38: Missing in Action

Summary: The teen detectives long-term Police ally, DCI Nikki Heath, goes missing and they naturally attempt to find her.

Warning: Adult bondage but only on an adult. Also implied nudity on an adult.

“It’s the end of our GCSEs!” One Croonford student yelled.

“We’ve finished Year 11! Woo!” Another student shouted.

Many Year 11 students were also chanting those lines. Only a minority still had GCSE exams to complete and still joined in. After class photographs were taken by an irritating photographer, students gathered in their classrooms for an end-of-year tradition. They were allowed to write messages and draw pictures on each other’s’ shirts and blouses. Student councillors and seniors were present to ensure there were no racist and obscene messages and art and maintain order.

At Chelle’s and Lin’s class, everyone was engrossed with drawing and writing on each other. Heather Smiths, tall, blonde and well endowed, got many ‘pretty gal’, beautiful babe’ and allowed boys to write and sign ‘be my girlfriend’ on her front torso. Julia Humes,  the only black girl in that class got words of praise how she tackled her ethnicity through the years. Art Morton, a former school bully, accepted  words like ‘don’t play tricks on me ever again’. Hattie Coy, the talented art student, received words and basic sketches praising her. In return, she drew realistic pictures on her fellow students.

Chelle received several pictures on her blouse that looked like her and others with her looking down on others. Caption wrote: Girl Detective 1, Criminal 0! After she drew another picture with the caption: ‘Best Girl Detective in Town!’  “What about me?” Lin teased. She received ‘Another great girl detective and best scientist!’ under her picture. At Jenn’s class, most pictures and words stated she was a star student or the best school debater and drama queen. Richard received ‘Guy with unforgettable memory’.  There was no difference over at Reinhard’s and Mark’s class. Mark received dozens ‘Star Rugby Player’ messages. The shorter classmate got ‘Great Science Guy’ and ‘Computer Genius’.

Another rule was finishing Year 11 students could leave wearing their own clothes. That pleased Jenn as she walked out wearing jeans T-Shirt. Chelle wore a jeans skirt while Lin was in a dress with flowery patterns. As the teen detectives walked towards an eatery, they spotted several police officers dragging handcuffed people towards police cars. DS Bluebell Ransom was amongst the police officers and Chelle Lin waved at her. During their meal, while discussing their summer plans and future grammar school life, Richard spoke up.

“Did see DS Ransom’s facial expression? She looked quite stressed out.”

“Police and military personnel are usually like that,” Chelle remarked but the image stayed in Richard’s mind. Several days later, himself, Jenn and Chelle were walking out of school after confirming their subject choices for Sixth Form, they again spotted DS Ransom with another gaggle of police officers. The expression on the police detective’s was initially the same as previously. However, as Chelle waved to her, she only acknowledged with a slight nod and her facial expression changed to a worried look.

“Alright, she’s either stressed and worried out over work or personal problems. I say it’s personal,” Chelle remarked as they quenched their thirst from a roadside stall. “I guess it’s personal.”

“Could also be her workload. We haven’t seen DCI Heath lately,” Richard thought.

“Well, DS Ransom was assigned the last case by Nikki,” Jenn pointed out,

Two days ago, Nikki Heath was cuddling with her latest boyfriend, Max. Nikki, having spent most of her time buried with investigations, hardly had steady dates. Max was unlike the others; he appeared to be funny, muscular and helpful. Their cuddling soon turned to an extremely intimate act where each other’s clothes were removed. Nikki was the first to undress: She yanked of her T-shirt fast, then swiftly unclipped her black bra, exposing her D-cup breasts. Quickly, she reached down and expertly removed her jeans. Max on the other hand, had undressed down flimsy boxers. They resumed kissing now hugging each other then suddenly, Max reached down and yanked at Nikki’s skimpy knickers. Nikki protested she didn’t want to be totally naked or have sex.

The evening  after seeing, DS Random’s worried look, Chelle was shopping at a local, small Tesco for missing items in her toilet. As she headed to the toiletries section, she nearly collided another shopper.

“I’m sorry…oh hi DS Ransom,” Chelle greeted.

“Yes, hi.” The police detective’s short response wasn’t as joyful as usual, so Chelle quickly asked, “Is something bothering you, Detective?”

Ransom looked at her then suggested they finish their shopping then go to a nearby cafe. Their groceries were stored in Ransom’s car then over juice for Chelle and coffee for Ransom, the truth was revealed.

“Nikki didn’t turn up to work  three days ago. We called her work and personal phone many times and there was no answer. After a rushed warrant from a judge, we searched her flat but everything was pristine, even her blanket was folded nicely. Forensics found no traces of a struggle or break in. She can’t have intentionally gone rogue or undercover. Initially, she was declared as a missing person but now a kidnapped individual.”

“We’d like to help, Detective,” Chelle quickly responded.

“You can call me Bell after knowing each other so long. No, I suspect it could be a dangerous case and I don’t want have teens in any trouble.” She saw Chelle’s facial reaction. “Alright, since you helped Nikki and myself fight crime here all this time, I’ll try to provide you updates when I can.” With that, they shook hands.

The next day was a Saturday and Chelle called a meeting of all the teen detectives at her home as their caravan was stifling in the summer heat. She quickly summarised what was told, adding Ransom’s advice to stay away.

“So, that explains her facial expressions. We’re not sitting on the sidelines, are we?” Richard asked.

“Most definitely not! We owe it to Nikki – she’d  helped us all the time and vice versa,” Lin declared.

“Where do we start? The police found no evidence at Nikki’s place,” Mark noted.

Chelle opened her laptop and accessed her Facebook account and within in seconds, showed Nikki Heath’s account. They crowded around and initially saw nothing unusual so Jenn suggested looking at her pictures. The first few were just of scenery while the fifth was of her hugging a muscular and taller guy. This person was not tagged thus Chelle returned to Nikki’s friend’s list.

“Max Smiith, what a generic name,” Jenn read out loud.

Evenings earlier, just as Nikki protested she didn’t want sex, Max moved his arm and jabbed a minute needle into her side. Instantaneously, the senior police detective drooled, then fell unconscious. “Oh, you’ll get an alternative to a screw,” Max growled and turned the unconscious, topless lady face down and wrench her arms behind her back. Her wrist were criss-crossed and her wrists were tightly secured by two sets of cable ties. Her elbows were also bound then  he flung her back face front. Her knees and ankles received similar treatment. Max then retrieved long-length industrial cable ties and used them to bind her arms to her side, pushing her huge boobs further out.

He stepped backed to admire the set of restraints then wiped clean the drool around her lips. Pieces of black duct tape were smeared across her lower jaw then breathable hood was secured over her head. He then sent a text message and minutes later, a dark-skinned and black-haired man entered. Both men wrapped her in a large canvas bag, then placed her in a large box with air holes. They expertly cleaned the whole room, made the bed, checked the coast was clear, then carried the box out.

The teen detectives couldn’t find anything regarding Max Smith; his Facebook profile was incomplete with no pictures. They planned to show it to DS Ransom but phone calls indicated the Detective Sergeant was not in her office. They all went their different ways with Lin and Reinhard heading to the detectives’ headquarters. They repaired and many gadgets then paused to decide what to create.

“What about that social media programme you created long ago?” Reinhard asked.

“Oh, it stopped working after a while,” was her reply. “Don’t think it can be repaired.”

“Well, that person’s profile may be so, we should focus on that single picture, using the good old photoshop.”

While, the science kids were focused on gadgets and the photo, Richard was over at Jenn’s house and he spotted pamphlets for a grammar school. “Well, my parents wish me to transfer to Raddleborn Grammar. It offers a scholar for students taking humanities subjects. Has a range of high-quality teachers…”

“So, are you leaving Croonford School? The detective gang?”

“No, it’s just their view. I haven’t made a final decision, after all, my schoolmates, teachers my life is at Croonford. I’ll miss the drama club, the debate club and..”

“Me,” Richard concluded.

She laughed, then he asked if she’ll like to try an online music quiz before they focus on the new case.

Chelle finally arranged a meeting with DS Ransom and awaited being told off. “Well, boss previously said she never had a steady lover but this is certainly new evidence.” In reply, Bell said the neighbours heard slight footsteps past midnight but no one saw anyone exiting Nikki’s flat. “I’ve also ordered the forensics team to sweep her flat and exterior again.”

“Either she’s lying or that’s all she’s looked into her missing superior,” Mark remarked. “That’s information is very thin.”

“We need to find where Nikki lives. I know it’s searching for a needle in a haystack. Let’s reexamine the picture.”

As the couple focused on the picture, a girl cursed for the first time in many years. “Bloody Hell, how could I forget the Beatles number one single?”

“It happens. I’ll…” Richard began.

“I’m always first in everything! I’m going to be top of the Year 11 cohort!”

The new couple started arguing who I am score the highest in their GCSEs. Meanwhile, in a darkened room, Nikki Heath’s eyes fluttered open. A rush of cold air told her she was still topless. A tug at her wrists and ankles indicated she was restrained in a V-shaped position, with thick leather cuffs. A tough, plastic spherical object held with leather straps told her what she was gagged with.

“Ah, the great Detective Chief Inspector awakes,” Max voice broke the silence. “Or the one who incorrectly got my stepbrother locked up. Bitch!” He spat, the saliva running down her cleavage.” Nikki cried through the gag and struggled – what was his surname? Hastings? No Hamilton? Who is his…

Max stepped into view and a light shown, Nikki quickly shut her eyes. “Now, to punish you.” A camera clicked and he announced that he has a new sub and any followers will suggest what ‘punishment’ she will receive. “Ah, first suggestion.”

Chelle and Mark after much brainstorming, examined the surroundings of that picture. There was some vegetation behind the two individuals and a lane to their left. They started naming lanes in Croonford. Finally, Chelle checked Google Maps’ street view, she found two lanes that closely matched the picture. The first area was quickly dismissed as a park dominated the place. Their eyes raised as they saw a block of flats along Paterson Lane.

“Excuse me, do you know if a Nicola Smith lives here?” Chelle asked an elderly lady exit the block.

“Of course, she’s my neighbour   though haven’t for several days. Then the coppers came, told them that but they placed tape across her door.”

“Could you let us n? We’re friends of hers and want to leave a gift,” Mark half lied. The lady unlocked the gate though warned them the guard would chase them away if found. The couple quickly entered and after checking the letterbox, headed up to the third floor. Nikki’s door was definitely secured with police barrier tape. There were several yellow evidence markers on the floor as well.

“There’s a depression on the floor, as if something or someone very heavy was moved here,” Mark pointed. It took Chelle two minutes before she spotted the small depression then took a picture. They followed its direction which led to the back stairwell and out to the back garden. All of a sudden, the security guard appeared but they managed to exit via a nearby gate.

They found them on a pedestrian path but not far away was a lane for vehicles.

“So,” Chelle panted. “Nikki may have been carried out with no neighbour hearing or noticing, down the back stairwell, out and…”

“…carried to that lane and driven off in a vehicle. Still murky,” Mark completed.

:”OmW” Nikki screamed through the gag as she was spanked by Max. Bound spreadeagled, Max had a clear view of her thinly-covered buttocks. He gave her another spank then saw the new message. “Ah, bare bottom,” he proceeded to cut off the detective’s knickers despite struggling then switched to use a table tennis racket. Minutes later, another message came. Max approached her front and she screamed as he clipped her nipples with clothes pegs.

Reinhard was in a trance like previously and all Lin could give him his favourite Jasmine tea and snacks. Finally, just after an hour, he shifted back and cleaned his spectacles. “Finally got something after downloading half a dozen image enhancing programmes, I found this on his upper arm.” He showed her a minute tattoo in the form dagger on Max’s right ear.

“Ok, so he has a tattoo,” Lin said.

“One I’ve seen before on someone else. He’s a bit of a ruffian so I need support.”

“Well, you have me,” she kissed his head. “Let me get my special coat.” He saw her wearing an unusual coat but she simply said she’ll explain later.

Reinhard brought her to a dilapidated building in Coventry and immediately she smelt cigar and cigarette smoke. Inside, beside a whole range of laptops and LCD screens, were three men, one bearded with tattoos on his arms, the other pair dark-skinned.

“Ah shorty, what a surprise. I already paid my dues when I lost that C&C game. Oh, you brought me a hot chick.”

“She’s out of bounds, Harv and we need to discuss a mater,” Reinhard saw the burly men. “Privately.”

“Boy, this isn’t an online game. You don’t make demands. Teach him!”

The other men attempted to tackle Reinhard but Lin pulled off her coat and threw it on the nearest men. It formed itself around his whole upper body, preventing him from seeing, thus causing him to fall down. The second guy tried to strike Lin, but she easily caught his hands and pressed him against the nearby wall.

“Alright, let them go lass,” Lin glared but. “Step outside Karim, Josh,” The two other men gave Lin a dirty look and left.

“What’s so important to interrupt my poker game?” Reinhard pressed his phone against Harv, who narrowed his eyes.

“Look, I may have that ink,” he rolled up his sleeve, showing them a similar tattoo. “But I’m no longer a criminal., a clean man.”

“Do you know this person?” Lin tapped on the picture of Max but he shook his head. She then asked if he knew anyone who is a kidnapper.

“Yeah,” Harv stubbed his cigar and tapped his phone several times. “He’s Bart, don’t know what’s he’s up to but boy he was in the business taking women to film them in positions I don’t want to describe. I left the criminal world as he threatened to film my girlfriend naked to blackmail me.” Taking a long puff, he pulled up a known location. “Wait, you’re that famous teen detective right?” He jabbed his cigar at Reinhard. “Ya don’t want go near him, especially a pretty gal like ya.” He pointed at Lin.

“You actually played an online game against this ex-criminal?” Lin asked after thanking Harv.

“Once. The prize was a good range of electronic software. I only discovered his history when I claimed the prize at his shop. You turned your coat into a gadget like that in The World Is Not Enough?”

“Close, better than that net device, eh?”

He quickly asked if they were head to that criminal’s possible location, “I don’t want you to end up like Harv mentioned.”

“We’ll be careful.”

Lin’s message nearly made Chelle drop her ice cream. She checked the street map and the location was directly along that lane behind Nikki’s flat. Jenn and Richard who were arguing over GCSEs and music, grabbed their coats with Jenn checking she had gadgets with her. Reinhard and Lin were the first to arrive at the storage facility with only one entrance available.

“Should we wait for the others?” The short boy wondered. Lin just knocked on the entrance and after no reply just pushed and entered the main office. It was a darkened room and they soon enter another larger, very dark but barren room. Just as they were going to draw out their phones, Reinhard was struck on the back of his neck and Lin just fell on the ground.

Jenn was the next to arrive but found the entrance locked but easily opened it after a turn. She immediately found herself facing a dark-skinned man. She apologised, saying she found the wrong location but before she turned, a dart struck her.

Reinhard groaned as he recovered and quickly rubbed his sore neck. Despite the entrance lack of light, he immediately found himself in some small shed surrounded by workman tools and cleaning liquids. As he started looking for a way out, he heard a familiar soft moan. “I’m coming!” he shouted and threw away all the items blocking him. Finally, he found the exit but had to use the skeleton key his girlfriend made. Thankfully, he found all his belongings on him although his phone was dented. The moan came again and after unlocking a storage shed, he found her. Lin, was stripped down to her purple knickers and black bra which was unclipped , strapped to a metal table and tightly tape gagged.

“How many times must I find you restrained like this?” He shook his head as he peeled off her gag. Her reply interrupted as Chelle and Mark appeared.

“Ooops.  What happened? Did you find Nikki yet?”

Reinhard recounted what occurred and suggested they stay together as the guy was armed at least with a dart. Thankfully, Lin’s clothes were found and during the first minute of the search they found Jenn, unconscious but lightly bound and gagged with duct tape, her jeans slightly pulled down.

“I thought Richard was with you?” Lin asked as they freed Jenn.

“We got into an argument so made separate ways here,” she coughed. Resuming their search, they opened the largest storage shed and spotted the police detective and the two thugs, Max splashing water over Nikki while the dark-skinned man  aiming a video camera.

“No shit, now five,” that captor growled, dart gun in his right hand. Lin was faster, throwing her special coat which wrapped all itself over that thug, causing him to misfire and thankfully missing the teen detectives. Mark simultaneously tackled Max but even with Reinhard joining, Max struggled. The three girls pinned the other thug down but he soon managed to get out of the cocoon. A hidden Glock 26 appeared in his hand. “Ha! Now you lot give in!”

“Armed Police! Drop that firearm now!” DS Ransom appeared with her Glock 17 raised along with other authorised firearms officers (AFOs) and Richard behind. “I have to admit, you lot performed much better detective work than myself.”

One and a half weeks later, the six detectives received letters of commendation from Detective Chief Superintendent (DSU) Robert Gates, Nikki’s and Blubell’s superior. Jenn briefly glanced at Richard whom she thought was unworthy of this award. Max’s real name was Roger, whose stepbrother Jeff was imprisoned for paedophilia. Their live filming of Nikki was to an adult site run by an organised crime group which Ransom and National Crime Agency (NCA) officials took down.

“Well, that’s our post-GCSE case completed Chelle remarked.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark, Reinhard and Richard will return in ‘Prom Wrecker’.

 


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