" Flight 418 " by Greenstarters

[esercito sconfitto]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flight 418

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The crackling voice of the overhead loudspeaker resounded throughout the crowded airport lobby. “Flight 418 to Paris will depart in twenty minutes. Attention please. Flight 418 to Paris will depart in twenty minutes.”

Catherine heard the loudspeaker’s announcement, and she couldn’t help but smile. Though she had been working International Airlines for several years, the attractive young flight attendant had never been to the French capital. But her patience had finally paid off. In just a few hours, she would be setting foot on Parisian soil. Her friend and coworker Valerie, who would also be on the flight, had already worked the route four times, and would often tell her of the great and glorious sights which the city beheld. Now it was her turn to experience the wonders firsthand.

Catherine checked her blond hair and makeup in the decorative pocket mirror which she always carried around in her company-issued handbag. The handbag itself was a deep purple color, designed to match her flight attendant uniform. The uniform, colored this way so as to keep passengers at ease during the flight, consisted of a long-sleeved, three-button uniform jacket above a crisp white button-down shirt, a pair of white silk gloves, a long purple skirt that hung just above stocking-clad ankles, and a pair of shiny black high heels. Catherine checked her wristwatch as she kept watch for any of her fellow flight attendants. The schedule called for seven of them to be on the plane when it departed, but so far, she had not caught sight of any of the other six in or around the airport lobby. She assumed most of them had already boarded the plane, but Valerie had told her that the two of them would meet in the lobby and board the plane together. She wondered what was taking her friend so long.

As if on cue, Catherine heard a buzzing noise coming from within her handbag. She reached in and pulled out her cell phone. Valerie had just sent her a text message: ‘In the employee lounge. Need to file some last-minute paperwork. Could really use a hand.’

Catherine glanced at her watch again. Eighteen minutes till departure. She figured that gave her substantial time. She adjusted the handbag strap over her shoulder and began sidling her way through the airport lobby, high heels clicking on the polished floor.

It was a matter of moments for Catherine to make her way down a little-used side corridor and stop before a door marked “Employees Only”. The door was locked, as usual, and only airport staffers were supplied with keys. Catherine pulled her own key from her uniform pocket, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

The lounge was quite attractive, filled with couches and coffee tables and a large flat-screen television. Off to one side was a large walk-in closet that housed a steady supply of food and refreshments. For the moment, the lounge was empty, which confused Catherine a bit.

“Valerie?” she called out. “Are you here, sweetie?” She let the door swing shut behind her.

Catherine was about to take a step forward when two strong hands shot out and grabbed hold of her arms. A third hand clamped itself over her mouth, while a fourth clicked a pistol to the base of her neck.

“Don’t make another sound,” a harsh female voice whispered.

Catherine froze. Her heart began to pound.

The woman clutching the pistol kept it firmly pressed against the base of Catherine’s head. The other woman began to quickly unbutton Catherine’s uniform jacket. Catherine wanted to cry out, but she kept still, fearing for her very life. The two women pulled off her jacket and her gloves, then unbuttoned and slid off her shirt. They pulled off her high heels and white stockings before removing her skirt. They worked swiftly and silently, while Catherine could only suppress her sobs. Even her wristwatch was taken.

Now that Catherine was clad in nothing more than her lace black bra and panties, the two women proceeded to tie her up with strong rope and gag her with duct tape. Her wrists were secured to her ankles in a thoroughly uncomfortable position. Catherine winced as the ropes were pulled tight.

The two women carried the trussed-up figure over to the lounge’s walk-in closet and opened the door. Catherine could only stare in shock. Lying on the dark closet floor were six other women – the flight attendants she had been scheduled to accompany on today’s flight. They had all been stripped of their uniforms and were now hogtied and tape-gagged and struggling helplessly.

Catherine was secured to Valerie, who had clearly been in her bound-and-gagged position for a while. The women’s pleas were muffled through the tape as the two assailants sprayed chloroform gas into the closet before closing and locking the door. The cries for help faded away into nothingness.

Ten minutes later, seven women dressed in flight attendant uniforms crossed the runway and stepped aboard Flight 418. They greeted the passengers with warm smiles and told them to prepare for takeoff. Shortly after, the plane was airborne.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The plane glided beautifully over the rippling waves of the Atlantic. On board, several passengers ate their meals, listened to music, or enjoyed an in-flight movie.

Two flight attendants walked elegantly, methodically, down the first-class aisle, moving expertly so as not to crease their uniforms. One of them stopped by the seat of a woman in a business suit, who had brown hair and gold earrings. The businesswoman, who looked to be around thirty, was reading a financial magazine, but she looked up upon seeing the pretty young flight attendant standing over her.

“Good morning, miss,” the attendant said in a bright, cheerful voice. “Are you finished with your meal? I can take the tray back if you like.”

The woman smiled. “How polite. Thank you, my dear.” She picked up the tray and gave it to the flight attendant, who removed it with gloved hands.

“Enjoy the rest of your flight, ma’am. If you need anything else, please let me know.”

“Thank you…” The woman read the flight attendant’s nametag. “…Valerie.”

The attendant smiled and, holding the tray carefully, made her way towards the rear of the plane. Once there, she was met in a secluded section of the plane by another flight attendant. The two women quietly dusted the tray, checking for fingerprints and then transferring them onto a sheet of plastic. One woman concealed the plastic within her uniform, and then they both returned to their regular work. For the next few hours, all seven flight attendants busied themselves with helping out the customers. It had taken several months of careful training for these women to move and act exactly like real flight attendants, but so far, the plan was working perfectly.

…

Catherine stirred. Her eyelids felt heavy. Her arms ached and her mouth refused to open. She struggled to remain conscious and tried to remember where she was. Within a few moments, memories of what had earlier transpired came flooding back into her mind.

Her wrists ached where the rope bound them. Her ankles hurt from being bent backwards and tied to Valerie’s legs. She had no idea how long she or her companions had been in this position – several hours, at least. She gazed around at the six women who lay bound and gagged around her. All of them still appeared to be sleeping off the effects of the chloroform gas. She attempted to cry out to them, but only managed a muffled “Mmmmppphhh!”

Silence loomed around her. She pulled against the rope with all her might, but only succeeded in hurting her wrists further. She began to sob quietly, wishing she were on her way to Paris.

Suddenly, she heard a noise from outside the closet. Someone was unlocking the lounge door! Her heart gave a leap as she heard it swing open. Immediately, she began crying out as much as her gag allowed. “Mmmmppphhh! Hmmmmppphhh!”

There was silence for a moment. Then, Catherine heard rapid footsteps approaching the closet. For a few seconds, she heard someone fiddling with the lock. Then, the door opened.

Catherine squinted in the bright light. Standing before her was a tall young woman with dark hair, a red blazer, black pants, and sneakers. Catherine didn’t know who this woman was, but she was grateful that someone had come to her aid.

“What happened here? Are you all right?” the woman inquired in a sharp British accent. She knelt down and pulled the tape from Catherine’s lips.

Catherine let out a deep breath. The color began returning to her cheeks. “Thank you. Whoever you are, thank you…”

“What happened?” the woman pressed.

“I… I was mugged… These two women… They forced me out of my uniform and tied me up…”

“You’re a flight attendant?” the British woman asked.

“Yes… and my friends here… we were all supposed to be on a plane today…”

“Which flight?”

“Er… Flight 418… to Paris…… Look, I’m rather uncomfortable… Do you think you could untie me? I’m rather uncomfortable…”

But the British woman wasn’t paying attention. Her brow was furrowed, and she was talking to herself angrily. “I knew it… I knew they’d find some way to get there… Brilliant work, Olivia.”

Catherine looked at her oddly. “What are you talking about?”

The dark-haired woman turned to her. “I’m very sorry about your predicament. Believe me, you ladies were not the first. Now if you’ll excuse , I have some urgent business.”” She turned and hurried for the door.

“Wait!” Catherine cried out. “Please… please untie us!”

But the woman was gone. Catherine settled back on the floor, pained and exhausted. What was that woman talking about? And what was so urgent that she couldn’t take the time to help a group of women in distress? Catherine’s throat was dry, and she could hardly scream anymore. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of something near her on the floor.

She bent down, trying to ignore the ever-present pain. The British woman – Olivia, she’d called herself – had dropped a small sharp penknife within her reach. Catherine turned and tried picking the knife up off the floor with her hands. Her fingers brushed at it, then took hold. Slowly, arduously, she began cutting at the rope against her wrists. As the knife fought its way through the ropes, Catherine began to think about her situation. The women who had robbed her and her colleagues of their uniforms were not doing so for personal reasons. No, they clearly had some ultimate objective, a plan of their own that required being on the flight to Paris. Catherine had always enjoyed mystery novels, and realized she had become caught up in a mystery herself. She began cutting faster.

Finally, her wrists were free, soon to be followed by her ankles. Catherine stood up and stretched her legs. The pain in her limbs had begun to subside. Though she was still only dressed in her bra and panties, the young woman had freed herself. Now, she felt an urge to investigate. Making a mental note to phone the airport security as soon as possible and notify them about her friends, Catherine padded her way over to the lounge’s rear exit and stepped out of the building.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The back alley she now found herself in was unpleasant, to say the least, no thanks in part to an enormous dumpster against the far wall. A cold wind sent shivers up her spine. She hurried over to the alley entrance and peeked out at the airport parking lot. She couldn’t risk sprinting across it without attracting far too much unwanted attention. Just then, she caught sight of the British woman making her way to a car.

“Olivia!” she called out.

The woman looked up in surprise. When she saw Catherine standing half-concealed in the alley, she hurried over. “My, that was fast. You certainly know how to work your way through ropes.”

“If you’re going after those people who did this to me, I’d like to come.”

Olivia smiled. “Really? Well, that’s quite bold of you. I’m afraid I work alone, though.”

But Catherine persisted. “Look, I’ve been wanting to visit Paris all my life. My first chance came today, and I get mugged on my way to the plane. I owe those women more than I can express.”

Olivia smiled. “You are the determined one. Very well, but you’ll need to get some new clothes.”

Catherine nodded. “My house isn’t far from here. We’ll stop by, and…”

“Sorry, dear… Not enough time, I’m afraid…” Olivia swept her gaze around. “Ah! She looks about your size.” Olivia guided Catherine to the back of the alley. “Wait here.”

A young brunette woman dressed in a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and slacks walked up the roadway, fumbling in her purse for a set of car keys. As she passed the alley, Olivia reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the darkness. The brunette barely had time to gasp before the British woman quickly beat her unconscious.

Olivia stripped the woman of her clothing and shoes before tossing them to Catherine. “Put these on.”

“But…” Catherine could only blink.

“Hurry up.” Olivia pulled a roll of packing tape out of her blazer and began taping the brunette’s arms to her sides.

Catherine hurriedly put on her new wardrobe. “Is that always how you get new clothes?”

Olivia shrugged. “The blazer I’m wearing now. And the underwear.” By this point she had taped up the woman’s ankles and was winding several layers over her mouth. “How do they fit?”

Catherine had to admit her new clothing felt pretty good. They were still warm, which gave her newfound energy. “I… think I’m ready.”

Olivia picked up the bound and gagged woman and carried her over to the dumpster. She dropped her in and shut the lid. Catherine bit her lip.

Olivia turned to her. “Don’t worry… Garbage collection is in a couple of days. Shall we go?”

Catherine nodded, wondering what other surprises this woman had in store. She followed Olivia to her car and got in. The two of them buckled up, and Olivia took the wheel. Minutes later, they had left the airport in a cloud of dust.

…

The plane touched down on the smoothly paved runway and continued its path for several seconds before coming to a complete stop. Passengers were soon filing out and heading from the plane to the terminal. Last to exit were the seven flight attendants, stepping gracefully out into the French airport. Once they had walked into the terminal, the women spread out and went their separate ways. Each one of them had a specific job to do in this city, and each one was trained to do her job perfectly, down to the smallest detail.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


“So who were those women?” Catherine asked.

Olivia kept her eyes on the road and her hands on the steering wheel as she continued to weave her way through the city streets. “They’re part of an international group of thieves. There are seven in total, all of them as crafty as they are beautiful. I’m an undercover Intelligence Agent who’s been tracking them for the past few months. Earlier today, I received word that they were planning to sneak aboard a flight from this city to Paris. Unfortunately,” she sighed, “I was looking for them at the wrong airport.”

“What do you mean?” Catherine pressed. She was growing more interested by the moment.

“Global Airlines has a flight to Paris at three o’clock. I spent my morning there, waiting for them to arrive. It was not until a while later that I learned of another Paris-bound flight leaving from International Airport at noon. I drove to that airport as quickly as possible, but by then the plane had already taken off. When I found you and your associates tied and gagged, I quickly realized what had occurred.”

Catherine hung on to every word. Her heart began beating faster. “So where are we going now?”

“Global Airlines, of course.” Olivia turned off the highway.

“Huh?”

“They still have a flight scheduled for three o’clock. It is now two-thirty-eight. That should give us enough time to appropriate the proper clothing and make our way aboard the plane.” Olivia pulled into the Global Airlines parking lot. “Let’s not waste any time.”

Catherine hesitated for the briefest of moments, then followed the tall dark-haired woman into the terminal.

Global Airlines was even busier than International. Catherine could only watch as people hurried about, some boarding planes, some exiting. She felt strangely out of place in an airport without her official uniform.

Olivia swept her gaze across the terminal. After about ten seconds, she tapped Catherine on the shoulder and silently gestured to the far side of the room.

Two flight attendants, one blond, one redheaded, chatted with each other as they walked toward the ladies’ room. The women were dressed identically, with pressed blue long-sleeve uniforms and pillbox hats, button-down white shirts, glossy neutral-colored tights, and black high heels. Both carried a light blue handbag, slung over their shoulder. The two women disappeared through the restroom door.

Olivia motioned to Catherine and began walking towards the restroom. Catherine wanted to say something, but she kept silent and followed her. Just as they approached the ladies’ room door, Catherine leaned over and whispered, “You sure this is a good idea?”

“Hasn’t ever failed me,” Olivia replied with a smile as she pushed the door open.

The restroom was long and bright, with nine empty stalls along one wall and seven sinks along the other. The two flight attendants stood at the sinks, checking their makeup in the mirror. The redhead nodded at Olivia and Catherine. Catherine nodded back, noting how crisp and fresh the woman’s uniform looked. She then glanced at Olivia, who smiled and walked up behind the two flight attendants.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” she said pleasantly. “You two wouldn’t happen to be scheduled to be on Flight 516 to Paris, would you?”

The flight attendants looked up. “Yes, we are,” replied the blonde. “Our plane’s leaving very soon. Is there something we can help you with?”

“As a matter of fact, there is.” Olivia’s smile broadened. “I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans. You ladies will not be boarding the plane. Instead, you will be tied up and gagged and hidden away, while my associate and I put on your clothing and board the plane ourselves.”

The redhead arched her eyebrows in surprise. “What? Is this some poor joke – ohh!”

Hardly had the words left her mouth when Olivia’s hand shot out and delivered a paralyzing blow to the base of her neck, knocking the pillbox hat from her head. The redhead’s knees buckled, and she fell to the floor in a heap.

The blonde stood in shock for a moment, then made a run for the door. Unfortunately, her high heels made it difficult for her to gain any speed, and Olivia was on to her in a moment. She tackled the poor woman before she could make it to the door, and applied a sleeper hold. The blonde’s eyelids closed, and she went limp in Olivia’s grip.

Olivia set her down and began unbuttoning the woman’s uniform jacket. “Strip the other one. We’re rather short on time.”

Catherine bent down to the unconscious woman and began removing her clothes. The high-heeled shoes were the first to go. Then, the jacket was eased off, followed by the crisp white shirt and blue knee-length skirt. Catherine felt strange removing the clothing from another woman, but she kept silent and continued her work. For a while, the only sounds in the polished restroom were those of clothing being stripped from nubile skin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before long, Catherine and Olivia were suiting up in their newly acquired Global Airlines uniforms. Olivia smoothed the creases of her neutral-colored tights. On the floor lay the two peaceful flight attendants, the blonde’s head resting atop the redhead’s slowly heaving chest. They were now dressed in nothing more than their own pairs of bras and panties. Olivia adjusted the pillbox hat on her hair, which she had fashioned into an attractive bun. “I seem to fit fine. How about you?”

Catherine was impressed. Her new flight attendant uniform seemed to actually fit better than her old one. However, before she could reply, the door to the restroom swung open, and a young woman with brown hair and a bright sundress walked in, her sandals padding on the tiled floor. She was about to enter one of the stalls when she caught sight of the two unconscious women lying on the floor in their underwear. Her mouth dropped open, as if ready to scream.

Catherine thought fast. She smiled and began walking towards the woman. “Don’t be alarmed, ma’am. We have the situation under control.” Before the woman could reply, Catherine had wrapped an arm around her waist and covered her mouth with her other hand. The woman struggled as Catherine held on as tight as she could. “I’m sorry, honey,” she whispered, “but we need you to keep quiet.”

“Right you are,” Olivia said, striding over. She whisked a small canister out of her jacket and sprayed a sweet-scented gas at the struggling female. The woman’s eyes glazed over, and she drifted into unconsciousness.

“What do we do with her?” Catherine inquired.

“Remove her dress and tear it into strips. We’ll use them to secure her and the others while they’re still at rest.”

The two worked quickly. Soon, three bound-and-gagged women dressed only in their most intimate garments were being stashed away in the cupboard beneath the restroom sinks. Once the cabinet door was closed and padlocked, Olivia turned to Catherine.

“They should rest easy down there. Meanwhile, we should be going. I doubt you’d want to miss a flight to Paris twice in one day.”

Now dressed from head to toe in their new, well-fitting blue uniforms, the two women exited the restroom and crossed the terminal. They made their way onto the passenger plane shortly before it coursed the runway and took off.

For the next several hours, Catherine busied herself greeting the passengers and taking their various requests. For the moment, it was just like any other working day she had experienced during the last six years. She decided to enjoy it now, for as long as she could.

…

Elizabeth drew the bow back and forth across her violin, allowing a strong, melodious tune to issue forth. Standing on the center stage of the large but empty auditorium at which she often performed, she closed her eyes and attempted to get a feel for the music. So far, it sounded all right, if not exceptional. But exceptional was just what Elizabeth was trying for.

Ever since the dark-haired young musician first began her career in Paris, she had been hired out for countless performances. Along with her friends and fellow violinists, Alice and Lauren, she had formed a three-person musical assembly, playing symphonies at lavish gatherings and celebrations everywhere. She always made sure to practice each note to absolute perfection, and at this moment was working on an especially difficult piece. It was extremely important for this particular day, as her orchestra had an important engagement scheduled for that evening.

The clothing she was now dressed in were trim and pressed and ready for the upcoming gala event. Elizabeth wore a solid black long-sleeved pantsuit over a crisp white shirt that was itself adorned by a black tie. Her hands were covered with a pair of white gloves and her feet adorned by polished black loafers. Over her eyes was a glittering silver mask, the trademark of her group. All three members wore silver masks while on the job, and they had sworn to never remove them in middle of any performance. It was this level of mystery, Elizabeth knew, that kept audiences coming back.

Alice and Lauren were backstage, changing into identical suits and ties and donning masks of their own. Elizabeth wished they would hurry up – she wanted the three of them to rehearse the performance one last time.

Elizabeth continued playing her violin, making sure every note was attuned to perfection. Her back remained facing the curtain behind her. She was so involved in her work that she did not hear the sounds of anyone emerging from backstage – until she felt the cold steel of a gun-muzzle press into the base of her neck.

Stunned, Elizabeth dropped her violin. She was marched backstage by her unknown assailant.

“Strip,” the woman ordered.

Elizabeth hurried to comply. She unbuttoned her jacket and removed her tie. She pulled off her shoes, shirt, and nylon stockings. Finally she removed her silver mask, and stood shaking in nothing more than her set of cream-colored bra and panties.

Out of the darkness emerged two women Elizabeth had never seen before, dressed in suits and masks like those she had been wearing herself mere moments before. They grabbed her forcefully and began binding her with nylon cord and gagging her with duct tape. Meanwhile, the woman behind them began dressing in the suit, stockings, shoes, and mask that had only recently clothed poor Elizabeth.

Elizabeth could only squirm and whimper through her gag as the two women carried her towards a storage closet and unlocked the door. Inside the closet, clad only in cream sets of bra and panties, bound with rope and gagged with tape, were two other young women -- Alice and Lauren. They moaned even louder upon seeing Elizabeth in the exact predicament they were in.

Elizabeth was secured to her friends, still whimpering helplessly. The door was closed and locked, plunging the three musicians into complete darkness.

[esercito sconfitto]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun had begun to set, painting the sky a deep red hue, as the plane taxied across the runway. Its tires pulled against the tarmac, slowing it down until it came to a complete halt on the landing strip of Air France.

As passengers stood up to collect their things and exit the plane, the brightly uniformed flight attendants stood at the doorways and helped usher them out. “Goodbye… Enjoy your stay… Au revoir…”

Catherine stood near the rear exit, helping passengers as they stepped out onto the stairwell. Once the last one had been ushered out, Catherine drew a deep breath. Now it was time for her to finally see view the city of Paris in all its beautiful glory.

But as she hurried towards the stairs, someone grabbed her arm from behind. “Remember,” she whispered, “we have a job to do. We must be at the Museum of Natural History within a couple of hours. Sightseeing will have to wait.”

Catherine was a little disappointed, but she understood.

Olivia smiled. “Don’t worry. Once we capture those women, the two of us will visit every landmark in the city, from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe. Okay?”

Catherine smiled. “You know what, Olivia? You’re incredible.”

Olivia smiled, and the two exited the plane. Catherine could hardly contain her excitement, but she held herself together as they walked through the French terminal. Tonight would be the adventure of her life.

…

The white van with the words “Tennison Food & Catering” printed on its side rumbled its way up the long dirt road. Outside, the sky was dark, with a full moon illuminating the path below it. It was helpful to have this form of light; after all, there were no houses in the vicinity. All around were trees, as far as the eye could see.

At the driver’s seat of the van sat a waitress in her late twenties, blond-haired and blue-eyed, dressed in a black sleeveless vest over a starched blue long-sleeved shirt. She wore a short black skirt above off-black nylon stockings and high heels. Sitting in the spacious rear section of the van were two other women, both brunettes, dressed in identical clothing as the blonde. Around them sat large crates of filled with the aromas of delicious meats and caviars. The blonde driver checked the clock on the dashboard. They had one hour to reach their destination and set up all the food they would be catering. Fortunately, the destination itself was not far away.

As the female driver rounded a corner, something caught her eye. Lying face-down on the side of the road was the figure of a woman, dressed only in a white slip and dark nylon stockings. She appeared to be unconscious. The blond driver quickly stopped the van and told her coworkers what she saw. She said she was going to see if the woman was all right. She opened the door to the van on her side and stepped out, her high heels sinking slightly into the soft dirt. Then she moved toward the trees and looked around. The unconscious woman was nowhere to be seen.

The blond smiled to herself. Clearly, the darkness had been playing tricks on her. She checked the area for a few minutes just to be certain, and then returned to the white van.

Upon nearing the front of the van, she noticed that the rear doors were now wide open. Puzzled, she walked towards them. It was unlike her coworkers to be so irresponsible. If the doors were left open, the food would get cold.

The blond woman turned and peered into the back of the van. She had just enough time to notice her two coworkers lying unconscious on the floor of the van before two pairs of hands reached out and pulled her inside. The rear door slammed shut, and the van continued on its way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shortly after, the van turned off the main road and began travelling deep into the dark forest. After fifteen minutes, the van grinded to a halt in the midst of several large trees.

The rear doors were opened, and three tall muscular women stepped out, dressed in black waitress uniforms and heels. Each of the three carried a bound-and-gagged woman over her shoulder. Those three women had been stripped of their uniforms and were now clad only in sets of bra and panties – the brunettes wore white, the blonde, pink. The three whimpering women were secured together with many layers of thick black duct tape and carried to a large oak tree. Their ankles were bound to a rope that was then tied to a strong branch of the tree and pulled tight.

The three underwear-clad women now hung upside-down by their ankles, suspended twenty feet off the ground. They swung back and forth slightly. Their futile struggles did nothing more than tighten the tape around their arms, waists, and legs. The three women whimpered pleadingly, their cries muffled by the cloth which filled their mouths and the tape which covered them.

Down below, the three women who now wore the stolen waitress uniforms returned to the van and got inside. The van pulled away from the tree. Not once did any of the women inside look back towards the whimpering, wriggling captives.

Soon the van returned to the main road and continued driving down the same path as it had before. The driver, a woman who had previously been clad only in her white slip and dark nylon stockings, adjusted her new uniform and checked the clock on the dashboard. The event they were travelling towards would start very shortly.

…

The Museum of Natural History stood imposingly in the center of the Parisian Square. A large banner on the door read “140th Anniversary Dinner!” Several men and women were filing inside, eager to enjoy the food and musical entertainment. They were all dressed in gallant formal wear, the women looking especially striking in their various evening gowns.

Behind the tall bushes which separated the museum from the surrounding garden, Catherine had just finished putting on the sparkling red dress and white satin gloves which would be her dress for the night’s event. She slid into the black heeled slippers and adjusted the gold strap so that the shoes would fit comfortably over her feet and clear nylon stockings.

“Zip me up,” Olivia requested, gesturing to the zipper which ran down the back of her dress. Catherine complied, pulling the zipper upwards until the dress clung to Olivia’s shapely back.

“Lovely,” Olivia smiled. Her dress was blue and hung down to her ankles, although there was a long narrow slit that ran up the left side, revealing her long and slender leg. She wore blue high heels with the toes exposed, showing a hint of red nail polish. “It seems we’re both just about ready. Have you made sure our friends are comfortable?”

Catherine peered over a nearby rosebush patch. Behind the concealing plant lay two unconscious blondes, sleeping off the effects of Olivia’s chloroform. They were clad in matching pairs of white bra and panties which set off their curvy figures to perfection. They had been tied together back-to-back with several strong green vines which Catherine had found near the garden wall. Their mouths were taped shut with strips of residue from a latex plant, gagging them far more effectively than duct tape would. Olivia seemed to take great pleasure in using Nature’s plants as a means of securing the women.

“They look pretty relaxed,” Catherine confirmed. “I doubt they’ll be waking up for a while.”

“Well, they will certainly have a more peaceful night than we will,” Olivia noted. “Now let’s slip into line.”

After showing “their” tickets to the guard at the door, the two women made their way into the museum’s large dining hall, where the reception was taking place. People milled about, eating shrimp off plates, drinking wine from tall glasses, and making idle chatter. Off to one side, three female musicians in tuxedos and silver masks played harmonious symphonies on their violins. Several waitresses in blue shirts and black vests carried trays of food around the room.

Catherine and Olivia began to walk through the crowd, drawing many admiring stares as they went. Catherine smiled at a few of the other guests, but Olivia chose not to look directly into anyone’s eye. After a few minutes, she leaned over to Catherine and whispered, “We’ll head upstairs at first chance. Those priceless exhibits must be protected at all costs.”

Catherine nodded. She was about to reply when something made her freeze. One of the waitresses standing nearby looked very familiar. It was the woman who had held her at gunpoint earlier that day and stripped her of her flight attendant uniform.

The waitress caught sight of her and looked surprised, then smiled at her. Catherine felt her chest tighten into a knot. For the first time that night, she was afraid.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------