When Kelli came out the classroom she was surprised to see Matt standing behind the warden at the door. He immediately took hold of her arm and led her away from the group, out of the way of the exiting students. She started to say hello but caught herself just in time. Unless there was some pressing need she should not initiate a conversation with any of the men.

"Face the wall, hands behind your back." She obeyed without hesitation. The handcuffs went on immediately. The cuffs were snug but not too tight; he didn't make an exception for her. She could feel his fingers as he carefully checked the fit. A thrill went through Kelli as she caught her breath. This was the first time Matt had been the one to restrain her. She was finally under his direct control, helpless, hands bound, required to obey his every order. And he might have the key to her chastity belt.

He offered no explanation as to why he was there or where he was taking her. She knew better than to ask. Unless he directed a question at her she had to remain silent. He was still a warden; she had rules to follow. She had to bite her lip to keep from talking. There were so many things she wanted to tell him.

He took her through the corridor in the opposite direction from the rest of her classmates, finally stopping in a small room with only a table and a chair. On the wall there was a dress on a hanger. Below on the floor was a pair of tennis shoes and thick white athletic socks. She recognized them; they had come from her closet. Was she being released? It didn't seem like enough time had passed.

He stopped her in front of her clothes. Standing behind her he released her hands as he ordered, "Get dressed and put on those shoes. When you are finished face the wall."

"Yes sir." That was all she could get away with. Maybe he would let her talk later.

Matt stepped back and sat on the table, watching her as she slipped on the dress. When she knelt down to put on her shoes she caught a glimpse of his best impersonal warden expression. She got the message. Whatever was about to happen they were both still operating under standard procedures. After putting on her shoes she stood up and turned to the wall, arms loose at her sides.

She heard Matt open a drawer in the table. "Face me," came his next command. When she turned around he had a heavy leather belt in his hand. In the center was a large metal ring. He reached forward and wrapped the belt around her waist. The buckle appeared to lock as he pushed in a button on the top. She could see a slot in the top for a small key. The belt was a tight fit, encircling her waist where it narrowed above her hips so it wouldn't slip down. She could feel the weight of the ring in the back.

When he reached behind his back she knew what was coming. Her wrists were cuffed behind her back again, but this time the connecting chain was threaded through the belt ring. Her hands were pinned to the small of her back.

"Kneel on the chair." He held onto her as she knelt on the chair he pulled out. Reaching into the open drawer again he came out with a set of leg chains. She felt them go around her ankles. At least she had some padding with the socks on.

"Stand up." Matt held onto her arm as it was awkward to stand with her legs chained. Matt looked at her oddly when she automatically spread her legs to the limit of the restraints. Her training had become a reflex and Kelli didn't realize what she had done until she saw Matt's expression of surprise. Looking down momentarily she noticed these were full length shackles, which allowed her to walk with almost a normal stride.

He finished with a blindfold, pulling the retaining straps tight behind her head. She heard him drop something else back into the drawer. "I don't think a gag will be necessary."

Kelli was grateful for his small kindness. Of all the restraints that had been used on her in the past few weeks the gag scared her the most. The blindfold made her nervous too, but given a choice she would take losing her sight over having that awful thing stuffed in her mouth. She still had no idea what Matt was doing.

"Because you've shown progress you have earned a reward for your efforts. You have permission to accompany me on my morning walk. Remember Kelli, you are not being released. You will continue to follow all rules and remain mindful at all times of your status as a student. For now you still do not have permission to speak. Do not answer any questions addressed to you until I allow it. Nod if you understand."

Slowly she nodded. She would have a few moments alone with Matt. It had been so long. She didn't realize how much she missed him. A trip outside! That explained the blindfold and dress. He had to take her through the staff section to get to an outside exit.

Holding onto her upper arm he guided her out the door. She couldn't see where they were going but she knew when the hard floor changed to carpet they were in the staff area. Sounds were muted and didn't carry. Once Matt stopped and turned her to the wall while a group went by. From the voices it was a mix of men and women, but no one she recognized. They would know she was a student and ignore her.

The second time they stopped Kelli knew who it was as soon as she heard their voices. Matt spoke first, "Hi Bob, Cathy." Matt held onto her arm but didn't make her face the wall. She automatically spread her legs to take up the slack in her ankle chains. It felt awkward to stand with her feet so far apart but no one had asked her opinion. It was a rule she was beginning to intensely dislike.

"Good morning, sir." That was Cathy.

"Hello Matt, Kelli. Heading off for the morning constitutional?" The deep masculine voice was definitely Cathy's master, Robert.

"That's right. Kelli is going to come along today. You'll excuse her for not saying hello." She understood what that meant. On the rare occasion a student was in the staff section she wasn't to speak to anyone unless absolutely necessary.

"Of course. Well, we won't keep you then. Good to see you again Kelli." That was Robert. Much as she would have liked to return the courtesy Kelli knew the slightest mistake and her reward could vanish.

Matt led her to one of the elevators. When they started going up Kelli knew the outside exit wasn't far away. At the top he had to stop at the counter while the guard checked Kelli's status. Matt removed her blindfold so the guard could see her face. This was the last layer of security before the desert so clearances were double-checked for any female.

The guard brought up her picture on a terminal. She was surprised when it was followed by Matt's picture. Finally he made a phone call to verify her pass. "Everything's in order. It's a little windy today, Matt, but the temp's comfortable. You'll be alone this morning. There is a truck due in three hours. You're clear on procedures with her?"

"Yeah. We'll be going for a short walk. I'm sure we'll be back before then. Thanks, Randy." Kelli watched Matt write down the time on a clipboard while the guard typed something on the computer keyboard. Matt had warned her about the intense security at the school, including the small detail that she would not be allowed to leave on her own. At the time she hadn't thought much about it but now she could see he had not been exaggerating. The guard buzzed the last door. When Matt pushed it open she saw blue skies and sagebrush.

The moment the door closed behind them Matt turned her to face him. "I've missed you so much, Kelli." He held her face in his hands while he kissed her. She struggled in vain against the handcuffs, trying to wrap her arms around him.

He noticed her attempt to free her hands. "I'm sorry but I can't take the cuffs off. That's one of the conditions. I have to enforce all the usual student/warden policies, even out here. I'm serious, Kelli, if you misbehave I have to take you right back. Okay?"

It wasn't an ideal situation but she would take whatever was offered. She nodded in agreement.

"Alright, you have permission to talk. Please be careful, I don't want to cut our time short." His look of sincere concern made Kelli pause. No one else was watching or listening to them, nothing to stop him from ignoring policy. Nothing except his own sense of duty , she realized. She would be cautious.

"Thank you sir. I will remember my place." It would be difficult to forget, with her hands locked behind her back. "I miss you too." She looked around. "Which way do we go?"

Matt laughed, "In a hurry to get somewhere?" He rubbed her back with one hand while he pointed with the other. "We'll stay on the road, in that direction. I can't imagine it will happen but if you see someone tell me immediately."

They started to walk along the road. He kept the pace slow, often pausing to point something out. She didn't really share his fascination with desert scenery but that didn't matter today. She just wanted to be with him and listen to his voice. Her body made it clear she wanted more from him. Silently she cursed the rules that kept them apart, and the shield locked between her legs that so frustrated her desire. It might control access but it did nothing to quell the growing arousal she felt in Matt's presence.

"Is the school what you expected? Any regrets in asking to be enrolled?"

She looked up at him as they walked side by side. Normally as a warden he would hold onto her upper arm, but Matt chose to maintain contact with a hand high on her back. "No sir, it wasn't anything like I had pictured. Don't laugh but I had this image of a college sorority house where we'd go to seminars and generally have a good time, but under the watchful eye of the occasional kindly and compassionate warden."

He smiled but didn't laugh out loud. She could tell he found her description amusing. "And when you found out it didn't quite work that way?"

"An hour after they came for me I was ready to go home. I was scared to death, I couldn't stop crying, I wanted you to come get me and make it all better. It was a nightmare and I couldn't wake up." She thought back to that first night and how Diane had tried to help her. Where was Diane now? Kelli hadn't seen her after the fighting incident.

Matt stopped and faced her, hands on her shoulders. "Do you still feel that way?" He stared at her intently.

"No sir, I don't." That was an honest answer. "Once I had time to figure out the rules and adapt it wasn't nearly as bad. I'm learning so much, about myself and how I'm not alone in my beliefs about what a woman should be. The classes are wonderful. Well, most of the time." One class had been boring, and she had gotten in trouble because of it. She had to tell Matt what happened.

"Sir? There's something I have to tell you." He probably knew all about it, but she felt compelled to explain regardless.

He took her over to the covered picnic table at the side of the road. "Let's sit down for a moment before you start."

"Yes sir," she said, grateful for a moment's delay. He had to know even if she was ashamed to explain how she had failed him. They sat down.

"It happened in one of the classes. The lecture was boring, but that's no excuse. I didn't pay attention and was caught at it." She hung her head, unable to look him in the eye. "I was punished for my mistake, sir. I knew better but I did it anyway. The teacher stopped her talk and called the wardens. They took me away, in front of everyone. They kept me for, I don't know how long, three days maybe." Kelli was on the verge of tears.

Matt put an arm around her shoulder. He knew it had actually been half that long. "Did you learn from the experience? Have you done the same thing again?"

She jerked her head up and turned to him. "Yes sir, I learned my lesson! I won't ever do that again. I was careless and acted in an unacceptable manner. I promise sir, from now on I'll pay attention in class."

"Then I think we can consider the incident closed. You needn't bring it up again."

"Yes sir." The sky hadn't fallen after all. The relief she felt was genuine. He wasn't angry or disappointed. She leaned into him; his arm across her shoulders felt so good. There still remained one more nagging question she was compelled to ask.

"Sir? Before I went to the school, was I lazy?"

"Lazy? No, I wouldn't go that far. There were times I think you could have been more focused." That was as diplomatic an answer as he could find.

"Thank you sir, but I think you are holding back. You let me get away with too much." She hesitated, wondering if she was going too far. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be critical."

"That's okay, speak up. You're right too; in hindsight I know I was too lenient. I blame myself for what happened, Kelli. You deserve more from me. My promise to you is that I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." Matt stared off in the distance, unwilling to look her in the eye.

Kelli stared up at him, confused by what he had confessed. "No sir, with all due respect my behavior is ultimately my own responsibility. I've learned I can't get away with that kind of attitude anymore. I didn't much care for the methods but the lesson was one I needed to be taught. The instructors showed me that I should take pride in what I can accomplish, but only if I earn it.

"Sir, I want you to be my owner and give me the opportunity to show you what I can do. I will earn your admiration and make you proud to be my master. You asked if I had any regrets. No, I don't, not now. "

Matt had no doubts she meant every word. She might not realize it but she was pressing every button in his head. He wanted all she was offering, and more. The woman sitting next to him was a world away from the Kelli who had asked to be sent to the school. There was a confidence in the way she spoke that had been absent in the old version.

He stood up and helped her rise. "We have to start back." He took her arm and pointed her back to the entrance.

"Yes sir." He paused but there were no pleas to extend her time, no subtle tricks to entice him to keep her outside. Out of the corner of his eye he watched her. No sign of distress, no holding back. She knew the school would be her destination yet she calmly walked toward her own return to incarceration.

Back inside the above ground building Matt blindfolded Kelli before taking her into the elevator. When he ordered her to silence she offered no resistance, merely nodding to show she understood.