Jude reached above her head to grab the lowest branch of the tree. She paused for a moment. This was it. No going back now. She took a deep breath. The only sound she could hear in the still night air was her own heart beating slow, calm, rhythmic. She was utterly composed. Everything was as it should be.

She grasped the tree’s limb with both hands and in one fluid movement swung her legs up between her arms and over the branch so she was sitting astride it. Without a pause, she stood and took hold of the next branch. Soon she was fifteen feet above the ground, level with the top of the high wall that surrounded the mansion.

She stood upright, but flush with the trunk of the tree so all that anyone would see was a shadow, blending in with all the others. She was entirely dressed in black: tight trousers, boots, jacket, sweater and to top it off a black cotton balaclava so that the pale skin of her face couldn’t give her away. She put her hand in the pocket of her jacket and took out her equally black gun, holding it steady in her hand, as she stepped onto the top of the wall and catlike dropped down into the grounds on the other side. She landed in a perfect roll, springing up into a crouch, her gun held out in front of her. As planned, she was behind some shrubs, out of sight of the team of guards who kept the grounds under constant surveillance. She listened for a minute, but all was still quiet.

Carefully, she peered between the leaves of the foliage and planned her route to the house and the window that would allow her the easiest access. She knew that the garden was criss-crossed with a sophisticated infra-red warning system, but she had studied it carefully on the computer this morning and had it memorised. She checked her watch: nine thirty, time for the guards to change shift. This was her moment. She ducked out of the bushes in a crouching run, quickly covering half the distance to the house. At one point, she dropped to the floor and rolled under a line of invisible light. Nearer the house, she jumped over another one, and then wriggled the last few feet on her stomach. The winter grass was frosty, but she didn’t notice, her senses were all focused on monitoring the surroundings for any sign that she had been detected.

She stood up warily and flattened herself against the wall of the house, then put her gun back into its shoulder holster, feeling in her pocket for the glass-cutter. She placed the suction cup against the window and traced around it carefully, then removed the circle of glass and reached her hand inside to unlock the latch. This basement window was a weak spot because it was small, but the dimensions were just wide enough to accommodate Jude’s narrow hips.

She dropped softly to the floor inside and instantly called up a three-dimensional mental map of the house. She needed to get to the master bedroom. From what she knew of Tony Slater’s psychological profile there was no way he’d let the disk be anywhere other than right next to him. He’d take the risk because for him this house felt like one big safe. Not so safe tonight Tony, she smiled beneath her balaclava.

The chimney flue was her means of access to the second floor. She quickly found the basement fireplace and bent to enter it. Old houses were great for this kind of work. She braced her back against one wall and her feet and hands against the other, and slowly began her ascent. She repeatedly placed her feet, then straightened her legs so that her back inched a little further up, using her hands to keep her body steady. Her lips were set in a straight line of concentration, her brain completely focused on the task: the tightening and slackening of muscles trained for exactly this kind of strain. Finally, she reached her destination and pushed up the grate that barred her exit. She held it above her head as she shuffled further up and set it soundlessly down on the floor beside the fireplace.

The room Jude entered was dark, but the moonlight streaming through the windows illuminated furniture covered in dust sheets. Excellent. Just where she’d planned to end up.

She moved to the corner of the room, the rubber soles of her boots silent on the wooden floor. Once there she listened vigilantly, her ear pressed to the door. No sound. She opened the door a crack, allowing the yellow electric light from the landing outside to penetrate the room. She glanced both ways. There didn’t seem to be anyone around. She could hear muffled voices from below but nothing nearby. The next move required a risk that couldn’t be calculated. She had to get from this doorway to the one at the other end of the landing and on the opposite side. She’d just have to make a break for it and hope nobody came out of any of the other rooms at the wrong moment.

Jude closed her eyes briefly, letting her breathing and heart slow to a steady pace again. Then she darted out of the room and along the corridor. When she reached her target, she twisted the door handle, prepared to have another breathless moment or two picking the lock. But happily it was open. She slipped into the dark room within, pressing the door quietly shut behind her. She hunkered down to assess the layout. This was going perfectly.

Suddenly a noise disturbed her. She shot a glance over to the side of the room where a door was illuminated by a thin line of white light all around it. The sound was running water. Somebody was in the en-suite bathroom.

Jude’s heart picked up speed a notch that would’ve been indiscernible to anybody except her. Keep cool. She mentally cursed the informant who’d outlined Tony’s routine to her earlier that day. Things had obviously changed since he’d been a bodyguard here two months ago. Tony was meant to meet with his research team via video-link at ten thirty each night.

OK. No problem. He’d obviously just started his shower. She’d heard the initial rush of water. Yes, definitely. Through the door she could hear the muffled first off-key lyrics of a song. Soft Cell if she wasn’t mistaken. He’d be in there for a while.

Jude checked the room for likely hiding places for the disk. She went to the bedside cabinet first, testing the drawer for a false back. Then she squatted to run her finger along the skirting board for a catch. Nothing. She was standing next to the wardrobe, rifling through the pockets of the jackets and trousers hanging there when there was a sudden knock on the door of the room. The singing/water combo from the bathroom immediately ceased.

Adrenaline instantly kicked in and Jude shut the wardrobe, hit the floor and rolled under the bed just as the bathroom door opened. The overhead lamp clicked on, bathing the room in light. From her position below the bed she watched as two naked feet made their way quickly over to the main door, leaving damp imprints in the light grey carpet. She silently withdrew her gun just in case. Her breath came quick and hot against the cotton of the balaclava.

The door was opened. A pair of large boots confronted the bare feet.
"What?" the owner of the feet snapped.
Boots replied in deferential but businesslike fashion. "Sorry to disturb you sir, but there’s an intruder in the house. We picked up heat signals from the basement but then we lost him. "
Shit, thought Jude. Nobody said anything about heat detectors.

"You lost him? " Bare feet sounded incredulous.
"Yes sir, but he must be on his way here. " "Rubbish. There’s a state of the art safe in the east wing. There’s no way he could know the plans aren’t in there. It’s the obvious place to look. "
"Even so. " Boots moved towards feet, probably craning to scrutinise the room.
"Even so nothing. Don’t you think I’d know if somebody was in here? "
"Well..."
"Are you suggesting that I’m incompetent? " Feet was seriously pissed off now. "You want to come in an search? " Sarcastic, but he stepped back.

Jude tensed all her muscles ready. Don’t come in. Don’t come in.
"No. No of course not. " Boots was flustered but quickly regained his composure. "I’m very sorry to bother you sir. "
Feet said no more, just shut the door firmly behind the guard as he left and twisted the key in the lock. Jude heard him remove the key and watched him back away from the door.

Now get back in the shower like a good boy, Jude willed. But Tony wasn’t playing ball any more. She watched his feet walk over to the wardrobe. He stood there for a few moments, drying himself from the sound of it. Sure enough a navy towel fell to the floor. Her mind clicked over the options. He could be heading to bed, in which case she’d only have to wait until he was asleep. But no, now he was stepping into a pair of dark blue jeans. He couldn’t be planning to go out because he’d just locked the door.

Once the jeans were on, still with bare feet, Tony walked over to a chair at the side of the room next to the bathroom door, opposite the end of the bed, so Jude could see slightly more of his legs from her vantage point.
He sat there quietly for a few minutes. Was he reading a book? Just thinking? Then Jude heard a familiar click that made her stomach turn.
"You can come out now, " Tony’s voice was deliberately calm and measured. "Keep your hands above your head. I have a gun. "

Jude swore hard under her breath, but there was nothing she could do. She stuffed her gun into her jacket pocket and as gracefully as she could she wriggled out from under the bed with her empty hands in view. Then she stood up, keeping her arms stretched above her head.

Tony sat in the chair facing her, his gun pointed at her chest. He was smiling lazily, but his dark eyes were sharp enough. He was wearing a maroon shirt over his jeans. His dark hair was still brushed back, wet from the shower.
"Bit short for a terrorist aren’t you? " he said. "Let’s have the silly hat off shall we? " he gestured to Jude’s head with the gun.

Carefully, she reached one hand down, pulled off the balaclava and dropped it on the floor, shaking out her chin length brown curls.

Tony sucked his breath through his teeth appreciatively. "Bit cute for one too. " He grinned. "Now I’m very glad I didn’t just hand you over to the guards. "
"Why didn’t you? "
"Oh you know, I wanted to find out what was going on myself. It’s boring having everything done for you all the time. "
Jude said nothing.

"So why don’t you tell me why you’re here? Who sent you? " Tony asked conversationally.
"No. "
"No? "
"No. I won’t be telling you that. "
"Oh I think you will. " His dark eyes flashed, suddenly angry again.
"No I won’t. " Jude’s grey eyes flashed back just as dangerous.

He sighed and sank back in the chair. "I don’t really think you’re in a position to refuse, " he wiggled the gun again. Fucking amateur, Jude thought. She remained silent.
Tony raised his eyebrows with mock weariness and got up out of his seat. "Don’t try anything funny or I will shoot you, " he said. "However cute you are. "

He came over to Jude and briskly patted down her sides, removing the gun from her pocket. It was a lot larger than his. "Impressive, " he commented. "Not going to do you much good now though. " Holding his gun against her belly, he crouched and frisked her legs down the outside and up the inside, lingering rather too long when he reached the top. Then he stood up so his face was inches away from her own. He looked down into her eyes, still holding the muzzle of the gun against her. "You are going to tell me. " He spoke like a parent trying to explain something in simple terms for a child to understand.
She kept her face expressionless, her chin jutting out defiantly.

Tony took a few steps backwards, keeping his gun trained on her. "Take your jacket off and throw it over here. " She did as he said. He appraised the curve of her chest underneath the tight sweater and seemed to consider something. Slowly he said "and your jumper. "
Jude raised an eyebrow at him. Was he serious?
"And your jumper now, " he demanded, more sure of himself.

She shrugged the sweater over her head revealing a functional black sports bra. She folded her arms in front of herself and regarded him quizzically.
He nodded and she knew what he meant. "No I won’t, " she said. "What’s this about? "
Tony smiled languidly. "It’s about me getting the information I want out of you. Unless you want to change your mind and just tell me. "
In answer, Jude reached behind her back and unhooked the bra, letting it drop to the floor.
"Very nice, " Tony commented.
Jude coloured, aware that her nipples were pink and erect against the pale skin of her breasts. Due to the cold.
"Now go sit on the bed. "

Jude did as she was told, perching on the edge, with her feet on the floor. Meanwhile, Tony backed over to the wardrobe, keeping his gun trained on her. He opened the door and grabbed a couple of the ties that was hanging on the rail there. Then he came over to her. He twisted one arm behind her back and then grabbed the other one, securing the wrists together with the tie, tightening the knot so that it almost cut off the circulation to her hands. Then, keeping the gun against her bare chest, he bent down and fastened her ankles together in a similar manner.
When he stepped back, he visibly relaxed. He set the gun down on the bedside cabinet and smiled, "now we’re going to have some fun. "

He stood in front of Jude and touched her face softly, letting his fingers stroke down her cheek and neck then under the curve of her breast. Jude stared ahead refusing to respond in any way to the contact. He gazed at her hungrily from under half-lowered lashes. Gently, he cupped her breast and ran his thumb over the nipple so it stood up even more stiff under his touch. Jude blinked, trying to keep her mind off the sensation. Then suddenly she felt an intense pain. Tony was pinching her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She clenched her teeth and tried not to show any outward signs, but her nerve-endings screamed in protest.

Tony lowered his face to hers, also displaying no reaction as he squeezed the nipple even harder. "This is just the start, " he said. "You could save yourself a lot of pain if you just told me what I want to know. "
Jude shook her head slowly from side to side, keeping his gaze.

Tony let go of her breast, causing another jagged fork of pain to shoot through her as the pressure was released. He grabbed her chin and tilted her face to meet his. His lips crashed against hers in a rough, bruising kiss and she felt his tongue push into her mouth. She couldn’t stop herself from grunting at the invasion. She could bite him, but then he could easily grab the gun up again. She tried to turn her face away, but he held it firm. She tried to wriggle away from him, but he put his other arm around her and clasped her close. He tasted of toothpaste and she could smell the remains of shaving foam on his skin, which was still bristly with stubble.

Finally, he released her and stepped back, panting. Her breaths came heavy and ragged too and she glared at him.
He laughed. "Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy that, " he said, clocking her flushed face and chest. "Now are you still holding back or did I manage to loosen your tongue? "
Jude looked down at the floor, shame-faced, but silent.

Tony was pleased. He was enjoying this way too much for her to cave now. He walked back to the wardrobe, bent down and pulled a small sports bag from the back of the cupboard. He brought it in front of her and unzipped it. The bag fell open revealing several objects, in black leather. Jude identified them as sex toys, definitely of the more kinky variety.

Tony looked a little uneasy at what he’d revealed about himself, but he was obviously excited at the prospect of what he was about to do. He withdrew a sturdy black crop from the bag and brushed its tip against Jude’s cheek, almost tenderly. "I’m sorry about this, " he whispered, "but I do need to find out why you’re here. " He raised the crop. At that moment, Jude pulled her hands from behind her back, grabbed the crop and pulled hard. Tony overbalanced onto the bed, while Jude nimbly rolled out of his way, grabbing the gun from the bedside table. He turned towards her, but too late. She had the gun trained on him.

Jude bent down and removed the tie from her ankles, keeping the gun on Tony. She then circled the bed to stand at the end at his feet. He sat up cautiously. She gestured with the gun for him to remain still and regarded him, an amused smile on her face.
"Oh dear, " she said, shaking her head. "I don’t think this is what you had in mind at all. "
"Look, " Tony began, "I wasn’t going to..."
"Oh but I think you were. "

Shame and anger vied for control over his expression. Jude thought she’d like to add a little fear into the mix. "Top tip sugar, " she said. "Never tie people up with anything made of cloth, far too easy to cut through. " She revealed the small knife that she’d held palmed in her hand ever since she’d got out from under the bed. Then she picked up her jacket and dug her hand into an inside pocket, taking out the metal items that she found there. "Now handcuffs, " she said smoothly, "they’re an entirely different story. " She twisted them in her hand so they jangled and caught the light. The gun in her other hand remained pointed at his head.
"But before I put these on you I think I’d like something from you, " she smiled. "Take your shirt off please. "
He frowned, but did as she commanded.
"And your jeans too I think. "
"Huh? "
"Your jeans. "
"But I didn’t make you..."

She snorted. "What do you think this is? I’m not playing your little sex game here. I’m a professional. You are going to undress and then you are going to tell me the location of the computer disk with the bug plans on. Or I’m going to take you to a level of pain that you’ve never even dreamt of. "
Ah, a flicker of fear passed across his face. It never failed.

"I’m waiting, " she said.
Slowly he unbuttoned the jeans and stood up. She nodded for him to continue. His face reddened and he let the trousers drop to the floor and stepped out of them. His hands remained in front of groin. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Jude jangled the cuffs again. "Now, in order to put these on you I’m really going to need your hands behind your back aren’t I? "
Tony said nothing. His hands remained where they were.
"Aren’t I? " she asked.
He nodded and grudgingly did as she commanded.

She smiled at what he revealed. "How interesting, " she said. "Now I wouldn’t have thought a dominant guy such as yourself would be semi-erect at the prospect of a woman tying him up and beating him, but I see that you are. "
He glared at her, his cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
"I just note it for interest value, " she said, coming round behind him and locking the handcuffs on his wrists. She then used the same tie on his ankles that he’d used on her. "Another top tip, " she said gleefully, putting the gun down on the chair behind her. "Always leave the gun in your reach, not your captive’s. "
"Now, " she continued. "What was the line again? You could save yourself a lot of pain if you just told me what I want to know. "

He sighed and shook his head.
"Have it your way. " She pushed him back onto the bed so he was lying with his hands twisted painfully behind him and she straddled him. Then she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. His head twisted to the side with the force of the blow. He looked stunned, and his cheek flared red where she’d hit it. She brought her face down close to his. "That’s for before, " she murmured. "Now try anything funny and I will kill you. Believe me I’m quite capable of doing that. " She let him see that she was serious. The fear was back in his eyes for good now, but he was also still clearly aroused. She allowed the rough material of her trousers to brush against his groin and noted the response. "You know I think you were right, " she said. "This is going to be fun. "

She jumped off the bed, and grabbed up the bag, tipping the contents out onto the floor: a couple of crops, a flogger, some leather cuffs and some lube. Nothing compared to her own collection at home. Yep, he was definitely an amateur. She grabbed up the crop that he’d been planning to use on her and poked him in the chest with the end of it. "Front or back? " she asked in a silky voice.

"Huh? "
"I’m giving you a choice. Do you want me to use this on your front or on your back? "
His face and chest were burning with shame and he said nothing for several minutes. No matter. She could wait. Finally he gave in. "Back, " he muttered.
"Lovely, " she smiled brightly. "Turn over then. "
He looked at her in disbelief.
"Come on, " she said. "We haven’t got all night. Well actually I suppose we have. But I’m keen to crack on. " She let the crop fall against her leg as she said this and noted a pleasing accompanying twitch in his groin.

Reluctantly he rolled over, with some difficulty because of the way his hands were joined behind his back. "Come now, no pouting, " she said. "It’ll only make it worse. "
Finally he was on his front. She appraised his back, legs and arse appreciatively. Not badly toned for a techie. He must work out. He buried his face in the pillow to disguise his embarrassment at her scrutiny.
"Oh that’s no fun, " she said. "I need to be able to see your face. Turn it to the side. "
He did as she ordered.

"And now, let me see, maybe if you were kneeling up, bent over instead of lying down. "
He didn’t move.
"Do it now, " she commanded. This time he responded quickly, bringing his knees up. She smiled. "Good boy. "

She whisked the crop through the air a couple of times, bringing it up short each time so that his buttocks clenched in expectation and nothing happened. She could tell that he was now extremely excited. Finally, she raised the crop high. She could see that he was trying to make out what she was doing, his face turned to one side. His dark wet hair hung in his eyes and he tried to blow it out of the way. She brought the crop down hard, and he cried out in pain. She grinned. "Oh does it hurt baby? It’s nothing you weren’t ready to do to me. "
"I wasn’t, " he stammered, "I mean I wasn’t really going to..."
"Yeah right you weren’t. " She let the crop rise and fall another couple of times, leaving pink stripes across his buttocks. "I’m not really exerting myself yet, " she said. "How much of this do you think you can take before you tell me? " He was silent.

He didn’t know how to answer. Poor baby. His erection told her that he could receive quite a bit more, but she wanted some communication. "Tony I asked you a question. "
"Um, I... I don’t know. "
"What about six? " she asked. "It is traditional. Maybe you could count them for me, I wouldn’t want to miss one. "

Another silence.
"Come on now, I think you know what to do. "
A long pause and then, "um... one. "
Jude let the crop fall harder than any of her previous strokes. He yelled in pain. She waited a moment and then said "Tony? "
He was breathing heavily. "T... two? " he managed.

She brought the crop down again a little softer, and this time he moaned in pleasure rather than protest, and fairly quickly said "three?’
This time she put all her strength into it. Tony screamed and his buttocks burned red where the crop had hit them. She could see tears running down his cheeks and his back shook with a sob. She put her hand gently on his shoulder, supporting him, and stood there quietly, letting his crying subside. He sniffed and seemed to pull himself together.
"Three more, " she said "what do you say. "
"Please, " he groaned, giving up all pretence that he didn’t want it.
"Yes that would normally be the magic word, " Jude agreed, "but in this case..." "Oh, uh, four. Four. "

She raised the crop high again, considering the force of the next blow. But suddenly they were both shocked out of the situation by a knock at the door. Tony glanced round at Jude in panic. A male voice came through the door. "Sir, are you OK? I thought I heard... noises. "
Jude stood firm and looked at Tony warily, trying to judge whether she could grab her gun up in time if the guard came bursting in. Top tip Jude. Don’t put your gun down at all.

Tony coughed and kept his eyes fixed on her. "I’m fine, " he said, his voice cracking halfway through the second word. He must have realised it didn’t sound very convincing. "I’m watching a movie, " he continued. "Did you find the intruder yet? "
"Not yet, " the voice from outside came. "We’re thinking it could have been a cat or something. "
"Are you serious? " Tony feigned anger, still keeping his gaze locked on Jude. "You disturbed me for that. "
"I’m sorry sir. "
"Don’t let it happen again. "

They listened to the footsteps retreating. Tony regarded Jude with big, dark eyes, pupils dilated. "Four? " he asked plaintively.
She grinned at him and let the crop fall three times in quick succession, as hard as the last time. With the final blow he fell back on the bed, his legs no longer capable of supporting him. He lay there whimpering.

She stroked her hand down his back and over his buttocks, causing him to moan again. Then she gently rolled him over.
His eyes were glazed with tears. She stroked his face, then cupped his chin in her hands, and pulled it up hard. Sinking down she kissed him as roughly as he had previously kissed her, crushing his lips and penetrating his mouth with her tongue. At the same time she reached down and grabbed his cock. It was hard in her hand. She stroked her fingers along its shaft and his groan of pleasure was stifled by her mouth over his. She brought her face back slightly, biting and sucking his lips and tongue as her hand stroked him up to a point of intense, impossible arousal. She let go of his chin, and let her hand fall between her own legs. She pulled back to see his whole face. His eyes met hers, heavy with desire. She clenched her thighs around her hand once, twice, as she squeezed his cock again. He cried out and threw his head back, eyes closed and mouth open in ecstasy. At the same time, she felt her own orgasm shudder through her and surrendered to it, falling onto the bed next to him.

They lay there for a few minutes. She stroked her fingers across his chest, knowing the importance of some tenderness after a scene as intense as that. He smiled at her cautiously and she grinned and got up.
Slowly she put on her bra, sweater and jacket, then picked up the gun.

He seemed to regain his composure a little and raised his eyebrows flirtatiously. "You still didn’t get the plans. "
Jude removed the disk from her jacket and waved it at him "You mean this? "
He looked stunned.
She continued, "beneath the mattress, not very original. I got it when I was under the bed. "
He looked baffled. "You already had it? Then why? "
She grinned. "I think you know the answer to that. "

He sat up hopefully, eyes like a puppy dog.
"Keep the cuffs sugar. " She extracted the key from her pocket and tossed it on the floor so it’d take him a good while to scrabble around for it after she’d gone.

She went to the window and opened it. The escape route was clear. She turned back into the room briefly. "See you around, " she smiled. And then she disappeared out of the window and out of his sight. He flopped back against the pillow and sighed.