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’.

 

35: Framed Part 2

Summary: Lin and Reinhard close in on the source of the doctored pictures. Jenn and Reinhard find lady who claim she was framed at work and thus incorrectly charged.

The prologue is adapted from Frank Knebel’s story The Frame Up Chapter 1.

The fight on the train is inspired by James Bond’s From Russia With Love.

Prologue:

Mr Justice Launer unfolded the sheet of paper had handed to him and read through it twice. His gaze shifted to the jury foreman and cleared his throat.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is this your verdict?”

The jury foreman rose.

“Yes, your honour.”

“The defendant will please rise,” said Launer.

The defence lawyer, Sean Paulson, a tall, bespectacled, fair-haired young man put his hand gently on the arm of Kerri Richardson, and they rose from their seats at the defence table. They presented a stark contrast in physical appearance together. Though not ugly, he was gangly and rather awkward looking, his long limbs seemingly ill at ease at being attached to his body. On the streets, he would have been noticed, if at all, as an egg-headed young man who needed to get more sun and exercise.

On the other hand, Kerri Richardson had perfectly proportioned face, with her dark eyes and hair, pert nose, full lips, and creamy complexion thus would have brought a smile to any men she passed. Even though the plain navy-blue suit she wore in the courtroom had been chosen to de-emphasize any sensuality, it could not hide the trim waist, prominent breasts and shapely legs of its occupant.

“The foreman will read the verdict,” intoned Mr Judge Launer.

“We, the jury, find the defendant, Kerri Richardson, guilty on all charges.”

Kerri Richardson sagged slightly against her barrister and squeezed her hands. As the judge thanked the jury for their time and efforts, there were smiles from some victors in the gallery.

“Your Honour, defence intends to appeal the verdict,” said the tall young barrister.

Mr Judge Launer nodded while writing something a yellow pad.

“So noted, Mr. Paulson. The jury has returned a verdict of guilty in this case. However, I’m troubled by some of the evidence presented here by both sides, so I’m going to delay full sentencing for one week. This will allow some time for further investigation by the police and additional evidence to be developed. The clerk will notify both parties as to a time for a sentencing hearing on…”

The judge flipped a few pages in his calendar book.

“…next Wednesday, the 23rd.”

“Your Honor, because of the defendant’s previous attempts to delay trial and follow her bail conditions, we request that she be held in custody,” The prosecutor argued.

The judge looked down at his notes. He looked thoughtful then nodded.

“Though it is regrettable, I feel that under the circumstances Mr. Hazen’s point is valid. Defendant is remanded in custody. Court is adjourned.”

The clerk called for the room to rise as the judge left the bench through the door to the judges’ chambers.

Kerri looked up at Paulson.

“What does it mean, Sean?”

“It means you’ll be held in jail for now,” he said softly.

Kerri looked horrified.

“But I didn’t do it, Sean! I didn’t!” she protested. “How can they lock me up for something I didn’t do?”

Constable Louisa Cole stepped forward. Except for having blue eyes, Louisa was very similar to Kerri in height, build, and abundant good looks. In her right hand, she held a pair of handcuffs. Kerri gasped when she saw them.

“I’m sorry, Miss Richardson,” Louisa said gently. “Regulations state I have to cuff them behind your back.”

Something had indeed snapped in Kerri Richardson. The hateful taunting in the courtroom and the sea of jealous female faces had convinced her that everyone was against her and even rejoiced in seeing her railroaded. A desperate plan formed up in her mind as the Constable guided her along the quiet corridor to the cells, Kerri slowed and let her head fall forward.

“Are you all right, Miss Richardson?” asked the Constable.

“S…something in my stomach,” Kerri replied dazedly. “It hurts.”

“Come on. The nurse’s office is just down the hall.”

Kerri nodded. She was breathing in short gasps, her eyes almost closed. They walked on a few more steps when she almost doubled over and groaned.

“Just a few more steps!” urged Louisa. “You can make it!”

Kerri groaned again and fell against the Constable. Louisa tried to lift and pull her into the office, calling for the nurse as she struggled on. A pretty, cheerful-faced, sandy-haired woman in her late twenties wearing a white nurse’s uniform appeared at the door. Lorna Leeson was a former dancer who had taken up nursing when a knee injury ended her career.

“What’s wrong?” she asked the Constable.

“I don’t know,” Louisa replied. “She got a pain in the stomach and started to collapse.”

Kerri groaned again and doubled over more. Her knees buckled.

“Let’s get her up on the examination table,” Lorna directed. “You’d better take the cuffs off so we can lift her.”

Constable Cole nodded and stooped to unlock the handcuffs. As she and the nurse tried to lift Kerri, Louisa had the fleeting glimpse of the holster strap that ran over her taser hanging loose. Before she could respond, Kerri doubled over again, slipping out of her grasp. When she and Lorna lifted the prisoner again, Kerri rose up quickly. In her hand was Constable Cole’s service taser. She waved it from side to side, alternately pointing it at both.

“All right, nurse,” she said, breathing hard. “Close the door.”

Lorna Leeson, shocked, obeyed as Louisa Cole raised her hands.

“Now don’t do anything you’ll regret,” Louisa cautioned. “Nobody’s hurt so far and we can all just forget this if you’ll hand me the taser back.”

“I’m not giving you the taser,” said Kerri. “The only thing I regret is to be accused of faking legal documents I never saw and thinking that this trial would clear me. I’m not going to prison for somebody else’s crime.”

“But this won’t do you any good!” said Lorna, her hands also raised now. “You can’t possibly get out of this building like this.”

“You’re right. I can’t. But you can.”

Louisa swallowed hard, realising what the sentenced lady meant.

“Take off your uniforms,” Kerri ordered the two ladies.

Louisa Cole reached for the top button of her uniform shirt. Lorna glanced at the Constable and did the same. As the two women undressed, Kerri pulled Lorna’s desk chair into the centre of the room, then grabbed a first aid kit from the wall. She opened it and removed some rolls of cloth bandages. Finally, she picked up the handcuffs from the examination table. Her two prisoners were now reduced to their knickers and bras.

“That’s enough,” said Kerri. She tossed the cuffs to Lorna. “Cuff the Constable’s hands behind her back.”

The nurse cuffed her wrists and directed by Kerri, tightened them a couple more clicks.

“I’m sorry to have to do this to you, Constable,” Kerri apologized. “You’ve been good and I used that to trick you. And now I have to be sure that those cuffs are tight. Your wrists are dainty and I can’t have you getting away.”

She handed a roll of bandages to Lorna.

“Put those in her mouth, then cover her mouth with the medical tape.”

Lorna had no choice but to obey. When the entire wad would not go in, Kerri allowed her to reduce the size of the roll and cut off the excess. Then Lorna cut several pieces of adhesive tape from roll and sealed the Constable’s mouth. Handing her another roll of bandages, Kerri ordered her to loop the cloth around Louisa’s body and arms just below her breasts and just above her waist.

“Now help her up on the table.”

Lorna helped the bound woman onto the exam table and ordered by Kerri, bound her legs at the knees and ankles with more bandages. Louisa Cole sat helplessly on the table as Kerri turned her attention to the nurse.

“Sit in the chair,” she said pointing with her free hand.

“Don’t you think that…” Lorna began.

“Quiet!” snapped Kerri. “Put your hands around the back of the chair.”

The back of the chair was narrow enough that Lorna’s hands met without straining. Kerri crossed the nurse’s wrists and began looping them with tape.

“If you were going to try to tell me that this plan is crazy, you don’t need to,” said Kerri. “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But I’m started now, and there’s no turning back. I’m just glad I don’t have to hurt either of you.”

She finished tying Lorna’s hands, laid the taser on the desk, and began binding her ankles with more tape. The young nurse watched her with anxiety, yet more with sympathy.

“What’re you going to do?” she asked.

Kerri kept quiet. Finished with Lorna’s ankles, Kerri unrolled more bandages and used them to tie Lorna to the chair. She did a thorough job, looping the woman’s body at her waist, bottom of her ribs, below and above her breasts, and finally over her lap, around her thighs and the chair seat. She wadded part of one of the bandages.

“Sorry,” she said to Lorna, “but I have to gag you too.”

Before she opened her mouth for the wad, Lorna said softly:

“Good luck. whatever your doing.”

Kerri stuffed the wadding in Lorna’s mouth, sealed the gag with tape, and then used more to cover her eyes. She then rolled Louisa Cole over on her tummy and used one more strip of bandage to connect the Constable’s bound ankles to her handcuffed wrists. She also blindfolded her with tape.

“This is to make sure you stay on the table,” she explained. “Please don’t hurt yourself trying anything heroic.”

Her prisoners secured, Kerri quickly stripped off her own clothes and put on the Constable’s uniform which somewhat fitted. There was a mirror on the closet door and in its Kerri noted that the resemblance between her and Louisa was striking. The only thing wrong was her shoulder length hair. She crossed to the helpless Constable and removed the rubber band that held her hair in a bun. Tying up her hair completed the transformation. A quick search of Lorna’s purse produced a pair of sunglasses, which would help to hide any differences. Kerri replaced the taser in the holster she now wore and went to the door. She turned back to the two bound women.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be found.”

Picking up her own clothes, she glanced into the hallway and it was empty. She slipped out and walked in the opposite direction of the courtroom. At the end of the hallway, she opened the door and went from the building into the sunlight.

***

Chelle told Lin the restrictions her mother placed on her. “Don’t worry, Richard saw someone we will talk to. Not a likely source but we’ll interview him.” That hardly comforted Chelle, neither did the constant questioning from students.

Lin and Reinhard met up with Richard to tap his photographic memory. After giving them a detailed description of the second person in the tabloid headquarters, he added, “If it’s fine Jenn and I can’t join you.” He explained that Jenn had informed him of a case she wanted to investigate. “Ok, no worries,” Lin replied.

The mystery surrounding Jenn’s case when he met up with his girlfriend after their History mock paper. “You know the law internship I participated in? It ended abruptly due to this.” She played a news video covering how Kerri Richardson’s or trussed up a court guard and nurse, took the officer’s taser and escaped. “Kerri was one of the friendliest solicitors at Barnes & Horton. She was going to teach me intellectual property law. Across the time I was there, she showed no indication in falsifying legal documents, embezzling funds or any of the charges in the news.”

Before Richard could ask, the next bell rang. After school, Lin and Reinhard planned to survey the Daily Mail to catch hold of this unknown person. “I know, you’re going to ask me what we can do that the police and authorities are conducting,” Jenn continued her discussion as she pulled up her coat and held her school skirt down less the wind blew it up.

“They’ll hold a fixed assumption that Kerri is guilty and running to escape fines and imprisonment. We’ll look at it from her perspective.”

“And your first move is?”

“Returning to the firm to hand out thank-you gifts,” Jenn answered.

Lin and Reinhard didn’t spot that specific person for two days and the latter felt they were chasing ghosts. On the third day, the fortunes changed as they spotted him exiting from a side door. Both teen detectives immediately closed in and peppered him with questions.

“Hey, hey stop accosting me. I’m just a normal civilian,” the dark-clothed lad protested. After Lin asked him again, he lowered his tone and said, “I’m just an intern there. The Chief Editor liked me so am in his personal office. Yeah, I know bout the photos; know the exact source.”

“Who is it? Where can we find this person?”

“There’s no name and the source is secretive. You can meet me at the second train station tomorrow at 9:30.” He passed them a business card.

“Good to see you again you again, Jennifer, ah thank you for the chocolates,” the solicitor smiled. Jenn gave out Ferrero Rocher to every lawyer she learnt from during her internship. Finally, she reached Kerri’s empty desk and quickly took pictures of it to compare with what she saw previously.

“Looks the same, the same, hey I recall she always kept a light-blue folder on the right corner standing up.” After eliminating various reasons, she told Richard they had to monitor the staff.

There was just his name, Richard Head and his email address. Both science wizards spent the rest of their Friday afternoon looking up any more information online on Mr Head but found no LinkedIn, no Facebook, no X.com and nothing else. “Are we seriously trusting this Richard? Which intern seriously doesn’t have any online profile?” Reinhard asked in a call.

“Some people like privacy. If we detect nothing, we’ll leave the next station.”

While her friends were investigating, Chelle was still at school re-sitting for her mock English paper. Her early paper scored lower than expected resulting in her English teacher’s shock. This time she focused and really answered questions properly. Afterwards, she headed to the loo and but just as she unlocked the stall door, the toilet lights went off and a masked figure pushed her back down into the stall. A thick cloth was quickly stuffed in her mouth and her wrists were roughly secured with a make cloth handcuff. Despite massive struggling, the assailant was able to pull down her tights partly and just as he reached for the waist band of her exposed knickers, Chelle gave a massive kick striking the assailant who ran off, only with a picture of her undies. Naturally, it was reported and with the school gates closed and school Wi-Fi temporarily down, it took the school disciplinary team nearly an hour to catch the perpetrator.

“This your idea of watching the staff?” Richard asked as Jenn walked up with as long wrapped up package slung over her shoulder.

“We’ve done worse as previously,” Jenn replied, assembling the telescope Chelle previously used. Its magnification was now increased to 5X and Lin had added a cheap night vision device to it. As Jenn focused the telescope, Richard poured out a cup of organic hot chocolate. They first watched the staff leave through the exits. Jenn turned the telescope upwards and over ten minutes all lights went off. Five minutes later, just as Richard wished to leave, he called Jenn. “There’s a light on and a figure, definitely male figure on the extreme left corner.”

Jenn looked through the telescope for the next minute, switching off the night vision system. “That figure is Marcus Horton, one of the senior fellows. But staff don’t usually work so late in this office.” She looked through the telescope again but only the light was on. Ten minutes and drinks of hot chocolate, the building was dark. Almost immediately, a car sped off from the garage and the detectives knew who to look into.

Exactly at half past nine on Saturday, Lin and Reinhard met up with Richard Head. Before they wanted to know what train tickets they should purchase, they were surprised to be handed train tickets.

“We’ll be taking a sleeper train, no the destination isn’t far off, Mr Head saw Reinhard’s mouth open. “Just somewhere near Brum, this sleeper train does stop there.” Five minutes later, they found themselves in a cabin with two bunk beds and a third opposite with a drawable partition, definitely for Lin. He said it’s just near Birmingham so hopefully won’t have to use the beds, the detectives silently thought.

As that train moved away, Jenn and Richard were at a breakfast and brunch eatery. Officially, they were there revising for their GCSEs – they told their parents that. Unofficially, they, especially Jenn, were looking into Marcus Horton.

“Right, his work profile is super perfect; rose from Oxbridge law, no legal internships, excellent record as a solicitor, called to the barrister’s Inn of Court earlier than his counterparts. Successfully argued many banking law cases. I call it Richard’s law of impossibility,” Richard drank his coffee after that.

“Right. He started the firm first before William Barnes joined. Now I recall, there was a heated argument on the second day I was there and before they took it to a private room, it was about getting a third partner and the solicitors outside were discussing which amongst them will be chosen.”

“Fine, still doesn’t say how that is connected to Kerri’s charges and her running away. What’s your thoughts?”

“We go to Mr Horton’s residence and talk to him. He listed his road names on his LinkedIn’s profile, there shouldn’t .”

It was nearly ten when Reinhard announced he was hungry. “Let’s go to the dining car shall we?” Richard Head suggested.

“You two go; I’m fine,” Lin remarked. As the boys went her eyes turned to the single bag Head carried. The main zip was locked with small combination lock and opening the side pockets, there was nothing. She felt the whole bag yet couldn’t identify its contents. There’s something strange and I can’t figure it out.

Twenty minutes later, the boys return but Reinhard suddenly declared he felt sleepy and immediately dozed off on one of the bunks. Lin immediately rushed over and his pulse felt fine. She was about to check his eyes when she heard, “Get up girl.” Lin turned to see Head pointing a taser at her.

Jenn was correct, there weren’t many residences along the road where Mr Horton stated he lived. Coincidentally, the court nurse Lorna Leeson who was also bound and gagged by Kerri appeared out the first house. In a short chat with the teen detectives which heard of, she reiterated her belief Kerry was not up to anything evil and told them what Kerri wore originally. “Marc Horton lives at number fourteen.”

As they approached that particular house, the gate and door were wide open and before Richard could call, “take caution”, Jenn darted inside. Kerri was there, dressed back in her clothes sans tights loudly shouting and pointing the stolen X26 taser at Marcus Horton.

“Jennifer, you shouldn’t be here,” Kerri shouted. However, the high-flying school debater lunched into a calm debate on why Kerri should not threat the firm’ co-partner though he did falsify her files. This took just under ten minutes just as Kerri dropped the taser but found herself back in police handcuffs.

“What did you do to my boyfriend?!” Lin shouted at the taser-wielding guy.

“Oh, just making him sleep. Now, go lie down close to him, undo your top and unzip his jeans. You two would make a front-page picture for the Mail, perhaps even better than your shorter girl friend, he cackled.

“So, this is it, humiliating our detective group. If you know us, we also have gadgets. Why don’t you search me first?” Lin said. Head initially didn’t respond initially, but nodded and approached Lin, keeping the taser pointed at her. He reached into her trousers’ right pocket and found a small purse, disregarding it. He reached into the left pocket and the fake wallet clamped down on his fingers causing him to scream.

Lin immediately kicked the taser from his other hand but she received a hard kick in her lower torso. This spiralled into an enormous fight with Lin using her Taekwondo skills versus Head’s skills which she quickly realised were karate and general fighting. Within two minutes, Lin thought she had the upper hand, he – left hand free of the ‘mouse trap gadget – slammed her hard against the wall. Despite the pain in her back, Lin rose and pushed him against the opposite wall. It had turned now from a martial arts fight into a tight tackle. Suddenly, Head hand grabbed the kicked taser and growled, “Got you now, bitch.”

Lin responded with a ferocious kick to his crotch which not gave him sharp pain but threw him with enormous force against the ladder of the bunk beds. Dashing over, she found knocked out cold. “No one calls me girl or bitch,” she spat at him. Then, feeling his pulse, she glad she didn’t kill him; she needed to gain information from him. She found a wallet thick with large pound notes but suddenly there was a knock on the cabin door.

“Is everything fine? I heard sort of a commotion coming from here,” the train manager asked.

“It’s alright, ” Lin answered quickly. “Just that boy slamming the walls. Say, I know it’s against the schedule and regulations, but could you stop the train at the next stop? My boyfriend needs to tend to family crisis.” The manager shook his head but Lin dangled £100 in her sore hand, “we can slow the train to the lowest speed, “he consulted his map. “twenty minutes time.”

After thanking him, Lin rushed over to her boyfriend. She called his name three times before his eyes fluttered open and he mumbled, “nice sandwiches”, “nice coca cola”

“Reinhard, are you feeling ok? We have to move in less than twenty minutes.” She received a ‘yes’, gave him a drink of bottled water then turned to the unconscious assailant. Holding the fallen taser, she slapped Head’s face until he feeling, regained consciousness.

“You injured my balls,” he croaked.

“Ok, Rich Head,” Lin nearly wanted to call him ‘Dick’ but that would sound crude. “Who really are you? Did you take and photoshop the pictures of Michelle are Mark?”

He fell silent and in response, Lin jammed the taser into his chest. “Ok, ok yes I took the pictures at long range, phtoshopped them and wrote the article very fast. Was hired by someone took take them.”

“Who!”

“I don’t know, I kept receiving messages from several phones numbers. One was threatening my folks if I didn’t do it. It’s the truth.”

Lin slapped him again, found his hankie, stuffed it in his mouth and wound his scarf around his hands. Five minutes later, these came off and all three managed to jump across to the train station. Lin handed the taser to the now-fully awake Reinhard as she bought tickets for a train head back the other direction. At that stop, she thankfully found a taxi whose driver silently was amused she had arm around one boy’s shoulder and a hand near another.

“Where to, lass?”

“Croonford, police station.”

Epilogue:

“My name is Louis Gabriels and I took of Michelle Summers and Mark Cavendish, photoshopped them and wrote that frontline Mail article. I would sincerely like to apologise for the emotional distress placed on them, their family and disinformation it caused….” The broadcast was closed and the news presenter turned to world news.

“Well, that is much closure,” Chelle remarked as she pulled out her earplugs. The student who tried to take pictures of her private parts was immediately expelled and charged for molestation by a youth court. They verbal harassment against Chelle and Mark had stopped although there were random cases of bullying.

“So much for faking his name as Richard Head. Should have suspected he was related to the chief editor,” Lin added. Louis Gabriels was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and depending on Chelle and her parents, he might be charged with invasion of personal privacy. “I hear based on out town’s disgust, there’s an investigation into the Croonford Mail’s journalist practices and the parliamentary CMS committee is calling them for an inquiry.” Lin meant the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

“I hear you solved your case Jenn,” Chelle called. Jenn explained that Kerri Richardson was charged for attempted assaulting of a court police officer and nurse. There was a serious charge of steal an officer’s firearm and impersonating one. However, with Jenn’s and Kerri’s statements regarding Marcus Horton, there were warrant-based raids on his residence and work office, with the recovery of devices to alter bank accounts and evidence explicitly showing he doctored Kerri’s documents. With him arrested, Kerri’s legal team got her a large fine, week-long community service and original charges dismissed.

“Everything is resolved but we still…” Chelle’s statement was interrupted her phone buzzing. “Mum wants me back home,” she explained.

Chelle noticed a red Nissan parked near her residence. In her living room, tea and cakes were out and there was a man looking younger than her father seated. Before she could ask, she smelt a familiar odour and from a corner came her mother, another woman and to her shock, Mark.

“I meet up with Maria weekly for our women’s’ charity,” her mother explained. “I only got to know she had a son Mark, your boyfriend. Now, I get to meet him. It’s a small world.”

Chelle rose and greeted Maria and her husband Gavin. Then, noticing, her boyfriend, she raced over and they hugged with the parents applauding.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark, Reinhard and Richard will return in a story, title not yet determined.

31: Charity gone wrong

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.

28: Scottish Fling

Summary:

Chelle travels to Scotland for a history class trip but mystery awaits. Meanwhile, Lin helps Reinhard with his medical problem and Jenn has a challenging first date with Richard.

This story has parts taken from A Tale of Two Snoops.

It also uses content from Lisette and the Cyber Geeks Chapter 16 written by the famous Brian Sands.

Adult bondage but only on an adult.

“You slept with Bethan and had an orgasm?!” Lin exclaimed.

“I’m not proud of it,” Jenn remarked with a slightly depressed look.

“Well, there’s nothing really wrong with experimenting with your sexuality. You really don’t like guys? Anyone one from school?” Jenn shook her head.

“What about…” Lin’s statement was cut off as Chelle entered their headquarters panting. “Sorry, did I miss anything?”

“What’s the problem? And isn’t it half term?” Chelle was in her school uniform with an added school jumper on.

“Last-minute school trip to Scotland. I’m going to some 17th Century castle somewhere south of Edinburgh, “She explained.

“Luckily my history trip is to the East Midlands and but during the school week,” Jenn remarked. “At least you’re travelling within the UK and can bring gadgets unlike me in Paris,” Jenn remarked.

“Oh yeah, any new gadgets?” Chelle asked her East Asian classmate.

“Here,” Lin produced a pair of spectacles. “Press the sides near the hinges and you get light shining out. ”

“Like the pen torchlight?”

“Yes, but the unique part is that others in front won’t spot the light if they are 100 metres or more,” Lin added. “Just don’t leave it on for long.”

“Ok, that’s great,” Chelle checked her watch. “Got to go, meet up when I return.”

“Jenn, why don’t you go out with Richard?” Lin re-continued.

“Richard?! He’s my debate rival.”

“Well, you share that in common. He rescued you in Paris and he seemed the part.” Lin’s phone buzzed. “I’ve got to meet my guy. Think about it.”

Chelle was quite tired not from the rush to meet up with her class but as she was on the first day of her period. The class took a long train to Edinburgh then a charted bus ride to the castle.

“Wow, it doesn’t look like a normal castle,” one classmate remarked. The castle had a triangular top and towers were not visible, the walls looked like they had a new coat of paint.

“It certainly is not your generic castle, ” a red-haired bearded man who introduced Alastair Murray their guide for the castle. He led the class into a side entrance and Chelle despite her lethargy, noticed a van with darkened windows and a pair of men carrying a long crate out.

Reinhard and Lin discussed the latter’s captivity last time. He noted she forgot to apply the facial cream she invented that would loosen tape gags. Lin noted, remarking that she was too busy focused on shopping with Natalie. Just as he was about to change subject, a text message appeared on his phone.

“Damn, the results of my blood and urine tests; I went to check as I lost some weight. I’ve got diabetes and have to head to collect medicine from the specialist.”

“I’ll accompany you,” Lin responded. Forty minutes later, the couple emerged with Reinhard carrying a small bag. “Diamicron,” he read the packet. “Take two a day before a meal.” The other items were a pocket-sized blood glucose meter, a lancet and a pack of strips. The doctor’s order was him to use the lancet to prick any of his fingers, attach a strip to the meter and place it against the blood oozing out. He was to send daily readings to the endocrinologist.

“I can’t believe I’ve got diabetes at mid-teen,” He complained. “I guess it’s because I’ve been eating too many sweet snacks and drinking too much Coca-Cola.”

“Hey it’s Type 2 diabetes right? I’ll help you get cured,” Lin squeezed his arm.

Jenn was wondering if Lin’s suggestion was ridiculous. Go out on a date with Richard?! She only brought him in to the detective group due to his Eidetic memory not for her liking him. He and his debate team have defeated mine many times. Why should I… Jenn reached for her phone and sent him a WhatsApp message not asking for a date. She instantly received his reply with several suggestions where to head to.

Chelle’s history class had a long tour of the Castle’s interior and immediate outside then received a serious of questions and an essay set by their history teacher. Despite still feeling tired, she completed the assignments and rested in the assigned guest room. There was water to drink but no hot drinks. Sighing, she headed back out but the Castle interior was a maze. “Hey,” she spotted the guide Alastair. “Where’s the hot water here?” He gave her a detailed set of directions. Chelle took the first few steps, however the steps she took brought her to the end of a dark corridor. Wait, he said to take a left turn but there no turning. She retraced her steps but only found a narrow corridor leading to the right. Taking a few steps, her foot suddenly caught a loose floor panel.

Lin’s plan to cure Reinhard of diabetes was rigorous but, in his view, strict. It involved exercising twice, not once, a week and absolute abstaining from sugary food and high carbohydrates. After a swim with her covering more laps than he was used to, they ate at a Cantonese outlet. “No, you can’t eat those, ” she stopped him from taking the Char Siew Bao. “There too much starch in the rice flour. Here, take more of the meaty dim sum.” I really wish I could eat that, he thought. For dessert, Lin had mango pudding while he received just oranges that weren’t too sweet. “Fruits are good for you,” she remarked. He was a fan of mango pudding and wish he was struck with this condition.

“Hey Jenn,” Richard greeted her with smile. He was dressed in all blue from jacket to jeans. “Glad you choose the bookstores option; I love to immerse myself in old books.” Jenn only nodded wondering if she made the right decision. Jenn did find the three bookstores helpful and purchased books for her GCSE Literature and some for her own pleasure. Grudgingly, she accepted a lunch with him and it was worse that she had to sit side-by-side as the lunch crowd was packed.

As Richard finished most of his fish and chips, he turned to her and asked, “Jenn, why do your always wear jeans and never skirts?”

Jenn threw down the rest of her sandwich and turned annoyed. “Why you think girls must always must wear skirts?”

Richard calm, replied, “No, I’ve just always seen you outside your school uniform wearing skirts. Remember the debate on feminism your team won? Your speech showed mentioned how skirts are a symbol of female power.”

“That was debate; I hardly believe in what I argue in debate.” With that, the pair launched a heated argument.

As Jenn and Richard were arguing, Chelle stopped after feeling the loose panel. Her thoughts of getting hot water were quickly replaced by her inquisitive detective mind. Chelle kicked the panel twice and there was a soft creaking sound after the second kick, revealing a fairly dark entrance to a passageway. She recalled the tour guide never saying there were any secret tunnels here. And he was the one who gave me directions to nowhere. She stepped inside, finding a not-so-dark passageway. She activated the pen torchlight which gave her enough light. The first part of this unknown area was wide enough to walk through but soon it narrowed and her school skirt caught a protruding part from the sides. It took her several minutes to dislodge it however part of the skirt was torn. Oh, how I wish I had changed to practical; the teacher won’t like this.

As Chelle walked through the narrower passageway, part of her mind told her mission was to find hot water while another told her this area was really exploring. As she paused to debate, she heard a soft sound from the wall to her left.

“I can’t lift that!” Reinhard protested. He and Lin were in a local gym. They were the dumbbell section. She wanted him to lift weights 10kgs more than he had before.

“I’m sure you can. Larger weights are great; can help you regain you weight.”

Reinhard tried but couldn’t lift and wanted to give up, however, she told him to try again and gritting his teeth, he managed to. “Good work, continue to your usual number.” He did, but stop five less, finding it stramineous. He shifted to the leg press which he loved.

“Try the barbells,” Lin suggested.

“I’ve never used that. How do you…”

“I’ll show you,” she told him to lie down on the bench press and fitted a not-so-heavy set of weight press. She showed him how to position his arms and she’ll lower the barbell when needed.

“You’ve done this before? “He starred up at her, loving the shape from her sports bra.

“Yup, now lift.” The first tries were difficult but he was fine with the rest. Ending at eighty lifts, he was grateful that was it. They both ended on the treadmill and he declared he was famished, though knowing it would be a sugar-less meal.

“This meeting is over!” Jenn declared, throwing down her sandwich. Glaring at Richard, she said a curt ‘thank you for the meal’ storming off. How dare he suggest I wear skirts and dresses more often. Women and girls today aren’t fixed on stereotypical clothing. How dare…Jenn repeated those angry thoughts as she made her way to the train station. Jenn was going to wait at the platform when she thought. That was still a little unfair on my part. I should have just argued normally not show my temper. Jenn ran back and spotted Richard in a music store at the oldies section.

“Returning to vent your view on jeans?” Richard’s tone was calm.

“I shouldn’t have thrown my temper,” Jenn replied.

“I shouldn’t have forced my views on skirts and dresses on you. You can wear what you like.”

The two debaters looked each other then Jenn broke the ice. “You like oldies?!”

Richard gave an embarrassed grin. “Yes, well my parents loved them and always played it since I was born. I’ve caught the love for the music. Not the exact music you would expect a teen to like and I get teased for that.”

“Oh, my mum music’s taste made me love oldies. Which artist is your favourite?”

He showed his selection of Beatles albums including With the Beatles. Jenn scanned the shelves and picked Spirits Having Flown, an early Bee Gees Studio album which her family did not have. The pair discussed other bands and singer-song-writers until Richard glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. A pretty nice outing don’t you think?” He extended

Despite our heated argument over how I dress she thought. “Yes, it was nice.” She shook his hand and they parted.

The sound stopped for two seconds then Chelle heard it again. She pressed her ear against that section of the wall yet the sound was faint. It came and the pattern identified that it was human-made. “Hello? Is someone there?” She repeated the call yet no voice responded. Chelle moved further inside the mysterious tunnel but she quickly found a wall blocking her directly. Chelle shook her head. It’s so cliche, Chelle thought stopping detectives with literal dead ends. She exactly the wall made of cement though some parts appeared to be wooden. Chelle struck and kicked the wall at various parts but it did not move and she ended up slightly hurting her hands and feet.

I’ve got to return to my room, Chelle sighed and turned back. As she walked back, a thought struck her. If she accidentally found the loose panel to open up this hidden area surely there must be another panel or something to struck. She dashed back near the wall and searched around. She finally spotted a minute stick protruding out from the left side wall. Gently pulling it, the wall creaked then lifted up. Elated, Chelle moved in but found herself in a pitch-black area. As she fumbled for the pen torchlight, the floor beneath her opened and she fell.

Chelle had fallen down small holes in children’s indoor parks before, but this hole was many times large and she hardly managed to break her fall when she struck the ground. Ow… Chelle cried out. She did manage to get up and rubbed her bum. As Chelle started to move, a same creaking sound emitted and she surmised that the wall she got open now closed. Great, alone deep inside some hidden chamber. You a teen detective another voice told her. Investigate. The problem was the pen torchlight she used was damaged. Lin’s not going to like it, she thought twisting a James Bond phrase. Pulling out the spec’s her fellow detective just made, it gave her enough light to proceed. There was only one place to head: the open archway in front of her. As she entered, she found herself on a narrow walkway with an evident chasm below. Carefully walking – it was far not easy with her school skirt – yet she managed to reach almost the end until she heard the sound again. It was now much louder and Chelle didn’t take long to identify that it the sound from someone gagged.

Ahead of her, the ‘bridge’ parted into two: one longer route and the other, a smaller route. She tried the longer route and the muffled sounds grew closer. There was one larger door ahead but the lock was rusty and easily broken. As she entered, she gasped.

Reinhard gasped as the reading on the blood glucose meter reading was high. endocrinologist just told him to get it down. After complaining to his girlfriend that he didn’t eat any with sugar or starchy, she suggested he should take the sample a little later. “Your body needs time to absorb food.”

“Since when did you know all this stuff?”

“I previously read up. Would you like meet for a run this afternoon? The weather seems nice.”

“Err, how about a swim?’ She agreed. He secretly was interested in seeing her in her swimsuit as even her one-piece was really sexy on her body.

Dress code: formal. Jenn read the last part of Richard’s text message over and over again. He had invited her to see The Phantom of the Opera at a high-class theatre in Birmingham. Jenn had seen this musical before only once when she was six and it was one of her favourites – did he know that? One voice told her she should reject the offer and stay home. Another told her it wasn’t anything wrong and he shared the love of oldies music with her. Jenn silently weighed her choices then opened her closet. She had few dresses that matched the dress code. She finally selected the maroon short-sleeved one. Jenn couldn’t recall the last time she wore this dress but it wasn’t dirty. Along with it she added her only pair of nude 40 denier tights for the weather not for looks.

Chelle’s gasp was due to the woman she found. The woman was hooded with her orange hair sticking out underneath. Her wrists were bound to rings screwed to the wall with cable ties. Her ankles were likewise secured to rings on the floor. “Hang on,” Chelle rushed over, untying the hood. It revealed a tired as well frightened face, the lower half covered with a thick black duct tape all around her head.

Chelle worked of that but even her nimble fingers took time to peel the tape away. The woman half spat and Chelle grimaced as she pulled out a saliva-soaked stocking.

“Thank you,” the woman croaked in a slight Scottish accent. “They sent a school girl to rescue me? Oh, you’re one of the Croonford teen detectives?”

Chelle nodded as she started work on the bindings. Those came off faster with the aid of her laser pen and Chelle help the woman up. After introducing herself, the woman replied, “Elspeth MacGregor, the owner of Castle Macgregor.”

“Let’s get out of here, Elspeth.” Chelle wondered if they had to walk back through the narrow path.

“Follow me,” Elspeth noticed Chelle’s look. “I grew up exploring this hidden area.” She proceeded to the opposite wall, pushed a brick and a door opened. As they entered, Elspeth explained King Duncan I built this underground network and the hidden doors so his troops and family could hide here during any intensive conflict. Chelle quickly changed topic asking Elspeth how she came to be captured. “This morning, two men surprised me as I got out of my residence. They gagged me as you saw, hooded me, restrained me and I felt myself in some vehicle. Shortly after, I was carried out and restrained as you found me.” Chelle immediately knew that was what she spotted earlier.

As Elspeth pointed to another passageway, Chelle continued asking if she knew who was behind her capture.

Elspeth pulled up her broken dress and cleared her throat. “Oh, I definitely know one of them is Fred, my head gardener. He’s the only employee who knows the layout of the underground besides me. The other could be his assistant Blair or another employee.”

Chelle followed her up and around another passageway. A gardener may have some beef against her employer yet there to be a main goon. Catching up with Elspeth, she asked if anyone held a serious grudge against her.

“Oh, you are really a detective. This Castle is worth millions. Others have tried to buy it. Others have fake birth certificates claiming they are MacGregor. The worse is my younger twin sister Edine who has been trying to claim rights to the castle. She doesn’t.”

Jenn didn’t feel right as she entered the theatre. “Oh, evening Jenn, beautiful dress,” Richard greeted. He was in a dark blue suit with an equally blue tie with yellow stripes.

“You don’t have to flatter me,” Jenn tried to reply in a neutral tone. “Exactly how did get tickets for this expensive theatre?”

“My dad got tickets for them and I was to join him. This morning he fell sick so one ticket is available. I’m paying him back.”

“So, you’re treating me.” He nodded.

“Alright. It must be a coincidence Phantom is my favourite musical.”

“I love several of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Cats. Shall we?”

They walked to door and Jenn expected him to reach for her hand but he didn’t. Some people were chased away as they were casually dressed. I wearing this damn dress to meet the dress code, not to show off to Richard. The pair watched silently but Jenn couldn’t help but mouth the words to Music of the Night. She was engrossed and silently felt this outing was fruitful after all.

“Do you fancy another beer, Rich?” The bearded man asked.

“Nah, how much can you drink Fred?” These were the men who had captured Elspeth. Rich was the Castle’s chief repairman.

“Och, what’s the harm. We did what the real boss wanted us to do. Can’t wait to check my bank account.” Just then, his mobile buzzed.

“The boss lady is coming over. Wants to see our ‘work’ we did the girl.”

“Does she think we literally rough her up?”

“Don’t think crude.” Just then, a woman in dressed in all black looking exactly like Elspeth but with a scar on her forehead appeared. She curtly demanded to see her sister. Fred led the way down, taking a different route that Chelle initially did also a different one that she and Elspeth were escaping from.

Just as they stepped into the chamber, all they saw was the hood, the soaked stocking, pieces of tape and broken cable ties.

“What? B-but that’s impossible! She was right here I swear we saw head drop down like falling asleep,” Fred shouted.

“Well, she’s bloody missing,” the woman or Elspeth’s sister Edine shot back with an angry look. “Find her!”

“The two henchmen though strong nearly dropped at her roar. They scrambled around, looking for clues where Elspeth escaped to. Edine picked up the broken cable ties and curtly asked “Did you not search her?”

“Er she was just in a dress. We dumped her handbag outside her quarters.”

“Well, these are burnt marks,” she held up one cable tie, “Either she has some high-device on her or…someone came to free her.”

“Hey boss, there’s a hidden door here. She must have escaped via it,” Rich pointed.

“Oh, this mysterious complex. Chase after her, no I recall there’s should be another passageway,” Edine pressed the various walls and found a second door. “If I recall, this should lead you to the surface. That’s where she would have gone. Go!”

“Like Act One?” Richard asked as the exited during the intermission.

“Oh, it was lovely! They may have changes actors but the version of The Music of the Night and All I ask of You was perfect!”

Jenn really has changed, Richard thought. We’ve found common in old music and in musicals. She may not be keen on dresses or skirts but that’s not a matter. Are these just outings or are they dates?

Fred and Rich hurried up the stairs of the hidden passageway less than incur more of the wrath from Edine.

“You sure this leads us up to the surface?” Rich wondered.

“Aye, I know remember this layout,” Fred insisted. “It isn’t a long route. The route she’s taking is longer and we’ll catch her.”

“Ya sure?”

“Why the doubt? The bitch Elspeth taught me this place when I was a junior gardener. I want to see her suffer,” Fred pulled his companion aside and held his finger to his mouth. “They are near.”

Chelle and Elspeth spotted a hatched that was locked. “Usually there’s a key. Hand me the laser item you used to cut my bonds.” As Elspeth worked on the lock, Chelle was thankful they were almost free; she needed a good drink of water and a change of clothes, especially her underwear. The sun shone through the open hatch and just as Elspeth attempted to climb up, strong hands grabbed and yanked her up. Chelle tried to snuck back but a second set of hands also pulled her up.

“Fred! I knew it was you!” Elspeth exclaimed as she struggled in Fred’s tight grip. Twisting her head, she shouted. “And you Rich! How could do this!”

“We ain’t working for you anymore,” Fred snarled, holding a crowbar in his hands. As if on cue, Edine appeared.

“Well, well looks like sis can’t escape. Remember how you failed to escape in all those games, from childhood to university orientation?”

“Why are you doing this?!”

“I’m claiming what rightful mine. You aren’t the castle owner anymore.” Edine gave a signal and Rich gagged Elspeth with a cloth and a long piece of duct tape. Her wrists were secured behind her back with a cable tie.

“Now who do we have here?” Edine looked at Chelle who had failed to run off. “So, you were the one who played heroine and tried to rescue my horrible sister?”

Before Chelle could answer, both hench men bound and gagged her except without a mouth stuffing. “Nice work. Wait,” Edine frisked Chelle who yelped but couldn’t find the laser gadget on her. “Let’s take them below and secure them separately.”

Rich was ordered to secure Chelle in a smaller room next to the one where Elspeth was found. Elspeth was half-marched, half-dragged to another room. By now, after being gagged and re-gagged, breathing was a continual difficulty for her. Her wrists, retied, were sore as the cable ties bit further into her wrists. As Elspeth wondered, she decided to fake choking.

“She’s in spasm! Get all that gag off her. We don’t want her dying on us, Sometimes I think you then overdo things.” Edine ordered.

“Jawohl,” Fred who was half-German replied and roughly tore away the tape and yanked out the stocking. Edine felt a little relief but Fred made her kneel down on stone floor.

“Now, now Fred, I give the orders here and we don’t overly abuse people,” Edine waved her finger.

“Th- Thank you,” she said softly, “I- I see a different side to your character,” Although Elspeth didn’t mean what she said.

“Ha, your thanks mean nothing sis.”

“Why don’t you leave that girl Michelle out of this? She’s just a student, a teen. It’s between”

“You don’t order me around sis ever,” Edine eyes narrowed.

“How can you…”

“She ought to be gagged keep her trap shut!” Fred snapped.

Edine ignored his advice and ordered her bound sister to get up. Elspeth struggled to her feet, the skirt of her dress to flutter down over her legs but with one strap broke free of the tie, her black bra was exposed.

“Good. Over here. Don’t think you can overpower me, by the way.”

Elspeth had little strength anyway. She walked unsteadily towards the other wall of the chamber When she drew closer, she saw what had not been visible in the shadows. There were chains on the wall, and metal rings as before. Her captors followed, a large blanket suddenly in Edine’s arms.

“Here,” the woman tossed the blanket down near her sister. “You may wish to lie down, although I doubt whether you will find that comfortable after what I am going to do next.”

It was obvious that Elspeth was going to be tied up again, and anchored to the ring in the wall somehow. She sat on the blanket with her knees drawn up to one side and looked expectantly up at her captors. Edine ordered Fred to remove the cable ties and Elspeth used the freedom to re-tie her dress strap though her modesty was not covered . Her captors guffawed softly but said nothing.

Edine walked to a large cabinet near, opened it, and returned almost immediately with items that were metallic. She squatted down beside her sister.

“Turn around. You should know the drill.”

Lisette turned and put her arms behind her back. She looked over her shoulder, trying to see what her evil sister was holding.

“These are manacles. They’re from the era from just after King Duncan, bet you didn’t know that? but I assure you they’re working fine, actually got newer versions, not rusty.” Elspeth shuddered as she felt cold iron settle around one wrist. “You see,” continued her sister as she inserted a screw and began to tighten the broad ring, “This place used to be a museum of medieval torture. And when the property passed hands, this little dungeon stayed almost as it was left, with the original displays carefully stored away in that cabinet. You are going to learn how it feels to be shackled, like they did to women in ancient times.”

The second band of iron was screwed in place about Elspeth’s other wrist and a short chain of three links now clipped into place to join both wrist bands together.

“There, that will hold you, little Miss Houdini.”

Elspeth moved her hands experimentally and found that she could not budge them. Her sister chuckled, then she squatted near Lisette’s feet.

“Ankle shackles or leg irons. Much better than the cable ties, no?” Fred didn’t react but thought those were good enough restraints.

Elspeth found her voice at last.

“So … You’re going to leave me here?”

“I’m glad to you discovered that at last,” Edine cackled.

“Look, I can give you half of the Castle’s land. I can give you more than half my bank account.”

“Too little. Now time to really shut ya up.”

Edine rose to her feet and held up what looked like a metal helmet. Elspeth shivered apprehensively.

“It doesn’t look appealing does it, dear? That’s because it isn’t. It’s very practical, but it’s also somewhat ugly and, I’m afraid, a very uncomfortable fit.”

“Wh- What is it?” But Lisette already had a very strong suspicion of its nature.

“This, sis, is what they call a scold’s bridle. It’s a particularly inventive metal helmet designed to force the wearer, a woman of course, to hold her tongue. Used to punish women in the 1500s. You never Scottish history?”

“You’re not going to put that thing on me?”

“But of course, I am. I am expecting you to be cooperative. This is iron.” Edine held it up and manipulated some of the links. “If you struggle, you’ll risk chipping a tooth, or having your face cut on parts of the metal. This part, see, goes in your mouth. It’s a particularly nasty but quite effective metal gag, I am most interested in seeing its effect on you.”

Lisette licked her lips nervously. “I guess I don’t have any choice.”

“No, you haven’t. I’ll be as gentle as possible when I put it on. Hmmm.”

“What?”

“This thing.” She indicated a flat tongue of metal that was folded over at its end to make a bulge. “I’m not out to torture you, just to make you uncomfortable. I think I’ll pad this …”

Edine looked down at her sister’s dress, delved into the pocket of her shirt and came out with a penknife. She grasped Elspeth’s dress by the hem and drove the point of the knife into the side with a ripping sound. Involuntarily Lisette drew her legs up. The cloth strip was now wrapped around the metal tongue , a couple of layers also going over the ends. When she was finished, the contraption had a stump of thick cloth protruding from it.

“All right, sis, open wide.”

Elspeth could scarcely get her mouth around it.

“Keep trying, dear. You’ll gag on it first, but soon you’ll be able to close your mouth a little, when it’s all in.”

Elspeth had to stretch her jaws wide before the thick wad of cloth could slide into her mouth. It penetrated past mid-way, almost to the back of her throat, and stayed there pressing down on her tongue. She heard a faint metallic squeal as her twin turned screws at the back that tightened the helmet around her head and face. The broad metal band with the silk-wrapped gag passed across her lower face to the back of her head, and to it was attached another band that went over her head vertically. It was bifurcated to pass on either side of her nose and, when the screws tightened, drawing those bands together. Her lips were uncomfortably close to the metal, but all that she could feel on her tongue was the soft wedge of silk that filled her mouth.

“There, that wasn’t too bad, was it?”

Elspeth tried to reply, but hardly a sound came out. With those words, the two captors left. The medieval gag felt embedded in her mouth, pressed against her upper palate, pushing down on her tongue, and threatening to choke her. All she could do was to bite on the thick cloth. She tried to move her hands. Nothing happened. She could move her fingers and legs a little, but the cuffs were locked tight and secured to rings on the wall and floor.

The scold’s bridle weighed heavily on her head. Maybe it was more comfortable to lie down. At least the weight would not be so unbearable. Carefully, she lowered herself to her side, falling helplessly the last foot, and tried to arrange herself with her knees curled up and her head on the other end of the blanket. But her weight pressed the bridle against the floor and made the angle of the shaft with the protective cloth shift in her mouth. It brought on a fit of choking and she had to raise her head to relieve the pressure.

The fresh tears streaming down her face almost caused her to miss the dull gleam of metal near her shoulder. She had to lift her head a little further back. And all the time the metal frame pressed down on her head, giving her a headache, making her thoughts disjointed and leading her into despair.

Meanwhile, Rich had cuffed Chelle to fetters secured on a wooden beam. Chelle continued to scream despite a dry throat and kick. “Oh, stop it lass,” he growled. Pulling out the last cable tie he had, her ankles were secured together. Suddenly, he reached under her skirt, yanking down her tights causing Chelle to yelp. Caught by the cable ties, he cut them off. Chelle’s tape gag was temporarily removed and her tights wound around her head before a fresh tape was applied. “Nice legs girl,” Rich remarked and began to touch them.

“Nice musical?” Richard asked as they exited the theatre. Jenn was humming the tune to Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again and recalling the Acts, especially the crashing the of the chandelier.

“Huh, oh yeah lovely!” she snapped back to reality, realising who she was with.

“So, are these meet ups, outings, or dates?” Jenn looked up at him. Her answer came less than a minute later. “They are dates. But I want to think before I say ‘girlfriend’ Richard.” He extended his hand but Jenn, for the first time in her life, hugged him. That embrace was interrupted by her phone buzzing.

“No Mark, I can’t go up to Edinburgh. But Lothian and Borders detectives are handling it. I know they are very capable,” Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Nikki Heath informed him. She was referring to DCI Amy Robertson and Detective Sergeant (DS) Bobbi Rainsbury. The pair wasted no time preventing anyone from leaving the castle and interviewed everyone. That excluded Rich the repairman, whom Edine said he was on sick leave.

“Don’t buy that Amy,” Bobbi remarked. “You could see her eyes move, her face twitch. I’m going to search for this repair guy.”

Elspeth started twisting her arms as much as she could. She was aiming for the laser pen Chelle had given her. After four twists, she got it and with her fingers, managed to cut away her wrist manacles, then her ankles and slowly cut off the painful scold’s bridle. Leaving the room, she heard muffled cries and found Chelle, who was still being caressed by Rich. With one large swing, Elspeth knocked out the repairman. With in minutes, Chelle was freed, not before she squirted ink from the special gadget. “Ok, leave him, let’s get out of here.”

The pair found DS Rainsbury who doubted their story but escorted them to her superior.

“So, who are you then?” The two detectives asked Edine, who shout she was the owner. Suddenly, Fred and dirtied Rich appeared and attempted to attack Elspeth. The tussle was short and the detectives arrested Edine and her henchmen.

“More good news,” Reinhard informed Lin over coffee. “My blood sugar levels have dropped to normal. The doctor says it’s incredible how I recovered. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” After finishing, she asked for a kiss but he gave her on both cheeks.

“Lips?” She asked when they were out.

He just stood there.

“You love me?” That broke his stare. Remembering an Ally McBeal scene, Lin twisted the lines. “Kiss me! Put your lips where you mind is!” The shorter boy tiptoed and gave her a mouth-to-mouth kiss, finding her lips tasting like berries, not of the coffee earlier. He held it there for a minute and a half, the most amazing time in his life.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark and Richard will return in ‘Drama Crisis’.

22: State Property

Summary:

Michelle has always believed that her father was just some sort of official in the FCDO. When an old nemesis appears, she’s given clues to discover the truth.

Author’s note: I do want to complete rhe mystery over Chelle’s ‘alien abduction’, but with current world events in Ukraine, this story if very appropriate.

This story is entirely fictional.

“Dad, you’ll be missing my choral and dance act yet again,” Catherine Summers complained at breakfast time.

“So sorry, sweetie, I often have to work late and today I might have to travel abroad. I’ll get you another present from my trip.” Kate wanted to say she was reaching the age where dolls or feminine toys weren’t her interest anymore but stop complaining.

Michelle Summers, by now a veteran teen detective, quickly picked up. “Dad, what exactly do you do at work?”

“Just boring government stuff,” came the hurried answer.

“But dad…”

“Focus on your studies Michelle and try to avoid weird encounters.” Chelle’s parents no longer barred from her detective activities yet they were still not exactly happy with what she and her colleagues got into, especially since the last alien-like encounter was not resolved. Mr. Arthur Summers drank the remainder of his coffee, hugged each of his girls and left.

“Mum, what exactly does dad do at work?” Chelle repeated her question.

“Just government work. Finish up or you’ll be late for school.” Chelle didn’t accept that answer but obeyed and walked out with her younger sister. The late spring weather was warm enough for both girls to wear socks instead of tights. Chelle made a quick decision and told her sister she’ll walk to school — Chell paid a monthly fare for the school bus, it was the last day of school anyway. As she turned the first block, she met up with her fellow girl detectives Lin Ling and Jennifer who also were taking advantage from the warmer weather. Despite that their school skirts were long enough — one centimetre above their knees, Jenn always feared she might produce an unwanted upskirt and always wished the school would produce trousers for girls.

Chelle interrupted Jenn’s thoughts, repeating the breakfast conversation at her house. “Maybe your dad is just some civil servant at the Foreign Office or…he’s a spy,” remarked Lin.

Lin’s comment was close to accurate as Arthur Summers didn’t head to King Charles Street where the funnily named Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was located but instead to St George Wharf Car Park. Heading to the second floor, he pulled opened a cleaner’s door which actually revealed a metal panel with a keypad and retinal scanner. That unlocked the whole panel, revealing a darken narrow corridor. An equally dark-clothed man armed with a HK416 and Glock 17 approached him, examined his identification card, face and scanned his fingerprints before escorting him to an electric car. The car sped through three armoured doors before stopping in an open area. Arthur had to enter another combination lock and pull open an electric-secured handle that was monitored by staff inside before entering the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS).

The SIS, more commonly and actually inaccurately known as MI6, is one of the UK’s key intelligence organisations. Made famous by the James Bond movies and other British spy films, British intelligence officers, not agents, don’t act at all like Mr. Bond. In a short summary, SIS officers gather intelligence data along with the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the Security Service or better known as MI5 and Defence Intelligence – Military Intelligence and pass it on to the  Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) which is supported by the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO), where the data is assessed.

“Chelle, you could double check the gov dot uk site to check if your dad is just working in some civil servant department,” Jenn suggested as they entered the school grounds.

“I have and searched the archives and couldn’t find any mention of his name or initials.”

“Chelle, as I guess he’s working in intelligence, there won’t be any mention of him or his work, ” Lin added. “But working in such an organisation is not a crime.”

The SIS, unlike its larger American counterpart, has not provide its organisational structure on its bland website or public sources for unknown reasons. This has created both misunderstandings and constant for calls for transparency from the media, think tanks and campaigners. It also allowed the SIS to almost freely conduct its work, with some oversight freely and form even more secretive cells within its own organisation. This was where Arthur Summers came in – he was the Director of Exploitative Operations in Eastern Europe. Arthur was viewing files some current operations when he was called into the Director General’s private office.

School ended for May break with the usual announcements and homework distributed. Chelle tried to get the gang together but due to the last two cases, the others had to give their statements again to the police, especially Lin along with Julia Humes as Detective Sergeant (DS) Bluebell Ransom was liaising with her American counterparts regarding the online harassment. Chelle found herself trapped with her literature and media club activities. Louisa Grant, her senior, wanted her to head down to some East London school to help build up its media club. Chelle initially wanted to refuse then accept as a London trip might help reveal her father’s work.

Arthur had already suspected the reason he was call for before he entered the electronically-controlled office. A cup of coffee was already poured. “Arthur,” the moustached Director General, George Healey “Our American friends aren’t pleased with the death of their officer Claire Stirrup.” Arthur countered the operation for Stirrup was to survey from a wide distance and knew the risk as a CIA officer. “The Malaysian authorities still stopped a nuclear IED thanks to all the intelligence. He knew his elder daughter and her friends helped stop the IED and nearly got radiation sickness but didn’t bring it up.

Healey took a large puff of his cigar then continued. “Well, they’re still grumbling about it and you have Operation Monitor to complete, especially with all the ruckus going in Ukraine. If the communications don’t work well here, there’s a flight out of Northolt after noon.” He meant RAF Northolt, a RAF base which conduct military and civilian flights, the latter comprising of British intelligence flights to overseas stations.

Chelle was quite tired, not just from the delayed train journey and her period, yet managed to given a substantial presentation to the London school’s media club. After using the toilet, she was about to turn to the exit, she heard voice call out her name and encountered five girls advanced towards her. “Hey, you’re the great detective from Cromford, right?” one who introduced herself as Amber.

“Yes…”

“We need you for our fundraising. For your looks and fame,” Amber explained Chelle just had to sit down while students donate money due to her looks. The teen detective initially wanted to refuse, then learnt the money would help the homeless.

“That was long but at least tucked away, “Reinhard remarked as he and Lin exited the police station, having given additional statements to Detective Sergeant (DS) Bluebell Ransom. Lin noticing how bright the weather was, suddenly asked him if he played any sport. When she heard swimming, Lin suggested the small river behind the town library. “See you there in an hour,” she waved.

Chelle was actually surprised her looks and her fame actually gather £100 from the rest of the school population within fifteenth minutes. She got up thinking it was over but some of the other girls pushed her back down. A black cloth was securely tied around her eyes, causing her to yelp but a hand covered her jaw with a voice telling her to stop struggling and be quiet.

“So, this is the girl the boss lady wants?” Chelle heard another girl ask.

“That’s her,” Chelle heard Amber reply. “Her name’s Michelle and she thinks she’s some real detective. I mean look at her, does she look like Nancy Drew to you?”

“Don’t know,” another girl replied. “I was more into the Famous Five myself. Come on, let’s get her ready I want the money.”

Chelle immediately heard plastic snapping and a sweet aroma pervaded her senses.

“The lady invented them,” she heard Amber explain, “Stun phials, you crack them open, hold them under the target’s nose and boom!'”

“So, she’s now unconscious?” She heard the first voice ask.

No Chelle thought silently I can hear every word you say. But I can’t move my muscles at all! I can’t speak! Wait, I’ve been through this before!

“Not fully. As I understand, it she’ll only be able to hear us. The drug paralyses every muscle, then sleep comes a little later. We can shortly safely to move her.”

Sure enough, Chelle saw, not felt the girls easily lift her up and took her out with no teacher in sight just before her eyes closed. She woke up quickly, finding the blindfold removed and her limbs moveable but felt extremely weak. Chelle scanned around and assumed she was no longer in the school. Naturally she tried to move, however a figure approached and she gasped immediately recognising. “Madame Priscilla Redmond! You nearly killed me and Lin with an IED last time!”

“I make my sincere apologies. Your father…” Chelle, despite her weakness started protesting until the fake teacher managed to calm her down. “Michelle your father is in danger. Yes, he has been working for British intelligence, no not for normal SIS operations; he’s in charge of deep covert operations in Eastern Europe and is currently personally gathering information that will aid the Ukrainians. However, the Black Shirts, a group that I used to be with, is targeting him for revenge.” She held up her hand and threw a piece of paper near Chelle. “You’ll get your strength back in a few minutes and oh, you might need this,” she tossed a sanitary towel down as well, then disappeared in the shadows.

Arthur Summers in fact was in Przemyśl, a Polish town near the Ukrainian border. Operation Monitor was centred on using a local asset codenamed Rainbow monitoring if there was pro-Russian Ukrainians or activity in Western Ukraine and to counter any misinformation with a special device named Zeus. The communications were of course far better here than in SIS HQ yet were choppy at rare times. Arthur was intensely focused on liaising with Rainbow, the communication link suddenly faded. He tapped the set furiously and then called the SIS technician twice but received no answer. Frowning, he turned, only to hear a loud explosion.

“That was actually wonderful, “Reinhard remarked as he got out of the town river. “And thanks for helping me improve my backstroke.”

“No problem,” Lin replied. She chose to wear a normal one-piece black swimsuit as opposed to her usual bikinis as she recalled last time she wore reveal clothing near him. With a towel wrapped around her head, she retrieved their mobile phones from the buried box which was her latest gadget — if you enter the wrong combination code the first time, a foul stench would emit. What surprised them was a photograph of the paper Priscilla Redmond left at Chelle’s feet.

“It’s German,” the shorter teenager muttered, typing a translation. “It’s directions to some carpark in some area in North London, but I can’t translate the next paragraph, not sure what language that is.”

“And there’s some faded symbol at the side. Let’s get changed out and gather the others,” Lin suggested, hoping Chelle was heading to that location alone.

Chelle did in fact head to that location since it was along the train route back home. The car park was partly shaded and there weren’t many parked. She quickly walked past each vehicle until she saw two vans, one white with black stripes, the other in a cream colour. As she approached the striped van, she was felt like she was pushed and fell into the other van. It was either the day’s events or some odourless gas that made the girl detective sleep.

Lin thought the language was Romanian, Jenn thought Polish or some language from the Baltic region. Reinhard and Mark neither had success enhancing and enlarging Finally Jenn wildly mentioned that they should show it to Chelle’s mum; it was way beyond their abilities and wasn’t a police-centred case.

Chelle awoke to the sound of engines; they weren’t jet engines but propeller-driven ones. She felt the vehicle jerk not from its engine and soon realised the van inside some transport plane that was descending down. Soon enough, she heard wheel touch the ground and the plane shift around finally breaking to a halt and the sound of an aircraft ramp lowered. The van she was in, started reversing and despite the blacked windows, she could surmise that it had drove into a hangar. The vehicle stopped and the back door popped open.

By luck, Mrs Margaret Summers was at home. As usual, he faced turn to a worried look when learn from Lin and Jenn her elder daughter wasn’t contactable. Upon seeing the faded symbol on the paper, her face turned ashen and asked for a copy.

“What does that mean?” Lin asked but Maggie Summers just thanked them, went to her bedroom and dialled a private number.

The open door of then van reveal pitch darkness and hardly any smell. Chelle waited for nearly a minute before getting out slowly. There was hardly any objects as far as she could make out or any way out. Just as she was trying to guess which country she was now in or what move to make, there was an electronic buzzing sound.

“Hello, Michelle Summers, great teenaged detective, daughter of Arthur Jason Summers,” Chelle tried not to flinch upon hearing her father’s full name. “I know you want to see daddy right?” Chelle kept silent.

“I take as a ‘yes’. What we want is full cooperation. We’ll let you see daddy, then we’ll let you go too. That’s a guarantee,” the muffled voice continued. Small beans of light shone, revealing rifles pointing at her.

Chelle did not really like her chances. She wished she had contacted the authorities or the others were here.

“What do you want me actually to do?”

“Walk to the light that I’ll shine and you find a small table. There’ll be a roll of cloth, duct tape and a pair of handcuffs. You’re to stuff the cloth into your mouth, gag yourself and cuff yourself with your hands behind your back, make sure it is behind your back. Wait there. We’ll then pick you up and you’ll see daddy dearest. After that there’ll be some small talk then we’ll let you go. Any silly moves at all and daddy will see your dead body. Nod in agreement.”

Chelle nodded and tried not to be frightened. But having heard her father’s name easily meant he was captured by this group. With the light shone, she walked, quite confidently and found the items as mentioned. She grimaced with distaste at the tight roll of cloth. It was thick, a torn piece of bed sheet, with some marks on it. Sighing internally, she didn’t stuff the cloth completely in her mouth an tore a short piece of the silvery tape. The handcuffs were small steel circlets connected by a single link of chain. Chelle slipped her right wrist into one circlet and clicked it shut. Then, taking a deep breath, she placed her arms behind her back and found the other cuff with her left hand. Carefully, she slipped her wrist into the metal ring, braced herself, then clicked it into place. The single link of chain definitely allowed very little freedom of movement.

Michelle looked up and before she could turn around, another vehicle drove up next to her. Arms pulled her inside and no seat belt was clipped on, nearly throwing her against the front seat. She was suddenly grabbed and felt the handcuffs were tightened. Another. set of hands had locked handcuffs over her socks. The vehicle sped out of the hangar and Chelle’s attention was on her gag. The cloth penetrated deep into her mouth against her tongue, causing a gagging reflex that she had to fight for the first few minutes. The tightness of the tape created more difficulty for her to breathe and thus she slumped slightly seat. No I’ve have to focus, she reminded herself and sat up between the two armed men, she assumed they were men sitting next to her. Like the van previously, this car’s windows were shaded but there was enough light and Chelle saw truck with another person holding one to some small box. She tried to raise her head, but one thug next to her pushed her down and muttering in a language she did not comprehend, a black hood was thrown over her head, keeping her in pure darkness.

The car ride wasn’t long and Chelle soon felt herself being carried. The two men carried her, one at her shoulders and the other holding her bare legs. She now guessed that she was being carried into a factory or a building that smelt of old machines and some odour she couldn’t identify. She was lowered with unsurprising roughness onto what felt like a stone surface. One of the men rolled her onto her face, less gently now. Her legs were folded behind her so that her trainers rested against her buttocks, possibly creating and upskirt.

Despite all the lethargy, Chelle raised her head and breathed as best as the hood and tape stretched taut across her face allowed. That was She felt dizzy and nauseous. She felt a bit sick but dare not vomit because of the gag. The dead air of the cellar still was a little refreshing if only the hood could be removed. She breathed a sigh of relief when the sounds of the men’s shoes receded and footfalls and a heavy door closed. Chelle started rubbing the hood and trying to yank her arms from her back to her front when she heard the footsteps return. Arms held her extremely tight as she felt her blazer cut away, then her blouse, and her skirt, Chelle struggled as best as she could but her trainers were pulled away and the leg cuffs were temporarily removed to allow her socks pulled off. Bound and gagged in my undies, and hooded, what a way to spend the holidays.

As Chelle was unceremoniously undressed, there was a discussion between Director General Healey, the Chief of the SIS and the Chair of the JIC in a secure room in the Cabinet Office. The Head of Station in Poland had sent and urgent report when discovering the destruction of their secret base in Przemyśl and deaths of its personnel. A quick examination of the bodies informed SIS who was behind the attack. “Only Summers is not amongst the bodies, the asset Rainbow is out of contact and the special Zeus device is missing. Summers’ wife also confirmed he’s an a ‘in danger’ message sent,” Healey summarised.

“How big of a mess is this?” Asked the SIS head, waving away his deputy’s cigar.

The answer was huge, both from the device data and ability and how much Arthur Summer’s knew about the UK’s intelligence operations. The JIC Chairman remarked, “We can launch an op to find the device, but for one man? I don’t want to explain to the PM how we start an international incident. Or get the ISC breathing down our necks.” The ISC was of course the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, made famous to the world from the Bond movie Skyfall. The three men debated and the decision finally was made to contact the DSF, the unnamed Director of Special Forces.

Chelle was suddenly pulled to sit up and as she heard the sound or a door opening, the hood was removed. “DmmmD!” She cried, recognising the figure guarded by a hooded thug. Her father’s hands were cuffed in front of him.

“Piotr!” Arthur yelled, shouting the actual name of the asset code named Rainbow. “You traitor!”

“Your country, was the traitor, leaving my parents tortured by the Soviets! And still is! And you’re in no place to lecture me while I hold you darling daughter!” Chelle cried again through her gag as she felt her hair yanked. She was naturally embarrassed to encounter her dad undressed down to her bra and knickers. At least her period was over…

“Oh really? I have your special device which will sell extremely to any state or non-state actors. And given me the list of current British intelligence operations, first in Europe then in East Asia…”

There was a short pause then the floro next to Chelle opened up, revealing a large pool of water. “Or your girl gets dunk in a pool of piranhas!” All the thugs laughed.

“Leave her alone!”

“Names please,” Chelle looked up to see the former SIS asset holding a notepad. Facing her father she cried once again through her gag, trying to tell him not to give in, although another part of her did not wish to suffer a gruesome death or bite There was a pause then Chelle found herself pushed into the pool.

“No!!!” Arthur Summers yelled in response but just before than push, Chelle had managed to cut off the handcuff’s chain with the only gadget she had, Lin’s special watch cutter. Flying down, luck was with her as a pipe was within reach and she quickly grabbed it. The water was still extremely close to her bare feet and she could see the outline of the deadly fishes.

“Hemmlp! Hemmlp! Hemmlp!” Chelle cried and heard multiple shots. Was Dad dead?! No!!! Suddenly three thugs fell into the water and Chelle saw blood in their heads. The shots came from eight men of the UK Special Forces most elite and clandestine unit, E Squadron, which had a strong history operating with the SIS. Within less than three minutes, all the thugs were killed and the Troop leader, lowered his LWRC International Ultra Compact Individual Weapon (UCIW) and radioed a report, “All enemies present KIA,” meaning killed in action. “Rainbow not in sight, device not present.”

“Hey! Help my daughter up,” Arthur called and Chelle was really grateful as she was hauled up. As her removed her gag, she recalled want the SAS leader radioed and after taking a large drip of water, she recalled what she saw from the car.

“Thanks, stay with them,” the leader told one of his men while the others exited and father and daughter shared a large hug.

The E squadron team had managed to find and kill Piotr just before he could drive across the border and sell the special device. Being clandestine in nature, the unit whisked father, daughter and themselves back to UK soil as shadowy as they arrived and the SIS leaders were glad it was kept that way. The shadowy lady, Priscilla Redmond was picked up by UK customs officers but was making a deal, revealing the Black Shirts’ activities and her own.

Back in the Summers home, the whole family was sitting quietly for a small meal, Chelle rubbing much ointment over the cuts on her wrists and moisturiser on her face. Arthur was the first the break the ice.

“Today, I lied once again to my girls, and nearly got my wonderful detective daughter eaten up,”

“Dad…” Chelle started but Arthur held up his hands.

“I know, SIS rules are very strict in telling family members what their staff really do. My wife knows.” The symbol on the paper was Arthur’s danger message. Maggie Summers was once an executive assistant at MI5 and met her husband at a function. They had moved the girls up to Croonford in case SIS adversaries would find the family. How Priscilla Redmond discovered the symbol was still under investigation.

“No more secrets, no more. Thank you, Michelle, thank you Maggie and I’ll attend your choral act Kate. I’m changing jobs.” he hugged each girl, kissing Chelle on her forehead before returning to his room.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark and Reinhard will return in ‘The Truth Revealed?’

12: Scarborough Fair

Summary:

Lin and Jenn are taken hostage along with someone else and Michelle, despite her parents’ objection, secretly sneaks down to Coventry to rescue her friends.

Author’s note: This is Part 2 of a two-part story; therefore, it is around the same number of words as the previous ‘case‘.

This story is entirely fictional.

Lin Ling tried to show a brave face as the gunman held his weapon – she identified it as a Sig Sauer P226 – while the other held up ropes. She instantly wanted to resist but the threat from the nearing gun made her give in for once. “Good little nosy Chinese girl,” the Canadian accent from the masked gunman was distinct though Lin couldn’t tell which English region. His accomplice tightly bound both her wrists and elbows then lifted her legs up to bind her ankles. “Cute, I didn’t teen girls that young wear black knickers,” the gunman laughed at the unintentional upskirt. Cloth appeared in the accomplice’s hands and she was also blindfolded and gagged, then carried and dumped in a theme box similar to the one she found Rachel in with a board covering her. Thankfully, there was some air hole to breathe. Lin tried to squirm around and realised she either dropped her laser pen or they snatched it. Never mind, I have other gadgets that help me get free.

Jennifer Thompson hurriedly ran through the train station’s gates and hailed a taxi to the arena, constantly pestering the driver to reach the speed limit. Not bothering to take the change, she ran up the grass and saw the tents and equipment were being removed and the area cleaned up. She spotted one of the debating teachers and started rapidly describing Lin and asking if he noticed any female student from nearby schools was reported missing. “Hey, hey Miss star debater, welcome back. No one is missing unless in your mind.” Jenn protested but the teacher just walked away.

Shaking her head, she dialled her taller friend directly but only received constant rings. Where could that girl…the cafe! Jenn remembered the location and quickly found herself at the counter speaking to a certain ‘Nathan.’ “No school girls here in the past two hours. In fact, none here today.”

“Are you sure?” Jenn showed him a picture of the Malaysian-Hongkonger and asked if there was another girl with her.

“No one I said,” the tattooed guy folded his arms. “We’re closing to clean up. Ann, show this girl out.” Jenn was about to continue arguing but the elderly cleaner held her arms. Just as they reached the door, she spotted something. “Hey! That belongs to my friend!” The net was thrown at her and she was locked out of the café, stuffing the item in her bag. They have something to do with Lin’s disappearance and definitely the other girl Lin was meeting. But where could they be hiding them?

Croonford
Summers’ Residence

The latest WhatsApp message from Jenn ‘I think Lin got herself in trouble, am heading back down’ literally shocked Michelle Summers out of her chair.

‘Jenn, what’s your update? Did you find Lin?‘

‘..hold on…’ Came the studious student’s reply. Jenn wasn’t skilled at reading lips but still managed to through the cafe’s windows.

‘Lin and another student…have been kidnapped/taken hostage…on some truck…a fair or carnival’ Jenn quickly typed her reply and wondered what action to take next. The cafe doors were locked and the staff were rolling down the shutters. ‘Truck’, ‘fair’, that carnival they spotted when they first arrived!

‘It’s a carnival again!!!‘ She typed, looking around. How am I going to find the vehicle?!

‘Jenn, get help, notify the authorities down there,’ Chelle typed her reply. ‘Mark, can you get down there?’

The reply from the newest detective and first male came in one and half minutes. ‘Sorry girls, still trapped with my rugby games and practice. Look I’ll look into this ‘carnival’ for you’

‘I’m heading down xx’ Chelle typed.

‘But you’re still grounded,’ her lover typed but Chelle had switched off her phone.

At some central police station in the Warwickshire region

Jenn, nearly out of breath, managed to meet with some police and repeated again her missing friend and the other girl. Unlike the Croonford police, this slightly curly Detective Inspector Marc Blampied wasn’t immediately amicable and questioned Jenn’s trouble, especially since she couldn’t describe the other girl.

“I think that the cafe,” Jenn gave the name of the shop, “helped kidnap or take hostage my friend and the other girl.” The DI scribbled notes and told her he would handle it and she could head back home. Despites Jenn’s protest he simply showed her out of his office. A blonde police sergeant (PS) in uniform with the initials ‘A. Mason’ who gave her a smile and mouthed the words ‘he’s like that.’ Just as Jenn was about to exit, she heard the DI tell that PS to focus on her screen and add a slight lewd remark.

Outside, Jenn again paused to ponder. It was nearing late afternoon and her parents would be angry again if she didn’t return home on time. She retrieved her phone and managed to get hold of DI Nikki Heath.

“Marc the arsehole,” came her reply. “We were competitors at the academy, dated until there was nothing in common and had a messy break up. He’s also slacker in detective work, prefers only to try to date girls in uniform.” That was exactly what I saw, Jenn, thought then Nikki said she may try to send help but couldn’t guarantee. Thanking her, Jenn suddenly noticed a younger girl on a bicycle that was an ancient model.

“Hey, do you know how old that model is?” She smiled.

“My Pa and Ma won’t give money for the newer one,” came the reply.

“Oh no. Say, do know you of any carnival that was in this area?”

“Yeah, started coming by recently. Old but funny magic acts the usual. Bought these sweets,” she held up an open packet. “Why?” Jenn just asked her which way the carnival trucks or vans headed and the names.

“Thought I left some valuable with one stall. Why not I give you enough to buy that old model and you buy yourself a better one?”

“Ya will?” Thankfully, the girl sold her bicycle and Jenn gave up nearly half of her monthly pocket money. This better be worth it, she thought.

The truck was moving as Lin was trapped in a box smaller than her 168cm and growing height. Painfully yet successfully, she twisted her bound arms and managed to draw out her foundation kit penknife. So far, the school teachers haven’t caught the girls with it; make up was out of bounds per school rules. Not gadgets that help when you’ captured. After five minutes, her wrist bonds came off. Managing to bend her legs as best she could, she also managed to cut away her ankle bonds. Her elbows were still tied and as she squirmed and pushed, the top board, then the box cover came off. Simultaneously, the sides of the box fell apart. The wonders of a magic box, she thought happily, but the fallen boards had little edges for her to rub the ropes against. Nor could she see in the dim light of the truck interior anything to cut the ropes around her elbows.

“Mmmph,” she then heard the muffled cries. “Rachel, hang on,” she called and shifted herself on her bare knees towards the other box. Turning around, she managed to lift the two covers. The other science student was still bound, gagged and blindfolded and groaning through the gag, “Sssh,” Lin remarked then twisted. After having been bound and gagged in many positions, she managed to turn around and cut away the girl’s elbow and wrist bonds in the same time she did her own. Rachel gave an elated yelp and undid her own ankle bonds then final her gag and blindfold.

“Oh, thank you thank…” Lin placed a finger on her own lips and Rachel lowered her tone thanking her again. “Where did you get that weird penknife from? Did you invent it?”

“Yes, long story. Wait, why were you captured? And you…” Lin smelt the same slightly foul odour but didn’t want to say the term.

“I used to have a weak bladder, though I got it in control two years ago then suddenly got it in the cafe,” Rachel replied. She then explained they wanted her father, who migrated from Kenya, to give up his chemistry documents to them in exchange for her release.

“We got to get away. Hey, help cut away the ropes around my elbows.” That free, Lin tried to guide her out but that wasn’t easy in the dim light. Suddenly, the truck slowed down and a door opened, the light nearly blinded both students.

“Naught girls,” the lead kidnapper called. Lin quickly drew out her ink or pepper spray pen and squirted it, but missed, only hitting the arm of the accomplice. “Haha,” the lead kidnapper laughed. “Throw that here,” Lin was about to shoot again but the captor fired his own weapon first, the bullet striking the ceiling. “Now!” With the threat, Lin gave up her gadget and both girls were told to lie down, hands on their heads.

“Bind that Chinese one first, ” he instructed his accomplice. “No, get her uniform off so she won’t have any more nonsense stuff to get free.” The second man hesitated but Lin yelped as her school blazer and then blouse came off, exposing her school-standard skin-tone bra. Her skirt was unclipped, fully exposing her black knickers. Cable ties quickly were wound twice around here wrists, cutting through her skin. Her knees then ankles received the same treatment. The pièce de résistance was a further cable tie securing her ankle bonds to her wrist bonds in a hogtie, causing her to cry again. “Shut her up,” came the command but Lin refused to open her mouth. With the Sig Sauer pressed against her neck, a cloth was jammed inside her mouth and two rounds of black packing tape around her jaw and head, trapping some of her hair in the process. The lead kidnapper yanked Lin’s bra straps down to her mid-arms, further restraining her and humiliating the usual tough student. The semi-naked teen was carried and laid in another box and dreaded hearing the sound of locks. She could only just breathe through this thicker gag and barely struggle as she heard Rachel being trussed up again and re-gagged.

Jenn was cycling for twenty-five minutes and still didn’t catch sight of any carnival trucks. The vehicle drivers she hailed weren’t helpful until she received a WhatsApp group message giving her more precise directions where the trucks could be headed. ‘Thks’ she replied, turning and was delighted that Mark was spot on — in front of her were trucks with the words ‘Scarborough Fair’ stencilled on the side. She pedalled faster and waved at the driver of the nearest truck but he ignored her waves and the trucks were speeding faster than she could cycle. Could this be the correct lot of trucks where Lin was hiding? Jenn nearly lost the convoy until she spotted a side lane of a very small hillock. She cycled up and looked down. The series of trucks looked normal until she spotted a hole in the top of one. Either that’s a hole from normal wear and tear or something worth looking at, she got off and luckily there were traffic lights, slowing the vehicles down. One, two, three…she jumped and landed on the top of that specific truck.

Ow…she cried but the pain thankfully didn’t last long. It was a vinyl tarp and with her own laser pen she started cutting away through the tarp. The gap wasn’t that big when the vehicle jerked and she fell down through the small gap. Jenn landed crying out loud, noting the gap above was much larger. Ow…this was a silent groan but a quick check of herself revealed no sprains and only a bruised left arm. Jenn was rubbing it when she heard some noise and spotted a sack which was squirming. Shifted closer the muffled sound increased and she called out “Lin? Is that you?” Wincing in pain, she neared the sack and undid the rope on the top, revealing a black girl blindfolded and gagged with cloth. Just as she was about to undo the cloth she heard, “Oh, another nosy girl. Looks like Nat’s warning was right.” Jenn surrendered and the masked man threw her school bag to the corner, splitting the top slightly open. Soon enough, Jenn was tightly tape bound and gagged. No, not again.

“Any more heroines?” The man scoffed. Just then, another figure dropped down from the gap above. The masked man fired another shot but received a squirt of ink directly on his eye slit. “Yeow!” he cried not just from the squirt but from the ferocious kick he received, throwing his gun away. Jenn immediately recognised that it was Chelle, clad in dark clothes and yelped thankfully through her tape gag. A fight naturally continued, with Chelle appearing to gain the upper hand, pushing the captor to a corner and kicking him down. However, she received a painful kick in return, throwing her to the corner.

“I had enough of you little girls,” the man growled, his weapon miraculously appearing in his right hand. “Now…” before he could complete his line or fire, something was thrown at him, tearing the gun from his hand again and keeping him on the ground.

“Now you receive my turn,” Chelle declared, quickly moving and ensuring he was unconscious. She was about to head over to free Jenn when there were familiar police sirens then the truck jerked to a halt. A door opened and Jenn recognised the familiar female sergeant she saw at the police station. Quickly she was freed but as her gag was peeled off, she yelled that her friend Lin had to be somewhere. With Chelle activated the ID app on her mobile phone, the police officers found the box and Lin was freed, just in time as she nearly choked on her stuff gag. Another siren was heard and they heard, “Sergeant Mason, what the hell did you do?”

“The job you should have done, sir,” she spat out the last word, ensuring all four girls received paramedic treatment and covered Lin with a spare police shirt.

Epilogue:

“You intentionally broke my grounding order and endangered yourself,” Mrs Summers sternly addressed her oldest daughter who still had bandages and ointment as a result of her fight. “I have the very idea to…”

“Maggie,” Mr Arthur Summers who returned home upon hearing the incident, “perhaps we two should discuss this first.” Their private discussion didn’t last long and Chelle was no long punished, on condition she keep her parents, particularly her mother, on any dangerous detective work. Arthur in fact recounted how Chelle secretly followed Jenn to almost rescue her using Lin’s competition item to trap the kidnapper and the supporting comments from Jenn’s parents who didn’t punish their daughter.

Both she and Lin also received medical treatment, with Lin’s mouth tested from any infection from the stuff gag. Lin’s parents scolded her but only gave her a stern warning. The other student, Rachel Adjewa, indeed received a modified diuretic from the cafe manager Nathan West who was in league with the kidnappers, Victor Hector, a Canadian and his accomplice, Larry Sawyer. PS Alison Mason, who left her desk and helped rescue the girls, quit her position to train as a police detective. Lin, Jenn and Chelle received a small monetary award from Rachel’s dad, allowing them to improve their detective headquarters. Mark, the only male teen detective remained in the shadows and he and Chelle still decided to be a couple, secretly.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer and Mark will return in ‘Doggy Business.’

The End

05: To Madame with love

Summary:

Michelle and Lin’s class has a new teacher. But is she who she appears to be? Meanwhile, Jenn find herself in hot debate.

Girl Detectives’ new meeting place
Caravan
Croonford
After School

“No Wi-Fi, simple furniture…” Lin Ling commented as she and Michelle stepped into their new headquarters.

“Beggars can’t be choosers. At least Mr Morden allowed us in for a much reduced fee. At least there’s, electricity, a mobile heater and kettle for water. And a space large enough for your gadgets and science work,” Chelle countered.

“Points taken,” Lin replied, “Still we have much to refurbish,” she remarked as she brushed away dust from a chair as Chelle switched on the heater and boiled some water.

“Yup, our allowances will be drained, but it will work,” Chelle remarked confidently, passing over a cup of tea. “We’re almost fully girl detectives. Speaking of which, where’s the third part of our triangle?”

“Hey girls,” Jennifer entered their new lair. Unlike her colleagues, Jenn had changed out of her school uniform and thick tights into her jeans, shirt and sweater.

“Hey, why the glum look?” Lin asked.

“Bad news. Dad punished me after the last adventure. He spanked me.”

“Your Dad still spanks you at thirteen?!” Lin exclaimed.

“Yes, it’s surprising but he still does,” Jenn replied.

“You’re joking. Let me see,” Lin was curious and Chelle also nodded. Jenn sighed and lowered her jeans and white knickers to reveal light pink strokes across her buttocks.

“Wow, I didn’t think this happens to teens, to girls our age. Isn’t it like close to child abuse or something?”

Jenn was about to reply when Lin tossed over her mobile phone. “Haven’t you seen the news? You’re quite a heroine.”

“‘Marksville Times: Young student reveal people smuggler’, ‘Marksville Weekly Mail: Croonford girl halts Marksville street festival and brings down smuggler and rescues her friends.’ ‘Midlands Regional News: Teen girl hoses down a float to reveal a gang and saves her friends,'” Jenn read aloud.

“You see? You deserve a reward, not a beating,” Lin remarked patting the newest member of the group.

“Dad’s not a monster, he’s just the old-fashion kind. I’ll show these to him,” Jenn remarked. “Speaking of which, how are you two?”

“The hospital stay was like any, but we’re both flushed clean of whatever that witch injected into us. Lin’s right your father is too strict.”

“I said I’ll talk to him.” Jenn replied. “Now, what’s our next case?”

The Next Day
Just after Midnight

Michelle was dragged from her sleep by the rapid ringing of her mobile phone.

“Hullo,” she answered sleepily. Chelle glanced at the caller ID on her phone display.

“Jenn?!”

“Mmmmm, mmpph!” Came the cry through the speakers.

“Oh, shit, where are you? At home? Are you gagged? I’ll call the police right now,” Chelle was about to when she heard a negative cry.

“What?! You don’t want me to call the police?”

“But…are you…Are you at home? Your family…” Then she remembered hearing something about Jenn’s parents away on business.

“Okay … Hang on here. I’ll get dressed and come over as fast as I can.”

Michelle sprang out of bed. She slipped into a pair of blue cotton knickers, light jeans, a black bra, and stepped into a pair of trained with rubber soles for silence. With the front door open, she found Jenn in her room very thoroughly taped up. Her wrists were crossed in front of her ankles and they were sealed together beneath half a dozen turns of duct tape. Her arms were trussed to her body by additional layers wound about her torso from her waist to her shoulders, squeezing the girl’s breasts together and lifting them up. Tape was wrapped around her jaw. Her nipples were sticking out through her pyjama top, trapped below and above the tape and there was a stain on her crotch.

Before Michelle could yank out then fake penknife Lin invented, a female dressed in a thick nightgown and pieces duct tape hanging from her arms and cheeks rushed into the room. Chelle stood up, introduced herself and how she came to the house. The lady was Jenn’s mother who had returned home early, managed escape from her restraints, find the burglar and managed to knock him out.

“The police are on the way, my husband is hurrying back from his conference,” Mrs Esther Thompson added as she worked on her daughter’s gag. Once free, Jenn cried, “Thanks, Mum, thanks Chelle,” then rushed to the loo. Back after a few minutes, she fell into her mother’s arms as sirens wailed. Mrs Thompson spoke to the officers and her husband briefly then returned. “Jennifer, you better return to bed.” Turning to Michelle, she offered to drive her home. Michelle pondered for a while and accepted; she didn’t want to walk again in the growing chilly air.

The next day, Michelle noticed Jenn alighting from her mother’s car. “Mum’s worried that I would be mugged on the way to school or even kidnapped,” she explained, even though the burglar turned out to be a homeless man with mental disorder. Just then, Lin Ling ran up to them, hugged Jenn and pinned some badge on her school blouse.

“Hm, thanks, what is…” Jenn read ‘I’ve been B&G’.”Uh, why do I need this? Do you two have it?”

“Thought you like the badge of honour…” Jenn placed the badge in her school bag, muttered ‘see you’ and head to her class.

At Chelle’s and Lin’s class, the whole class was waiting for their history teacher. Hattie Coy was drawing pictures of the classroom, particular of students. Julia Humes was talking to Heather Smiths, who was developing and growing in height. Both girls were ‘assaulted’ by paper airplanes thrown by Art Morton and the class prefect could not stop him.

“Damn unusual for Miss Harrison to be late,” Michelle wondered.

“Maybe the bus she took is late,” Lin stayed positive.

“Maybe she was with a guy overnight and still kissing and cuddling with him,” quipped one male classmate.

“That’s not what she…” Lin was about to argue when a 1.68m or 5’7 foot, ample busted, black haired lady in dark clothes lady entered.

“I’m Madame Priscilla Redmond. Miss Harrison had caught a nasty stomach flu so I’ll be your relief teacher,” some students eyes widened and some could help but exclaim, ” for history for at the next four weeks. Now open your textbooks, turn to chapter three, we’ll be learning about monarchies today.”

At lunch break, Chelle and Lin noticed Jenn in a corner and asked to sit next to her. Jenn nodded as she poked the tripled-cheese pasta. “Why the glum look again?”

Jenn didn’t answer.

“Was it because of…last night?” Chelle didn’t want to drop the words ‘bound’, ‘gagged’ or ‘tape’. Jenn still didn’t answer, shoved a fork full of pasta, made a slight cough and drank plain water.

“Alright.” Turning to Lin, “That was such a tedious…”

“Terrible lesson,” Lin corrected as she slurped the average bowel of Chinese soup noodles. “We finished monarchies like two weeks ago and fast and this new Redmond – I don’t think Madame suits here – has a strict tone.”

“I can’t detect that,” Michelle replied biting into her roast chicken baguette. “There’s certainly something about her.”

Girl Detectives’ new meeting place

That afternoon

Chelle wash cleaning the caravan while Lin was finishing painting the laboratory side of drank the meeting place with quick-dry paint. After much scrubbing, she dropped the sponge and Mr Muscle spray bottle. “You think Jenn has quit?”

Lin dropped her brush back in the pail, wiped her hands then answered, “It’s like PTSD, shell shock. Her first time bound and gagged right? And quite tight correct?” Chelle nodded her head. “Remember when you were bound to that chair by those seniors and there was that bomb – ok fake bomb – ticking away, didn’t you feel some shell shock?”

“Uh yeah,” Michelle recalled. “How about you? After you were trapped in that large rubbish bin?”

“I tend to get over such perils fast. Jenn…” There was a knock and it was Jenn. Still in her school uniform, she asked where the changing area and toilet was. Running there, she emerged in her hoodie and jeans, and slumped down on the sofa.

“Look, I’m sorry I created that badge,” Lin started.

“Jenn,” Michelle sat down next to her, “It’s ok, you’ll be over…”

“I don’t know it’s ok!” Jenn finally burst out, tears running down her cheeks. “I’m a grown up, not some little girl who can’t fight back! He grabbed me, I tried to use everything you invented Lin, but he trussed me up so hard! The gag was so tight I thought I was going to suffocate and I was…” She didn’t want to talk about her period.

“Jenn,” Chelle patted her, “Maybe you should take a break from all this detective work. Lin and myself can handle it.”

“Yes, but remember how you came to rescue us at Marksville, you’re a heroine Jenn,” Lin added.

Jenn thought for a few seconds, then replied, “No, no, I’m not a quitter just because I was duct taped and gagged tightly for the first time. I just join this group and its super amazing! Just one thing, ” Chelle and Lin tensed up, “I’ve just joined the debate club to see how good my oratorical skills area. I hear the schedule could be almost every other day and strenuous, but I’ll be with both of you. Now what’s this about your relief teacher?”

“We like to shadow her,” Lin remarked, “I’ve some device ready, just needs batteries. Meanwhile, you two might like to keep this,” She reached over and handed over two pens.

“Lin, you must be joking,” Chelle half-laughed.

“As Q said to James Bond, ‘I never joke about my work’. It’s not just a pen, twist the top counter-clockwise, and the tip burns away material. Watch,” She held up a cloth and turning one of the pens, it burned the middle cloth and the Chinese girl blew to put the flame out. “Should work well on ropes, a bit longer on zip ties because of the plastic. I don’t recommend it on tape, ” Jenn cringed remembering last night but kept silent, “oh, don’t use it too much for writing; there’s not much ink.”

“Marvellous work, Q,” Jenn happily responded, hugging her fellow teen detective.

Across the next few weeks, Chelle and Lin had to endure Madame Redmond’s teaching. In stark contrast, some classmates loved her style of teaching. Hattie liked her way of introduce history events and prominent figures. “I’ve even drew a picture of her,” Chelle said she like the picture though silently it made Redmond look nastier. Julia, Heather even bully Art liked how she tested them.

One Wednesday, Michelle grudgingly headed towards Madame Redmond’s office. She had to pass up a re-written essay on Edward VIII’s reign and his abdication. “Enter,” came the sharp tone. “Ah, Michelle,” Redmond greeted the student. She briefly glanced through the re-written essay. Miss Harrison would always read essays in detail, Chelle remembered.

“Much better,” Redmond remarked, changing the grade. Just as the passed back the essay, Chelle noticed some papers on the left side of her table. The top one had words like contained words like ‘monitor closely’, ‘ use all equipment’, ‘ ensure tight security’, ‘ initiate…’

“Miss Michelle Summers? I’ve given you a higher grade and I think that’s business done. Would you leave or do you want me to help you out?” Chelle noticed the papers were gone.

“Uh, sorry, Miss, uh Madame Redmond,” She took back her essay and left.

“There’s really something odd about this relief teacher,” Michelle informed her fellow detectives as they met at the locker room during a short break, telling them what she saw in Redmond’s office.

“Well I’ve the device ready,” Lin replied, patting some box in her locker. “You two free after school today? We can shadow her car.”

They both responded ‘yes’ but Jenn said she had debate practice at 4pm but could still can make it. “You two shadowing her in your uniforms?! You’ll be sticking out like fish, fishes out of water. Don’t you have ordinary clothing?” She exclaimed.

“Just hoodies and coats,” they both answered. “She won’t notice us, not with Eagle.”

After school, Lin showed them what ‘Eagle’ is. “A UAV?!” Jenn exclaimed. “Good gosh, you actually made this?”

“Well, no the main UAV was bought online as is the camera. I just joined them together,” Lin answered with a sheepish look. Ok, you better assume position Jenn.” Jenn was to be on a high slope that gave her a bird’s eye view of at least a hundred metres one had.

” ‘Eagle’ is flying,” Lin radioed through her special earrings. These earrings were now enhanced so that they could communicate up to five metres away.

“Her car is moving,” Jenn was using normal binoculars. “She turning down Barker Street, west.”

“Eagle following, high,” Lin pushed a joystick, moving the UAV higher.

“That camera is really high quality,” Chelle observed.

“It can spot objects and people as small as children. Shit, she moving away.”

“She is, ” Jenn radioed. “Oh, she’s on Crawford Street moving out of the town.”

Lin moved the UAV further but received warning signals, indicated malfunctions. “Damnit,” she gritted her teeth as she steered ‘Eagle’ back to received her.

Jenn was confident about debate. The only problem was wearing the full uniform – coat, definitely a tie and formal shoes. This is practice not a competition, she thought when she knocked into someone.

“Sorr..Bethan?! You’re also joining the debate club?”

“Of course,” She replied in her Welsh accent. “Molly as well. We can argue.”

Half an hour later, the three girls emerged. “Darn, my bra’s too tight. Need to buy a better one,” Bethan complained.

“Well the next topic is after all, feminism. You two are lucky, my male partners are horrible.”

Girl Detectives’ new meeting place

Days Later

“That looks a set of mobile earphones,” Chelle watched Lin fixing what look like earphones attached to a miniature device.

“It’s actually parabolic microphones. The left goes in your ear while you hold the right towards the source. Should be a good range of 500 metres or further.”

“What on earth do you do you need parabolic microphones for? I thought they are for police and special forces,” Jenn commented as she looked up from her debate prep.

“We’ll be heading to the last known location Redmond’s car was and find her home. We’ll listen from a distance,” Lin explained. “You coming?”

“Can’t,” Jenn pointed to her papers. “But keep me posted.”

The following day after school, Lin and Chelle, changed out of their uniforms into causal jeans and hoodies, headed to the area where they last knew Priscilla Redmond was driving. Twenty minutes later, there still was no sign of her car. “Maybe she took another route,” Chelle commented.

“Maybe…” Lin replied just then Redmond’s car appeared. “Back in the side, we don’t her to spot us,” she suggested. Redmond’s car suddenly turned a corner and Lin changed her mind and called, “Let’s follow!” The girls have previously ran a race but Redmond’s car was accelerating fast. After a ten-minute chase, the car entered a luxury home.

“Which teacher has enough ten-minute money to own such a place?” Chelle exclaimed.

“That makes her even more suspicious,” Lin replied, setting up her latest gadget.

“Hey, her car’s coming out!” Chelle pointed. The girls again ran to shadow. This time is was a shorter jog but the car entered a dilapidated building. Both girl detectives tried to follow in, but the gate locked and there were signs reading ‘no trespassing’, and ‘ private property’.

“More like sleazy, broken down, dirty property,” Chelle remarked.

“Yeah, but let’s move to the side road to pick out what she’s saying,” Lin remarked.

Much later, back in their meeting place, they played back what they listened with Jenn joining them.

“Yes, observing now. Slight movements, no they are moving around the place. One animal, quite likely a Siamese cat. Male sitting down, working on laptop, wait screen towards my direction, taking pictures, video recording now…. initiate Op Rem…”

“Static?” Jenn noted. “Was she noticing you two and blocking signals?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” Lin replied. “The walls of that place looked rather thick and this device isn’t high quality. What we need is to enter the building.”

“You know, what it sounds like some undercover officer or intelligence officer observing neighbours. Breaking into houses or building is illegal you know?” Jenn sounded worried.

“Don’t be, we’ll be very stealthy,” Jenn replied confidently.

The next afternoon…

“The proposition has not established any strong argument how feminism has advanced the international order….” Bethan Morgan continued her summation. Jenn, despite being on the proposition side, was now agreeing. Her two male debating colleagues had hardly prepared so their speeches ruined her team after she opened the debate as First speaker of the Proposition.

Meanwhile, Chelle dressed in black jeans, a black coat, a black jumper and every clothing black, met up with Lin. “Hey, we’re on a case, well, going to intrude into property, not going to a party,” She pointed at her friend who was in black tights with dark coloured shorts over her waist and almost sheer black top clothing.

“There’s nothing wrong with this. The tops won’t really shine. Got everything? There’s our taxi,” Lin replied. Half an hour later, they were dropped half a block from the run down building. “We definitely can’t enter via the gate,” Chelle pointed at the chained gate and additional keypad locks. Lin stared at it for a few minutes then motioned her colleague around the building.

“The back, eh?” Chelle commented.

“Remember Return of the Jedi and how the Rebel team first penetrated the bunker? Wear your mask. Watch,” Lin brought out her fake pen and started burning the wired fence. Minutes later, there was a gap. “Let’s enter,” She lowered her voice.

“This will leave a mark,” Chelle noted, also lowering her voice.

“I’ll fix it, now you want to investigate or chicken out?” Chelle tightened her mask and squeezed through the gap. There were shaded windows and one door in front of them. After a scan, the girls noticed a lower window and with several tugs, they brought it up.

“Stand on my shoulders,” Lin instructed, Chelle gave a quizzing look, then understood. She managed to enter the building and helped Lin in. “Better stick close together and whisper in each other ears,” Lin recommended. They did as they moved through the dimly-it corridor. Their first encounter was a set of CCTVs across the ceiling. “How…” Chelle whispered in her friend’s ears and Lin held up her gloved hand.

“There are blind spots between the cameras. Follow me exactly,” Lin ordered. It was basically hoping between the cameras on exactly spots and despite sweating, both girls made it. Now they faced a Y-hook branch. “Left or right?” Lin whispered to Chelle.

“Uh,” Chelle flipped a coin in her mind. “Left.”

Proceeding so, the girls found themselves in an empty room with only a chair in a corner. “Well ‘left’ wasn’t the right choice after all,” Chelle silently laughed.

“There’s some large crack on that wall and look, a wire leading out,” Lin whispered and pointed. “Help me,” Both girls proceeded to pushed the crack when suddenly Chelle heard a ‘zing’ noise and Lin collapsed on the floor.

“Well, well, history students turn wannabe detectives, breaking into someone else’s property,” Madame Priscilla Redmond suddenly emerged wearing what looked like police or military jacket, a taser in her raised hand.

“I think you’re the one in trouble,” Chelle tried to sound confident and summarised what they learnt about their relief ‘teacher’. Redmond just responded, drawing out a small tablet with her other hand and laying videos of Lin and Michelle shadowing her car the UAV, shadowing her to her two residences, walking to the back of this building, break through the fence, climbing through the window and crossing through the array of CCTVs.

“Nice work Famous Five or shall I say Famous Two,” Redmond scoffed. So, she doesn’t know Jenn is involved, Chelle thought thankfully.

“Oh, I set it a little too high,” Chelle turned and saw a puddle next to Lin’s crotch. “Don’t worry, she’ll regain control soon. On that note, take off her shorts and tights.”

“What?!” Michelle cried.

“Do so dear Michelle, unless you want to want to be stunned as well.” Shivering, Michelle unbuckled her fellow detective’s shorts, lowered her tights, pulled off her sport shoes. She was about to put back the shorts for decency when Redmond snapped, “Leave it. Sit her to that chair, put her arms behind her between the slits.” Half carrying, half dragging Lin whose bikini knickers were now exposed, Chelle managed to sit Lin on the chair.

“Bind her wrists and ankles,” Redmond tossed a packet of zip ties to Michelle, still pointing the taser gun at her. Shaking her head, she did so. “Now, take her tights, pry open her mouth and stuff them in.”

“She’s still unconscious, she will choke!” Chelle protested.

“Do it!” Redmond moved closer to her student. Chelle picked up the tights, managed to open Lin’s mouth and stuff the tights into her mouth. She placed it the mid-section in so that Lin wouldn’t taste her pee or smelly feet.

“Please no more,” Michelle pleaded.

“Throw your gadgets to me,” Redmond barked. Chelle gave a look and said she knew nothing but Redmond replayed how they cut through the fence. So, she passed over both hers and Lin’s fake pen, penknife and radio earrings. Both of them had that special identification device and Michelle had hidden it in a very private place. Redmond didn’t ask about it but she also took their mobile phones.

“Put back your mask, hands on your head,” came the order. With the taser against her neck, Chelle was marched out and tried to remember the directions as she walked. She was finally seated, arms also yanked behind her, wrists locked with zip ties, her legs parted and ankles also bound like her wrists. Chelle felt rope criss-crossed around her boobs pressing her tightly to the chair’s back. Her mask was yanked off and she heard, “too bad you didn’t wear tights like your friend,” Chelle felt her nostrils pinched as a dirty cloth was jammed into her mouth. It was sealed with two rounds of black tape.

“Got to check back on your Asian friend, stay here, or you will, the chair is bolted to the ground,” Madame Redmond now cackled. Chelle wanted to correct her it was ‘Chinese’ but just screamed through her gag as Redmond left.

Back at school, the chief judge, actually a senior to the new debaters, announced, “With a unanimous vote, we find in favour of the opposition,” That team cheered while Jenn banged her fist on the desk and glared at her two male colleagues. She was about to storm off when the chief judge stopped her. “Jennifer, that was an excellent speech and arguments,” He praised her. “We want you to swap over, Bethan come over to this team and trains these guys. Jennifer over to that team.”

“Welcome Jenn,” Molly hugged her new team member. Jenn nodded, collected her mobile phone and typed a text message to her detective friends.

‘Hey how’s it going. What have you two found?’

She received no reply. Jenn sent another text message but there was still no reply. Maybe there’s no signal coverage there, Jenn thought, collected her bag and ran out of school. Using Google Maps, she calculated the distance to the building and ran further on until she was in range with her radio earrings. “Chelle, Lin, are you there?” She pressed her earlobes against her head. Repeating that twice, she still received no reply. Jenn was still in her hated formal uniform but worried, she hailed a taxi. “That’s far in the out skirts of town, Miss,” The tattooed driver commented. “What you going to do there?”

“Just drive!” Jenn snapped. As the taxi neared the building, Jenn activated the special app Lin invented. The two signals from her friends were there, far apart, with Chelle’s signal stronger. Jenn’s heart leap, maybe they are searching separately, or maybe they are trussed up.

“Here, you are Miss,” the driver announced. The fare was over £10 but he accepted a tenner due to her school uniform. Jenn saw the bleak building for the first time but spotted other items. “Bloody hell!” She swore and seeing gate and main door open she dashed in. “Chelle, Lin!” She cried out. Checking the app, Chelle’s signal was coming from the north west. As Jenn headed in that direction, she spotted a clock ticking and arrows pointing. “Oh, super shit!” She swore and ran forward. After passing through many corridors and steps, she found Michelle. Additional tape was stuck to her fingers and more tape sealed her knees to the chair. Her jumper and shirt was cut open, revealing her bra.

“Hold on!” She cried, drawing out the fake penknife and pen. It took time to get the tape and zip ties off but that allowed Chelle to work on her on her own bonds with the pen. Finally, with the ropes and gag off, Michelle exclaimed, “Lin!”

“I know, the place the rigged to explode. Let’s go!” Guiding Chelle, they found Lin bound and gagged, her damp knickers still exposed. Both teenaged detectives worked quickly and got their friend free. Lin was still lethargic from the taser shot so both girls had to carry her as a mechanical voice called, “One minute left.” Chelle and Jenn exclaimed and as fast as they could, they dragged Lin towards the entrance. Lights and sirens were blaring, and there was a familiar face. “Grab the girls!” Came the order, and police officers managed to pull the trio to safety just as the building exploded.

Thompson Residence

Late that evening

Jenn was searching the web, trying to find out about this Priscilla Redmond when she heard a knock on her door. “Have time to talk, dear?” He father hardly called her ‘dear’.

“Uh, yes, Daddy,” She twirled her chair to face him.

“I heard you did it again,” he began, resulting in her eyes widening.

“Rescuing your two friends,” he continued. Jenn relaxed a bit.

“I read the news clips you emailed me. After much discussion, we’ve decided you won’t be spanked anymore.” Jenn really relaxed. She was about to thank her father when he continued again, “You’ll still have to obey the house rules, grounded if necessary. You can join your friends in detective work but please be careful, we don’t want to lose our only daughter.” He was about to leave but stayed and asked, “Hug, Jennifer?”

It was the first time in years her father offered to hug her and Jenn enjoyed it.

Girl Detectives’ new meeting place

Saturday

“An old abandoned building exploded. Local authorities believe there was gas leak…” The girls watched the morning news on Jenn’s phone.

“Hi Nikki…what? Why? Ok, no more, ok, thanks, have a good weekend,” Michelle ended the call on her spare phone with only a top-up SIM card.

“What a lie the journalist were fed,” Jenn commented.

“What did Nikki say?” Lin asked, dressed in a skirt and another pair of her tights.

“There’s no investigation. The powers that be told her not to open any and we’re not to conduct our own, not one bit. What, no whoever Priscilla Redmond is, or is that her real name, there’s no case, no two houses, she was just a relief teacher from nowhere,” Chelle shook her head.

“That really sucks!” Lin and Jenn exclaimed. Lin complained how the lost of those gadgets and her phone will burn her pocket money and suggested they quietly still investigate.

“Nah not for now”, Jenn got up. “Well, not after my dad said I won’t get spanked anymore; thanks for the suggestion of showing him the news. It will be a perilous adventure but what? I have you two,” The girls came together and hugged each other.

The End.

Michelle, Lin Ling and Jennifer will return in Halloween Horrors.