London 2010
When the taxi arrived at Victoria station, the stranger led her past the entrance to the steps of a beautiful house with an imposing entrance.
‘Where are we going?’ asked India.
‘Somewhere safe,’ said the man, breaking the relative silence he had maintained throughout the taxi ride.
She followed him up the steps and watched him swipe a card across a magnetic reader, disengaging a lock and they walked into an imposing hallway with a gated lift at the far end. India looked around in awe. Having seen the man use the modern swipe card she had half expected to see a modern hallway but what she walked into took her breath away. It was as if she had stepped back in time.
The decor was straight out of the thirties with walnut panelling lining the walls and lush carpets soft beneath her feet. Above her, several levels of landings circled the spectacular hallway and the biggest chandelier India had ever seen hung dramatically from the ceiling high above.
‘Wow,’ said India, ‘What is this place?’
‘You like it?’ asked the man, allowing himself a quick glance around as he removed his coat, before placing it on an ornately carved coat hanger. ‘It is rather quaint isn’t it?’
‘It’s beautiful,’ said India, in awe.
‘We like it,’ said the man.
‘Who’s we?’ asked India.
‘All in good time, please, come this way.’ He walked past the stairways, and slid open the gate to the lift. India followed him in.
‘Which floor?’ she asked as he closed the gates, her fingers hovering over the ivory buttons.
‘None of those,’ he said, producing a key on a chain from around his neck. ‘Excuse me.’
He eased her to one side and placed a finger on a small brass plaque bearing the manufacturers name, sliding it to one side to reveal a keyhole.
‘Security,’ he said with an apologetic smile. He turned the key, and to India’s surprise the lift descended rather than travel upwards.
A few seconds later the lift came to an abrupt stop bur the view through the gates was obscured by a large door. The man slid open the gate and pushed the door away from them.
‘After you,’ he said and stood to one side for India to pass.
India stepped through but stopped suddenly, as she saw she had entered a large, subterranean car park.
‘Wait a minute,’ she said, nervously, ‘Are you sure…’
Her sentence remained unfinished as the man’s strong arms enveloped her from behind.
India’s eyes widened and she thrashed wildly for a few seconds before the stench of chloroform from the cloth enveloped her senses and she slipped unconsciously to the floor.