The
Gentlemen Come…
“So you did not
go for the Christmas Jumper today?”
Alexandra shook
her head as she looked at her daughter. “No,
I did not,” she laughed as she took her coat off, revealing her grey jumper
with the black and white print on it, “I had enough to do at school today. How was your day off?”
“Relaxing, but I
need to go and get ready for the Christmas dinner,” her daughter said as she
stood up. Alice had long rust brown hair
like her mother, and was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, white socks on her
feet.
“On you go – I’m
going to rest up for a few minutes before I cook my supper,” Alexandra said as
she sat down and stretched her legs out, the knee high black leather boots over
the dark grey leggings. It had been a
long day, and she was looking forward to a very quiet night at home.
She could hear the
shower running up the stairs as she slowly closed her eyes…
“Good evening –
please, forgive the interruption, but you are Alexandra?”
The voice was
male, but not one Alexandra had heard before, so she opened her eyes – only to
see two men standing before her. They
were dressed identically – black leather jackets over jumpers, jeans, trainers,
but there were several other striking features.
The leather gloves they both wore…
The disparity in height, a good foot in difference… and the balaclavas that covered their heads,
so that only their eyes and lips were visible.
There was one
other thing – the gun in the hand of the taller of the two, and the bag the
smaller man was holding.
“Oh my god…”
“Please, do not
distress yourself,” the taller man continued, “I assure you, neither my friend
Mister Small nor I mean you any harm, although I do regretfully have to say
your plans for this evening will require some alteration.”
“Plans… Harm…
Mister Small? I have read about
you in the papers, you’re the Gentlemen Robbers?”
“As always, our
reputation precedes us, Mister Tall,” the second man said as he put the bag down
opening it and taking out a length of rope.
“So you understand that we have to ensure you cannot raise the alarm,
but so long as you cooperate, nothing else is going to happen.”
Alexandra
looked at the two men, swallowing as she said “oh my god – Alice…”
“Your daughter?” Mister Small listened to the sound of
footsteps upstairs, and then said “ah – she was in the shower?” Alexandra slowly nodded as he continued “I
see – well, let us allow her time to dry herself off and change, and for the
moment concentrate on ensuring your security.
I would like you, Alexandra, to put your feet up on the table, ankles
crossed.”
She nodded as
Mister Tall took the rope doubled it over, and then when her feet were in place
wrapped it around her ankles and pulled it back, forcing them together as the
leather compressed around her ankles. She
watched, finding herself fascinated as the rope was taken around and between her
legs the ends secured behind the heels so that she was unable to move them
apart.
“Well, at least
it does not hurt,” Alexandra said as Mister Tall accepted a second length of
rope, and bound her legs together below her knees, the band of rope sitting on
the top of their boots as it was taken around and between the limbs again. She tried to move her legs apart – with little
success as she looked at the tow masked men.
“Mister Small,”
the taller of the two men said, “would you take some of our supplies, and
ensure the phone is disconnected, before making sure that Alice is aware of the
change of plans for her this evening?”
“Of course,”
Mister Small replied as he put some things into a bag, and then left the room
as Mister Tall took another length from the bag.
“Now then
Alexandra, would you be so good as to lean forward, and put your hands behind your
back…”
Alice adjusted
the red skirt and smiled as she looked at herself, her hair flowing freely over
the top of her scoop necked black top. The
skirt came halfway down her thighs, legs enclosed now in sheer black hose as
she sat down on the bed and slipped the leather boot over her left foot. They were new, bought two days ago, soft black
leather that came up to her knee as she pulled the zip up the inside. She didn’t even notice the sticker on the sole
of her other boot as she put it on, the zip line parallel to the line of silver
studs.
“I have to say,
if you will permit me, that outfit does suit you.”
Alice suddenly
looked up her hand still on the zip as she looked at the masked man standing in
her doorway. He was smiling, as Alice
said “oh no… Who are you?”
“Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Mister Small,
and my colleague Mister Tall is currently having a conversation with your
mother Alexandra.”
“You… You’re robbers?”
“Why yes, yes we
are – but I assure you, my dear Alice, so long as you comply with my requests
then no harm will actually come to you.
I do regret the fact you will be restrained, and unable to raise the
alarm for some time, but you will be safe.
On which note – would you kindly hand me the mobile phone that is next
to you on the bedside table?”
Slowly, Alice
put her hand on the phone and placed it in the gloved hand offered to her, Mister
Small smiling as he placed it in his jacket pocket. “What…
What are you going to do to me,” Alice stammered as she looked at him.
“As I said,
ensure you cannot raise the alarm, so may I ask you to turn your back to me,
and place your hands behind your back?”
“Do I have a
choice?”
“No, not
really,” Mister Small replied with a smile as Alice did as he had asked,
looking over her shoulder as he placed the bag on the bed, drew a length of
white cord out, and then bound her wrists together, keeping her hands palm to
palm as the cord went around and between her arms in a secure binding.
As she tried to
twist her wrists round, a gasp escaped from her lips as Mister Small passed a longer
length of rope round her body, pulling it tight under her chest as her arms
were forced into our sides. “what are
you doing,” she whispered as he continued to pass the rope around her, each
band tightening still more as it lay above and below her chest.
“Ensuring you do
not inadvertently hurt yourself after we leave – by doing this, we restrict
your movement, but it also means the chances of you causing yourself injury as
you try to get free is also restricted.”
“Funny way of
looking at it,” Alice laughed as he tied the rope off behind her back, and then
used tow smaller lengths to tighten them still further, pulling the bands together
between her arms and her body.
“It can appear as
such,” Mister Small said with a smile as he stood in front of her, “but when
you look back on this evening, I assure you, you will see the wisdom of my
actions here. Now, I need you to put
your feet up on the bed and lie on your back.”
“That’s gonna
be uncomfortable.”
“Only for a few
minutes – I assure you, it will be more comfortable when I have finished.”
There was something
about his voice and his manners that reassured Alice, as she did as he had
asked, looking down as Mister Small wrapped more rope around her ankles and
started to bind them together.
“What exactly
is your friend doing to my mother,” she asked as the rope was pulled between her
ankles to make it even tighter.
“A similar
thing,” Mister Small said with a smile as he tied that rope off, then found another
length which he used to bind her legs together below her knees. Alice could see her hose actually seeming to lighten
under the rope as it compressed and forced her legs together, the slight squeak
of her boots as she tried to move her legs making her laugh.
“There now,” the
masked man said as he tied that band off between her legs, “I trust you do not find
that too uncomfortable?”
“I guess if I can
roll onto my side, I’ll be all right,” Alice said as she did that, wriggling her
fingers as she said “so let me guess – time for me to be quiet now?”
“In a way, yes.”
Alice looked at
the door to see a taller version of her captor standing there, smiling as he
said “I will take care of the master bedroom, Mister Small, if you could ensure
this room is covered?”
“Of course
Mister Tall,” Mister Small said as she wriggled round, before saying “my
mother?”
“Downstairs,
safe and quiet – as you will be soon,” Mister Tall said as he left the
room. Mister Small looked at Alice, and said
“so, if you would kindly tell me where your valuables are – and which are of
sentimental value to you.”
“Why would I do
that?”
“So that I do
not take them when we leave. So, where
do I begin?”
Shrugging her
shoulders, Alice said “top drawer – and let me see the box I’ll tell you which
ones are of, as you put it, sentimental value.”
A few minutes
later, Mister Small smiled as he said “well, I think our business here is
almost concluded – but first, I have to ensure you remain silent for a
while. Tell me, do you have any asthma
or breathing difficulties?”
“No – why do
you ask,” Alice said as she looked at him.
“Because if you
did, I would take that into account, but as you are fine,” he said as he took a
scarf from her wardrobe, and folded it into a pad, “I need you to open your
mouth as wide as you can. I will put
this in, then cover your mouth with tape before I make sure you stay on the bed.”
“Well, at least
you asked,” Alice laughed before she felt the silk on her tongue, thankful it
was only a scarf as he gently pushed it in behind her teeth. She then closed her lips together, hearing the
peeling sound as he took a length of white tape from a roll, and then stuck it
gently, but firmly over her mouth, covering her lips as it formed to the shape
of her mouth.
“I do regret
the fact you will not be able to go wherever you were going,” he said as he walked
behind her, Alice feeling him pulling her ankles back and then the tension in her
back as he tied her ankles to her chest ropes.
“Are we
finished?”
“We are Mister
Tall,” he said as the second masked intruder came in, “I think our business here
is concluded.”
“Indeed it
is. The Gentlemen Robbers bid you adieu,
Alice – may we never meet again.”
“Whldnntbshhbhdhfwhdhd,”
she mumbled as she saw them walk out of the room, the footsteps on the stairs,
and then the door opening and closing.
She tried to move, but with little success, so she lay still, wondering
when someone would come.
It was the
thump, thump, thump on the stairs that caught her attention, as she looked to
the door. “Hsthrrr,” she called out as she
heard the thumps stop, and then start again, lighter, as if someone was jumping
along.
As proved to eb
the case, as she saw Alexandra jump into her room, the ropes holding her arms
to her sides supporting her chest and white tape over her mouth as well.
“MHMMMM!”
“Huhlhrhhtdhr,”
Alexandra said as she jumped over and then sat on the bed, Alice nodding as she
looked at her mother. She then turned,
and started to wriggle her fingers, Alice shuffling over before she felt her
mother trying to peel the tape away from her mouth…
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