Respect and Response
December 2014
A trading estate on the outskirts of
London
The tall,
thin brunette looked up from her desk as the door to her office opened, and her
number two came in, her copper red hair falling on the shoulders of a fitted
jacket that matched her knee length skirt.
“Penelope,”
she said as she put her pen down, “are the team assembled?”
“They are
indeed Madame – are you sure you wish to lead the visit today?”
“It’s all
part of our changes, Penelope,” Madame X said as she stood up, “that I am seen
to take the same risks as those who work for me from time to time. Come – I will brief you all now.”
She stood up
and made her way from the office, Penny following as she smiled to herself.
The outskirts of Bristol
9 pm
“Josie, are
you going to be much longer?”
“Stop fussing
Mum – I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Bob Simpson
stood in the door that led to the front room of their house, and smiled as he
said “You really are glad to see her back, aren’t you?”
“What do you
think,” Louise said as she looked in the mirror. She was wearing a sleeveless dress with an
abstract print in different colours, the skirt coming to just above her knees,
the front cut to emphasise her chest.
Although she was in her early forties, she still looked good, as she
checked her shoulder length brown hair.
“I think
you’re going to freeze to death in that outfit,” Bob said as he put her arms
round her and kissed her neck, “but I love you in it.”
“Flatterer,”
she said as their eighteen year old daughter Josie came down the stairs. She was wearing a simple grey sleeveless
dress with a black collar, and cork wedge sandals, unlike her mother’s grey
Grecian style sandals with three inch heels.
“Just remind
me why you’re dressed for a summer’s day in the middle of winter?”
“Because it
gets damned hot in that restaurant – so we’ll suffer the cold for a moment,”
Josie said as she looked up the stairs.
Her thirteen year old twin siblings, Bobby and Kerry, were looking down
in their pyjamas.
“Are you sure
you’re going to be all right with them,” Bob said as he looked at his mother.
“Oh come on,”
Gracie said as she sat in the front room, “what do you think?” She was in her early sixties, grey haired and
wearing a long skirt with matching short sleeved blouse, the material a very
light blue with a floral print on it.
“Well then,”
Bob said as he and the two other women put their coats on, “we’d better make a
start. Let me go and...”
As he opened
the door, however, he stepped backwards as three women walked in. They were dressed in dark jackets and skirts,
with dark glasses, and had long blonde hair – as well as very real shotguns
which they held in their gloved hands, as they looked at them through their
dark glasses.
“Good
evening, Mister Simpson,” one of them said in a deep rich voice that sounded
calm and authoritative at the same time, “forgive the intrusion, but I must ask
all of you to remain calm. Please, go
and invite the younger generation to join us.”
As one of the
women went upstairs, and made both Bobby and Kerry come down, the woman said
“very slowly, all of you will walk into the front room and sit down, with your
hands on your head. I promise you, so as
we say and nobody needs to get hurt.”
“What... Who...”
“All
questions will be answered, Mister Simpson,” she said as the family were made
to go into the front room, Josie sitting with her brother and sister as the
others sat on the longer couch.
“Now, here
are the rules – we will be staying tonight, and in the morning Mister Simpson
you will report to work and spend your day as normal – with one exception.”
“And that
exception is?”
“After your
last visit, you will be diverted to a location, and there you will do exactly
what my associates tell you to do. In
return, your family,” she said as she looked round, “will enjoy our tender care
and attention. I trust I make myself
clear without further explanation.”
“Oh god –
you’re going to rob the armoured car.”
“That’s
correct,” she said quietly as she looked at the twins, who were shivering. “To all intents and purposes, this is going
to be a normal day for you – because if you do anything to indicate it is not,
or to try and notify the authorities, we will know, and – well, let us not
dwell on what may happen.”
“Bob,
please,” Louise said as she looked at the armed women, “just do what she says.”
“Excellent
advice Mrs Simpson,” the woman said as one of the other two went to open the
door, and returned with a fourth woman, who was carrying two large duffle
bags. “Now, why don’t you go with my
associate here, and make a nice cup of tea for everyone, while we make sure
your children are safe for the evening?”
“All right,”
Louise said as she slowly stood up, one of the women going with her to the
kitchen and watching as she put the kettle on.
“What are you
going to do to them,” she said as she turned and stared at the well dressed
women.
“Just make
sure they can’t do anything to raise the alarm,” she said quietly, smiling as
she said “don’t worry – it’ll be an adventure for them.”
As she
carried the mugs of tea back in on a tray, she saw Bobby and Kerry sitting next
to each other, their wrists taped together in front of themselves and their
ankles taped as well, while a strip of the duct tape also covered their mouths.
“Excellent,”
the woman said as she put the tray down, and then handed the mugs to Bob, Josie
and Gracie, before she took one herself and sat down. “Now, as I said, so long as you do as we say,
then everyone will be just fine. I am
sure you don’t want any harm to come to your family, do you Mister Simpson?”
Bob shook his
head as he looked at the twins, who were staring at the masked and armed women.
“Good – now,
drink your tea. If the telephone rings,
you can listen to the message on the answer phone.”
“Mum,” Josie
said as she held her mug, “what’s going to happen?”
“I don’t
know,” Louise said quietly, “but we need to stay calm for all our sakes.”
“Very good
advice, Mrs Simpson, I trust you will follow it yourself,” she said as she
looked round the room.
The clock on
the mantel was showing ten as the woman looked at the twins, their eyes closing
slowly.
“I do believe
it is their bedtime,” she said quietly.
“Mister Simpson, you will carry them up to their beds – one of my
associates will follow you, and Mrs Simpson will go with you at the same
time. Once you have them in their beds,
you may stay with them until they are asleep.”
“And what
about...”
“We will make
sure your older daughter and your mother are comfortable,” she said, watching
as Bob lifted his son in his arms and carried him up the stairs, Louise
following with one of the intruders. He
returned a few minutes later and lifted Kerry up, the leader of the group smiling
as he went back upstairs.
“Now then,”
she said as she looked at Josie and Gracie, “please stand facing each other,
and out your hands behind your backs.”
“What are you
going to do to us,” the older woman said as she stood up.
“Ensure you
cannot raise the alarm,” the woman said with a smile as the other two intruders
took a roll of silver tape each from the bag, and stood behind both women,
crossing their wrists behind their backs and then taping them tightly
together. Josie grunted slightly as the
tape was kept taut, and then wound round her waist to lock her wrists against
her back.
“So we are
going to spend the night like this?”
“Indeed,” the
woman said as bands of tape were added to secure their arms to their sides,
around their stomachs and their shoulders, and then they were made to sit back
down, watching as their ankles were crossed and taped together, and then their
legs below their knees, Gracie watching as her skirt was folded back, and then
replaced as her legs were secured.
“I should thank
you, I suppose,” she said as she looked at the leader, “you’ve not harmed us,
and the kids are scared, but calm.”
“As I said at
the time, dear lady, I have no wish to hurt you – merely to persuade your son
to do what we need him to do. Now, both
of you will put your lips together please.”
As Louise
came down, she was shocked to see her mother in law and daughter sitting on the
couch, a silver pad over their mouths and their bodies enclosed in bands of
duct tape.
“Your turn,
Mrs Simpson,” the leader said, as she felt her arms been pulled behind her back
and then the tape pulling on her skin.
“Are you
going to let the kids see us like this?”
“You must
trust us, Mrs Simpson,“ the woman said as her arms were taped to her side, and
then she saw one of the women stand in front of her, a strip of tape held in
her gloved hands.
Bob came in
to see his wife sitting next to Josie and Gracie, looking at him over the tape
gag as her legs were secured.
“Now, Mister
Simpson,” the leader said as she looked at him, “why don’t we go into the
kitchen, and have a nice cup of coffee, while I explain what is going to happen
next...”
Louise opened
her eyes with a start, and looked round, wondering if she had dreamt the events
of the previous night. As she looked
down on her taped legs, however, and felt the tape still pulling on her mouth,
she realised it was all very, very real.
“Ah - good
morning Mrs Simpson,” she heard the woman say in her rich, deep voice, “I was
about to wake you anyway. We are going
to cut you free, and you will come to the kitchen where your husband is, and
prepare him his breakfast and his lunch as always. The rest of the family will join you there
shortly.”
Louise nodded
as she said “Ieeendtgtttthtolttfrst.”
“Of course,”
the woman said as she produced a knife, and cut the tape away from her, helping
her to stand as she pulled the tape away from her mouth. “Keep your voice calm and low – use the
downstairs toilet, if you please.”
“Oh thank god,”
Rob said as Louise came into the kitchen, “are you all right?”
“I think so,”
she said as they hugged each other, one of the women watching, “what are they
asking you to do?”
“Help them
rob the armoured truck – look, just do what they say. I’ll do so as well – you’re far more valuable
than any truck or the contents of it.”
Louise nodded
as she said “I guess you’d better get ready – I’ll sort out some coffee and
your lunch.”
Rob nodded as
he left the room, and Louise turned to the work surface, taking some bread from
the bread bin and preparing some sandwiches as the armed woman stood guard.
“Mum!”
“Are you two
all right,” Louise said as she hugged Bobby and Kerry, the two of them still in
their pyjamas.
“I think so,”
Kerry said as she looked at the blonde haired woman, “it felt funny being like
that. Are they going to stay here?”
“I think
they’re going to stay all day,” Louise said, “so you need to be very brave and
do what they say.”
“Will we be
like that all day?”
“No,” the
deep voiced woman said as she came in, and smiled at them. “So long as you promise to stay where you
are, and do what we say, then none of you will be. We’ll find some films to watch and games to
play instead, all right?”
Both children
nodded as she looked at Louise. “Please,
continue with the breakfast routine – make this as normal a day as possible.”
As Bob came
back into the kitchen, fastening his tie round his neck, he saw the family
sitting round as if it was a normal day.
Only the presence of the four armed women, their guns visible and their
dark glasses covering their eyes, made it both dangerous and slightly surreal.
“Now,” their
leader said as she looked at him, “say goodbye to your family and be assured –
do as we ask, they will be with you later tonight.”
“Stay safe,
all of you,” Bob said as he kissed and hugged each one of them, and then
collected his car keys.
“Follow him,”
she said to one of the other women, “ensure he makes no attempt to contact the
authorities.”
She nodded as
she followed him out, the woman turning to the others round the table. “Now – one by one, you will be allowed to go
upstairs, shower, and change your clothing, before you are brought back
down. You may go first,” she said as she
pointed to Gracie, who nodded as she stood up, another of the women following
her out of the room.
“Gracie?”
“Hmm?”
“Use some of
my clothes.”
The grey
haired woman nodded as she looked at Louise, and then walked up the stairs.
“You all
right Bob – you seem to be miles away,” his boss said as Bob collected the keys
to the armoured car.
“Sorry chief
– not much sleep last night,” he said as he looked at the dispatcher, his boss
smiling as he turned away.
“There you
go,” she said as she handed him the route, and then whispered “Remember – we
are watching you.”
He looked at
the young redhead, and slowly nodded as his partner came in. “Come on,” Bob said, “let’s get going.”
“Here we go –
sandwiches and drinks,” Louise said as she put the plate down on the coffee
table, Josie setting down the tray with the glasses of soft drink on it
beside. It had been a very strange
morning – after they had all washed and dressed, they had played a game of
Monopoly while the women watched, and then watched a film together.
True to their
word, they had not bound or gagged any of them, but their presence had been
enough to keep all of them quiet. As
Bobby picked up a sandwich, he looked at his mother and said “mum, how much longer
are they going to be here?”
“Not much
longer,” the deep voiced woman said, “don’t worry – your dad is doing what we
asked him to do.”
“So what are you
going to do to us,” Louise said as she looked round the room. Bobby was wearing a pair of jeans and a red
sweater, while Kerry had on a blue denim pinafore dress over a black jumper and
black tights. Gracie had borrowed an old
v-necked sweater and some grey pants, while Josie was wearing a black t-shirt
over a grey long sleeved top and black leggings. As for Louise, she was wearing a Fair Isle
sweater and dark jeans.
“You will
find out soon enough,” the woman said as she took out a mobile phone which had
started ringing, and talked quietly into it.
A few minutes later, she smiled and said “finish your lunch, and then we
will discuss this afternoon.”
“IT’s funny,”
Louise said, “I often feared what would happen if Rob was in an armed robbery,
but this – this was not what I expected.”
“In what
way?”
“You’ve been
considerate, kind – yet I know what you’re doing.”
“I have some
very unusual influences,” the deep voiced woman said, “so please, eat and drink
up.
“And when you
are done, one by one you may go to the toilet, and find something to put over
your feet.”
“So what
happens now,” Louise said as she pulled the soft leather boots over her feet, covering
the legs of her jeans as she looked at Bobby and Kerry. They had both put trainers on, and were
looking at one of the masked women as she took several coils of white rope from
the back.
“Now, we need
to make sure none of you can move or speak for some time, while your husband
does something for us,” the deep voiced woman said. “We start with you; put your hands behind
your back please.”
“Does it hurt
Mummy,” Kerry said as she watched the woman bind Louise’s wrists together behind
her back.
“No – you
won’t be able to move your wrists, but it’s not as bad as the tape last night,”
Louise said as another of the women tied her daughter’s wrists together, and
then Bobby’s, before she started to tie their arms to their sides with bands of
rope around their stomachs and their shoulders.
Louise was also having her arms bound in place as well – but in her
case, the rope was pulled tightly around her body, above and below her chest, and
then it was tightened further as the rope went under one arm, around the back
of her neck and under the other. She
watched as the ropes around her children’s arms were tightened by tying shorter
length between their arms and their bodies.
“Oh god, not
again,” Josie said as she came in and sat down, zipping a pair of knee length
black suede boots onto her legs.
“It is
necessary,” the leader said as she had her own arms pulled behind her.
“It’s all
right Josie – mummy’s right, it really doesn’t hurt,” Bobby said as she
wriggled round, both him and Kerry laughing at their situation.
“Just stay
calm and let them do this,” Louise said to her daughter, who nodded as her own
arms were secured in place.
Gracie came
in, wearing a pair of black leather shoes and looked at the rest of her family
as the leader stood behind her and started to bind her wrists together.
“So what
happens next,” Louise said as she watched her mother’s chest been encircled
with the bands of rope, and then she was made to sit down.
“We need to
take you to meet your husband, Mrs Simpson,” the leader said, “and we will have
transport here for that soon. For the
moment, however, it is time for you all to be quiet.” From the bag, she took a wide roll of brown
fabric sticking plaster, and tore a long strip off. “Lips together please.”
“Just stay
calm everyone,” Louise said as the fabric was smoothed down over her mouth,
sealing her lips together as it stuck to the contours of her mouth and
chin. Ten minutes later, all five had
been gagged in the same way, looking at each other as they heard something
backing into the driveway.
“Shall we,”
the deep voiced lady said as she helped Louise to stand up, the others
following as they were walked out of the room, down the hallway and to the
front door. One of the women looked out,
and they were made to walk the short distance to a waiting grey transit van,
stepping in through the side door and sitting on the carpeted floor as two of
the armed women sat with them.
The leader
closed and locked the front door, before getting into the front of the van with
another woman and nodding to her. The
family felt the van shudder as it moved off, the two women smiling at them as
it went down the road.
“Okay, that’s
the last place on the list,” his partner said as he got into the front of the
armoured car, “back to the depot I guess.”
Bob nodded as
he started the engine and drove off, going for about a mile before he said
“we’re not going back to the depot. Do
not touch the radio, do not press the red button.”
“Bob? Bob what’s going on?”
“They have my
family hostage – and they have threatened to harm them if I don’t do what they
say,” Bob said as he looked over. “I’m
sorry – they even have someone at the depot watching our tracker signal, to
make sure we stay on schedule.”
“Oh shit,”
the other man said as he looked out of the window. “Look, your family’s more important – where
are you to go?”
“There’s an
old abandoned industrial estate near the Clifton Bridge – we’re heading there
now.”
“Rulllrrtt?”
Louise looked
through the gloom at her family as they sat in the van, their legs stretched
out in front of them. The van was
insulated somehow, keeping out the worst of the cold, but as she looked at her
crossed and bound ankles, and the ropes around her legs above and below her
knees, she knew she wasn’t going anywhere.
Bobby and
Kerry were either side of her, their heads resting on her, their eyes closed,
while Gracie and Josie sat opposite, wondering the same thing as her.
“What was
going on?”
Bob brought
the armoured car to a stop in the abandoned warehouse, and stopped the engine
as the gang leader opened the door, and pointed her shotgun at him.
“Out - both
of you,” she said calmly, quietly, in her deep voice, Bob and his partner
getting out as they watched a winch been attached to the rear doors of the
van. They both had their arms pulled
behind their backs, and felt the ropes binding them as the winch was powered
up, removing the rear doors as if they were sheets of tissue paper.
Their helmets
were removed, and their mouths covered with strips of brown fabric plaster as
the side doors of a grey panel van were opened.
“Hmmgdd –
lusss,” Bob mumbled as he saw his wife and younger children in the van, Louise
staring at him as they were marched over to the van and made to lie face down,
their legs quickly bound and then pulled back as their ankles were tied to
their chest ropes.
“DDdee?”
“Snnnn?”
The two men
looked round as the side door was closed, and the van driven off.
“Where will
Lily take them,” Penny said as she and Madame removed their wigs, and watched
the contents of the van been loaded into a set of three cars.
“Somewhere
they will be found eventually – but she will allow us sufficient time to vacate
these premises,” Madame said with a smile.
“Hey boss.”
The manager
of the KFC store looked up as one of the other workers approached.
“I went to
lock the car park up, and there’s a transit van still there. What do you want me to do?”
“Let me go
and have a look,” he said as he walked outside, and round the seemingly empty
van. As he approached the rear doors,
however, he heard a noise – as if someone was kicking the doors from the
inside.
“Is there
someone in there,” he called out, and that was answered by more banging. Taking hold of the door handles, he pulled
them down and opened the doors wide, stepping back as he saw Bob and his family
in there.
“Boss, is
there...”
“Call the
police – now – and fetch me a pair of scissors,” he said as he got in and
removed the plaster from Louise’s mouth.
“Oh thank
god,” she gasped, “please, free my family...”