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They walked to the alleyway that led down the side of the building, Steve pulling out a torch to light their way. Dora's hand was still imprisoned in Steve's warm grasp as he led them down the pitch-black corridor, his torch flicking up briefly to look for the back door that Sarah had described. Before long they had passed the door, checking it and finding it locked before passing on. They reached the narrowing of the path and looked up to see the fire-escape ladder faintly illuminated in Steve's torchlight. A dog bark sounded somewhere near and Dora started in fright, her free hand clutching at Steve's jacket.

"It's just a dog Dora, there's a big fence between us and it," Steve reassured her, disengaging her hand so that he could swing the bag off his shoulder. He rummaged for a few moments before producing a length of rope with a hook on the end. Instructing Dora to step back and hold the torch, Steve ran the rope through his hand and started to swing the hook. "Shine the torch on the ladder Dora," he hissed.

His first two attempts were wide of the mark but on the third he hooked the ladder and was able to carefully pull it down. Half way it let go an almighty screech and Dora winced, expecting someone to come running. After a few seconds of listening and hearing nothing, he continued, pulling the ladder down as far as it would go. There was still a gap from the ground of nearly five feet and there were no handy crates to use this time.

"I'll give you a boost Dora, then I'll climb up after you."

Reaching up Dora gripped the bottom rung while Steve made a cup of his hands so she could place her foot in his clasp. With a heave he threw her upwards and she managed to grasp the ladder higher up and get one foot on the bottom rung. As she climbed, Dora heard Steve grunt as he leapt for the bottom rung, the ladder shuddering as his weight was added to hers. The shaking stopped as Steve pulled himself up but as Dora couldn't see anything she continued to climb up to the first landing to wait for him there.

When Steve arrived he was breathing heavily, the knapsack back on his shoulders, the rope tied around his waist. He once more took the lead, and Dora's hand, as they started the climb up the staircase to the door above, they footsteps light to reduce the noise of their boots on the metal steps. Once in front of the door they paused, Steve listening for any sounds from the other side before trying the handle. Dora hugged her coat around her as the wind whipped her short skirt around her legs, her hair into her eyes, blinding her. She stood back as Steve swung the door open and followed him through, the faint light of the small torch their only illumination. The wind was shut off with the door closing and Dora brushed her dishevelled hair out of her eyes. Steve had moved to the railing that bordered the metal landing that ran the length of the building.

"The truck is still out, just as Sarah said. Lets get down to the floor,"

Every sound from their passage to the floor seemed to echo around the huge warehouse, the occasional clang of their boots on the steps sounding loud in the darkness. The smell of hay and horse manure wafted up to them as they descended, confirming everything that Sarah had told them about her own experience. At the bottom of the stairs they paused, Steve swinging the torch around to highlight the hay-bales and crates stacked against the outside wall.

"Let's find that door into the back room," he whispered before starting across the concrete floor towards the back wall. Dora hesitated, her fear freezing her feet so that she stood clutching the metal banister at the bottom of the steps and watched the tiny light of Steve's torch play over the metal wall, finally stopping on the frame outlining the door to the slaughter room, just as Sarah described. "Dora ?" called Steve, "I'll be there in a minute," Dora replied, her eyes quickly becoming accustomed to the gloom and able to make out the paler floor from the looming walls with the faint light from the grimy windows higher up. "Dora, come on!"

Dora started across the floor, her feet making little sound against the dusty concrete. She saw Steve framed briefly against the darker hole of the doorway, the light of the torch quickly swallowed by the room beyond. She saw Steve turn his head to call to her again but her breath suddenly froze in her throat. A figure had appeared in front of him, its arm raised, Dora screamed but Steve's torch was knocked aside, spinning out of his hand and rolling away, plunging the doorway, and the figures in it, into oblivion.

Light suddenly flooded the warehouse blinding Dora, her hands flying up to cover her eyes as she screamed again. Blinking furiously, she shielded her eyes and squinted to where she'd last seen Steve but he was gone. Completely unnerved, Dora spun around and started back up the stairs only to stop when a man started down them, blocking her escape.

"Well deary, just what are you doing breaking and entering at this time of night ?" Asked the man silkily, his eyes raking her from head to toe. "You look like you should be out on the town, not sneaking about like a thief," he continued down the stairs, his dark features lightened by teeth that reminded Dora of a fox's grin before tearing apart a helpless rabbit.

"I'm not.....ur, I'm just......I didn't mean," Dora stuttered, backing away all the time from the base of the stairs as the man continued to descend them.

"What did you expect to find during your nocturnal investigation, eh?" he asked, reaching the base of the stairs and starting towards Dora.

"Nothing....it was a mistake, we didn't....."

"But you obviously came here for something, to go to all this trouble, what were you looking for ?"

Dora couldn't speak past her dry throat, her eyes darting around, trying to find an escape, but there was nowhere to go. Her back suddenly hit the back wall and she gulped, her hands spread against the cold corrugated surface. Like a mouse mesmerised by a snake she stared at the man as he crossed the floor towards her, stopping only a foot or so from where she trembled.

"Why don't we go and join my partner and see what's happened to your friend, shall we ?"

Dora found her arm gripped above the elbow, pulling her around and propelling her towards the door leading into the back room. As they left the room the man flipped a bank of switches and the warehouse once more plunged into darkness. With a practised kick the door was slammed shut behind them.

"You got the other one then," another man standing in the middle of the gleaming floor observed, his feet standing astride a body on the floor. Dora lurched forward, forgetting the hand still holding her arm in a vice-like grip.

"Steve!"

The man standing over Steve stepped away, his movements revealing a cosh still held in one hand. Dora glared at the man holding her captive and he released her arm, his eyes following her as she stumbled to where Steve lay and knelt beside him. Under the glare of the white lights overhead, the bruises from his fight with Lewis stood out starkly.

"What did you do ?" Asked the man who'd caught Dora.

"Just kissed him with this," replied his partner, raising his hand to show the cosh. "He looks like he's already had a brush with a fist or two this night."

"Come with me Gurt, we have to tell him that his suspicion's were correct,"

"What about them ?" asked Gurt, jerking his head towards Dora and Steve.

"They wanted to see what was in here...now they can. There's no-way out, all the doors are locked and we won't be away long."

"Okay. He had this," said Gurt, holding up Steve's knapsack and handing it over. His mate took it and looked inside before tossing it back to him.

"Bring it along...now lets leave these two alone, we need to talk."

Dora watched warily as the two men opened a side door and closed it behind them, the sound of a lock confirming their imprisonment. She turned back to Steve in time to see his eyes flicker open, instantly shutting against the glare of the overhead lights.

"Steve ?"

"What happened..."

"They were expecting us,"

Steve's hand fell away from his eyes and he squinted up at Dora. "Are you alright ?"

"Just scared to death,"

Groaning softly, Steve rolled onto his side then his knees, sitting back on his heels and gently touching the back of his head. "Ow..I seem to have another bruise back here,"

"He had a cosh, I think he hit you with it,"

"Feels like he used a sack of bricks,"

"What are we going to do now ?"

"They can't hold us, plus Sarah knows we're here," Steve told her confidently, getting to his feet and looking around. "This is the room Sarah told us about, which means over there..." he trailed off, pointing to the room divider what had hidden the pony. Dora joined him, staring around the room, up at the metal runners that held the gleaming hooks. She shuddered, imagining the sounds associated with the slaughter of animals she was dedicated to saving.

"I'm cold,"

Turning from his inspection of the room, Steve put his hands on her arms and rubbed softly. "We'll..." he started to say but was interrupted by the door opening behind them. Dora recognised the man who had intimidated her but behind him was another man that she hadn't seen before. He was taller than the other men and dressed in an expensive business suit, his dapper appearance at odds with the look on his face. His lip was curled and his eyes narrowed as he stared at Dora and Steve, one hand coming up to run through his thinning hair.

"I see what you mean, we will have to find a way to.....dispose of them," the dapper man said bluntly, glancing at Dora's shocked face and grinning back at her. "Just what were you expecting to find here ?" he asked, his hands clasped behind his back as he circled his two captives.

"We were told you were slaughtering horses here," Dora stated, swinging around to follow the man. "Is it true ?"

"Now why should I tell you ?"

"It's illegal," said Steve.

"Not illegal. Maybe immoral in this pleasant, green, animal loving country...but not illegal,"

"It is when you're using stolen animals," Steve told him. The man stopped his circling and faced Steve, his hands still behind his back. "And what would you know about that....hmmmm ?" he asked.

"We know the pony that was found here was stolen," blurted Dora, " we know that the police have you under suspicion,"

"Suspicion yes, proof no," he smiled, the light catching the glint of a gold tooth. "And I don't intend to give them any." He turned away to address his cohort. "Make sure Gurt finds a nice place to take our visitors, won't you. I don't like to be rushed."

"Sure," said the other man.

"Why don't you call the police and charge us with breaking and entering ?" called Steve as the dapper man made to leave. Turning, the man walked back and stood directly in front of them.

"Smart boy, I could, of course, do just that...but I prefer to leave this....operation, as neatly as possible, and you being charged would tie me up in this backwater town for too long. You have merely pre-empted me and brought the inevitable forward." He turned back to his henchman. "I will need atleast twenty four hours, see that I have that time,"

"No problem sir,"

"Hey, you can't..." Steve shouted, starting forward only to be pushed back by a ham-sized fist in his chest.

Before stepping through the door, the dapper man turned. "But I already have," he replied and shut the door behind him.

The man left behind started to pull lengths of rope out of his jacket pocket, holding an end in each hand and pulling it taut with a snap, making Dora jump.

"Gurt's gone to fetch the truck, in the meantime I'm sure you understand boy, I have to tie you up," the man told them, his mouth stretched in a wide grin. Steve started to back away, making sure that he was between the man and Dora.

"Now don't be difficult, it's be a shame to add to your bruises," the man chuckled, "you have such a fine collection already....Boy." He sneered the last word, his look deliberately insulting.

With a growl of anger, Steve dived at the man, wrestling him to the floor and landing a glancing blow. His advantage only lasted a moment as the man twisted from under him and managed to lock a choke hold around Steve's neck, pulling him to his feet and holding him, bent backwards so that he struggled for air, his fingers pulling at the mans arm to release him.

"Silly, very silly move boy," the man panted, hitching the choke hold so that Steve's chin was lifted higher. "You girl, if you don't want to see your boyfriends neck snapped, get those ropes and tie his hands and feet." He saw Dora hesitate, her eyes flicking from Steve to his captor. "Move girl or I might lose my patience and do some real harm." A jerk of the man's arm caused Steve to gasp and choke, galvanising Dora who scrabbled to pick up the dropped ropes and approach the two, her hands shaking. Steve's head was being pulled back, his breath coming in tiny gasps as the mans arm tightened across his throat. Dora fumbled the ropes, tears blinding her.

"I can't do this," she gasped, "You're hurting him, let him go."

"As soon as you've tied his feet deary, I'm sure you know a knot or two. Now hurry up,"

Awkwardly, Dora managed to tie Steve's ankles together, her fingers shaking uncontrollably. Once tied, the man released Steve who fell gasping to the floor, one hand pressed to his bruised neck. Before he had time to recover the man had twisted his arms behind his back and tied his hands.

"Now for you," said the man, his glance raking Dora's from her short skirt to her white face. "But I think you'll co-operate, as long as I have Romeo trussed up like a chicken, you won't be going very far." With deft fingers he tied Dora's wrists behind her back, leaving her feet free.

They could hear the sound of a truck entering the warehouse behind them, the floor vibrating noticeably.

"Where are you taking us ?" Steve asked, struggling to get to his knees, hampered by his tied ankles. In reply the man produced a grubby looking hanky and stood behind him, wrapping it across Steve's mouth, between his lips, to effectively gag him.

"Don't want you shouting out and alerting the neighbours now do we."

Dora watched with stricken eyes, helpless to do anything. She caught Steve's eye but a flashing look and small shake of his head told her that anything she tried would be useless. The man then approached her but didn't try to gag her, instead he flicked his finger under the chin making her flinch away.

"I don't have to worry about you, now do I. Just keep quiet or lover boy here gets a new mark on his pretty face."

"I won't shout," whispered Dora, dropping her head to avoid his eyes.

"Right then, lets get you loaded and out of here."

The door to the warehouse opened and Gurt appeared, smiling at his accomplice. "Didn't give you any trouble then ?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle, let's get them into the truck. The sooner we leave the better."

Gurt grabbed Dora's arm above the elbow and marched her out of the room and into the warehouse. She struggled, glancing back to see what was happening to Steve but Gurt was too strong and she was hauled to the side of the truck. Behind them the other man had hoisted Steve over his shoulder, grunting at the weight. Steve found himself hanging upside down, the man's shoulder digging into his stomach painfully. Gurt hustled Dora up the loading ramp, her feet scuffing through the dirty straw lining the floor. With a shove Gurt sent her flying against the far wall, her back hitting the metal with a bang. The other man walked up the ramp and unceremoniously dumped Steve on the floor of the truck. Steve groaned behind the gag, his eyes closed against the pain. Dora only had time to lurch towards him before the ramp was lifted and they found themselves shut up in the dark.

They heard the truck door's slam in the cab and the engine roar into life. Somehow Dora managed to get Steve upright and sitting with his back to the wall. She sat down beside him, their shoulders touching.

"Oh Steve, what are we going to do ?"

Steve was working on getting the gag out of his mouth and succeeded, spitting out the cloth so that it hung limply around his neck.

"Nothing we can do girl, just hope that someone doesn't leave it too long to come looking for us,"

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Ron and Sarah ducked down behind the parked car as the truck pulled out of the alleyway without lights. They watched as it turned into the highstreet and started to rumble away.

"What do we do now, genius ?" asked Ron, rising to his feet and staring after the truck.

"Follow them of course, get this thing fired up, we can't afford to lose them."

Within moments Ron had the chopper turning over and Sarah had climbed onto the pillion.

"If I get caught by the coppers once more without my lights on I'll lose my license," he grumbled, tooling the bike down the road to follow the rapidly disappearing horse-truck.

"Don't get too close Ron, we can't let them see us," shouted Sarah, her arms wrapped securely around his waist.

"Bloody back seat drivers," Ron yelled back.

They continued to follow the truck past the outskirts of the small town, the truck had put its lights on soon after leaving the warehouse but Ron continued to shadow it without his. They were now well out into the surrounding countryside, the truck turning down side roads that Ron hadn't even known about. Sarah tapped him on the shoulder and they pulled over onto the grass verge, the truck up ahead turning into a no exit lane.

"Whatcha stop me for ?" Ron asked, trying to make out Sarah's face in the starlit darkness. Out of the town, without streetlights or traffic, the sky above them blazed with stars, a shooting star catching Ron's attention before a tug on his sleeve drew him back to earth.

"Its a dead end, we don't want to meet them coming back the other way."

"Okay...but what do we do now ? If Steve and Dora are on that truck, we need to find out and get closer."

"Sure we do....but I know what's at the end of that lane, so we can take a shortcut."

"Oh.....how do you know what's there ?"

"Well duh....I used to live around here. I didn't always live in town," said Sarah, walking over to a gate half-hidden in the hedgerow. Ron got off his bike and joined her, staring into the distance and following the glow of the trucks rear lights as it trundled down the narrow lane. It must have turned a corner because the lights suddenly winked out, Ron started back to his bike as Sarah started to climb the gate.

"What the 'eck are you doin' ?"

"I know a shortcut, you can leave the bike here, hidden in the hedge and we can cross this field, the road winds for ever but ends up two paddocks away....come on."

Berating himself for asking stupid questions, Ron ditched his precious bike and clambered over the gate, stumbling over the lumpy grass. As they approached the next fence they could see the trucks lights down in a hollow, its headlights illuminating a small yard beside an equally small farmhouse. Sarah led Ron to the next fence which was made up of wooden railings. Together they crouched down and surveyed the farm yard from their elevated viewpoint.

"I don't know whether to be happy or sad that you told me what Dora and Steve were up to. I still don't know what makes you think that they're anywhere near this god forsaken spot."

"That tells me Ron......look!"

As they watched the two men from the cab of the truck moved to the side and let down the ramp. One man held a torch while the other disappeared inside, quickly reappearing with a struggling Dora. The man then dragged Dora to the farmhouse and pulled her inside, lights instantly blazing and illuminating more of the yard. The other man had now gone inside the truck and Ron swore he saw something that glittered in the man's hand.

"He's holding a knife,"

"How can you tell, its so dark," asked Sarah, rising up on her heels to see better.

"I just know that's all," replied Ron, chewing his lip.

Moments later the man reappeared, pulling someone along who stumbled and appeared bent over, his hands obviously tied behind his back. As they watched the man pushed his captive down the ramp so that he slipped and fell, rolling the few feet to the ground.

"That'll teach you to try and escape," growled the man. Ron and Sarah winced in sympathy as Steve lay on his side, chest heaving.

"Oh poor Steve...he'll have bruises on his bruises at this rate. Why does he fight, he'll only get hurt," Sarah whispered, watching as the man hauled Steve, still struggling, to his feet and started to drag him towards the house.

"If I knew the answer to that, m'girl, we'd all be alot wiser," muttered Ron, his own urge to beat the man to a pulp, very close to the surface, the only outward evidence, his painfully clenched fists.

"Come on, we have to get closer," he whispered, crouching low and starting along the fence line. Sarah followed.

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