[Cormac29Ru]

fter pulling down the sign, Rebecca quickly pulled out her pocket tool and twisted the hasp for the lock back into place. She started screwing the red metal plate back on the bar as Samantha cautiously padded forward. “So,” Samantha started meekly, “Are we done?”

Rebecca didn’t turn. “Nope. I fix this and then we grab my tablet and Janelle’s phone. You’re not out, Samantha, not yet.”

Samantha nodded slowly. “You’re pretty smart, disabling an emergency exit.”

“I learned it from one of my regular employees, a long time ago. It’s good that this was an older building. Newer ones…different system all together.” Rebecca finished, and looked Samantha right in the eyes. Samantha instinctively stepped back as Rebecca spoke. “Let me make this clear though, Samantha. This is what I’ve been doing my whole life. I analyze, plan, execute, and adapt. At present, you’re still useful to me. Keep it that way, okay?” There was a brief pounding at the door behind her that Rebecca ignored. “Now, we go back to your locker. Depending on what Janelle does, we might only have five minutes, tops.”

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Janelle squinted when she stepped through the door and looked around for a second. She spotted Erin making a turn at the end of the alley and took two steps forward, intent on catching her, before stopping dead. Alley. The word hit her like a punch to the stomach.

Janelle froze for a second. I’m in an alley, she thought. Outside. As new realizations flooded her, it was if the world was in slow motion. She cautiously covered herself, looking around for a second. She heard distant sounds but there was no one else there. I’m outside and naked, she thought, as if coming out of a dream. She felt the adrenaline of the chase exiting her body, and despite the warmth of the late May and the noon sun, she was suddenly almost cold.

Janelle turned and went back to the door. It was solid metal, without a door knob or handle. She saw the red exit sign above it and frowned. This was the tanning room, wasn’t it? She thought. That’s what it said on the inside, right?
Janelle cautiously took a hand off of her breasts, and tried to fit a finger into the seam between the door and the jamb to force the door open, but the door was not moving. She tried a knock on the door, softly at first, then slightly louder. The sound worried her. She waited a moment and no one answered. There was that woman she had pushed out of the way inside and Samantha but neither answered. She thought about hitting the door again when she heard the sound of traffic from the street.

Janelle covered her breasts and pussy as best she could and ducked down. It bothered her, reminded her how naked she really was, with her skin touching in the crouched position. And this damn oil, she thought. I feel like a greased pig.

Janelle started to sweat despite her chill. She looked around the alley for cover, but there was nothing but a recycling bin. She scurried over to it to hide for a second and think. This wasn’t the biggest town but she was downtown, naked, and noonday business was picking up. She thought about heading around to the front but she watched traffic begin to build. Besides, Erin could be up there, waiting for her. And she had the advantage. She exhaled. What other option did she have?

She thought for a moment before inspiration struck. Her squad car. She had her coach’s warm-ups inside her bag. And she had parked it not too far from here. She took a second to mentally orient herself and visualize her path; back down the alley between these two buildings, over a block and across the street.

She began to scurry down the alley, taking a second to curse the oil all over her body. It made her feel, unsteady, too loose, and the powerful floral smell kept her from keeping her focus. She shook her head. She was about to make her first turn when she heard voices, and threw herself against the wall.

She peeked around the corner and saw a man taking out bags of garbage. She realized she was passing Bamboo Garden and shook her head. Can’t go that way, she thought, as she visualized the lunch crowd and big front window. She looked ahead of her. The metal fence on the other side wasn’t too high, she thought. She could scale that and just double back.

She peeked around the corner and waited for the worker to go back in before racing across the opening. Janelle heard the wash of voices talking in a language she didn’t follow as she sprinted low along the back. She nearly slipped into the fence.

Janelle took a deep breath and started to climb. It was harder than she expected, as the links dug painfully into her bare feet and the oil made her grip slippery. She was out of breath when she reached the top.

Janelle carefully lifted her leg over the top, fearful of cutting herself and paused for a second, checking her balance before starting to lift her other leg. It was then that she noticed the silence. She looked around and saw three kitchen workers staring up at her. She froze in horror. The one who had been taking out the garbage experimentally lifted a hand and waved. The other two were holding up cell phones.

“No.” It was a single word from Janelle. A small part of her wondered how long they had been watching, and Janelle realized that they were below her and she still had her legs apart with one half over the fence. She threw her leg over the rest of the way, hung for a second, pushed off and dropped. She landed hard on her heels, slipped and fell in a seated position. Janelle’s hands went to her lower back and stomach as she felt the wind knocked out of her.

Janelle heard a voice asking something to her in a cautious tone and then she realized she was sitting with her legs apart, flashing her pussy at them again. She snapped her legs together, scrambled to her feet and took off running.

Janelle turned the corner, almost heedless. The hope that she wouldn’t be seen was gone, replaced with a desire to just get this over with. She sprinted alongside the restaurant, heard a wave of rising voices as she passed the side and crossed the street. She was dimly aware of the honk of horns, but nothing mattered now besides getting to her squad car. She increased her pace when she saw it, pushing herself, conscious of the weight of her breasts as she ran. Janelle nearly slid past her car as she tried to stop. Out of breath, she fumbled with the handle of the car door for a second, her fingers still slippery. The realization crushed her as she pulled futilely at it. It wasn’t the oil. The door was locked.

Janelle rested her head against the window for a second, defeated. It was then she heard the voice behind her ask, “Can I help you?”