government, which they would naturally grant to them to avoid being toppled.  In a few years D.O.O.M. would control the entire strategically important region.

Dr. Patel was slated to hand over the formula in 3 days.  Notoriously suspicious and secretive he kept all the data lock inside himself, only he knew the formula.  Thus he was in a position of both strength and weakness, this gave COIL it’s opening and the reason Claire was sent. COIL needed to terminate Dr. Patel and Claire had been assigned.  The how and the where were up to her. 

 “Just what I always wanted in a job, the freedom to make your own decisions”, she thought sarcastically.  Anyway it gave her the chance to be creative in how she would do it and if Claire was anything she was creative.

COIL was worried about the short time to complete the assignment.  Claire never let that concern her for she had already met Dr. Patel and his executive assistant slash DOOM protection Manjit at an exposition of Indian Art.  He was a noted collector of Indian sculpture and Claire had to admit some of his pieces were stunning, but apparently not as stunning as Dr. Patel found Claire.

He was giving a lecture on an early piece of the God Vishnu when she entered the hall.  Walking slowly down the isle she took a seat in the front row very near him. Sitting down she methodically crossed her legs as only a woman confidant in her appeal can do.  She had him from that moment and for the rest of the lecture he never took his eyes off of her for more than 10 seconds.  The fact that her opal-coloured blouse was open just enough to show what needed to be showed and that she would recross her luscious legs every so often didn't hurt.  While Dr. Patel was entranced Manjit was studying Claire with a clinical eye.  “Much to dangerous”, she thought.

After the lecture Dr. Patel come over and introduced himself and Manjit.  Claire had no trouble impressing him with her knowledge of Art History, that being part of her formal educational background.

“Your collection must be quite fabulous if the pieces here are any indication,” she recalled saying. 

 “Thank you Miss. Baxter,” he said.  “Yes many fine pieces unfortunately some far too important and too delicate to move from my estate.”

 Claire gave him a smile that told him he was making progress with her.

 “Miss. Bax..” he started to say before she put her hand on his arm.

“No, please call me Claire,” she uttered.

 “As I was saying, Miss.   I mean Claire”, he laughed at little and then continued. “You are welcome to come to my estate and I will personally show you around”.  Like all men he rushed to quickly to the trap only seeing the bait and not the hook.   “How about tomorrow at 9:00am before all the heat”, he asked wantonly.

“You work fast Dr.,” she said and smiled, giving him a false sense of triumph.  “Tomorrow it is.”

This was enough for Manjit she slipped her arm around the doctors and stated firmly

“Doctor we must be going now!”

 “Yes, Yes,” said the doctor absently, for he was watching Claire who had turned around, gone over to her lecture chair and bent over to pick up her notes.  Dr. Patel’s eyes travelled up and down Claire’s legs.   The spy could not see his serpentine smile at that moment but she felt it.  She pushed down the revulsion; she had a job to do.  A quick backward glance on the way out of the lecture room saw he still had his eyes locked on her.  Claire’s smile was triumphant. Her skills as a spy told her she had him.  Her skills as a woman told her the same.

Looking up from her assignment notes and brushing the previous day’s recollections from her mind she put her thoughts into action.   She took a shower, dried and when to the closet to pick the proper bait to draw him closer, but not to close, not yet.

 “This will do fine,” she purred.

Standing in front of the mirror an hour later was the bait she needed.  A forest green V necked blouse with an open back and bare arms, a white shirt cut just above the knee with 2” white pumps.  A pearl necklace and matching earrings and bracelet finished the outfit.   The doorbell rang; her cab was here and waiting.  The adrenaline built in Claire; she loved the seduction and the impending game.  

 “Focus, Focus!”  she told herself as she stepped into the cab.

The doctor’s estate was about twenty minutes out of town.  When it came into view Claire noticed that it was surrounded by what appeared to be a large green hedge of about twelve feet in height.  Along the hedge every 50 feet or so were entrance doors. She made a mental note to ask about these doors.   The car turned onto the grounds continuing up the drive until a magnificent mansion came into view.  The mansion, the left behind traces of the British colonial period in India was quite impressive.  The car rolled to a stop and the driver came around to open the door just as Dr. Patel came bounding down the large front steps to meet his guest.

“Perfect timing, put your best foot forward!”  she thought.

Not only did she put her best foot forward, but also her stunning legs.  An impossibly thin ankle followed by a beautiful calf and just a hint of thigh she managed to reveal for the doctor’s pleasure.  Claire was upon the doctor before he could recover his stare.  When he did Claire didn’t like the look she was shown.  Instead of embarrassment at being caught out in a schoolboy gaze what blazed in his eyes were cold malicious thoughts.  She pretended not to notice.

“Play the game,” she told herself, “you’ll get your revenge later!”

          She slipped her arm around his and they walked up the steps through the doors and into an opulent marble foyer. Two halls led off the foyer in either direction for the main wings of the house.  Two burly guards came up behind Claire as the doctor suddenly turned on her and said.

  “Please remove all your jewellery and hand your purse over to these two gentleman for safe keeping, it will be returned to you when you leave.”

  Claire stared at him in amazement.

 “Why?” she asked, trying her best to should astonished at such a strange request.

“In my line of work many people wish me harm, how do I know one of your accoutrements is not a weapon,” he stated flatly. 

 Claire thought about arguing but decided building up his trust was smarter, she could spend it later when she really needed it.  She handed over her belongings as demanded.    Both the guards now scanned her with security wands.

  “Two wands, isn’t that a bit of overkill?” she asked, smiling all the time.

“One wand is for metal the other detects chemical residue one can never be to careful you may be trying to sneak in a poison with which to kill me,” he offered causally.

  “All clear,” grunted one of the guards.

Claire was thankful she’d listen to her intuition and not worn some of her more exotic accessories she would not have been able to explain them away.  Dr. Patel’s voice brought her back to reality. 

 “Now that you are now completely defenceless we can start the tour.”

“ If only he knew the truth, a woman is never defenceless against a man,” she thought.

Claire was shown the house and made small talk about the art showing just enough interest with a question here and a salient point there to keep up the rouse.  She notice that doors to certain rooms were opened with a retinal eye scanning system including the doctors office which they now past into.  A very large room it was indeed, with a vaulted ceiling, carved support columns, sandalwood panelling all around and a large bank of T.V. monitors on one wall, Claire counted 30 in all.  The only other way out of the room was through two large French doors that led out to the garden.  As it was around the house, the hedge was here to; in fact it came right up to the house on either side of the doors, the path it made led off into what looked like a maze. Claire walked out the doors and over to the hedge and reached up to touch it.  She was just about to make contact when Dr. Patel’s hand grabbed hers away from it. 

 “I wouldn’t do that if I were you my dear Claire,” he said knowingly.  “You see although the hedge is only about 6 inches thick the leaves are very acidic and will burn your lovely skin should you come in contact with them.  I value my privacy so I designed something pleasant yet forceful enough to maintain it.  They surround the entire estate this part is a maze that I sometimes go walking in for reflection.  Please don’t venture out there alone as only I know the exact way through the maze and I would hate to lose you so soon,”

“I noticed doors into the garden as I came in today,” she asked leaving the sentence to trial off in the hopes he would pick it up.

  “Yes, those doors are for the gardeners, each has a specific area to keep up and that is the most efficient way for them to get in and out of the grounds otherwise they would become lost and then it would be a nuisance to find them all the time.  Also this way I never have to see them and as such I’m never interrupted,” he stated as a matter of fact.

“Come back inside my dear and we’ll have a drink and get to know each other a little better,” his voice said, not without a hint of panting in it. 

 She had noticed that he always walked slightly off to the side a little behind her.  Claire felt his eyes roaming up and down her body.

  “Good,” she thought. “Keep your eyes on my ass and legs, just like a man, think with your dick and not your head, all the better for me.”

Claire walked over to a love seat and elegantly deposited herself in the chair, in one fluid motion, the effect further mesmerised the doctor and he was beside her in an instant. Claire tilted and moved her face closer to him, the prelude to a kiss and he responded in kind.  Then suddenly she pulled away; she was playing a game with him, a game she was very good at. 

 “I thought I was going to see your collection of sculptures so far I’ve only seen a few,” she said with fake reflection in her voice. 

 For a second anger flashed across his face and his eyes went black, but as quickly as it was there is was gone or so he hoped as he tried his best to recover the situation. 

“My dear compared to your beauty, what could I offer in stone or marble that could compare,” he oozed.

“You seek to flatter me doctor and it just may be working,”  a lie but said well she thought and fast, given the cheesiness of his words.

“I’m having a party tomorrow night, I would love for you to come and be my date. I could even introduce you to some very influential people, and as a surprise I’ll have some special sculptures for you to see right here,” he said sweeping his hand across the room to indicate the spot and then added.

“Kind of a private showing if you will.”

Claire looked at him; the fish was ready to bite.  Her left hand ran slowly and seductively up her leg, stopping at her knee.  All the while her right hand was snaking its way around his neck, she loved the art of distraction.  Her lips slightly parted she drew his lips to hers for a soft moist kiss, just long enough to promise sweeter things to come.  As she pulled her lips away she said.

 “I guess you have your answer, tomorrow night then,” she said, as she got up from the couch and started walking towards the door, the doctor in tow. 

 The doctor opened the door and they started to walk down the hall towards the entrance when Manjit appeared from her office.

 “Good news Manjit!” Dr. Patel sung.  “Miss Baxter is coming to the party tomorrow night!”

 “Wonderful!”  said Manjit, only it came out more as exasperation than joy. 

Claire translated it as “Big Mistake!”

“Very good doctor I will prepare an invitation right away and have it delivered to you this afternoon.  All I need is your address and  I will see to it personally Miss Baxter,” she said icily. 

“I shall prepare the invitation and something else for you as well,” she added as an after thought in her mind.

“Doctor I need to talk to you on an urgent matter I’m sure Miss Baxter understands and can see her own way out, a cab shall be called for you,” Manjit stated, authority and purpose registering in her voice.

“Tomorrow night then,” said Claire and just to put the final stamp on the conversation leaned forward and kissed Dr. Patel again. 

“That bitch isn’t going to upstage me!” she though and turned away down the hall toward the entrance, all the while she could feel the doctor and Manjit’s eyes on her, she wasn’t sure which set of eyes were more threatening!

“Doctor, you can’t be serious about inviting that women to the party, she’s dangerous I can sense it. I have a strong feeling she’s a COIL Agent,” Manjit stated in an exasperated tone.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, she’s a fine scholar, anybody could tell that from talking to her,” the doctor countered.  “Besides, she was scanned before she came into the house today and she will be scanned tomorrow as well.  I think my dear, you are jealous of a little feminine competition,” the doctor shot back.  “I intend to have that women tomorrow night, see to the invitation and no more talk of this. I have work to do”, he snapped as he walked back toward his office.   Manjit walked back to her office wrote out the invitation and then made a phone call.

In the cab on the way back Claire started to formulate a plan.  She would most likely end up in the doctor’s office, she would dispose of him there, unfortunately that left her only means of escape out into the garden to the outside wall along the road.   She didn’t like a single escape route, but she had little choice.  Luckily she had the satellite photo of the grounds, so finding the fastest way through the maze was not an obstacle.   The car had come into a small village and was slowed by the volume of people clogging the streets trying to sell there wares and by the shops pushed right up against the road that attracted shoppers and the curious.  How to do it quickly and quietly that was the dilemma that she must now answer, no jewellery, no cosmetics meant her choices were severally cut down.  She wanted something that would totally arouse him and yet at the same time totally frustrate him to get at her, but what?

“Stop the car now please,” she shouted.  “Stay here I’ll be back in a few moments.”

  She went into one of the many shops that lined the street, returning to the car a few minutes later carrying a box.  After arriving home she went to her vanity and started to remove her make up and jewellery.  She had formulated her plan of attack, but she was still bothered by something. 

 “I will see to you personally Miss. Baxter,” Manjit had said. 

Eight years of experience told Claire she needed to worry about those words.  She looked over her vanity. 

“Why not,” she said.  “Can’t hurt to be careful.” 

 She took an atomiser of Jasmine water and carefully sprayed parts of her neck, arms, legs and thighs.  Putting the atomiser back she reached for a bottle of baby oil and methodically began applying it to her legs.

  “Got to keep the assets in good shape,” she said, smiling ruefully.

 She just finished as the doorbell sounded.  When Claire got to the door she found Manjit.

 “May I come in?” she asked somewhat disdainfully.

  “Certainly,” Claire responded coolly.  

 Walking by Claire, Manjit sat herself down in a rattan chair.  From where Claire stood Manjit reminded her of a cobra ready to strike. Claire decided to keep her distance from this cobra. 

 “I have your invitation for tomorrow night,” Manjit said holding out the envelope. 
'I decided upon delivering it personally just to insure you got it.  The doctor insisted,' she said.

 “Leave it on the table if you please,” Claire responded coldly

“As you wish. I can only stay a few minutes so I’ll come right to the point, stay away from Dr. Patel if you know what’s good for you!”  Manjit hissed.  “You see my dear Miss. Baxter you may have the doctor fooled but not me, I know what you really are,” her cobra voice said again.

“Oh,” Claire responded.  “And what would that be?” faking astonishment in her voice. 

  “A COIL agent,” Manjit answered rather matter of factly as if it sounded like an everyday statement.

“A what!” Claire answered trying to sound as innocent as she could.

“Come now Miss. Baxter lets not play games you have a reputation that proceeds you,”Manjit said in a velvet like tone. 

 Manjit's cobra sway had attracted her and she came over and sat down in the chair opposite her, just out of striking distance. 

“As I was saying, you’ve got a great reputation, why don’t you come and work for us, talents such as yours are always in demand,” Manjit praised.

 “I think you are confusing me with someone, that someone sounds very exciting, hardly what I am, just a researcher,” Claire calmly answered.  Causally crossing her legs.

 Manjit looked at her watch.

 “Oh look at the time I only have a few more minutes to spare,” she said. 

 Claire didn’t notice Manjit push a button on her watch.  Underneath Claire’s chair a box with small door slide open and a silent intruder slide across the floor under her chair towards Claire’s leg.   Manjit keep the conversation up in order to distract the unsuspecting COIL agent.  A forked tongue had found a heat source and a scent it liked.  It began a silent upward coil around its victim’s calf; deep in concentration in case Manjit tried something Claire did not feel the coiling death from below.   Manjit did notice and now was the time act.

“I must be leaving I have pressing matters to attend to regarding the party,” she said.

  Rising from her seat she added, “It’s a pity you won’t be able to make it.”

“Oh I’ll be there,” Claire said assuredly making a move to get up.

“Don’t get up on my account and besides I don’t think it would be a smart idea with that snake wrapped around your leg!” Manjit’s voice positively ringing with triumph. 

 Claire looked down in shock; she’d lost her concentration and fallen into Manjit’s trap.

“That’s a Malaysian Krait, I understand their bite is quite fatal, paralysis in two minutes and death in twenty.  I’ll give your regrets to the doctor.  I’ll inform him you became wrapped up in something,” she laughed as she left Claire to her fate.

Years of training had taught Claire not to move a muscle; millions of years had taught the snake to wait for movement.  The snake continued to entwine around her gam until ankle to knee it had its entire body tight against the heat of her leg.  Claire watched the snake in silent fascination.  Despite the danger the picture in her mind was quite erotic.  The silent still standoff lasted for several minutes, each adversary closely observing the other.  The clock on the side table indicated that five minutes had past since she’d become a prisoner of the Krait.  Claire looked down at the snake again, it was time, casually she reached down and took the snake by the head, as she pulled, the rest of the snake’s body serpentined off her leg in perfect symmetry. Standing up Claire dropped the Krait into the wastebasket by her vanity.  Picking up the bottles of Jasmine water and baby oil she smiled.  The Jasmine water contained the antidote, the baby oil the poison.  She walked into her bedroom and opened the lid of the box she’d purchased in town. 

“The perfect weapon,” she cooed.

The next day Claire started to prepare for her big night.  She painted her nails with a clear lacquer and waited for them to dry.  The lacquer was a natural substance and since it did not give off dust would not attract the attention of the scanners she would be submitted to again.  Once the lacquer had dried Claire took a special nail file and began to sharpen her nails to a fine cutting edge. 

 “My one concealed weapon,” she resigning said. 

 Claire then changed, packed a smaller parcel and then called for a cab.  On the drive to the estate she made the driver stop at one of the doors along the hedge, there she deposited the small parcel for later use.

Dr. Patel’s eyes told Claire all she need to know as she entered the reception area.  He was beside her in seconds. 

 “My dear, that is the most stunning sari on a women I have ever seen,” he dripped. 

Claire was wearing a crepe silk sari of emerald green that had been tied as a halter and then wrapped around her waist and hips.  It left her back and stomach exposed which added to the hypnotic effect.  Even without makeup or accessories she easily stood out from the other guests.

“Manjit told me you have become wrapped up in your work,” the doctor questioned.

 “Fortunately I found an elixir to the situation, besides how could I stay away from you,”
she whispered, as she slipped her arm around his. 

 “Unfortunately I must greet the other arriving guests but I can assure you I will be back again no time,” he said with both resignation and lust in his voice. 

 No sooner had he left than Manjit approached a sinister look on her face. 

“My respect for you grows more each time I see you.  Tell me how did you escape my little gift?” she purred. 

  “I struck first,” was all Claire would offer.

Before there was time for more unpleasantries the doctor returned.  Claire offered her arm, which was readily taken by the doctor and he led her away to meet other guests without even an acknowledgement towards Manjit.  After numerous introductions and small talk the doctor started to steer Claire towards his office. 

“Show time Claire!” she thought.  

He wanted her right away and made no mistake in demanding it.  He started to grab and paw at her, but her game plan was set and she wouldn’t be deterred from it.

“Doctor you must allow me to be a willing participant that way both of us will enjoy ourselves so much more.  Let me help you out this these,” she said soothingly, as she started to undress him.

He hesitated until she stepped back and gesturing to her sari said. “I’ll help you out of those and then you get to help me out of this.”

  Claire worked fast; soon he was naked before her.  She came in close and whispered in his ear. ”Now it’s my turn,” her hot breath causing him to shudder in anticipation.

Claire undid the knot that held the Sari to her right arm and gently tied it to his right arm.  Then she began to dance slowly around him swaying like a snake charmer, as she danced she unfurled a little more of her outfit and slowly began to drape it around him as she danced.  Around and around she went her body moving to a rhythm only she heard but pleasing to the observer nonetheless.  Not too taut and not too loose, up and down, in and out and around his body went the ever-diminishing Sari.  Claire stopped suddenly, face to face with the doctor and then she slowly sank to her knees.  She peered up briefly to see small beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead, he was truly hers!  She ran the silk over and around his aroused and quaking penis ever so gently tying it in place.  Each dangerous revolution revealed more of Claire until standing face to face all that covered her was a small silk strip that ran from between her legs to her breasts and then tied to her other arm.  He was ready to explode, but willed himself to hold on!  Stealthily Claire moved to his back and causally tossed the last remaining piece over his shoulder and secured it to his other arm.  Claire’s arms encircled his waist and probed downward to his stem.  Magically she drummed her nails along his shaft causing spasms to rocket through him.  Then she brought her legs into play moving them magically high up and down his back.  He was completely under her sway.  Gently kissing the back of this neck she shifted her hands to his back and ran then freely around.

“Are you ready doctor?” she whispered between kisses.

“Y.. yes,” he stammered.

Claire struck!  Pulling tight the six and a half yards of Sari she had wrapped him in.  Her distracting manoeuvres had allowed her to entwine her legs and arms into the loose strands of her dress.  The fish was now hooked and struggling. The now frantic doctor could not move a muscle, bound head to foot in the Sari, the strands around his voice box held to much pressure for him even to make a sound.  Claire pulled her arms back and across each other in order to increase the pressure.  She bent in at the knees and arched her back to further immobilise her prey.  Still he struggled on; Claire loving the success of her plan and the total control she had played the fish just enough to tire him out!  The prey had squirmed long enough it was time for the fatal embrace.  Claire rolled onto her back taking her enwrapped prisoner with her.  Raising her knees into the small of his back he started to bend slowly in her constricting embrace.  Violently he struggled on but she had him now, one more cinch of the silk and she heard the snap, the doctor stopped moving.  She kept her squeeze going for a few minutes in order to be sure.  After that she let her prey fall off to the side.  Claire slipped herself out of the silken death trap and stood up. 

 “Yes, it had been the perfect weapon!” she thought.

Escape was now the order, moving quickly to the French Doors and out into the Garden.  Having by necessity left her Sari behind the only clothing she had on were her sandals.  With the fastest escape route memorised from the satellite photo she lithely moved through the night to freedom.

Manjit came to the office several minutes later using her own eye scan to override the locked door.  She’d been a fool to get side tracked and now she was hoping for the best.  Instead finding only the remains of her failure, the doctor covered in his silky death shroud. 

 “Fool!” she yelled both at herself and the doctor and she moved to the desk and opened it, taking out a control panel.  Instantly the bank of TV monitors came alive with various screen shots of the estate.  Manjit manipulated the controls until she found Claire on the screen.

“I knew you were trouble from the start, however your success will be short lived, as will you!” Manjit hissed. 

Claire stopped as she heard the all too familiar voice coming from a hidden speaker. 

“Although I’m sure you have an escape plan what you don’t have is the knowledge of what lies ahead of you, and given your rather limited attire, I can see that you have no weapons with which to aid you.  I’ll do nothing to stop your efforts, limited, as they will be.  If you succeed you’re free to go; however I have a feeling you won’t.  Press on my dear I will enjoy watching your demise!” Manjit’s voice slithered out. 

 Claire didn’t waste any time longer she moved quickly, but cautiously, ever tuned for danger.  Moving through the maze, a left turn, then a quick right and then on a little to another left until she come to a covered trellis about 50 feet in length.  It was covered on all three sides by a dense vine completely different from the maze walls.  At the other end of the trellis was a pool with a fountain in the middle.  The dense vine cover made the already humid air even more so.  Water droplets fell on her from the ceiling of the trellis, no doubt from the humidity, as she moved through the tunnel of vines.  Halfway through Claire noticed that the water droplets weren’t falling off her, but rather sticking to her. 

“Sticking to her would be the word,” she thought, “damn sticky!” 

 Her thighs were becoming mingled together.  It was like glue and it was starting to permanently disable her movements.  As if she need any clarification of this Manjit’s voice confirmed it.

“Funny thing about that liquid, its quite harmless as long as it remains cool on the vine, but once it leaves that sanctuary it congeals and becomes extremely sticky, as I’m sure you can tell.  Oh, don’t worry my dear it won’t kill you, just immobilise you until something else comes along and does!”

Claire struggled forward with urgency she could not afford to fall, the glue would surely bind her in place, she laboured to stay upright, her legs were almost completely welded together and her arms her being pull down to her sides.

“I will make it,” she said to herself, but with two feet to freedom she halted, cemented in place.  Claire flexed and strained and twisted her body, she was in a complete grip of iron all her efforts were to no avail. 

 “I’m inches from freedom, I will not be beaten this easily,” she thought.

  Going deep inside herself she summoned up what was left of her in internal “chi” and with one final effort lurched and fell forward onto the cool grass outside of the trellis.  She lay there motionless and let the wet grass from the evening dew moisten her bounds, laying still for several minutes while Manjit watched on, then Claire tentatively flexed her arms, the bonds had loosened, the dew was returning the sap to a free state.  Claire wasted no more time she started to roll toward the pool and slide in, instantly she could feel herself being freed from the glue.

“Very good my dear agent,”Manjit said.  “You have done well to this point, still I’m not sorry to say a long and dangerous way to go to freedom.”

Claire let her dripping body dry a little while she listened to her tormentor babble on.  It was Manjit’s slip that had given her the clue on how to escape the trap; maybe she would offer something else on what lay ahead.

  “Only one way to find that out though, onward,” she mused. 

 Although it appeared she was doubling back on herself Claire knew this was the fastest route; such is the nature of mazes, one step backward for every two forward.  She needed to be cautious but continue to move at a fast pace, who knew what might be tracking her and she wanted her freedom.

A few turns left and right and presently she came into a large circle with five passageways leading off of it.  Recognising it from the map she now knew she was getting near to the door on the outside wall.  The entrance to the corridor she needed had to stone statues of silk worms on either side of the path.  She stopped and looked at them.

“Dr. Patel may have been a good scientist, but he had poor taste in art, as far as these things went,” she told to herself.

 She stared to go, but found her sandals held fast to the ground by a tar like substance.  She quickly bent down to untie them and escape.   Just as the last strap was undone her body started to be spun around in place.  The centrifugal force held her fast in her shoes.

“Shit!” she cursed, “Now what have I stumbled into?”

She was spinning so fast her arms crossed her chest and were held fast in place, as her body was forced upright from the spinning.  She couldn’t even move her head against the force of the turning and as such was helpless to see what was happening.  Then just as soon as it started the turning slowed down again.  Clear of the gravitational forces that had acted upon her Claire could see fine white strands wrapped around her.  Quickly flexing for a fast escape she found she could not move against them.

“I noticed you left your Sari in the office,” she heard Manjit purr.  “So I thought I’d spin you a new one.  These silk worms are a most deadly trap, would you not agree?  Here let me demonstrate.”

  Claire stared to spin again, only this time slower than before.  Manjit started the worms spraying again with each turn of Claire they rose and fell around her body, little by little the cocooning of her was taking place from the tip of her shoulders to her feet the silken spray flowed onto her naked form, entwining and enmeshing her.  Slowly and methodically she was being wrapped in raw silk.  Claire struggled and wiggled to be free but to no end.  Up and down they continued to go as Manjit turned her body, which had now disappeared under a blanket of white silk.  Finally the mummification stopped.   Only Claire’s head was left free the rest of her was completely sealed. 

 “I’m sorry its not as pretty as the outfit you came in my dear, it is however just as deadly,” Manjit hissed.

  “You see you’ve been spun into constricting silk.  It will slowly tighten around your helpless form completely immobilising you and then gradually tightening you to death.  I shall enjoy watching you perish!”

  Claire could feel it putting pressure on her already; it was drawing inward quickly, what was once a formless white covering was now becoming form fitting as Claire’s lovely body started to become visible.  She had to work fast, she tried rotating her shoulders to gain an little freedom, tilting her pelvis, lifting her legs, nothing worked, her struggles only leaving her tired and perspiring harder.  The cocoon was working, Claire was exhausted from struggling, she stood still.  She could feel and hear the strands constricting about her.  Another round of writhing did nothing to relieve the incessant inward pressure on her.  She knew she had only a few minutes left; she focused on her hands.  Moving her fingers and thumbs she searched for nearby strands and cut them with her nails, she cut another and another, but time was running out.  Pain coursed through her entire body her breathing was becoming shallow. 

The cocoon of death was now truly form fitting, its deadly entombing touch caused her erect nipples to show through its hold, still Claire continued to cut strands between groans of pain.  Finally her hands became free she forced her fingers outward and cut a hole in the death shroud.  She didn’t know how long her nails would hold their sharpness against the silk.  She was awash in pain now, unable to move any other part of her body, save her hands.  She forced her nails up and down the hole she had made in the silk and gradually made it larger thereby reducing the pressure in her chest a little as the silken wrap lost some of it integrity.  From this she was able to cut a few more strands to free her arms a little more.  She could begin to see freedom.  Working quickly she cut more and soon had her arms free inside the cocoon.  Thrusting her hand out she cut down the cocoon to her knees changing nails, as each became dull.  Slowly she lifting out a leg and placed it on the grass and other leg followed, slowly Claire emerged from her cocoon as a butterfly emerges from its.   Manjit watched in rapt fascination.

“My dear I have new respect for you, your ingenuity and skill are incredible.  I had hoped this would be the end for you, but the night is still young.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I intend to stay alive!” Claire said sarcastically as she stretched a little.

  With the feeling slowly coming back into her limbs Claire continued on her journey, this time she carefully walked around the statutes.

“Oh, don’t worry I wouldn’t use the same trap again, that would be boring,” Manjit reassured her over the speaker.

The door was close now one more corner and it would be there.  She came around the turn and saw it, in front of the door was large granite carved arbour of intricately sculpted Hindu Gods and deities the entire structure was about 10 feet long and six feet high.  The hedge came right up to the arbour on both sides.  Claire noticed all this; she also noticed the Burmese python guarding the door.   Its great coils looped through the top to the arbour.   She could not get by without moving the python, and what would move the python but food, in a word her! 

 “Well my dear so close and yet so far.  What to do, you can’t go back and it would appear you can’t go forward.  I’m waiting Claire it’s your move,” Manjit’s voice slithered.

Claire ignored this distraction she was busy formulating a plan.  There was only one choice.  She stepped forward into the arbour.  She raised her left leg at her side and placed it in a nook of the arbour at a 45-degree angle to her body.  Placing her hands above her head and gripping the top of the arbour she starred at the snake and waited.
The constrictor began to uncoil its mass as its heat receptors sensed prey close at hand, with a few probing tongue flicks it started to silently slide towards her.  Claire concentrated as she watched the python come nearer; two deadly predators were about to engage in a struggle to the death.  Just a few feet from Claire the ophidian stopped.  To Claire it seemed as if it was sizing up the best way to secure her, after a brief movement it slide onward.  The head stopped at her ankle and the tongue shot out several more times.  Claire didn’t move an inch knowing that if she did the mouth would clamp down on her leg and coils of death would flow around her.  This was her game and she was going to make the python play by her rules, not his, she would strike when she was ready.  Getting no response but sensing the heat of its prey the python began to slide around her ankle and slowly upwardly corkscrew around her leg.   It continued to coil and entwine around her leg, having reached the top of her thigh it stopped, a few more probes of the tongue and it continued on, encircling her between her legs and once around her hips and then it started on the other leg.

“So far so good,” Claire thought.

New feelings were building in her as coils slid over her mound causing sensations to stir and concentration to lapse.

  “Keep focused. Ignore your desire, don’t move, don’t fall into the trap,” she repeated over and again much like a mantra.

 The coils twisted up her already covered leg around her waist and now proceeded to wrap her other limb.  The creature was drawn to the heat, not to the kill, just to warm itself at this point the kill would come, it always did.  Claire watched the python encircle both her legs; she was now a mass of coils as her legs were completely covered.  The tail held her ankle as the snake continued to wind itself upward and out the other leg until it had the rest of its body free and resting on the ground, surely for the quick strike and the entombing death it would deal its prey.  The snake’s head started along Claire’s encircled leg; gently she lowered her hands and picked up the serpent’s head carefully scratching the chin of the Burmese to calm it.

“I’ll give you that much of my body but no more, anything else and you may develop a crush on me, I wouldn’t like that,” Claire stated coolly.

“Well Claire what to do now?  It would appear you have the snake charmed, or is it the other way around,” Manjit laughed through the speaker.

Just then the serpent expanded and contracted a coil around her womanhood.  The stimulus made Claire’s head jerk slightly and Manjit saw the serpent react, she smiled.

“No it would appear he has you, this will be most interesting to watch,” Manjit said.
 
          The python now knew what to do, while Claire held its head, it used its fantastic muscle control to stimulate its prey into moving so as to break the stalemate of predators.  Compress, release, compress, release slowing at first and then with increasing frequency.  It used its great strength to move Claire hips to increase the sensation; Claire was helpless to stop it.  Concentrate damn it, concentrate”, she told herself.  It was useless the stimulus was too much to resist, Claire exploded in ecstasy her whole body writhed in pleasure.  Her arms went limp and her hands lost control of her opponent.  By the time she came to her senses another coiled sinew was around her waist.  She quickly grabbed the head just in time and furiously jerked it away from her body before it could form a second loop around her.  Claire held the head of the python as it jerked and swayed to break free of her grip.  She looked down and watched the coils draw up the slack around her legs, up one and then the other just like a wave, each band of muscle moved in perfect unison.  She felt her legs contract with the pressure from her capture.  The coil tightened around her waist, cutting her air intake and again, she worked to control her breathing and again succeeded, the serpent ceased its thrashing and lay still.  Instead it when back to its successful attack, the gentle compress, release, compress, release method.

“Sorry lover it won’t work again, you’ve had your fun,” Claire voiced.

The serpent had to work harder this time around, after 10 minutes of incessant stimulation Claire started to weaken again; in fact she actually started to help her capture.  She was now fighting against herself, primal urges are impossible to resist, and she was helpless in the coils of the enemy!  Again ecstasy shot through her and she let go of the python’s head and arched her body in the serpent’s embrace for all the pleasures she could receive from the orgasm. Instantly the great snake rewarded itself by putting three more coils around her, pinning her upper arms to her sides.  She only had her forearms free and at the last second she grabbed the head before it could completely encircle her.

“Claire I had no idea you had such a love for snake skin, and you do look lovely in it though I must say I feel it will be a short lived fashion statement,” Manjit laughed over the speaker.

Claire could now only watch the machine like tightening of her body.  The vice grip of coils now cork screwed up and down her body, she started to wince in pain, pleasure had long past, her body was completely spent from two devastating orgasms, she could only offer minimal resistance at this point.  Her capture sensed this and seemed to be in no hurry to finish the job; after all she had made it wait now she would pay.

Claire watched the spiralling of her body, every minute or so, no matter how hard she tried to control her breathing the constricting circle of death around her got smaller.  Every move Claire made against the embrace her foe countered and squeezed.  She was slowly losing the battle; her legs were completely numb, she was sure the coils of the python around them were the only reason she was still standing.  She was also losing her grip on the serpent’s head, the blood flow to her arms being cut of by the constant crushing pressure. Claire moved her raised leg slightly out of the crevice she’d placed it in, instantly the wrap adjusted and tightened, Claire found pain running up her leg, around her waist, out the other leg and finally around her arms as the snake rhythmically adjusted her in its grip.

She needed to make a move, she lasted more than twenty minutes in the serpent’s spell, and another five was impossible!  Although she had sometimes thought it would be better to die in the field instead of behind a desk she was not about to give in just yet.  She went to make her move.  Gathering what little strength she had left, and then it started again, only this time both her womanhood and her breasts. 

“Your quiet an insistent lover,” Claire gasped. 

 “You still want more.”

The final phase of the battle had begun.  The snake renewed the urgency and worked hard, rocking Claire backwards and forwards all the while constricting her further.  She was frantic with pain and expectation her body covered in python she desperately hung on, another adjustment and another inward spiralling of her body as new waves of pain engulfed her.  The snake arched her back off her feet and cinched around her mound, Claire with all her strength thrust her body forward toward the stone arbour jamming the head of the serpent in to small crevice.  Then with both hands she bent the head backwards upon itself.  Her body exploded again just as she heard the great predators neck crack under her pressure.  Claire let out a scream of pain as the pythons death shudder tightened her one last time.  She was unable to move in the coils, but she had won.  Between gasps she exclaimed.

“Never go to the well three times with the same trick lover!”

She took the python’s head out of the crevice and with great effort extricated herself from her defeated foe.  Once out the embrace she fell to the ground on top of the great mass of coils that had been her prison, her legs, which had absorbed so much of the struggle, could not support her.

“Well done Claire, your free to go, but I assure you DOOM is not finished with you yet,” Manjit venomously hissed through the speaker.

Claire pulled herself along the ground and opened the door to freedom.  On the other side she found the small parcel said placed there early that evening inside was a T-shirt, shorts and sandals.  Quickly putting them on and giving her legs a vigorous massage she stood up and started back towards town.  After taking a few steps she stopped and turned around and said.

“No I’m not finished with you either!”
 

THE END