If you feel lost by the names of the places of the story, here is a quick schema to help visualize which Province is where.
https://i.goopics.net/W2j2w.jpg
**************
Hana was feeling uncomfortable.
It wasn't because Macha's family was hostile towards her. On the contrary, they had warmly welcomed her and didn't seem to be bothered by her prolonged stay.
The Etaines were even treating her as one of their own. Almost as if they were considering her part of the family... And, ironically, this was the reason why Hana was feeling uncomfortable. Because she was perfectly aware of the reason why they were accepting her so quickly...
Among all the people of Utopia, the Ares were the most open-minded when it came to same-sex relationships. It was a legacy of the past, of the time when they were still living in tribes. Their youngs were apparently even encouraged to partake in such relationships, as part of their education.
Hana and Macha had arrived together, they were sleeping in the same room (albeit in separate beds), and the Etaines had heard the story of their misadventures. In hindsight, them making assumptions wasn't surprising.
Hana was embarassed by the whole misunderstanding, as well as confused. She never took the time to think of potential relationships, wether with a boy or a girl, as she was too busy with her studies. Of course, she and Macha had grown close to each other during the ordeal of the last months... But she needed time to clear her thoughts. And she needed to clear out the misunderstanding with Macha's family. However, her friend wasn't exactly helpful. Each time Hana was trying to tackle the subject, her friend quickly dodged it.
“Hello!”
Interrupted in her thoughts, Hana raised her head.
Then, she froze.
The woman was tall and muscular, with a statuesque figure. Her black hair were tightly braided. She was the epitome of Ares' beauty standards. But her dark eyes were as sharp as a blade.
Hana knew that woman. She was Sao's partner in crime, a mercenary and bodyguard who used to work for the Callianass Cartel.
Reka.
The former student remained speechless, paralyzed with fear.
“My, my, my... Cat got your tongue?” Reka asked. “My good looks usually leave the men stunned, not the women.” she then joked. Her tone was light, but Hana knew well-enough that it was only a façade.
Two women were standing behind Reka. The first had the brown hair, tanned skin and green eyes typical of the Province of Okéanis; the second had the blond hair, light skin and blue eyes of the Province of Hera. Both were almost as tall and as muscular as their boss.
“Wh... What do you want?” Hana asked while looking around her to see if someone in the village had noticed the predicament in which she was.
“Quick to the point, uh? I like that." Reka answered. "Well, you could say that I'm looking for... old acquaintances."
“Mikani...” Hana understood.
“Yes. As well as her friends. You could say that we have some unfinished business together.”
“Then why are you in this village? They are not here!”
“I know.” Reka answered. “But let's just say that I'm not exactly welcomed in Korê. At least, in Ares, I have friends and family members eager to help me.”
Hana was seriously contemplating the idea to scream for help. The only thing holding her back was the fear that it would make the three criminals attack her.
“What do you want from me?” she asked instead.
“Nothing much. Just a few informations on their whearabouts. I'm sure they left you an address, a name, or even a phone number.”
Hana shook her head.
“We weren't exactly best friends. More like brought together by circumstances. We didn't keep in touch.”
Of course, she was tweaking the truth a little, but Reka didn't need to know that...
Reka remained silent.
Her fake smile disappeared and she clenched her fist, as if she was about to attack.
“Excuse me, but what are you doing here?” a man suddenly asked.
Hana felt relieved to see Macha arrive with her father. The redhead quickly moved in front of her friend, and faced down the black-haired mercenary. While she was understandably tense, Macha was also looking confident. A good chunk of villagers were gathering around them.
Macha's father stared at Reka.
“Have we met before?” His question was clearly a threat.
Reka's fake smile returned.
“I don't think we had the pleasure. My name is Reka BlackHills.”
The BlackHills were another important family of Ares. Much like the Etaines, they were basically owning the village in which they lived.
“We have no bad blood with the BlackHills.” Macha's father calmly answered. “But we don't owe them anything either. I suggest you and your two friends leave. Now.”
A few men of the village gathered behind him. They were accompanied by some of the big vicous dogs the Ares liked to breed, and were carrying thick walking sticks that would be painful if used as clubs.
Reka's smile widened, but she didn't break eye contact. “Of course. We never intended to encroach on your territory. We don't want a vendetta between our two families. Especially now that the Rebels – I mean the new Government of the Utopian Federation – are looking for any excuse to reduce Ares' autonomy.” Her answer was also a threat.
The people from Ares were also notorious for their vendettas, which could spread across several generations. Olympus never tried to interfere, preferring to look the other way as long as the rivalries were kept under control. But, now that the Rebels had seized power, they also had begun to try to end the private vendettas.
“No. We don't want to give them an excuse to meddle in private matters.” Macha's father admitted.
Reka politely bowed her head to salute, then left. Her two cronies followed her.
Macha's father and the other villagers exchanged a few looks in silence.
“We... We should call the police...” Hana said as soon as Reka was out of earshot.
Macha's father shook his head. “There's no way I will involve outsiders in a conflict with the BlackHills. Especially the Rebels.”
“But...” Hana started, before stopping herself. But Mikani and the others are in danger... This argument wouldn't convince the man. Just like most Ares, he was (understandably) wary of the new government. The Province of Ares had been one of the most loyal supporters of Olympus during the civil war and, now that the Olympians had been overthrown, they were fearing reprisals.
Macha's father had already left anyway, asking some of his men to watch in case Reka tried to come back.
Hana grabbed Macha's arm.
Puzzled, the redhead looked at her.
“They're looking for Mikani and her friends...” Hana whispered. “We have to do something!”
Macha grimaced. Even though they parted ways on (relatively) good terms, she still wasn't very fond of the Rebels.
Still, she nodded. “We'll use my phone, and make it an anonymous call. Just... Make sure my dad doesn't see us.”
**************
Helen and Coral were nervous. On their way to the car, they glanced several times over the shoulders to be sure that they weren't followed. The three women quickly got in the car. Reka sat behind the wheel and quickly drove off.
“You think that they will call the police?” Coral asked.
Reka chuckled. “The police?! This is the Province of Ares! We would be lucky if they just called the police on us! Usually, they take their weapons and their dogs, then they organize a hunt.”
Helen scoffed. “Savages...” she commented.
“I'll also remind you that they are my people. I would have been deeply disappointed, and ashamed, if someone from my Province would be cowardly enough to involve strangers.”
Helen stared down. “Sorry.”
“Although the pipsqueak from the Province of Smog will probably do it.” Reka charitably admitted. “However, by the time they arrive, we will be far away from here.”
“What do we do now? The pipsqueak doesn't seem to know anything...” Coral intervened.
“The hunt isn't over just because one trail led to nothing. We still have other solutions. After that squealer Lloyd was sent to take a bath in the harbor with some nice cement shoes, Maxie got his hands on his archives. It turns out that two of the Rebels we're looking for, Klenia and Shayna, didn't pay Lloyd a visit for nothing. They were looking for someone who was sold by the Cartel, a girl called Venia Iven.”
“So?”
“According to Max's informants in South Window, there are people currently looking for informations about Venia Iven in Okéanis. Two women.”
Coral and Helen exchanged a smile.
“So we need to follow the same trail, and it will lead us to our preys.” Reka concluded.
**************
“I will tell you one more time. You can't see Boss Carnela today.”
The man who just talked was a manager working at the Aeolus Club, one of the biggest nightclubs of South Window.
“We were supposed to have an appointment!”
When she wanted, Klenia knew how to be persistent. She shook her head and tapped her foot. Her mid-back-long dark brown hair were carefully braided after the fashion of Korê and Lakeland, a hairstyle which left her face free and highlighted her hazel eyes. The casual clothes she was currently wearing (blue jeans and grey jacket), even though they were plain-looking, didn't hide her voluptuous figure.
Though Shayna would have found her gorgeous even in rags.
“Boss Carnela is a busy woman.” the man calmly retorted.
“But we need these dancer jobs!” Klenia retorted.
It was a lie, of course. But Shayna was still impressed to see how convincing her girlfriend could be when interpreting a role.
The manager shook his head. “We're wasting time here.” he said. “Tamiko and Ashley will lead you to the exit.”
The man waved at two women dressed in the club's dancer outfits, who were waiting in a corner of the room. Both had shoulder-length hair pulled back by golden headbands, although the first was a brunette and the second a blonde. Their outfits consisted of black short-sleeve crop tops, showing their waists and navels. The crop tops had golden trimmings on the bottom, the collar and the sleeves. They were also wearing black fabric wristbands, black long dance skirts adorned with golden stylized flowers, black shoes and matching socks.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/evi ... 1013090731
(Pictures courtesy of the EvilBabes Wiki.)
“This is an outrage!” Klenia exclaimed. “I will not let you get away with this! Just wait until I'm in your stinky club's main room! I'll just expose you for the frauds you are!”
The two dancers ignored her outburst, ready to lead them to the exit.
“Stop!” the man said.
A brief moment, Shayna hoped that he had changed his mind.
“Make them leave through the backdoor.” the man added to the two dancers. “I don't want them to make a scene in front of potential customers. I'll tell the bouncers to make sure they aren't allowed in our club anymore.”
Tamiko and Ashley nodded.
“By the way, if you try anything funny, I'll let you know that Tamiko and Ashley are trained in martial arts.” the man concluded. “Good bye.”
**************
While they were escorted to the exit, Shayna thought back of everything they had to do to arrive here. Klenia had been of great help. And, thanks to their friends working for the new government of the Utopian Federation (mostly Hieron), they had been able to find a few more clues. Their search for her sister Venia had led them outside of the Utopian Federation, in the free nation of Okéanis. Apparently, South Window was the last place where Venia had been seen before being shipped overseas. The only thing they needed now was informations on which foreign nation exactly her sister had been shipped. According to everyone they met, Carnela Crow, the owner of the Aeolus Club, knew everything about the illegal world of South Window, even the parts in which she had no involvement whatsover. Such as the human trafficking business.
Trying to audition to be hired as dancers was a convenient cover to meet Carnela. Klenia was confident in her looks.
But the manager wasn't impressed, and Shayna could have sworn that her girlfriend's outrage after being dismissed so casually wasn't fully an act.
Ultimately though, it didn't matter. Because they were now exactly where they wanted to be.
Inside the Club.
Sure, they weren't welcomed anymore, but the only persons who knew about that was the manager and the two dancers currently accompanying them. Klenia and Shayna didn't need to stay long.
They just needed a quick change of clothes.
And, luckily, the corridors were empty. The sounds of the music coming from the main room would drown the potential noises of the fight.
“Now, ladies, be assured that meeting you has been a pleasure, but we'll have to part ways here.” Klenia suddenly said. “My friend and I must meet Carnela.”
The two dancers kept silent.
Klenia then took a wad of bills from the pocket of her jeans.
“And when I say that we must meet Carnela, I mean that we really must meet Carnela...”
Ashley, the blond-haired dancer, chuckled. “You're persistent, I'll give you that. But you heard the manager. No hard feelings, honey... Nothing personal.”
“Besides, your friend isn't welcomed here.” Tamiko added while rudely pointing at Shayna. “She may have dyed her hair brown, but she's not fooling anyone. She's from Naïad, and we don't want her kind of immigrants in Okéanis.” Her tone was harsh and contemptuous.
Shayna bit her lips and lowered her head. Damn Okéanis... For as long as people could remember, there had always been a well ingrained mutual hatred between Okéanis and Naïad. Even before Olympus took over, the two countries couldn't stand each other. The dislike probably found its roots in the rivalries to control trade routes and fishing zones, worsening with each generation. Olympus even used the resentment for its benefit, favoring Okéanis over Naïad. Therefore, the Okéani seemed to have developped a sixth sense to immediately recognize people from Naïad. Then, they made it their duty to crush them with all their contempt. Shayna was from Naïad. Her shoulder-long blond hair and blue eyes, coupled with her tanned skin, were a clear giveaway. And even though Shayna wasn't smaller or skinnier than the average person, she had to learn take the insults in silence.
Klenia's smile disappeared, and she pocketed the bills. “Well, I wanted to do it the nice way, but now...”
Without a warning, she attacked. Tamiko barely had to time to register what was happening. Klenia's fist violently collided with her jaw, sending the brunette on the ground.
Ashley opened her eyes wide.
“You... You...” she started.
Klenia smiled. “No hard feelings, honey... Nothing personal.”
**************
A few moments later...
“Trained in martial arts, my a...” Klenia started.
"Language."
"...ss-stounding disappointment."
As expected, the noise of the music coming from the Club's main room drowned the sounds of the fight. The two dancers were currently lying on the ground, unconscious. Tamiko's beating lasted a little longer than Ashley's. At least, the blond-haired dancer was lucky enough to be dispatched with a sleeper-hold. Her brown-haired companion, not so much.
“You didn't need to do that...” Shayna muttered.
“I'm not going to let this spiteful tart insult you...” Klenia gently replied. “The days when the Okéanis could boss others around because they were oh-so favored by Olympus are over.”
“I know...” But Shayna had learned all her life to kowtow to Okéanis and Olympians. It was necessary to survive in an Olympus-occupied Naïad. The former thief was a little ashamed of herself and of her lack of confidence. But it was hard get rid of the survival reflexes she had used for years.
Klenia didn't insist and changed the subject. “Though, on the bright sight, we now have a neat set of clothes to blend in. We just need to stash these two somewhere and meet up with 'Boss Carnela'.”
No sooner said than done.
The two dancers' outfits were swiftly removed, leaving Ashley and Tamiko in their respective dark blue and dark red sets of underwear. The blonde was wearing a push-up bra and boyshorts, the brunette a brassiere and a tanga. In her purse, Klenia was carrying several rolls of strong package tape. She and Shayna used them to bind their victims' wrists and ankles. They also completely wrapped the women's hands, fingers included, before stuffing the women's worn socks in their mouths and winding several layers of tape around their lower faces to gag them.
A nearby janitor closet was put to good use. The two bound-and-gagged women were dragged by the shoulders and stashed inside, Ashley's head pillowed on Tamiko's shoulder.
Klenia and Shayna then quickly got dressed, leaving their former clothes in the closet with the two unconscious dancers. They closed the door, concealing the frames of their victims.
“Not bad...” Klenia commented while looking at her new outfit. “Not bad at all...”
“Why do I have the feeling that you were hoping that this would end this way...” Shayna playfully retorted. Humiliating the brown-haired woman from Okéanis had lifted her spirits. After all, it was fair game.
“That's because I was.” Klenia smiled, happy to see that her girlfriend's cheerfulness had returned. "But don't worry, you look way better in that outfit than this bimbo." She kissed her on the cheek. “Now, let's find the boss' office.”
**************
Finding the place only took them a few minutes.
“Alright, Boss Carnela, we have to talk!” Klenia exclaimed.
The businesswoman didn't even bother looking up from her paperwork.
“I already told you girls. Pay day is in three days.”
Klenia was left speechless for a few seconds, but quickly managed to regain her composure.
“We're not exactly part of your crew. We borrowed these clothes to two of your dancers.”
This time, Carnela looked up.
“Oh.” she simply commented.
'Boss Carnela' was in her late forties or early fifties. She had the tanned skin shared by all Okéanis and blue-green eyes. While there were strips of grey in her brown hair and wrinkles around the outer corner of the eyes, one could easily see that she used to be a stunning woman when she was younger and that she still retained a lot of her former beauty.
Shayna shifted nervously on her feet.
Their victim was way too calm for someone who just witnessed two unknown persons corner her alone in a secluded room.
“I guess that you have a button to call security, and probably a gun in a drawer.” Klenia commented. “I'm faster than you, so I advise you to keep your hands on your desk.”
“I don't think we will need to use violence to solve this situation. Pardon me, but you don't exactly look like the deadly hired assassin-type.” The businesswoman smiled. There was a spark of cunning in her eyes. “Though the whole mug-and-disguise shtick sounds familiar. It reminds me of the rumours of an all-female crew who used to work for the Rebellion during the civil war, and was specialized in infiltration.”
“We're here because we need informations.” Klenia cut her, not wanting to take the risk of saying too much by playing her game.
“Of course. That's why everyone want to meet me.” Carnela paused, then said. “People usually ask for an appointment though, instead of mugging the staff.”
“Your manager wasn't exactly cooperative.”
“It's his job. Although given your reputation, I trust that my two dancers aren't too mangled.”
“One will have an headache for the next few days, and a black eye, but other than that they are fine.”
“I see...”
Carnela put her hands together.
“So. What do you want?”
“I want intel on the human trafficking business.”
There was a long silence. Shayna was carefully watching the door, in case the businesswoman was stalling for time and waiting for someone to arrive.
“I'm not into this business.” Carnela finally answered.
“No. Your shtick is more blackmail and extortions. Perhaps a few heists from time to time.” Klenia calmly retorted.
The businesswoman didn't answer. She wasn't stupid enough to make a confession to a person who could potentially carry a microphone on her.
“I'm not into this business.” Carnela simply repeated.
Klenia leaned forward.
“I've also made my researches. I know about what you did at the beginning of your career, about how you managed to earn enough money to buy this Club.”
“I'll have you know that I inherited my money from a distant cousin.” Carnela retorted. “But please, continue. I'd love to hear your version of the story.”
“They were calling you 'Murmur'. The best thief of Okéanis, and a true mistress of disguise. Nobody was better at impersonating the elite, and nobody was better at impersonating the servant. Never leaving any trace, except the bound-and-gagged women she mugged for disguise. You robbed the most prestigious hotels of the Province and they never caught you. They even wrote stories about your feats. I've read them all. When I became a thief myself, you were my model.”
Carnela lightly chuckled.
“So, I need to ask you a favour, from one uniform stealer to another.” Klenia concluded.
“And what is it?”
“Just because you're not into 'their' business, it doesn't mean you don't know anything about what they do. We asked several people. Everyone just kept telling: 'Go ask Boss Carnela. She knows everything happening in South Window.' So, we're here.”
“We are looking for a girl called Venia Iven.” Shayna intervened.
Carnela quickly looked at her. Shayna saw in her eyes that she'd recognized her as someone from Naïad. Shayna didn't break eye contact. For a brief moment, Carnela seemed about to make a comment, but then she decided otherwise.
“And what's in it for me?” she asked instead.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? The Callianass Cartel imploded after Calypso's capture, but several of its remnants are still firmly established in your town. We could hamper their operations. But only if you give us informations... And if you don't send your goons after us the moment we leave your office. We could even put a good word to our superiors. After all, the help of an infiltration crew could come in handy some day...”
Carnela thought for a moment, then smiled.
“You've got yourselves a deal.”
**************
Frontier.
The foreign country in which Shayna's sister had been sold was the Nation of Frontier.
The last country of the world to use slavery. Well, technically it wasn't called 'slavery'. But it still fitted all the criterions...
A warm sunny country, the northern half of Frontier was covered with orchards, fields, and plantations. To cultivate them, they were using unpaid labour: workers forced to work and not allowed to leave the plantations unsupervised. Basically slaves. A decade ago, the country's government started to expand their plantations by irrigating the desert covering the southern half of the land. Therefore, they needed more hands. A good chunk of the world's human trafficking was thus redirected towards their country, including the Callianass Cartel's. This was both good and bad news.
The good news was that, while Frontier was the last country to use a system that was institutionalized slavery in everything but name, its people weren't mustache-twirling saturday-morning cartoon villains either. A good chunk of them were perpetuating the system because it was part of their culture, and because their economy depended on it. Slaves were usually well-treated, if only because a dead slave can't make profit. Therefore, they could still hope to find Venia alive somewhere. Klenia would never have admitted out loud in front of Shayna, but two years was a long period...
However, the bad news was that Frontier and the Utopian Federation had nearly no relations, even when Olympus was still in charge. Going there would be difficult, and blending in would be even more difficult. They were going to need a plan...
Dressed back in casual clothes, the dancer outfit she had stolen now stored in the wardrobe as she had chosen to keep it, Klenia was sitting on their rented apartment's couch. Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Shayna was resting in the other room, so she picked up.
It was Aster.
Klenia smiled.
“Aster! It's always nice to hear from you...”
“Klenia, I have bad news.” her former leader interrupted her.
Klenia paused.
“How bad?”
“Hieron just called me. Reka and a few of her cronies working for the remnants of the Callianass Cartel have been spotted in the Province of Ares. They are looking for us.”
Klenia felt her good mood vanish. “So, very bad then...”
“They also put a contract on Emery's head. A hitman tried to kill her two days ago.” Aster continued.
“And she...?”
“What do you think? It's Emery. Apparently, a limp doesn't prevent you to shoot with a handgun. And I heard that she booby-trapped her house. I don't know exactly what she did to the guy, but according to the rumours, no other hitman is willing to accept a contract on her head now... Not that I'm gonna pity the man, given what I heard about him, but still...” Aster paused, then added: “Anyway, that's not important right now. What's important is that Okéanis is the last remaining place where the remnants of the Cartel still hold some influence. You have to be careful.”
“We will be.” Klenia promised. “What about you?”
“Don't worry. They won't be able to find me.”
“And Mikani?”
“I don't know where she is right now. Hieron said that he warned her, but he didn't say me where she was going. I will try to call her as soon as I can.”
There was a brief pause.
“You should come back in Korê. Aster then added. "It's dangerous to stay in Okéanis.”
“Can't do that, Aster. We finally got a lead.”
“Where?”
“Frontier.”
“Where exactly in Frontier?”
“We don't know yet, but someone told us where in South Window we could find the exact location...”
**************
Reka crossed the border between Ares and Okéanis.
Avoiding patrols and border crossing points was actually rather easy when you had informants among the customs officers. A good chunk of the guards working there were already employed when Olympus was still in charge, and while they had accepted the change of government, they weren't especially loyal. The former Rebellion simply was a new boss, nothing more. They used to accept bribes when they were under Olympian rule, and they didn't see why the situation should have been different because Utopia had been renamed the 'Utopian Federation'. Max took care of everything, as always. Therefore, the customs officers of the Federation didn't cause them any trouble.
Things would be a little different at the Okéani crossing point, which was located a kilometer away... The building appeared in front of them. It actually was a small crossing point, since they were driving on a secondary road.
“I hope the others have done their part.” Reka commented.
At the gate, they were greeted by a woman wearing a customs officer uniform: white shirt with black epaulettes, a dark grey tie, dark grey pants and black shoes. In a holster strapped on her belt, there was a gun. She had blue eyes and shoulder long black hair, and under the sun the sheen of her hair seemed almost dark blue.
The guard took a quick glance inside the car, then said: “I'm afraid you'll have to come with me, m'aam.”
Reka sighed and groaned.
“Well, I guess we can't avoid it...”
She then motioned to Coral and Helen to follow her, and parked and exited the vehicle. The blue black-haired woman led them inside the building, leaving a second guard alone to guard the gate, a redhead whose hair were tied into twintails.
They reached the door.
“You can drop the act now, Lucina.” Reka commented.
“Sorry boss, devil's in details.” the henchwoman answered with a small smile.
Reka sighed. Not too long before, she was the one making this kind of comments to her boss... I miss Sao.
They entered the building.
Three other women, all dressed in customs officer uniforms, greeted them.
Amara, Kjelle, and Karin.
“I trust that you didn't overdo it?” Reka asked.
“Not at all.” Lucina answered.
At the far end of the room, seven women were seated in a line, against the wall. They were the real customs officers, albeit currently a lot more undressed than usual. All were only clad in their undergarments. Their wrists and ankles were bound with zip-ties, and they were gagged and blindfolded with tape.
Although, if someone were to look closely at them, they would notice that these women were unusually unarmed for people who were supposed to just have been assaulted for their clothes. Their zip-ties were tight enough to prevent any escape, but still loose enough to remain comfortable.
“I must admit that it was strange, to bind and gag cooperative people...” Lucina added.
The whole operation was actually a setup devised by Max and the Okéani authorities. The guards were in the loop. They actually willingly gave their uniforms and allowed themselves to be bound and gagged. The entire so-called 'mugging' had been in reality very cordial. Okéanis would then frame the Utopian Federation, known to have used infiltrators during the civil war against Olympus.
“We get to safely cross the border, and Okéanis gets an excuse to accuse the Federation of a diplomatic incident. It's a win-win.” Reka explained.
“I suppose.” Lucina answered. “So, how was the trip in Ares?”
“Unfruitful.”
“Did you at least receive news from Katarina?”
“She's fine.”
Among the team assembled by Sao, only Katarina chose to part ways after Olympus' fall. All the others decided to stay with Reka. Wether it was out of loyalty, thirst of revenge or something else, Reka was grateful. Together, they carried out several missions for Okéanis and various crime bosses, earning them enough cash to live comfortably.
Reka wasn't angry at her former crewmate. Katarina had joined the team because Olympus promised her a full pardon for her crimes. She was a former soldier from Ares, who accidentally killed her officer when he tried to... force a romantic relationship with her. After being healed from the injuries she sustained in Wheat Junction, she only whised to go back to her family. Reka could understand that.
If she didn't long to avenge her former partner in crime, maybe Reka would have done the same.
“So, our last lead is...” Lucina started.
“We're going to South Window.” Reka interrupted her. “We'll meet up with old acquaintances here...”
**************
Stupid...
She knew that she shouldn't have answered that phone call. But the call seemed important and, indeed, it was.
However, now she had been spotted by customs officers. And, as misfortunes never come singly, she had lost her phone during her running.
While she wasn't a wanted criminal, she knew that she wouldn't been allowed on Okéanis' soil and would simply escorted back in the Federation. She didn't want that.
She needed a way to escape the authorities...
**************
Clair parked her car in the last rest stop before the border between Okéanis and the Federation. She wanted to make a pause before having to face the tedious administrative procedure needed to cross the border.
The civil war was over since a few months. Okéanis had become a free independent nation, and Olympus had relinquished power over the other Provinces to the Utopian Federation, with the blessing of the international community. Officially, the two nations recognized each other. But they were still wary, and the movements of both people and goods were strictly controlled.
Clair entered the public restroom to freshen up. She had the fair light skin, blond hair and blues eyes typical of the people from Hera. However, she left her Province several years ago and didn't intend to go back there any time soon. She never truly fitted anyway. Physically, she was rather short while her compatriots prided themselves in being taller than the average person. And personality-wise, she simply had never been able to fit with the rampant snobbery that was widespread in Hera. Clair quickly checked her hairdo and clothes. She had tied her light blond hair into a high ponytail that was reaching her collarbone. She was wearing a grey sweater with a light blue jacket that matched her eyes, with dark blue jeans and black sneakers. All in all, the mirror was reflecting her the image of a young woman with a nice figure, if a little too short in height.
Suddenly, a woman dashed inside the restroom. Clair jumped. The woman stopped in front of the mirror next to Clair. She seemed out of breath, as if she had to run from the border to here.
“Can I... help you?” Clair proposed.
The woman caught her breath, then looked at her, quickly examining her size.
“I think you can.” she answered.
Instinctively, Clair felt the danger. She also realized that the two of them were alone in the restroom and, when she parked, she saw no other car. Clair decided to go back to her car and lock the doors.
But the other didn't giver her the time to move.
From the outside, the noise of a brief struggle could be heard. But the rest stop was currently deserted, so nobody heard them.
**************
Five minutes later, the unknown woman was leaving the public restroom, wearing Clair's clothes. She unlocked the blonde's car and took place behind the wheel, quickly driving off.
**************
Alright. What just happened?
Left behind in a stall and secured to a toilet bowl, Clair still hadn't been able to completely fathom what happened to her.
One moment, I'm minding my own business. Then, this woman arrives, jumps on me with some kind of stun gun, and everything fades into black. The next moment, I wake up taped to a toilet seat. My legs are secured to the bowl with some kind of tape, my hands are tied behind my back and more tape is wrapped around my shoulders and upper-arms. She stuffed my mouth with some icky fabric and gagged me with even more tape. And most importantly, my clothes are also gone, save for my underwear!
Clair sighed, which came out as a soft "Mffffff..." due to the gag.
This really isn't my day...
At least, she had chosen to wear her black and blue sports bra and high-cut briefs that were at least giving her some semblant of cover, and not the string and strapless bra she originally wanted to wear...
Being tied up reminded her of the time when she was a child, playing with the other kids. And while she had always secretly liked the role of the damsel in distress during these games, she certainly didn't want to be tied up with no warning. Even less if it meant being left in her skivvies.
I don't even want to think of the moment they will have to take off the tape...
**************
Author's note: Just wanted to say here a huge thanks to noochy for giving a link to the EvilBabes wiki, which allowed me to come across these two dancing henchwomen that gave me an idea for a scene.
