Summary: The team participates in an unusual student council-organised charity event where girls are held as damsels-in-distress (DiD) bound and gagged by male captors and audiences pay for the best-looking DiD. Everything runs smoothly until Chelle and Lin go missing.
“Wow, that was tough!” Many Year 10 Croonford students cried as they exited their classes. It was the due to their GCSE English mock paper which puzzled almost all student. Except Jenn Thompson and the newest student, Richard Weaver who both breezed the paper. Richard was Jenn’s problem: He was taking the same GCSEs as her and in each class he either tied with her or score better marks. To make matters worse, Richard also joined the school’s debate club and from once a rival to Jenn, now was on the same team.
“Every little bit – his grades, his debating speeches, irks me,” Jenn complained to Chelle and Lin.
“Well, he has his right to join this school and you can’t undo his intelligence,” Chelle remarked. Jenn couldn’t find any counter-argument to that.
“And you invited him to our detective group,” Lin reminded her. “He’s been really helpful so far.”
Jenn wanted to say that was her mistake when Chelle suggested they grab some food. With Lin eating some close version of a Vietnamese Pho and Chelle and Lin with an almost chilled vegetable soup, they were about to resume their discussion when the student council co-president Cara Owens and Hugh Johnson came up to them.
“Tough paper Year 10s? we got the perfect de-stressing event for you,” Hugh announced while Cara placed three several sheets of A4 paper in front of the girls.
“Raising money for the homeless of the town?” Chelle read the title. “‘Course we’ll take part.”
Cara bending over her breasts nearly contacting with Chelle’s arm told them to read on in her Irish accent. Jenn had barely read the next page then shook head. “Girls to be damsels-in-distress…bound and gagged?”
“By male captors. Well, your fellow level mates,” Hugh nodded to the male students.
“How is this charit…”Lin read…”the audience will donate based on the best looking DiD and all money will go to the charity.”
“Where the hell did you two geniuses get this idea from? Sound like…” Jenn was going to say ‘fetish’ then the student council leaders laughed.
“You three had your share of it. There’s always the option to opt out. If not, fill in the form on the last page and drop it at our council ‘post box’ end of today. The teachers approved it. The session is this Saturday.”
“Your guys going to be ‘captors?” The girls asked the question simultaneously as Mark, Reinhard and Richard joined them.
“Yes, well the rules state captors and DiDs will be chose by numbered tickets passed out on that day,” Mark pointed at the related page.
“Well, were you wishing to bind and gag me? You too Reinhard?” That caused the shortest boy to turn red slightly thought truthfully, he wondered how it felt to truss up and gag a girl.
‘You know it’s a high likelihood we get it during our adventures and cases. But for charity?! People run for charity, clean up an area but paying for the best DiD? DiDs bound and gagged?! It sounds so ancient and sexist,” Jenn whined.
“You opting out?” Lin asked, already filled in the form.
“Well…ok. don’t want to leave you two out. But really hope my upcoming ‘captor’ doesn’t treat me like a real captive.”
The Year 10s naturally discussed more about this weird charity event. Hattie, the artist drew various pictures of how she might get bound and gagged. “I’ve got some experience for a short while,” Heather quipped, making Chelle cringe since she was forced to do that. “I was a victim as well, having met the wrong drama coach,” Bethan remarked, recalling sitting in her underwear bound to a chair and cleave gagged. “My parents before they came here were tied and gagged by pro-government actors. I know their story well,” Julia, the former Ugandan added. One the boys’ side, many were naturally excited, wondering which girl will be their ‘captive’ and how they would bind and gag their victims. Art Morton, one time part of a school gang, gave detailed description that sounded like he was a real captor which made many feel uncomfortable.
Saturday arrived, too quickly in Jenn’s view. The rules allowed female ‘captives’ to dress in either their school uniforms or any clothing. Jenn came in comfy blue trousers and a light cotton shirt, Chelle in shorts and a sleeveless shirt while Lin wore a jeans skirt and a purple spaghetti top which just managed to hide her bra straps.
“Alright ‘captors’ and ‘captives’!” Hugh shouted in the microphone in the school hall. More like damsels-in-distress, Jenn thought. “There are boxes containing cards at the front. Everyone pick a card which has a number on it. We will call out numbers and whichever boy and girl have the same numbers are the captors’ and ‘captives’ respectively. Read, and go!”
The students rushed and many collided with each other despite the other student councillors trying to curb that.
“27,” Chelle read her out loud. “Oh, is that a good sign or what?”
“35,” Lin read hers. “Are odd numbers a symbol of fun or doom?”
“13,” Jenn saw. “I don’t believe in unlucky numbers. Or is it a negative time to come?’
With girls and boys separated, the two student council co-president read out numbers in random order. Mark was paired with Heather, Reinhard with Hattie. Chelle was paired with Art Morton and Lin got some guy named Stuart Walter. “13,” Cara called.
“That’s me!” Richard answered.
“Oh right, as if it’s my dream to be bound and gagged by him,” Jenn whine softly. Richard did not hear that thought he asked if she was alright when near her. The co-presidents cut off her reply, informing all that the materials to secure the ‘captives’ could be found in the Year 8 classrooms. “There are dividers to prevent you from copying other’s actions. You have one hour to decide how your ‘captive’ will be secured then return here. Go!” Hugh announced.
“Jenn, you look distraught. Something worrying you?” Richard asked
She thought quickly. Should I be frank and reveal what I think of him? Should I use facial expressions? “No, it’s nothing. What are you going to do to me?” In front of them were bundles of rope, several rolls of tape and pieces of cloth. No cable ties, well they do bite into your skin. The councillors must have thought about our comfort, Jenn mused.
“You can decide how you’ll be bound and gagged since you’ve got the history with it.” She accepted that then said worrying tape for her limbs would be fine. Richard complied, not bothering to ask her and taped her wrists behind her back for rounds.
“Hope that not to uncomfortable? You don’t want your arms pinned to you right? You want a tape gag?” Jenn shook negative, thankful the tape didn’t feel that sticky and gestured to the pile of cloth. “Right, cleave gag?”
“No. had that the last time round. So…” Richard applied an over-the-mouth_(OTM) gag which certainly did not silence Jenn’s s speech although she played along. Finished, neither ‘captor’ nor ‘captive’ silently thought they would gather the most amount of funds and for Jenn this wasn’t in her mind.
Heading back, they encountered the various pairs, especially Chelle and Lin. The former had her wrists also taped up with tape around her lower arms, pinning them to her back. She received a tape gag that went all the around her head, trapping part of her hair. An additional strip of tape on her lips area. Lin was worse: She received a poor rope harness around her chest, pushing her already C cup breasts further out. She received several strips tape gagging her though her bulging cheeks indicated she received a mouth stuffing. Her wrists and elbows were bound with rope with one rope wound around her waist , attached to her wrist bonds.
“Do you have bind and gag my girl so tightly?” Mark asked.
“Hey, it’s not so terrible as it looks, ok? She didn’t disagree with what I did. Your work looks worse. ” Mark had used lots of tape securing Heather arms and wrists to her back. tape above and below her boobs. Besides a single piece of tape and light cloth for mouth stuffing, Heather was also blindfolded.
Reinhard asked the same regarding his girlfriend. “Aw, don’t light it’s all for a good cause,’ came Stuart’s reply. He didn’t fully accept that though he thought he did nice work with Hattie. Despite the fact she was in her school uniform, her blazer was pulled tight against her by ropes which also bound her wrists behind her back. Reinhard used cloth as a not so thick cleave gag for her.
“Alright captors! There are small boxes for each person to collect. Go amongst the audience with your captives and show them how they are damsels-in-distress worth of donation. Audience, remember your donation is at least £1 per DiD. Go for it!” Hugh announced. Baskets picked up, it was now a race to find who was the best looking DiD. Richard guided Jenn through the mass of other Year 10 and some Year 9 students, though after twenty minutes, they failed to gather any donations. Conversely, Chelle and Art received £20 within ten minutes and Lin and Stuart got £28 in five minutes. Suddenly, Mark and Heather moved into the lead, gaining £50 pounds and £5 pounds every few minutes.
“Looks like we’ll win,” he remarked and Heather gave a muffled call in agreement. She was now enjoying this act though not wanting it to happen as often as the detectives. The session went on past three p.m. until suddenly, the hall lights turned off.
“Hey, did you guys turn the lights out?” One participant called.
Just as the co-presidents were going to answer, thick smoke filled the hall and the fire alarm sounded.
“Quick! Head for the fire exits!” Hugh shouted as loud as he could over the ringing.
“Undo the girls’ bonds! Help them out!” Cara added. Almost everyone collided into each other despite mobile phone lights shining as everyone scrambled to the fire exit. Despite cries and girls’ more collisions, all students managed to congregate in the square just outside the school compound. Boys who failed to release their ‘captives’ quickly did, along with their gags. Luckily, there weren’t any passersby’s or vehicles less the students were spotted and unwanted news arise.
“Everyone ok?” Hugh called. Despites some light bruises and dry mouths they were. ” Hey, where’s Chelle?” Mark called as he gently pulled away pieces of tape from Heather’s arms.
“Where’s Lin?” Reinhard also called, as he massaged Hattie’s wrists.
“Aw, those two probably off to a detective mission,” Cathy Staples called. Ignoring her, the two male detectives scanned the area but couldn’t spot their respectively girlfriends. Richard, having heard than, headed over to them with Jenn following, removing a small piece of tape that got stuck to her wrists.
“Did you see where they last were?” was the question the four of them asked simultaneously. The dreading answer was no; the smoke and alarm caused too much havoc.
“It’s a false alarm folks, ” Cara announced after checking with Ted Wiggins, the school security guard. “Someone set smoke and pulled and alarm. We can ret..” She noticed the teen detectives and along with Hugh, learnt about the missing girls.
“Rat. It’s a Saturday and it’s not easy contacting teachers. We still want to complete the whole event. You detectives,” Hugh checked his watch. “One hour before we tell the discipline masters and notify the police.”
With the clock ticking down, the four teens quickly brainstormed. There were other exits besides the nearby front gate and it was unlikely Chelle, Lin and their male ‘captors’ headed out via that way. ‘We’ll cover the other exterior exits,” Mark said, indicating towards Reinhard. “You two want to help?”
“I’d like to go back inside ad check,” Richard replied, which raised eyebrows though no objections. As he entered, Jenn headed alter him.
“Which way to the security guard’s office security?” he asked her. Richard wished to view CCTV outside the school Wiggins, who had let them view the CCTV monitors previously, rejected it this time, citing school regulations.
“What’ your plan, Richard?’ Jenn wondered.
“First, tell me what’s troubling you,” he replied.
“You are. You were long my debate rival, now you’re on my debate team. You’re in my class, scoring higher than me, it’s the competition…”
“Well, you want me to change classes? Don’t think it’s easy as the teachers make the decision. Leave the debate society? Not sure what other clubs interest me.”
“Uh…” Jenn couldn’t think of a reply and hated it.
“Want me to leave this detective group? Or we shouldn’t pair up. I can’t change how I work in studies though you are the debate club president and team captain. You can decide where I’ll be there.”
Jenn started laughing and crying at how stupid her feelings were. “Ok, you’re still my rival. What’s your idea, rival? We don’t have much time.”
Jenn found herself following him back to the school hall. Richard explained that while everyone exited through the fire exit, there could be others moving out via the normal exits. “I may be wrong though one of the monitors in the guard’s room did show a fleeting move towards the second door. It was a split-second view.”
“Well, I have say that is an excellent detective-centred theory,” Jenn admitted as she helped look around the hall exits.
“What do you know about those two ‘captors’ for Chelle and Lin?”
“Art Morton was a former school gang member until we shut down the group here. He used to, and still does occasional use racist terms, irking many especial Lin. He may be the perpetrator, though I doubt he’s so devious like pulling the fire alarm or setting off smoke,” Jenn replied. “Stuart? I’m not sure. He won some Year 9 prize for subject I can’t recall; no one expect him to win that.”
“Found something!” He called, holding up a watch, with one strap frayed.
“That…looks like Art’s watch!” Jenn exclaimed. They thus headed to the door where the watch was found. “This just leads to the Art Room. Well, the staff are shifting the Art Room to a higher level,” Jenn noted. She drew out her mobile phone and activated the detection app Lin devised. No signal. A minute a few second later, they heard a sound from a nearby closet.
“That could be them!” Jenn exclaimed! After much pulling at the broken handle, out came no other than Art Morton, covered in cloth, paint-soaked paper.
“Ow!” he cried as he tumbled on the floor.
” You!” Jenn pointed as Richard held him down. “Where’s Chelle and Lin? Where are they?”
“I dunno. I was trying to get Michelle and myself out through the smoke, felt something or someone strike me neck and next found myself here. Please, help me up?”
“Oh, really after you bragged how much you will be a real captor over the girls this week,” Jenn countered.
“That was an exaggeration. Why would be locked up in this closet if I wish to really hold a girl captive?”
Jenn thought quickly. ” You don’t know who hit you?”
“No, with the alarm and smoke no.”
“Alright, get to the outside square and tell your tale, oh this is yours, ” Richard tossed him the watch. “Let’s search the Art Room,” he suggested.
“Could take up more time,” Jenn noted. “Got to look for something unusual.” The pair moved around quickly then Richard started touching surfaces. Thirty seconds later, his hand touched a crack. Thinking it wasn’t anything, he was going to move on until Jenn called out, ” I got a location on Lin! She’s somewhere there!” She pointed to the crack. Richard immediate felt along the crack and found a handle underneath the loose concern. He yanked it and the wall swung open like a door.
Inside, they found a dusty room with Chelle and Lin on the floor rolling about. They were still in their bonds and gags although Lin’s rope harness appeared tighter and her knickers were unintentionally flashing. “Roll!’ A hooded figure called with a camera in hand. As the figure moved, Jenn spotted the facial mask.
“You! Cat!” She roared striking the figure, only to knock away the camera and hurt her small frame and tumbling to the ground. Richard ran to her aid but was pulled away by another unseen figure. It appeared the two teen detectives were physically overpowered until…
“Get away from her!” Mark shouted as he yanked and knocked the air out the hood figure. Reinhard tried to help Richard though Mark quickly also tackled that guy. With the hooded figure lying in agony, Jenn unceremoniously ripped off the face mask.
“Stuart?! You were the Cat all along?!” Jenn exclaimed.
“No, no I just overheard you girls talk about that. I was just taking pictures of them, who look perfect bound and gagged. You lot are in trouble for hitting me and my brother.”
“You’re the one trouble,” Jenn retorted. She was thinking of slapping him, though finally resisted less she also get into trouble.
With their parents and the discipline master notified, the unusual charity event resumed. Chelle and Lin decided to sit out, though Jenn thought otherwise. “I’m your captive,” she told Richard and her wrists were taped behind her back and received an OTM gag, albeit a little tighter. Within half an hour, the results were announced. “Runners up, Mark Cavendish and Heather Smith, £180!” Hugh announced.
“That’s not exactly my surname,” Mark muttered as he collected the gift vouchers.
“And with a grand total of £250, Nathan Sanders and Natalie Sang!” Cara announced.
“Well, I never expected to cross the pond and become the best DID,” Natalie, the American exchange student who also was in a rope harness, stuff tape gag and expertly tied wrists remarked.
That event over, the detectives met up at their usual headquarters.
“You sure Stuart isn’t the Cat?” Richard asked.
“I didn’t get a full look at his eyes. We’ll find out what he and his brother say on Monday. I’d like to know how they exactly created the smoke, and never knew our school had hidden chambers,” Jenn replied.
“And one that blocked the signal of our identification chips. I got to work improving that,” Lin added, rubbing her sore wrists.
“Speak of which, what about the stuff the Cat left previously?”
“We’re working on it, “Reinhard answered , heling his girlfriend rub her wrists.
“We’ll find this fiend,” Mark added. Everyone nodded, not knowing their foe was listening on their conversation. As they left for home, Richard called Jenn.
“Hey, how about going out for a late afternoon drink? Would cure the ached after that short fight.”
“I’m done with my daily tea,” She cold replied.
“No, you know that fresh fruit juice place? I’ll buy.”
“Alright.”
Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark, Reinhard and Richard will return in a story title not yet determined.
Croonford Detectives 