I was cuffed and shoved in with the others, and the idiot had MY two guards acting for him, carrying in his stuff! My cell was vibrating like crazy in my pocket; I knew Mom was trying to reach me. Glancing around, I saw the red lights of all the cameras flicking on and off, which meant security was planning their move.

What was happening before me could not let me relax. After scaring the hell out of Stella with a few whip-cracks, he had the nerve to crack it across her skin twice, ripping a bit of skin each time. Stella jerked so hard, her head crashed into the table, blood coming from her mouth. It appeared she passed out.

At that second, eight security entered at once, through the main door, through the private lift, and from four holes in the walls which didn't LOOK like doors. The guards popped into the room and three Tazers hit "X" at once. The bull-whip hit the floor just as he did, and he writhed from the power.

Tom pulled the keys from his pocket and began unlocking us, Doctor Jan first, who ran to Stella and inspected her cuts, then checked the bleeding from her mouth. By that time, I was free as well and directed the guards to put "X" in one of our private rooms behind the wall panels, in strict bondage.

Jan had things strongly in hand, and Stella would have two minor scars from the whip blows. The oral bleeding was simply from her biting her cheek inside, and the bleeding had already stopped. Jan dressed the wounds quickly, gave an injection of some kind to provide comfort and pain relief, and helped me release her.

I picked her up and we headed for the elevator to upstairs. Laying her gently on my bed and Jan said, "She is deep in healthy, healing sleep right now. Let her wake up on her own, and this will just be a minor event in her life."
I asked Jan to stay with her, and went down to that private room, picking up Lance and Mom and Tom along the way. There would have been fifty people with me if we had room; the entire staff was out for "X's" neck at that point.

Stopping to think a minute and to catch my breath, I realized that my mind was not right for this project. Too much revenge was coloring my attitude. I turned to my head bouncer and said, "Lance, you know how to handle this. Find out how he got back in, how he overpowered Brian and James. Take careful notes, Mom, and let's solve the problem forever. Spend as needed, dear heart." I walked away, before earning a homicide arrest.

I went to my office and watched the security feed from that room. Mom did a few things to the naked, bound man that I had not seen done before anywhere except old prisoner-of-war movies. She had him crying in seconds, begging in under two minutes, and cooperative in three. Lance's bulk was there for intimidation, but Mom's evil mind got the job done.

Satisfied, I went back to relieve the Doctor and laid down beside Stella, taking her in my arms and just cuddling her close. I laid there, trying to dissipate my anger against "X", trying to control my agony at Stella's injury, trying to reconcile the events with my obligation to protect my subbie. I had failed.