Glimpses of the Island

Back to the Office

Outside the restaurant the street was empty. Luisa realized they had been gone for a lot longer than an hour. Suddenly Kurt spun her around to face him, holding her in place with hands on both her arms. He stared intently at her. Their eyes locked, and she found she couldn't look away. They stood transfixed, alone on the sidewalk, until Kurt broke the spell. "Are you okay?" She heard genuine concern in his voice, unexpected considering what he had done to her.

The simple question brought her back. "Yes, I'm all right," she answered quietly. Why shouldn't I be? She told herself. Trapped on an island of cavemen, the indentured servant to some mysterious company, standing on a deserted sidewalk in the middle of the night with my hands chained behind my back. What could be wrong? There wasn't anything wrong though. She didn't feel scared or violated. Something was happening that she didn't understand. The outrage, the anger she should be feeling at being forced into handcuffs wasn't there.

They started to walk back to the office building, Kurt between her and the sidewalk curb. He held onto her arm and kept looking over at her. She felt off balance, walking with her hands behinds her back, but she was in no danger of falling. She was about to say so when she realized if she did happen to stumble, she wouldn't be able to break her fall. The same thing would happen if she tried to break his grip and run away.

The front door to the lobby wasn't too far now. Kurt had told her she couldn't ask to have the cuffs removed, but she was positive he would stop and unlock them before they went in the door. She didn't really understand what he was trying to do. Maybe it was the price she was paying for the delightful dinner, something to symbolize her place at the bottom of the hierarchy. A stray thought crossed her mind, maybe this is what repression is like .

Kurt stopped as they reached the glass doors of the lobby. Luisa relaxed, grateful she would be rid of the restraints. Her relief didn't last when Kurt knocked on the door but made no effort to free her. Joe waved from his counter and reached down. The door buzzed until Kurt pushed it open. Luisa hesitated but had to yield to his insistent pull on her arm. He led her right to the counter where Joe was watching.

A stab of real fear went through Luisa. What if they knew she was on the Island under false pretenses? Had they searched her outgoing mail and discovered the articles? Maybe the dinner had all been one big charade to see if she would let something slip, before Kurt turned her over to the Island police. That would explain the handcuffs too, delivering her wrapped up in a nice package.

"Evening, Mr. Goeren." Joe held out the sign in sheet on a clipboard. She watched as Kurt filled it out. Joe looked at her but said nothing about the handcuffs. He turned back to Kurt as he handed over the clipboard. "Any difficulties?"

The question wasn't directed to her. Of course not , Luisa thought, they're all members of the same club . It was only natural he would assume she would be the cause, not the victim. And what would good old Joe put in his report, that she had attacked Kurt and had to be subdued? No wonder Kurt wasn't concerned about anyone seeing her with her hands bound behind her back.

"No problems, Joe," he answered as he took hold of her arm and steered her toward the elevators. No sudden outburst of accusations, no appearance of sinister black uniforms to take her away. It appeared her secret was still safe, unless they were waiting for her in the office. I'm going paranoid, get a grip , she told herself. Kurt said nothing as he called the elevator. They got in and he selected their destination. She watched the floor lights go by. At least this time of night there would be no one to see her.

The elevator stopped at their floor. Kurt held the elevator door open until she was in the hall. With his hand on her arm they headed for the office. He opened the office door and stood to the side, waiting for her to enter first. Always the gentleman , Luisa thought, or maybe he just wants to see that I haven't managed to slip the cuffs .

The printer tray was full, no paper jams. The report still had to be proofed, but that was Kurt's job. As manager it was his responsibility to sign off and deliver the final product. He did not head directly to the printer though.

First he pulled out Luisa's chair from her desk, rolling it to the center of the room. Then he led her over to it. "Sit down. You will wait quietly until I have finished with the proofreading." Awkwardly she sat down, her manacled hands behind the back of her seat. He pulled up another chair, facing her, before retrieving the printout. He sat down and began to read silently, glancing up at her occasionally.

She looked down at herself. The hem of her company skirt drew a line across the top of her knees. She had been unsure of what clothes to bring to the Island, but that turned out not to be a problem. Her luggage had been put in storage somewhere, unopened. She was only allowed to wear what the company provided. That was a simple choice, for there was only one uniform. The first day on the Island she had been given a white sleeveless blouse with company insignia on the upper left front, and the regulation company issue maroon mid length skirt, again with a small logo on it. Even her underwear, hose, and shoes were company approved. At least those didn't have logos.

Naturally there were rules to go with the uniform. Clean and ironed attire, hair properly combed, a neat appearance were all mandatory. They had to line up for an inspection by the dorm supervisor every morning before going to their work assignments. Jewelry and makeup were forbidden, not too difficult to obey that one since they weren't given any.

After being issued the uniforms, one of the early lectures had been what she still thought of as "charm school". The woman teaching the class, the tireless Mrs. Dornier, had explained that they represented the company, so it was essential they present an appearance appropriate to the company's image. Luisa almost laughed at the list of do's and don'ts. But she listened and did her best to comply. Always sit straight, hold your head up, proudly. But don't ever cross your legs, that was forbidden too. Even crossing your ankles was against policy . She sat like that now, facing Kurt with knees and ankles close together.

He went back to reading the report. Careful to not let him see, she explored the handcuffs on her wrists with her fingers. Around each wrist was a sort of thick adjustable metal bracelet, closed to where it wouldn't slip off, but not too tight to cut off circulation. She located what seemed to be a hole on each cuff, probably for the key that opened them. A short metal chain connected the cuffs together. She slipped her fingers underneath the bow on one side and tried to pull it open, but it wouldn't budge.

Luisa knew better than to ask him for the key. It felt wrong, though she couldn't explain why. She watched him read, taking his time, being thorough, sometimes backing up. Every time he turned a page he looked over at her. She did her best to sit still and not distract him; that's what he wanted.

She was helpless, completely within the control of the man sitting across from her. Luisa knew it was affecting her by the way she was having trouble concentrating. She didn't understand why, but it seemed like the most important thing in the world was that she sit in this chair exactly as he had told her. A distant voice in her head was telling her something was very wrong, but she didn't listen. What she did hear were his last words, over and over again. Wait quietly for him to proofread the document. Don't fidget, don't make any noise, be patient, that's what Mrs. Dornier had told them, over and over again.

Each time he paused she looked up at him, eagerly hoping for some indication of how well she had done on the report. She'd never worked on so complex a project before. For all his brusque manner Kurt had been very patient in explaining her mistakes, never making fun of her obvious lack of knowledge and experience with large commercial projects. Rather than taking the quick route of making the corrections on his own he had taken the time to explain where she had gone wrong, how to fix it, and what to do the next time she ran into a similar situation.

Then there were the times she made dumb mistakes, either from laziness or not paying attention. He wasn't patient and understanding during those moments. Then Kurt at his worst would come out. He never yelled, but she still cringed when she saw his frown and heard his cutting comment. "You know you can do better. Don't do it again." And then he'd just walk away, without letting her explain.

He was right, though, I did know better. And I didn't do it again . There were no explanations she could have offered anyway, only weak excuses. How long since the last time he chewed me out that way, two weeks, three? Luisa couldn't remember, because she took her technical work seriously now. The report in his hands was some of the best writing she'd ever done. Not that Emperor Kurt will ever admit it, nothing satisfies him. She pulled against the handcuffs one more time, more in frustration than any real attempt to free herself.

When he did finish, it seemed like she had been sitting there for hours. The clock on her desk showed it had been no more than twenty minutes. "You are a skilled and gifted writer," he began. "The information is concise and accurate, each page flowing to the next. No errors either. I don't know of anyone else who could have done as well. The project is complete. I am proud you are on my team."

From a manager it would have been a simple compliment on a job well done, but to Luisa it sounded like an announcement that she had just won every prize possible for literature. She felt her cheeks burn as she blushed. Her body betrayed her in another way too, a rising desire telling her she wanted this man.

No! Anyone but him! There was that voice again, but instead she sat up straight and pulled her shoulders back, drawing attention to her breasts. Lust, it's lust not real attraction. Remember who he is, what he represents! The voice was screaming now.

Kurt must have seen it but he said nothing. Instead he helped her to stand up. "It's time for you to go to your room. I'll finish the packaging and see that it's sent to the hotel in Dushanbe."

The dorm was the last place she wanted to go. What she wanted was to stay with Kurt. His hand on her arm sent tingles shooting through her body. She didn't even care about the handcuffs any more. It was so tempting to let go, maybe just once, to really see what it was like to be completely within his control. Sure it was wrong, but would one time be so bad, even if it was with a prehistoric throwback like Kurt?

It wasn't going to happen this night though. He pushed her chair back in to her workstation before he led her out to the hall. She wanted to hold back, to ask him to let her stay and help, but some form of weakness gripped her mind. There was no resistance as he took her first to the elevator, then down to the dorm floor. Luisa was disappointed, but there was nothing she could do.

When the elevator opened on her floor she started to walk out into the corridor, but he quickly pulled her back in. Puzzled, she watched as he hit the button to close the elevator door. When he turned back to her there was a wild expression on his face. He grabbed her shoulders and shoved her roughly against the back wall of the elevator car. His lips pressed against hers in a fervent kiss. One of his hands fondled her breast through the thin fabric of her blouse while the other pinned her against the wall.

A rush of passion and desire raced through Luisa. She struggled to escape the handcuffs so she could throw her arms around him, but all her efforts made no difference. In desperation she tried to press herself against him, as she returned his kiss.

As quickly as it came it passed. He backed up, still holding her against the wall, looking at her silently. Then he spun her around, so that she was facing the wall. Something touched her hands, and then the handcuffs were open, freeing her wrists. He dropped them in his pocket as he effortlessly turned her back to face him. She started to reach for him but he shook his head. "Compose yourself. When you are ready I'll check you in at the dorm counter." The cool, calculating Kurt had returned.

Reluctantly she did as he ordered, straightening her blouse and tucking in some loose hair. When she finished, he opened the elevator door, holding it until she had stepped out into the hall. He walked with her around the corner to the desk. The evening supervisor was sitting there, doing some paperwork. She looked up as they approached. "Mr. Goeren, isn't it?"

"That's right. We had to work overtime tonight. Since the hour was late, we took a break for dinner. I'll return Lois to your care now." Kurt signed a clipboard the supervisor handed him.

Lois . Hearing her pseudonym woke Luisa out of her daze. In the heat of the moment she'd forgotten all about her mission. She'd finally seen a glimpse of Kurt's hidden side, the side that all the men on the Island shared, the side that had to be revealed to the rest of the world. But , that word stuck in Luisa's head, but where is the outrage at what happened tonight?

"Thank you, sir," the supervisor answered, glancing at the clipboard. "Anything we should be made aware of?"

"Yes, she is to be commended for an exemplary job. Her work was critical to finishing an important project for the company. I would recommend she be given some time off in recognition of her efforts tonight." Kurt turned and walked back to the elevator.

Both women watched him leave. The supervisor spoke up after he was out of sight. "Well girl, seems you really made an impression with Mr. Goeren there. He's not known to be easy to work for, and praise from him is as rare as finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I'll be sure to pass on his comments." The supervisor opened the entrance to the dorm rooms. Suddenly all Luisa wanted was to find a soft bed and get some sleep. She thanked the supervisor and headed to her room. She had a lot to think about.