Red Letter Weekend

Friday

“Both of you, sit very quietly on there, your hands on your heads.”

The two young Chinese women nodded as they took their seats on the beige leather couch, looking at each other as they placed their hands palm down on their heads. The taller of the two had her hair dyed a copper brown, but her dark roots were starting to show, and was wearing a black cocktail dress with a lace panel at her chest, and black leather shoes. Her partner was wearing a black dress as well, one with a lace pattern, her long dark hair that was tinted red at the tips falling down her back, and black shoes, but hers had half-length sleeves with puffed shoulders.

They had returned to their flat to find the masked gang waiting, wearing dark suits, white shirts, dark ties, and leather shoes and gloves – one of them standing to the side with a shotgun aimed at them, as two of the others searched their rooms. It was the fourth who caught their attention, as he opened a bag and took out several lengths of red rope.

“I want you both,” he said quietly, “to slip your shoes off, and put your feet up on the lover’s seat, keeping those lovely hands on your heads.”

They talked quietly to each other as they complied, the man smiling as he knelt down with a doubled over length, and started to bind their ankles together, the rope going around and between their bare legs so that they were held firmly together, the knots tied off under their heels and out of reach of their fingers. They looked down, moving their ankles as they realised what was happening, and then looking at the man, the dark glasses covering his eyes.

“Sorry ladies – you may not know it, but you possess something we need. Now, cross your wrists in front of yourselves, and do not move.” The redhead looked at him, wondering what he was talking about, but she slowly lowered her hands and crossed her wrists, watching as he took a fresh length of rope and secured her wrists together in the same way as her ankles.

The knot was tied towards her, out of reach of her long fingers, as she watched him bind her partner’s wrists as well. She was contemplating how they were going to be left – especially as, with their hands in front of themselves, there was a chance they could help each other…

“Open wide.”

She stared again at the man, who know held a folded cloth in his gloved hand. She nodded, knowing they would have to keep them quiet as well, before opening her mouth and allowing him to push the cloth in. It tasted clean, which was something, as she watched him take a long length of white cloth, red polka dots printed on it, and hold it taut in his gloved hands before he pulled it between her lips. She could feel it as she bit down, the man taking the cloth round her head and securing it tightly at the base of her neck.

She then looked over as her partner also had a cloth placed in her mouth, and then a second white cloth, this one with grey polka dots, pulled between her lips and tied round her head. She was mildly amused to see the man had tied it in a neat bow – but it was certainly holding them, keeping them more silent as she tried to talk…

“There now – may I say you both make beautiful captives?”

She looked at him and frowned as she wondered what he was going to do next.

“I want you,” he said as he looked at the redhead, “to come and sit on this side of the low seat.”

“Ndhhwwwchnnhdtthhtt?”

“Use your imagination,” the man said as she growled, and then pushed herself onto her feet, turning herself round and then sitting down before she shuffled herself around another 180 degrees, her feet resting on the floor on the edge of the rug.

“Very good – now your friend is going to sit behind you.”

She was aware of her partner grunting, and then the pressure on her back as she sat down, before the man took a longer length of red rope, securing them both together so that she was only able to bend her arms at the elbows. The rope was tight, and she could feel the movement on her back as her partner squirmed round.

“And now, we make sure you can’t use those delicate hands to get the gag out.”

It was her turn to grunt in frustration as he secured her legs together above her knees, his gloved hands stroking them as he took the rope between the limbs, and then tied her wrists down so that she could only raise them a couple of inches. She was then aware of him behind her as he secured the other woman’s legs, while one of the men came in, holding a black leather bound book in his hands.

“We found it – and these ladies have some very nice jewellery as well.”

That made her grunt more as she twisted round, a dark patch beginning to develop between her lips as the man looked at both of them. What on earth did they want with a photo album?

“Well, we must leave you now ladies – thank you for your time,” the man said quietly as the four left her and her partner, struggling to get free and wondering if anyone would come to their rescue…

“You have the first part?”

“We do – the second site will be visited at six tomorrow. We will contact you after the completion of that task…”

Saturday

Helga smiled as she looked at herself in the long mirror. The invitation to the Bavarian evening had come at a time when she needed to have some fun, and dressing as a bierkeller maiden appealed to the dramatic side of her.

Her outfit consisted of a black short sleeved blouse, with a deep square neckline, a cream short skirt in lace with an underskirt, black fishnet stockings and knee length black leather boots that had a two inch heel. A string of pearls was also placed around her neck.

“That will work,” she said to herself as she picked up her purse, opened her front door – and then walked backwards as the four smartly dressed man came in, her eyes fixed on the shotgun one of them was carrying.

“My apologies, Fraulein,” one of them set as he looked ta Helga, “but I am afraid we need to take something from your house, and it is necessary for us to ensure you cannot raise the alarm.”

“Are you – robbing me,” Helga whispered, and when she saw him nod he was surprised at her smile. “Well – I always wondered what it would be like. So what are you going to do to me?”

“Let us go into where you eat,” he said with a smile as Helga led the way into a dining room, watching as one of the men looked at her high backed dining chairs, then nodded as he pulled one away from the table.

“Please – be seated, and put your arms around the chair back.” As he said this, the fourth man put a bag on the table, opening it and taking out some lengths of red rope. A shiver ran through Helga as she sat down, pushing herself back as she put her arms around the chair back, trying not to show her excitement as she felt the man put her wrists together, and then the rope as it was pulled tightly around and between her arms, then secured to the centre spar of the chair back.

Wriggling her long fingers, Helga smiled and said “just what is it I have that you want?”

“Something you probably did not even know you had,” the man said with a smile as she saw more red rope been passed around her waist, pulling her back as she was further secured to the chair.

“Well, I’m not going to be going anywhere in a hurry,” she whispered as another band of rope was passed around her, this one sitting below her chest, but pressing her arms to her sides as it was also taken around the chair back, tied to it in several places as she looked at the young man.

“How true – but a little extra security perhaps,” he said with a smile as she saw the rope appear at her left side, and then pulled up, tightening the ropes a sit went over her shoulder. Her binder wound it round the centre spar, and then took it back over her right shoulder, meaning Helga could barely move as the rope was pulled back, and secured to the chair as well.

Helga looked over, and was surprised to find herself smiling as she said “what now?”

“Now – your legs,” the man said as he knelt at her feet, and passed more of the rope around her ankles, forcing them together as he took the bands around and between her legs. As Helga wriggled in the chair, the top of her blouse threatened to come open – and the rubbing of the ropes on her body made her feel slightly giddy…

”Having fun?”

She looked down at the man as he held more of the rope in his gloved hands, and then passed it around her legs below her knees, securing them in the same way as her ankles, before he tied one last length of rope between her ankles and pulled it back, lifting her feet above the ground before tying it to the spar under the seat.

“Why don’t you go and search the house, and I’ll finish in here,” he said to the other three, who nodded as they fanned out.

“You know,” Helga said as she twisted in the chair, “I am helpless here – you could do anything you wanted with me?”

“Yes, that is true,” the man said with a smile as he reached into the bag, and took out a large black silk headscarf, rolling it into a band and tying a knot in the middle, “but I am not that way inclined. Please, however, do not let me stop you from enjoying and imagining such a scenario – it might help to pass the time.”

“It may at that – but I may try and call for help,” Helga said, her eyes fixed on the knot in the silk band.

“That is possible – and I need to take steps to stop you doing that. Please, open your mouth as wide as you can.”

“Make me,” Helga said before she clamped her mouth shut. Her eyes sparkled as she watched him walk behind her, and then felt him pinch her nose closed with his gloved hand.

She was actually surprised at how well she held out, but in the end she had to open her mouth to breathe, and then taste the slight perfume on her tongue as the knot was pushed past her teeth, the scarf tied tightly round her head and trapping her hair underneath.

“Forgive me Fraulein,” he said as he removed her pearls, Helga shivering as she felt his lips on her head, then looking to the door as the other three men came in.

“Do you have it?”

“We do,” one of them said as he held up a plaster figure of a milkmaid. Helga looked at it – it had been here when she moved in, and she’d never really given it much thought.

“Then we must be on our way – enjoy your evening,” the man said as they left, Helga twisting in the chair and groaning at the way that made her feel…

“I will arrange for the authorities to be informed – so we have the statue now as well?”

“We do indeed sir – and tomorrow will be a day of rest.

“For someone…”

Sunday

Margaret fetched the door key from her handbag and opened it, walking in and closing the front door with a sigh. She preferred the early service to the full blown music of the eleven o’clock one, but she was in desperate need of a coffee.

Going to church in Highbury demands a certain style of attire, so Margaret was wearing a light pink jacket and shirt skirt, a black silk blouse under the jacket, natural hose and black leather boots that came just over her knee. She had long dark hair that fell either side of her face, her skin reflecting her mixed Asian and European parentage.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she suddenly became aware of the man standing behind her, his eyes covered by dark glasses, and then heard the click as she looked to her side and saw the shotgun pointing at her.

“Hello Margaret,” the man said, “stay nice and quiet, and put your hands behind your back. We’ll make sure you are comfortable, but we need to make sure you cannot raise the alarm.

Nodding slowly, she moved her hands behind her back, feeling the man take them and put her hands together, and then feeling some sort of rope holding them together.

No – not just her wrists. As she looked own, she saw a third man, using rope the same colour as her outfit to secure her ankles together as well, the leather compressed under the tight band as he took the rope around and between her legs.

“What are you doing,” she asked quietly, only for the man binding her wrists to tug more firmly before he tied the ends off.

“We’re tying you up – isn’t that obvious?”

“Well, yes but – hey!” The outcry came as he passed a length of rope around her arms and pulled her elbows together, before the other man started to tie her legs together as he had her ankles, the ropes sitting just above the top of her boots. She was aware of how her chest was forced up and out as the ropes were tied tighter, but there was little she could do – especially when the man behind her stood up, and passed more rope around her body, making two bands above and below her chest as he secured her arms more firmly.

“But… what is it you want,” Margaret whispered as the ropes were pulled tighter, and then the ends fed under her left arm and the upper band of rope, taken up and around the back of her neck, and then under the other arm as she wriggled round.

“We are currently examining your laptop,” the man said with a smile, “now, turn and look at me.”

Margaret slowly turned herself round, taking short hops as she did so, and stared at him as she said “so this is to do with my business?”

“In a way – now, I need you to open your mouth, and then when you are silenced, we will make you comfortable.”

“And if I choose not to?” Margaret looked at the man as he put his head to his side, smiled and said “I hope you will not be that stupid.” Realising her situation, she opened her mouth as wide as she could, feeling the sponge ball on her tongue as he pushed it behind her teeth ait expanded inside her mouth. He then took a roll of brown tape, and pressed several strips over her lips, sealing her mouth as she stared at him.

“Now, as I see it, you have a choice – we carry you, or you jump to where you wish to stay. What would you prefer?”

“Effhhmhsshht,” Margaret sighed as she started to jump towards the living room, the men following as with each short hop she approached a long recliner, then sat down and lay so that her head rested on the armrest.

“Would you like some music, or prefer to watch some television?”

“Hllwshsshmmshw,” she mumbled, the tape crinkling as she tried to talk. The man nodded and turned the television on, changing channels until she nodded.

“A Buffy retrospective – to each their own,” he said with a smile as a fourth man came in.

“I found what we were looking for on her laptop.”

“Excellent – you don’t mind if we search your house and steal your jewellery as well, do you?”

“Shhffachss?”

“Not really, no,” he said with a smile as he and two others walked out of the room, the fourth sitting with the shotgun on his lap as he looked at Margaret twisting on the couch, trying in vain to get free…

“So let me confirm – you have the photographs from the album, the stick which had been hidden in the statue, and the encryption key from the computer?”

“We do sir – now all we need is the confirmation from the final location. With luck, we will be able to report complete success on Tuesday?”

“Why not tomorrow?”

“We need to allow those we visit to do their evening prayers…”

Monday

“The evening has come to me and the whole universe belongs to Allah who is The Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I ask of you the good of the night, its success and aid, and its celestial light and blessings, and seek guidance and refuge from the evil of this night and the evil that is to come later.”

The two women were kneeling on the mats, facing Mecca as they recited their prayers. One was an Iraqi woman, and wore a long sleeved blue gown that came over her knees, embroidered at the front and with a neck fastening. The other was a Filipino woman, wearing a white sheer tunic with heavy embroidered panels at her front and arms, a black vest top visible underneath, and a long skirt with a grey and black stripe and a brown fern pattern. Both were bare footed, as they bowed and continued their prayers.

“O Allah, we enter the night and the day, and live and die with Your strength, and to You do we return.

“O Allah, we enter the night and the day, and live and die with Your strength, and to You do we return.

“O Allah, we enter the night and the day, and live and die with Your strength, and to You do we return.”

As they completed their prayers, they straightened up and looked at each other, their long dark hair falling freely as they did so – and then one of them said “Kim – slowly, look to your side.”

As the Filipino turned, she saw the smartly dressed man holding the shotgun, looking at her through the dark glasses, as she said “Ayesha, who are…”

“Introductions are not really necessary,” a voice said as she turned and looked at the second man. “All you need to know is we need something from your home – we waited until you had completed your prayers, so that your duties were discharged, and now we must ensure you cannot alert anyone else for a while to the fact we have been here. Please, stay very still, and both of you put your hands behind your back.”

Ayesha and Kim looked at each other, before Kim said “we should do as they say” and put her hands behind her back, Ayesha watching as a third man crossed her friend’s wrists, and then started to bind them together with red rope. Nodding slowly, she put her own hands behind her back, feeling the cords on her own wrists as they were secured tightly together.

“Now then – we can save each other a great deal of time and bother if you can answer a simple question, Ayesha. Your father stores some of his business documents here – tell us which room, and we promise no other room will be visited.”

“The… the office at the back, but what is this about?”

“Not really a question we can answer,” the man said as the two girls were gently helped to stand up. “Show us which room, and then you may choose where you will both be kept.”

“All right,” she said as they walked out of the front room, and down a corridor before Ayesha indicated a door, one of the men opening it to find an office and then going in.

“Now, as promised – where will you be comfortable?”

“My room,” Kim said quietly.

“Then lead the way, please.”

She nodded as they walked up the staircase, and into a large bedroom, a king sized bed in the middle with a grey zig-zag patterned sheet on it. “Very nice,” the man said quietly, “please, sit side by side on the bed.”

Both of the young women sat down, watching as their ankles were secured tightly together with the rope, the binding around and between their legs, before they were helped to lie on their sides, facing each other as their ankles were pulled back and secured to their wrists to prevent them moving far.

“You promised no other room would be visited,” Ayesha said as she looked at the man.

“And I am a man of my word – but you both need to be quiet now.” From his pocket, he took a wide roll of brown sticking plaster, and tore a strip off, smiling as he pressed it down over Ayisha’s mouth so that it covered her lips and her jaw.

“Whhdhthsss,” she said, answering her own question as he gagged Kim in the same way. The two women wriggled round and looked at each other, as the man smiled and stroked both of them on the head.

“We have it,” one of his partners said as he came in.

“Good – let’s get out of here,” he said quietly as the four men left, Ayesha and Kim looking at each other, before Ayesha wriggled herself over, and gently pressed her taped lips on Kim’s…

“We have managed to retrieve the files, sir.”

“Good – the trail we have laid over the last three days should divert attention away from the fact I needed those files to disappear, before they finally try to raid and charge me.”

“We have done that for you sir – but may I ask a question of you?”

“Of course, you are my faithful servant.”

“If it is an impertinent question, I apologise, but – your daughter Kim and her friend?”

“Ah – they are very close, but they keep it a secret for obvious reasons. I request you forget it as well.”

“Of course sir – we shall destroy the files. The other items?”

“Bring them to me – I will ensure they are returned to their rightful owners…”

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