The Mindfield – Chapter Five (The Sound of Silence)
Phoebe’s descent ended abruptly as she impacted against a yielding surface. For a moment the breath was knocked out of her but she recovered quickly. The lithe young heroine sprung to her feet and immediately began to survey her surroundings. She was not surprised that she got nothing but static when she tried to use her communicator. It appeared that, for the moment at least, she was on her own.
For the speedster this was nothing new. When you moved as fast as she could, it was difficult to act as part of a team. Not that she was complacent, in fact far from it. She knew that this villain had managed to capture Arclight and that was no mean feat. If she wasn’t careful she too could fall into his clutches. Idly she wondered if Amanda’s bravado had ultimately led to her downfall.
Returning her thoughts to the here and now, Phoebe quickly recognised that she was in some kind of maze. Featureless walls and ceilings added to the disorientation. Everywhere she looked was white and well lit, but there was nothing to any clue as to where she should go next.
Phoebe forced herself to move more slowly, she had not been paying attention outside and as a result had fallen into some kind of pit. She was sure that there would be no second chances in this maze. If she failed to notice something important, it might be the last mistake she made. Her reflexes were dialled up so high that her body practically vibrated. The heroine picked a direction at random and began to walk carefully down the corridor.
The Shroud followed the speeding heroine’s path, using her second sight. As the concealed pit was triggered, it was as though Phoebe suddenly disappeared. With growing concern, the mystic scanned the area again and again. But her friend seemed to have vanished without trace. So much for the element of surprise. It seemed that the villain was still at least one step ahead.
Stiffly she informed the other heroines of what had happened. Miriam could see the other two girls exchanging nervous glances. She did not blame them, they were being picked off one by one and it seemed there was little they could do about it. They knew that they had to trust Phoebe to take care of herself, but each of them secretly wondered if she would fare any better than Amanda.
Carol used one of her hijacked cameras to view the area from which Phoebe had disappeared. Although there was nothing to explain her sudden disappearance, she could see where the racing woman’s footprints had just stopped. She immediately ruled out anything technological or magical, either she or Miriam would have sensed something.
Keeping together, but maintaining a little distance in order to avoid one lucky shot taking them all, the women headed for the area. It was with a great sense of relief that they all arrived there safely. They were moving with extreme care, their nerves jangling with each nervous footstep. The entire estate was one big trap but there was nothing for it but to go on in anyway.
In the control room, the Enslaver began to lecture his apprentice again.
“Now”, he began as they watched the display screens, “It would appear that young Slipstream has decided on the “hushed heroine” pathway”.
On the screen Phoebe had just rounded a corner. She stopped short when she saw what lay before her. Concern and puzzlement flashed across her features. The corridor ahead was very different from what she had encountered so far. A series of coloured squares replaced the ubiquitous white floor tiles.
“Let’s explain the rules shall we?” the villain asked.
The heroine recognised a trap when she saw one. She was in the process of trying to figure this one out when the villain’s gloating voice began to echo around the maze.
“Hello Slipstream”, he laughed, “welcome to my maze. So nice of you to drop in”.
The villain was conscious of his apprentice wincing at the awful pun and made a mental note. Young people these days had no sense of tradition. Breathing an exasperated sigh, he continued with his explanation.
“Before you is a simple puzzle. There is one safe route across and all others will lead to consequences”, the villain paused to let that sink in, “I’m sure that even a heroine of limited intellect, such as yourself, should be able to figure it out, eventually”.
There was a brief burst of static and then silence. Phoebe waited briefly, in case the villain was planning to divulge a little more information. Once it became clear that no further clues would be forthcoming, the heroine returned her attention to the puzzle.
She looked at the coloured squares for a moment and then turned her gaze to the walls. Phoebe didn’t want to try to best this villain on his own terms. Instead, she took two quick steps backwards and then launched forward. In an instant she was a blur. Abruptly she veered sideways, planting one foot against the wall and then vaulting upwards. Keeping her momentum the heroine pressed forwards, now running perpendicular to the floor.
But, just when it seemed that the villain might have miscalculated, a blinding flash of multicoloured light engulfed the young woman. She had been teleported before and immediately recognised the sensations. When her vision cleared, she found herself back on the far side of the coloured puzzle.
It took her a heartbeat to realise what had happened and when she did, Phoebe loudly cursed the unseen villain. Although she had been transported back to the starting point, nothing else had made the journey with her. Of her costume there was no sign. Adding insult to injury, the villain’s mocking voice came once more over the hidden speakers.
“Oh dear”, the villain smirked, “I’m afraid we don’t tolerate cheats in this game. Because of that I think we will have to double the forfeits for your next attempt. Maybe that will convince you to play by the rules”.
Phoebe tried to cover her nakedness while she gave her full attention to the coloured tiles. She should have known that the villain wouldn’t have made it easy for her. It was clear that the panels were arranged in a seven by seven grid. Each row and column seemed to contain one tile of each colour. Orange, blue, two different purples, green, yellow and red.
She stared at the pattern for several minutes, not noticing how it seemed to flicker and flash. Realisation came suddenly and she was forced to chide herself for not noticing earlier. It was the two different purples that had foxed her, but something had stirred in the back of her mind as she recalled a well rehearsed mnemonic; “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain”.
So, the villain had presented her a puzzle with the colours of the rainbow. All she had to do now was navigate across touching each tile in turn. Phoebe stepped forward, knowing that even with her prestigious speed, she couldn’t react more quickly than the teleporter. With a slight edge of trepidation, she placed one foot on the red square in the first row.
There was just long enough for the speedster to believe that she was safe and then came another burst of light. Once again it took her several moments before she could focus on what had happened. At first she could only concentrate on what she had done wrong, surely she hadn’t misread the colours. Then, as she took a hesitant step forward, another concern took precedence.
The Enslaver was delighted to see the heroine struggling with his puzzle. True to his word, the second mistake had inflicted a double forfeit. While Phoebe’s bindings were nowhere near as restrictive as those that Arclight wore, it was clear that they had been styled in the same manner. Thick black bands surrounded the young heroine’s wrists and ankles. Each pair of cuffs was linked with a narrow thread. This left her hobbled, unable to take more than a short step. Her arms were similarly tethered, although this was less of an imposition at present.
“That will slow her down”, he mused, “I wonder if she will figure it out before she runs out of chances?”
Phoebe strained against the apparently slender bonds but it quickly became clear that she could make no impression on them. Her shoulders slumping slightly in resignation, she fought to keep her emotions under control. She didn’t want to fall to the villain. Using that determination, the heroine turned her gaze back to the puzzle and tried to understand why red hadn’t been the right choice.
But she was certain, the tiles were definitely laid out in the colours of a rainbow. Perhaps she was looking at this the wrong way. Phoebe bit her lip and tried to decide if it was worth the risk. She could, of course, choose to retrace her steps, to find another route. But, by the same token, there was no reason to suspect that she would fare any better with any of the Enslaver’s other puzzles.
She came to decision then. There was no way that she would give up now. The villain had already stripped her costume from her, and shackled her. If she didn’t complete the puzzle, then all that would be for nothing. Very gingerly, Phoebe stepped onto the first row again. This time her foot landed squarely on the violet square.
Again there was the frustrating pause to allow her the illusion that she had merely needed to reverse the order of the spectrum. Then another burst of light dashed those away and she was returned to the start again.
The Enslaver practically clapped his hands with glee. His apprentice tried his best to ignore the display, focussing instead on the display screen in front of them. This latest mistake had resulted in Slipstream being gagged. A black band bit into the sides of her mouth, holding a large ball in place.
Phoebe’s hands scratched at the gag, trying to dislodge it. But the band was too tight and her probing fingers couldn’t find any way of unlocking it. All the heroine could do was “mpppffff” helplessly in frustration. Adding insult to injury, the villain chose that moment to comment on the heroine’s situation.
“That is so much nicer”, the Enslaver enthused, “I do find that you heroines are so much easier to appreciate when nicely bound, naked and gagged into silence. You aren’t doing very well are you Phoebe? You only have another three attempts, after which you will be mine to do with as I wish. Perhaps you should try to think a little harder”.
The heroine glared at where she thought the speakers might be hidden. Her anger grew but she knew that she had to remain calm. Her discomfort increased as she realised that with the ball in her mouth she was unable to swallow. She tried to ignore this new indignity and instead returned to the puzzle. There had to be a way past this, surely?
The villain had told her that she had only three more attempts. It seemed clear that each failure added to her adornments. She was very clear that this particular set was not one she wished to collect. The colours couldn’t be random in their order, that would be too unfair. But it was equally clear that the key wasn’t the rainbow. Phoebe tried to think. There had to be something she was missing.
More minutes crawled by, but eventually she came to her decision. She was struggling to find any logical link and if either this or its reverse didn’t work, it seemed unlikely that she would be able to find another. Strengthening her resolve, she stepped onto the first row again. As her foot touched the blue square, she braced herself for the flash of light.
But this time nothing happened and eventually she had to admit that she had made the right choice. If she was correct, the next square should be green. Her second step was slightly less hesitant, and after releasing a breath that she hadn’t even realised she was holding, Phoebe continued across the puzzle. Stepping on the next colour alphabetically.
With a sense of relief she stepped from the final yellow square. Phoebe felt elated, she had beaten the trap. Of course, she was still bound and gagged, but for the moment she was unbowed. Wiping away the spittle, which continue to ooze around the edges of her gag, the heroine strode carefully down the corridor.
In the control room, the apprentice watched his master for a reaction. He had not expected the heroine to escape this trap and he wasn’t sure how the Enslaver would take it.
“Well she didn’t get away completely unscathed”, he told the villain, “I’m sure the next trap will get her”.
The villain looked at the young man and a small smile played across his lips.
“But this trap isn’t finished”, he laughed, “She hasn’t got away at all. Of course, the process would be far more rapid if she had failed another three times, but it is of no real consequence. Watch and learn”.
Phoebe followed the corridor around another corner. It opened into a larger chamber and the heroine braced herself for what she might find within. The villain’s voice called out to her again, almost as soon as she stepped across the threshold.
“Welcome”, he cried, “Well done with that coloured puzzle. Now let me tell you about the second part of the test”.
The heroine froze for a moment, not quite comprehending what was being said. Had she not completed the test by crossing the room? What new twisted competition did he have in mind.
“Good, I see that I have your attention”, he continued, “You’ve done pretty well so far, only three of a possible six items of what could loosely be termed clothing. That should help you, although I fear that you aren’t nearly clever or strong enough to succeed”.
“Mpppffff!” screamed Phoebe into her gag.
The heroine didn’t notice how the gag began to glow when she cried out, but the other effects were difficult to miss. She convulsed, eyes clenched shut as her body thrummed and sang. Her back arched, Phoebe threw back her head and let out a long, drawn-out, squealing sigh through the gag and then finally dropped down limply.
For a few moments she was content merely to bask in the after glow. But as the feelings dimmed, the young woman realised that the slender tethers which linked her cuffs seemed to have shorted while she was lost in her climax. Again the villain’s laughing voice sounds from all around.
“Very nice”, he complimented, “Truly a wonderful display. As I sure even a woman of your limited intellect must have realised by now, if you make a sound then you will orgasm and the bonds will grow tighter. There are all sorts of other interesting things, which will start to happen as well of course, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. All you have to do, pretty Slipstream, is to make it to the exit on the opposite side of this room. Good luck!”
Phoebe fought the urge to respond to the taunts. She had about 8 inches of play in her bonds and estimated that she had lost about 2 inches when she climaxed. She didn’t notice any other ill effects, but couldn’t help but wonder what evils the villain had planned.
Gingerly, the heroine began to walk forward. Her eyes scanned for any potential dangers, but so far the room appeared to be empty. It was when she took her second step that the villain’s evil plan was revealed. Phoebe gasped, barely stifling herself in time. The ground felt as though it was electrified, tiny shivers of energy played over her bare soles, tickling and buzzing.
The heroine pressed on, trying to increase her pace while still maintaining her balance. The tethers made it difficult, but if she could speed her progress even a little then she might just manage. Of course, the villain had stacked the deck against her. By the time she had made it only half way across, the shivers had become almost unbearable. She bit into the black gag, trying desperately to remain silent, but it was too much.
The barest of moans escaped her lips and in the next instant she was writhing on the floor, energy flickering over her body. The orgasm ripped through her, blowing her thoughts away as if they were leaves in a gale. It took long moments before she recovered and by then, the tickling energy had subsided to a gentle buzz. Her wrists and ankles were now only three inches apart however.
Just when she allowed herself to hope that the reprieve from the tickling might be permanent, it restarted but with even more vigour than before. She knew that she had to keep going, but now she was practically hopping across the chamber. It couldn’t end like this, surely? Not victim to some sick pervert’s traps. Phoebe could see the exit beckoning her, just a few more short steps.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but in that instant, the strand binding her ankles seemed to move of its own volition. She stumbled, tried vainly to regain her balance and then fell forward. Phoebe managed to get her hands under her and cushioned her fall. But with the impact, a great whoosh of air exploded out of her and triggered the gag once again.
The Enslaver watched, as the heroine was lost once more in the throws of her orgasm. Her teeth bared as they bit into the gag, while her body tensed against her rapidly tightening bonds. He was happy to wait for her climax to subside. He didn’t want her to recover completely, but she had at least to be aware of what he was saying. When he deemed the time to be ready, the villain spoke confidently into the microphone.
“Oh dear”, he said earnestly, “That didn’t go so well, did it? Well now that you’re all tied up, let me explain one of the other interesting things that’s about to happen”.
On the screen Slipstream was struggling to rise. Despite being bound hand and foot, it seemed that the heroine was still trying to escape. He shook his head sadly and waited for the enchantment to activate. It did not take long. Her gag began to glow again, more brightly this time. Slowly the glow changed, flicking from one colour to the next. Realising that time was short, the villain continued to explain.
“Now at the moment your mouth is gagged”, he told her, “but in a little while I’m going to gag your thoughts as well. In fact, any second now you will find that you will have to speak out loud any thoughts that pop into your head. I sure it won’t take long until you are nice and blank, thoughtless and docile. Did I mention how easy it will be to pop my own ideas and thoughts into your empty little brain then?”
Phoebe wanted to deny it, but before she could do anything else, she began to moan quietly into the gag. Just as the villain had promised, she was voicing each new thought and the gag responded in turn. Her world contracted as she gave voice to a series of little muffled shrieks and shuddered in her bonds. Her hands balled into hard white-knuckled fists and her bonds seemed to tighten even further, digging into her soft flesh as she rode the orgasm.
The villain turned to his apprentice, happy to hand over the care of this particular heroine to his junior. He, after all, had bigger fish to fry.
“Go to the chamber”, he ordered, “When she stops climaxing she will be blank and programmable. Don’t forget to dress her in the rest of her new costume once you have finished. That way the effects will be permanent”.
The apprentice nodded his understanding and then walked carefully out into the maze. There was a reason he had signed on as a henchman and that was the opportunity to take his pleasure with these damnable superheroines. He was going to enjoy teaching slave phoebe about her new role.