I needed an opening song that was both silly and famous, something to set a light tone at the beginning, and "Barbie Girl" just jumped out at me. I think it works for what the beginning of the story needed.
It's possible we haven't seen the last of Toshiko. She literally flew off into the sunset when last we saw her, but Atsuko still misses her. Time will tell.
Also was important to reaffirm the romance between Atsuko and Carolyn. I enjoy writing these characters and I want them to feel as fleshed out as they can.
I always try to add in the details into each uniform stealing scene to give it its own feel and memorability. That was a key part to the first two USB scenes in this story, which I wanted to feel simple but unique at the same time. Glad you enjoyed them.
I did not realize that Adelaide was the inspiration for the Puppeteer, so that's quite an accomplishment for her. I always try to introduce her in a way that highlights her contortionist skills. Obviously the preferred method of infiltration in this series is uniform stealing, and Adelaide is no stranger to this, but I like showing her other skills as well.
I also believe that a lumberjill has never been the target in a USB scene before, so I was happy to incorporate one. Plus, I couldn't pass up the chance to use the "log" pun.
Josie's little cameo was a good little continuity nod, and a way of showing how the different storylines connect even when the characters don't interact. Same with Adelaide referencing the handball team. Little mentions of previous stories go a long way to world-building.
The first Carolyn/Adelaide scene in this story was a good way to highlight their differences. It's interesting to hear the differing reader reactions toward Adelaide. She seems to bring out a lot of different responses. Ah, the perils of being an antiheroine...
The mugging of the two yacht guards was another way of exploring the Carolyn/Adelaide differences. And it was also of course a way to have some fun. I recall that Duke the dog was somewhat popular following his appearance in a prior story, so why not allow him to be Adelaide's little USB helper?
And of course, Carolyn's sympathy is key to her character, especially in a scene that involves women getting mugged for their uniforms. A counterbalance to Adelaide's callousness.
I think this story might feel more plot-heavy than it is due to it being more compact - focused on just a few characters, rather than the two dozen characters in the most recent "Spacesuit" story. Easier to write and coordinate these shorter stories, and I think it may even help the USB scenes feel more personable.
Thanks again for your thoughts; hopefully I can finish the next chapter sometime next week.
Gina Caldwell's yacht seemed larger on the inside, and could perhaps have functioned as a miniature cruise liner. It was three stories tall, complete with a fully functioning kitchen and rec room. Dozens of employees worked within, eager to please their moneyed employer - and fearful of incurring her wrath.
Adelaide glanced around as she stepped aboard and whistled approvingly. "Damn... It sure pays to be rich."
She turned to Carolyn. "Change of plans, honey. We're going to hijack this boat and take it to the Caribbean."
Carolyn looked at her strangely. "Are... are you serious?"
Adelaide made a stone-cold face. Then she chuckled. "I'm joking, honeypot. You really gotta lighten up."
Carolyn scowled. "This isn't funny," she said. "My wife is in deadly danger. Can you please be serious for a moment?"
Adelaide shrugged. "If this job gets too serious, I get bored," she replied. "Come on, try to have a little fun. Don't you like spy movies?"
"Maybe the movies... Not in real life."
Adelaide sighed. "Okay... I don't want you blowing our cover, so maybe it's best if you lie low around here. I'll find Regina's office and grab the bank codes. You just keep cool and try not to get caught. Okay?"
Carolyn nodded. "...Okay. Just... try to be quick."
Adelaide laughed. "I'm not one to waste time, Red."
With that, she headed for a nearby stairwell and clambered up the stairs. Carolyn was left alone in the hallway.
It was quiet... and cold. Despite the insularity of her clothes, Carolyn shivered. She did not feel comfortable in her uniform... though, she had to glumly admit, she was probably better off than the guard she'd liberated it from...
"Hey there."
Carolyn turned in surprise. She looked up at the woman who now stood before her.
The woman was tall and well-toned, with tan skin and short dark hair combed over the left side of her face. She was dressed in a similar security guard uniform as the one Carolyn was wearing, but equipped with larger weapons. She had a pair of pistols strapped to her belt, one at each hip, and a long serrated knife strapped to her thigh.
Carolyn suppressed a gulp. She tried to keep cool.
The tall woman peered over her sunglasses, eyeing Carolyn strangely. "I don't recall seeing you around here before."
Carolyn felt a rising lump in her throat. She tried to keep her cool. "I... I'm..."
"Are you new here?" the woman inquired. "I thought my friends and I were the only new security recruits this week."
Carolyn pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes... yes, I'm new. I'm a new security guard working here, yes."
The woman eyed her strangely. Carolyn couldn't help but notice how large the knife strapped to her leg was. She felt sick...
A long, eternal silence passed inexorably over the next few moments.
Then, finally, the woman nodded. "Well, don't just stand around. Where are you supposed to be stationed?"
"I..." Carolyn's eyes darted around, She noticed a sign on the wall, pointing to a door leading to the lower levels.
"I'm... stationed in the basement," Carolyn said. "I mean, the engine room. Down below." It was the first thing she could think of to help her get away from this woman.
The guard nodded again. "All right. Guess I'll see you around."
Carolyn nodded. She quickly stepped past the woman and headed down the steps.
The taller woman watched her disappear down below. She raised an eyebrow.
"Something familiar about her," she muttered.
*********************
Gina Caldwell stared at the ceiling of her office. She focused on the small cracks between the tiles, trying to shut out everything else.
"And those are our quarterly numbers," her assistant droned on. "A drop from the previous year, but not precipitous..."
Gina noticed that the ceiling was growing worn in its old age... She would need to consult a contractor...
"Ma'am?" her assistant asked.
Gina lowered her gaze, affixing it on her assistant. "Yes, I heard you. Our numbers are dropping. What else is new?"
Gina was feeling relatively ill-tempered this evening, and hearing her latest reports were not helping. The light-skinned, sandy blonde-haired millionairess had long prided her abilities to make money, as evidenced by the fancy lavender business pantsuit she now wore, as well as her polished Manolo Blahnik heels, pearl necklace, and diamond wristwatch.
But now, as she affixed her steely blue eyes on her secretary, she was more annoyed than apprised.
The secretary, a petite woman named Tilly, gulped. She had dark skin and short black hair and was dressed in a dark green sweater-vest over a white blouse, with dark grey skirt and sensible brown penny loafers. "I'm sorry, ma'am... I'm just reporting what your analysts have..."
"You think I don't know that my numbers have gone down?" Gina said in annoyance. "Of course I know. All the corporations I've bought shares in have been tanking... one by one. Hobson... Cerberus... now Rucon. They each get embroiled in some major scandal and their market share ends up in the toilet."
Tilly nodded. "It is pretty unusual... All in the last few weeks."
"It's those damned reporters," Gina grumbled. "They go hunting for scandals, and of course they find them. Nosy newshounds..." She sighed and rubbed her eyes with one hand. "Lord, I need a drink."
The secretary nodded. "Would you like me to call the kitchen and have them send something up?"
"No," Gina replied with a note of sarcasm in her voice. "I want you to stand there for the next hour and babble on about numbers and quarterly reports."
Tilly blinked.
"Of course I want you to call the kitchen, you dimwit," Gina said in annoyance. "And make it snappy."
**********************
The kitchen was on the lowest of the yacht's three levels, not far from the engine room. Carolyn could feel the hear emanating from the door as she approached.
Nice and warm down here, she mused wryly. Maybe I should just stay on this level... out of trouble.
She sighed. It was a mistake. She was not cut out for these infiltration missions, especially not without Atsuko or Toshiko around. She should not have come here...
And yet, she had to remain strong. Atsuko's life was at stake, and Carolyn couldn't bear the thought of letting her down.
The door to the kitchen swung open, and Carolyn had to jump back to avoid being knocked down. A woman exited, tall and elegantly dressed in a dark suit with coattails and a cream-white button-down shirt with black bowtie, and polished black loafers. She had porcelain skin, green eyes, and chestnut hair cut in a chin-length bob. Balanced on one of her white-gloved hands was a gleaming silver platter, carrying two bottles of wine and a pair of thin-stemmed glasses. Draped over the crook of her other arm was a white towel emblazoned with the golden initials "GC."
Carolyn steadied herself, realizing she probably looked rather foolish. The strange look that the female servant gave her did little to convince her otherwise.
"I beg your pardon, ma'am." The server spoke in a polite but firm voice that had the hint of an English accent. "The mistress requested this drink posthaste."
"Er... okay..." Carolyn blinked, then remembered to step aside. The wine carrier walked past her without glancing back.
Carolyn watched the woman ascend the stairwell, delicately balancing the tray in her hand. She could feel hear heart race increasing in fear. What if she had seen through my disguise?
She took a deep breath to steady herself. Easy, girl... No one's going to see through it. Just play it cool... Stay out of the way. That's what you're good at, isn't it?
She reached the engine room and noticed that the door was slightly ajar. The sounds of machinery clanking and clunking came from within.
Not wanting to have any more unpleasant encounters, she ducked inside.
The inside of the engine room was hot and steam-filled. Carolyn squinted in the dim light as she moved past the machinery...
"Eep!"
She let out a cry as her foot met a slippery puddle of oil. She landed on the ground with a thud, the wind knocked out of her.
"Who's there?"
A tough-looking female engine worker stepped from the shadows, holding a heavy wrench in one hand.
Carolyn groaned inwardly. Why me?
*******************
Ilana carefully kept the wine tray perched on one gloved hand as she ascended the stairwell. It had taken years of practice to perfect her balance - and it was evermore difficult to keep herself poised on a yacht, even one moored to the harbor. Some workers would doubtlessly have preferred to carry the tray in both hands, to minimize the chance of a sudden spill. But Ilana had been trained in the art of elegance, and her expert sense of balance kept her from spilling a drop.
She reached the second level of the yacht and began walking down the long stretch of hallway leading to Ms. Caldwell's office. The tray remained perfectly in balance, undisturbed and unencumbered.
However, an impending disturbance was lurking nearby...
Adelaide crouched down in her hiding spot from a side room and peeked through the crack in the door. Yes, the elegantly-dressed woman was just about the proper size, and she seemed to be heading toward the very same office that Adelaide needed access to.
Adelaide's initial impulse was to jump the woman and pull her into the closet, but such aggressive force would doubtlessly upset the wine tray she was carrying. And any sounds of shattered glass would most certainly arouse unwanted attention.
So her work would require a more cunning plan than usual.
Straightening up, she opened the door and calmly stepped out into the hall. Thankfully, the wine server did not seem startled by her presence.
"Good evening, ma'am," Adelaide smiled. "Delivering some refreshment for the mistress?"
Ilana nodded at the woman she assumed was one of Ms. Caldwell's security guards. "Yes, indeed. Two bottles of Cabernet Franc, by request."
Adelaide nodded back, as her mind raced. She needed to somehow convince the woman to put down the tray.
Ilana stepped forward to move past Adelaide, but the young woman blocked her. "One moment, please."
Ilana looked at her strangely. "Is there a problem?"
Adelaide nodded. "Ms. Caldwell has requested that... I ensure the wine is okay. That it has not been spiked or poisoned."
"Poisoned?" Ilana looked irritated at the accusation. "We are loyal workers... We would have no reason to..."
"Of course, of course," Adelaide continued. "Obviously, none of Ms. Caldwell's workers would do this deliberately. But she has many enemies... And she sometimes worries that one of these enemies has sneaked aboard her yacht... Perhaps knocked out a crewmember and stolen her uniform... And covertly put poison into her drinks."
Ilana rolled her eyes. "A ridiculous suggestion," she scoffed. "But I will respect her wishes."
So saying, she set the wine tray down on a nearby side table. "Help yourself."
Adelaide grinned. "I will."
She pounced on Ilana, shoving her back into a nearby closet.
"What the bloody hell...?" The startled woman hadn't much time to complete her surprised thought before the door was closed tight.
"Help, someon... Oof!" Ilana felt the sharp pain of a karate chop, just above her left shoulder. She stiffened slightly, then let out a soft moan as she fell into Adelaide's waiting grip.
"Much faster than chloroform," Adelaide mused as she lowered the woman to the floor. "Now, how about we get you out of that suit..."
Her fingers worked fast - unclasping, unbuttoning, and unfastening the clothes from the unconscious woman's body, then reclasping, rebuttoning, and refastening them onto her own.
The supply closet provided Adelaide with several binding options. She settled on a roll of thick grey ribbon tape for Ilana's wrists and ankles and a clean white woolen washcloth as a gag. Ilana, stripped to her purple comfort bra and matching bikini panties, slept peacefully through the process.
After double-checking to ensure her clothes and shoes were a good fit, Adelaide stepped from the closet, shutting the door behind her. She tied her dark hair back into a professional ponytail.
Then she glanced at the wine tray on the side table and winced. In order for the impersonation to be convincing, she would have to carry the tray as Ms. Caldwell's employees were expected to. But while a circus background had helped Adelaide hone her skills as an acrobat and contortionist, she was never that great when it came to balancing acts.
"It's only a short walk, Addy..." she told herself. "Nothing to worry about."
First things first. Adelaide removed a small vial containing a finely ground white powder from her pouch. She uncorked the bottle and emptied its contents therein. The liquid clouded for a few moments, then returned to its regular color.
"Perfect," she murmured. "Now for the tricky part."
She picked up the silver tray with both hands, and carefully balanced it on her right palm, fingers extended. Then she slowly removed her other hand, hefting the tray upward. it was heavy, but manageable.
Adelaide reached for the white towel with her left hand, cautiously balancing it in the crook of her arm. A glance at one of the wall's reflective surfaces convinced her she looked professional. Well, professional enough.
She began walking forward slowly, hearing the slight sounds of the wine swishing inside the bottles with every step.
"Good thing I'm not in heels," she muttered.
*********************
"What are you doing in here?"
The woman wasn't much taller than Carolyn, but her steely eyes and set jaw certainly made her look imposing. She had white skin and greasy blonde hair that just reached her shoulders. She was dressed in faded blue coveralls, a white flannel T-shirt, and heavy lace-up brown work boots, plus a grey side cap and a brown tool belt. In one hand she clutched a thick metal wrench.
"I said, what are you doing here?"
Carolyn swallowed. "I'm... that is, I..."
"I keep telling you security guards to stay out of the boiler room," the blonde continued. "You ladies carry guns, and those things can be dangerous around heavy machinery. Get the hell out of here."
Carolyn nodded quickly. She did not feel like fighting this woman. She scrambled to her feet, trying not to slip in the oil puddle again.
Then she glanced down at her uniform (or rather, the uniform she had stolen from the unfortunate security guard). It was now covered in oil, stained and dripping. She looked a mess... and probably did not smell great, either.
The blonde laughed. "Serves you right," she said. "You stumble around this room and get your clothes ruined. Maybe that'll teach you to keep out of here."
Carolyn's cheeks turned red with embarrassment. She did not like being laughed at... and she felt this woman was being unreasonably rude.
She wanted to leave... but she was now worried about the state of her uniform. Adelaide had advised her to try and blend in with the surroundings - but that would be difficult to do in a security guard uniform that was stained and foul-smelling.
She glanced at the boiler room operator. The blonde was about her size, if slightly taller... Certainly her uniform would be an acceptable fit... Perhaps she could take the woman by surprise and...
No! Carolyn quickly pushed the thought from her head. The blonde may have been rude, but she was still an innocent boat worker. She did not deserve to be mugged for her uniform. Carolyn had already allowed Adelaide to attack the two guards outside, but she did not want anyone else to get hurt.
"What are you waiting for?" the blonde said in annoyance. "Move your fat ass."
Then she glanced down at the floor. Something had fallen from Adelaide's pocket.
"And don't forget your ID badge," she said. "Those things cost a fortune to replac..."
A look of confusion crossed her face. She knelt down and scooped up the ID badge, examining it closely. It had the name "Teresa" and a photo of a young woman with tan skin and black hair.
The blonde glanced up at the light-skinned, red-haired Carolyn. "What the hell is this?"
Carolyn began to sweat. The woman was glaring at her accusingly.
"You're not a real security guard," the blonde said, rising to her feet. "Where did you get that uniform? Who are..."
Carolyn moved by reflex alone. With lightning fingers, she grabbed a cloth pad from the pouch Adelaide had given her and lunged at the boilerwoman, pressing the pad over her nose and mouth.
"Hmmpphhhhh!?!" The blonde let out a muffled cry that was somewhere between shock and confusion. Although slightly taller than Carolyn, she was knocked backwards from the sheer force of the woman's push.
Carolyn pressed the woman against the wall, trying her best to keep the chloroform pad steady over her face. "I'm sorry," she said, voice quivering. "I'm so, so sorry."
The boilerwoman's shock was quickly replaced by anger - but it was an anger that was already dulled, as her faculties were slowly overcome by the chloroform. She grunted and shifted, but her strength was clearly draining.
Carolyn could see the woman's violet eyes just above the chloroform pad - eyes filled with fear and accusatory anger. The eyes glared at Carolyn through a hazy fog of semi-consciousness.
Carolyn swallowed. "Please... just pass out already. I'm not going to hurt you... I just need you to pass out."
The boilerwoman gurgled something, but it was too weak and muffled for Carolyn to understand. By this point, she was nearly unconscious.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the blonde's eyes fluttered closed. Her head lolled to one side.
Carolyn kept the chloroform pad over the woman's face for another few seconds, as she gently lowered her to the floor. The woman did not make a sound or move as Carolyn finally removed the pad.
Carolyn took a deep breath to steady herself. It's okay... It's okay. You had to do it. You had to. For Suki...
She glanced down at her own oil-stained uniform, then down at the poor boilerwoman, whose uniform was stained, but more naturally so given her profession.
Carolyn nodded again, regaining her composure. She bent down and grabbed the blonde by her underarms, then dragged her behind the nearby machinery.
For Suki, she thought again as she began unbuttoning the woman's uniform.
*********************
Atsuko's wrists were raw, and reddened from her continued struggles. Nevertheless, she refused to give up.
Her kidnappers had kept her in this dingy old garage for what seemed like hours. But she needed to escape. For Carolyn.
Now was her chance. Kelly had left the garage for a late-night walk, reminding Addison to keep an eye on their prisoner. And for a little while, the blonde woman was doing just that, seated in a chair not far from Atsuko, flipping through a dog-eared magazine to pass the time.
But perhaps the fatigue of the evening's work had begun to take its toll on Addison - either that, or she had simply grown bored. Whatever the reason, she soon closed her eyes.
Judging by the steady breathing and the rise and fall of Addison's chest, Atsuko guessed the woman was asleep. This was her chance to escape - perhaps her only chance.
The struggling against her bonds had hurt her wrists, but they had weakened the ropes as well. Simple pressure, steady force, was getting results.
With the aid of a few sharp fingernails, Adelaide was able to fray the already-weakened ropes. She pulled hard. There was a snapping sound and her wrist-bonds fell away.
A wave of relief washed over Adelaide. "Yes!"
She quickly covered her mouth and glanced nervously at Addison. But the blonde was still fast asleep.
Atsuko bent down and untied the ropes around her ankles, glancing up every so often to make sure the woman guarding her did not awaken.
Finally, she stood, free of her captivity. She quietly made her way to the door.
Atsuko was quiet... but unfortunately, the door wasn't. A loud creaking noise echoed through the garage as she opened it.
The sleeping figure of Addison stirred. "Hmm?... Wha...?"
Atsuko was out the door, running as fast as she could.
*******************
Adelaide hummed softly to herself as she stepped up to Ms. Caldwell's office door. With her free hand, she knocked twice.
"Finally!" came a a voice from within. "Tilly, answer the door at once."
There was a moment's pause, and then the door opened. Tilly smiled at the new arrival. "Come on in. Please set the tray down on the desk."
Adelaide nodded and entered the room, continuing to expertly balance the tray on her hand. The effort grew easier with practice.
Gina looked at Adelaide suspiciously as she approached the table. Adelaide wondered if perhaps the rich woman did not recognize her as one of her staff.
But Gina did not care to memorize the faces of the women on her payroll. "What took so long?" she inquired. "I called for drinks nearly twenty minutes ago. What caused the delay?"
The delay had, of course, been caused by Adelaide taking the time to surreptitiously replace the real wine attendant. But that excuse probably wouldn't go over well with the boss.
"Apologies, ma'am." Adelaide gave a polite smile as she set down the tray. "We simply needed some time to find the best wine we could offer. Nothing but the finest for our employer."
The note of flattery in her voice appeared to have an effect. Gina nodded. "Very well. Now start pouring. I've had a long day."
Adelaide nodded. She uncorked the bottle and began emptying its contents into one of the two wine goblets, then the other.
"None for me, thanks," Tilly said, sitting down again. "I've been trying to keep sober lately."
Gina scowled at her secretary. "I do not care for drinking alone," she said sternly. "You will be joining me... won't you?"
Tilly gulped slightly. "Of... of course, ma'am."
Adelaide had known Gina Caldwell for less than sixty seconds, yet already she disliked the woman. The way she treated her staff was abhorrent.
Of course, the way Adelaide had treated Gina Caldwell's staff wasn't much better - she had already knocked out three of her employees and stripped them of their clothes. But judging by the way Gina seemed to treat her employees, Adelaide guessed that some of them would probably appreciate the night off...
"Hey!"
Adelaide snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Gina glaring at her. The wealthy blonde was pointing at the two cups on the tray. "Watch where you're pouring."
Adelaide looked down to see that, in her distraction, she had filled the second cup to overflowing.
"Er... apologies, ma'am." Adelaide hastily withdrew the bottle and re-corked it.
A suspicious look returned to Gina's eyes once again. "I don't recall seeing you on my staff before."
Adelaide nodded slowly, trying not to sweat. "Yes, ma'am. I... I just started on Friday."
Gina squinted at her, then nodded. "Explains a lot. Don't mess up again."
"I won't, ma'am."
Gina raised one of the glasses and motioned for Tilly to do the same.
"To future profits and successes," she said, an amused smile on her face.
Tilly nodded, but Adelaide noticed her wince as the two women clinked glasses.
As the women put the glasses to their lips, Adelaide stood to one side, maintaining a poker face. She glanced at the clock on the wall. The drug was fast-acting, and was not expected to take more than twenty seconds to act. But even for a patient and calculating woman such as herself, each second was unto an eternity.
Gina lowered the glass and dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "Refreshing. Now, let's get back to business. I've been collecting the news clippings related to the recent exposés that have hit Hobson and Cerberus. Appears they share a byline..." She paused. "That's funny, the... the room appears to be spinning..."
"Ma'am?" Tilly asked.
"I... I... errgh..." Gina slumped forward on her desk.
"Ms. Caldwell! Are you..." Then Tilly paused. "What... what's happening..." Her voice sounded woozy. "Wha..." Then she, too, slumped forward.
Adelaide grinned. Eighteen seconds. It was her lucky night.
She approached the desk, rolling the chair with the unconscious Gina out of the way. Then she turned her focus to the computer and began typing.
A text box popped up onscreen. PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD.
Adelaide glanced around. The password had to be written down somewhere nearby. Gina Caldwell didn't seem like the kind of woman who committed things to memory.
She bent down and opened up the desk drawers. They didn't contain much. She knelt down further and checked the underside of the drawers - perhaps there was something taped there.
At once, she heard a clicking sound above her. She glanced up for a surprise.
Tilly, wide awake and quite visibly annoyed, was pointing a gun at her.
*******************
It was pitch-dark outside, with little light provided by the few streetlamps in the area. Nevertheless, Atsuko did not even slow down. She glanced around, searching for signs of life in the area... Someone she could speak to. Perhaps a phone she could use...
The streets were deserted and mostly abandoned at this hour. Atsuko kept running, headed for the next block.
In the distance, she saw a woman jogging up the street. A wave of relief washed over her... until the light from the streetlamps highlighted the woman's face.
Kelly stared at her in shock. "How did you get out?"
Atsuko turned the corner and fled.
"Get the hell back here!" Kelly yelled. She began giving chase.
Atsuko doubted she could match her kidnapper in strength or speed. She ducked inside one of the nearby warehouses, crouching in a shadowy corner.
Moments later, Kelly's footsteps sounded outside. Atsuko kept still, not even daring to breathe.
The footsteps continued, receding into the distance.
Atsuko let out a sigh of relief... but she knew she wasn't out of the woods yet. Kelly was searching the area, and would not stop until she'd found her...
A grinding sound in the distance made her jump. She quickly recognized the sound of tires on asphalt. It was coming from the main wing of the warehouse.
Peeking around a doorway, Atsuko watched as a red pickup truck rumbled into the warehouse and ground to a stop near a pile of wooden crates. The door to the cab opened, and the driver jumped out.
"Cannot believe the farmer's market needs to be open so early," the woman muttered to herself. "Everyone else gets to sleep at this hour... and I get stuck with the midnight deliveries."
She picked up a large apple-filled crate and carried it over to the truck, dropping it in the back. Then she went back for the next crate.
From the shadows, Atsuko studied the driver. She was a fit woman in her late twenties, with fair skin and shoulder-length chestnut-brown hair. She was dressed in a tan button-down shirt and khakis, muddied Timberland boots, and grey working gloves, plus a pine-green baseball cap.
Most vitally, she was about the same height and build as Atsuko.
The driver continued to load the back of her pickup truck with produce-filled crates, occasionally muttering to herself in annoyance. She stayed focused on her work, and did not notice the young woman quietly creeping through the shadows, making her way behind the large pile of crates.
The driver had by now amassed nearly a dozen crates in the rear of her vehicle. She turned back to the mound of produce in the warehouse. "Let's see... There's got to be at least one more crate of oranges..."
She approached a pile of nearby boxes and pushed one of them out of the way. She expected to find other boxes behind them. Instead, she found a young woman standing there with a guilty look on her face.
A puzzled look crossed the driver's face. "Who are you? What are you doing h..."
These were sensible questions, but unfortunately for the brown-haired woman, they would receive no coherent answers. Instead, Atsuko seized her by the shoulders and pulled her into the shadows.
A brief tussle followed. The driver's attempts at crying for help were muffled by Atsuko's hand over her mouth, as well as the surrounding insulated walls of the warehouse.
The struggle soon ended, with Atsuko victorious. She caught her breath and stared down at the unconscious driver lying at her feet.
"Very sorry," she whispered, and began unbuttoning the woman's shirt. "I hope you don't get fired for this."
She worked quickly, her nervous eyes occasionally darting towards the warehouse door, expecting one of her kidnappers to come prowling in at any moment. For the moment, though, Kelly and Addison appeared to be searching elsewhere.
The driver was soon down to her aqua-green balconette bra and egg-white boyshorts with red piping. She had been carrying a roll of packing tape on her belt, which Atsuko now put to good use, binding and gagging the young woman.
"My wife doesn't usually approve of clothes-stealing tactics," she explained softly to the unconscious woman. "But I think she'd understand in this case."
Once the driver was safely secured, Atsuko changed into her uniform and boots. The outfit was about half a size too small and the boots pinched, but Atsuko was more than willing to tolerate the pain. She donned the gloves and pulled the baseball cap's brim over her head.
With a last glance at the real driver, now snugly hidden in the shadows of the dark warehouse, Atsuko clambered into the pickup truck and turned the ignition. She felt a wave of relief as the vehicle began backing out of the warehouse.
I'm coming, Carolyn, she thought. We'll be together again before you know it.
As Atsuko steered around the corner, she caught sight of Kelly, searching the area, gun in hand. For a minute, Atsuko tensed up - would she be spotted?
But Kelly hardly gave the truck a second glance. She was busy glancing in the nearby windows of old and abandoned storage units.
Yes! Atsuko grinned to herself. Her disguise was working. Filling with confidence, she pressed her foot to the gas pedal.
But as the pickup truck gained speed, a sudden noise jarred Atsuko from her reverie. THUMP!
She glanced in the rearview mirror in shock. One of the food crates had tumbled off the truck, spilling dozens of apples across the roadway.
Kelly whirled at the truck in surprise. "What the...?"
Atsuko gulped. In her haste to escape, she had forgotten to secure the crates to the truck. Stupid, stupid!
Kelly was now running after the truck, gun in hand, her powerful legs gaining ground across the sidewalk. "Hey! Stop!"
Atsuko pressed down on the gas. The jig was up - she had to get out of there, now! She...
BANG!
The sound of a gunshot nearly coincided with the subsequent sound of a tire blowing. Kelly's expert skill as a markswoman had served her well.
The truck skidded across the roadway as Atsuko desperately tried to regain control. It was no use - the vehicle collided fender-first with a light pole.
Atsuko sat dazed in the front seat, trying to shake the cobwebs out of her head. Her first impulse was to run, but she hadn't gathered the coordination to do so before Kelly's face appeared at the window.
The dark-skinned woman immediately pointed her gun at Atsuko. "Clever girl, aren't you? But not clever enough."
A dejected Atsuko raised her hands in surrender.
******************
"Who are you?" Tilly's voice was angry but reserved.
Adelaide rose to her feet, hands raised. "Don't shoot. I can explain..."
"I'll bet you can," Tilly continued. "I was a bit suspicious when you entered the room. Unlike Ms. Caldwell, I know the faces of most of the workers on this boat. And I've never seen you before."
"I... started on Friday?" Adelaide offered.
"I'm the one who hires all the workers here," Tilly continued. "And I know you didn't start on Friday... or any day. When you served the wine, I pretended to drink, and then feigned unconsciousness when I saw what it did to Ms. Caldwell. I just wanted to see what you were up to."
She cocked her head to one side. "So... what are you up to?"
If not for the desk between them, Adelaide figured she could jump the secretary and take her down before a shot could be fired. But she couldn't risk any commotion - especially not with Carolyn waiting below.
For once, it seemed as though physical violence wasn't going to solve the day.
She took a deep breath. "Look, I know what you're thinking. I'm not here to rob you... not exactly. One of Gina Caldwell's business associates has a bank account, and... I need to withdraw the money. But Gina's the only one with the codes."
Tilly looked thoughtful for a moment. "Valencia Steele?"
Adelaide looked surprised. "Yes, how did you know?"
"When Ms. Steele was arrested last week, Ms. Caldwell had me scrub any financial data that could be traced back to her. She told me about the bank account and said to destroy any info that could connect her with it."
She paused. "But I was a bit curious about this account, so I didn't get rid of the codes. They're still on my laptop."
Adelaide looked surprised. "Why are you telling me...?"
Tilly lowered her gun. "I'll give you the codes," she said. "But you need to leave, quickly. And never tell anyone I helped you."
Adelaide felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Thanks. But... why are you helping me?"
Tilly reached for her laptop. "I've worked for Ms. Caldwell for six years," she said. "In that time, she's never once offered me so much as a 'thank you' for my loyalty and dedication." She pulled up her files. "So maybe she just has this coming."
Adelaide couldn't help but smile. "Impressive. I think I like you, Tilly."
"The feeling isn't mutual," the secretary responded flatly. "I'm guessing you knocked out the wine server whose uniform you're now wearing. I don't like women who attack innocent women."
Adelaide immediately felt defensive. "It's part of my job. Can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs... Can't go undercover without stealing a few uniforms."
"If your job requires you to knock out other women and strip them of their clothes, then maybe you're in the wrong line of work." Tilly typed away at her computer. "The point is, I'm not doing this because I like you. I'm doing it because I really don't like my boss."
Adelaide nodded. She was a bit taken aback by how up-front the secretary was.
"Here are the codes," Tilly said. "Would you like me to put them on a flash-drive? Or just write them down? It may take a while..."
"No need," Adelaide replied. "I can commit them to memory."
She scanned the codes with her eyes for a few seconds, then smiled. "That'll do."
She turned back to Tilly. "Thank you for your help. Unfortunately, er..."
"What is it?"
"Well," Adelaide continued sheepishly, "I don't want to seem ungrateful, but... I need to keep you out of the way for a bit... At least enough for me to get away from this area."
"You want to tie me up?" Tilly inquired.
"I don't want to," Adelaide admitted. "You've been pretty helpful. But... I can't take any risk that you might sound the alarm the moment I leave."
Tilly nodded. "I figured as much. And... I understand."
"Really?" Adelaide looked surprised.
"Yes, of course. In fact, I probably will alert people to your presence the moment I get the chance. You are a criminal, after all."
Then she glanced at Adelaide's clothes. "I just have one request before you go."
"Yes, what is it?" Adelaide found something about this woman to be genuinely entrancing.
"That uniform... Please return it to the woman you stole it from."
Adelaide couldn't help but laugh. Then she realized Tilly was being serious.
"Return the uniform? Honey, I don't think you know how this works..."
"I know that the tuxedo you're wearing costs over four hundred dollars," Tilly continued. "And I know that it will cost even more to replace. Please do not exit the yacht wearing it."
"I'd love to accommodate you, dear," Adelaide responded. "But I don't have any other clothes with me here. So unless you want me to walk out of here naked, I'll either need to wear this uniform or steal one from another employee."
"No, you won't." Tilly began pulling off her sweater.
Adelaide raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
"I'm giving you my clothes." Tilly began unbuttoning her blouse. "We're about the same size, and we don't look too different... And unlike the custom uniforms, my clothes are purchased on the cheap, so it's no big deal."
Adelaide watched, dumbfounded, as Tilly stripped off her clothes. She had stolen many women's clothes in the past... but this was the first time any woman had encouraged her to take them.
Soon, Tilly was down to her seafoam triangle bra and white boxer shorts. She gestured to the closet. "There are some cords in there, if you need something to tie me up with. And some duct tape for gagging. Don't forget to tie up Ms. Caldwell, too."
Adelaide couldn't help but feel a bit awkward as she bound and gagged the thoroughly complacent Tilly. She was surprised by how well the secretary was taking everything.
Soon, however, she had thoroughly tied up the underwear-clad Tilly and her still-clothed, still-sleeping boss. She carried both women into the closet and sat them down on the floor.
"Look, I'm... I'm sorry."
It was the first time Adelaide had ever truly apologized to a woman whose clothes she had acquired. Tilly simply nodded in response. Adelaide shut the door.
Adelaide got dressed, changing into Tilly's blouse, skirt, sweater, and penny loafers. The disguise was more demure and feminine than what she was typically used to. She tied her dark hair back into a short ponytail.
Then she glanced down at the wine server's uniform, neatly folded on the chair. It seemed ridiculous to return a uniform she had rightfully stolen. Besides, she was wasting precious time.
But a glance at the closet told her that perhaps she could spare a bit of time.
She exited the office and walked back down the hall, the uniform beneath her arm. She stopped by the closet where Ilana had been stashed and peeked inside. The gagged-and-bound chestnut-haired woman was still unconscious.
Adelaide set the uniform down at the woman's feet. "Here you go. Enjoy, I guess..."
She glanced at Ilana again. There was still a red mark on the woman's neck where Adelaide had applied her judo chop.
"Um... feel better," Adelaide said, straightening up. Feeling flustered, she quickly left the closet and closed the door.
****************
Carolyn looked at her reflection in the side of the old metal boiler. Staring back was a slightly shaken redhead in coveralls and work boots. She adjusted the work belt, cinching it around her trim waist.
"I look ridiculous," she muttered.
It was perhaps an unfair assertion, but Carolyn didn't quite buy herself in latest disguise. Perhaps it was because every time she looked in the mirror, no matter what she was wearing, all she saw was the cowardly woman wearing it.
"Come on, girl," she whispered to herself. "For Suki. For Suki."
She allowed herself a glance behind the boiler. The real boilerwoman lay there, stripped to her orange sports bra and lilac boxer briefs. Carolyn had bound her with zip-ties and gagged her with a clean washcloth.
Carolyn had taken care to hide the woman in a place where the heat from the boiler room would not harm her. The rear of the boiler was situated just near the boat's air-conditioning vent, ensuring that the woman would remain relatively cool.
"You'll be okay," Carolyn said softly, trying to comfort herself as much as the woman she'd mugged. "I'm sorry for any discomfort this may have caused you... I promise I wouldn't have done it if there were some other solution..."
The boilerwoman was still unconscious, however, and could not hear Carolyn's apology. Though it was doubtful she would be in a forgiving mood even if awake.
With a last backward glance at the poor woman, Carolyn hastily exited the boiler room.
She reached the main level just in time, as Adelaide was climbing down from the upper floor.
It took Adelaide a moment to recognize her cohort. "Carolyn? Where'd you get that uniform?"
Carolyn looked uncomfortable. "I'd... rather not talk about it."
"You stole it, didn't you?" Adelaide grinned. "Well, well. Looks like someone's growing a backbone."
Carolyn scowled. "There's no 'backbone' in hurting innocent women," she said indignantly. "It's a coward's way. Stop trying to make me celebrate it."
She glanced down at Adelaide's clothes. "What poor woman did you mug for this outfit?"
Now it was Adelaide's turn to look uncomfortable. "Actually, I... didn't mug anyone. Ms. Caldwell's secretary asked me to take her clothes."
"What?"
"She asked me to wear her clothes. Was very polite about it, actually."
"Now you're just making fun of me," Carolyn said in annoyance. "You've got a sick sense of humor, you know."
"But..." Adelaide's next thoughts were interrupted as footsteps sounded around the corner.
Two security guards appeared in view. Both women were dressed in uniforms similar to the ones Carolyn and Adelaide had used to infiltrate the yacht. One of the guards had light skin and auburn hair done up in a ponytail, while the other had dark skin and short black hair in a bowl cut.
The guards simply nodded as they passed the two smaller women. Carolyn and Adelaide nodded back. Their disguises appeared to be working.
Still, Adelaide didn't want to push their luck. "I've got the codes," she whispered. "Let's hustle."
Carolyn was in no mood to argue. She followed Adelaide as they headed for the exit.
As the two guards rounded the corner, the redhead glanced over her shoulder, watching the two figures recede in the distance.
"Harper," she whispered to her colleague. "Is it just me, or did those two women look... familiar?"
Her friend shrugged. "They probably work here, Jenna. Just like we do."
"No, no... That's not what I meant." The redhead furrowed her brow in thought.
******************
Carolyn and Adelaide hadn't gone more than a few dozen yards from the boat when they heard the sound of a phone buzzing.
"Yours," Adelaide said.
Carolyn glanced at the caller ID. "Oh no..."
"What is it?"
Carolyn answered the phone, putting it on speaker so Adelaide could hear. "...H-hello?"
"Hello, dear Carolyn." Kelly's voice on the other end sounded sweet, but there was an acrid tone of saltiness behind it. "How's it going? Did you get to the bank yet?"
Carolyn glanced helplessly at Adelaide, unsure of what to say. Adelaide kept silent but gave her an encouraging look.
"We... we've got the codes," Carolyn said into the phone. "I mean, I've got the codes. Heading to the bank now."
"Well, you'd better hurry up," Kelly replied. "Your time is running out, sooner than you think."
"What?"
"Your lovely wife tried to pull a 'Great Escape' on us just now," Kelly continued. "We managed to grab her and secure her again, but she needs to pay a penalty. I know the sunrise deadline isn't for another six hours... but you now have only four hours to get us the money, before your precious Atsuko bites the dust."
"No!" Carolyn felt the anger rising within her. "You... you can't do this! I'll get the money, but don't hurt..."
There was a clicking sound as Kelly hung up.
Carolyn stared helplessly at the phone. "Suki... No... God, no..." She started to choke up.
"Hey!" Adelaide gripped her shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself, woman. We'll get the money. We just need to do it a little faster than expected, okay?"
Carolyn stared off past Adelaide, into space, a million thoughts racing through her head.
"Okay?" Adelaide repeated.
"Yes! Okay," Carolyn finally responded. "Okay." She stared longingly at Adelaide. "Please don't let her die."
"I won't," Adelaide said reassuringly. "You won't. We'll work together and save Atsuko. Now follow me."
As they reached the edge of the dock, Adelaide's dog came bounding up to meet them.
"Hey, Duke," Adelaide smiled. "Did you get lonely? Momma wasn't gone too long, was she?"
Duke barked once, then began sniffing at Carolyn's shoes.
"I think he likes your uniform," Adelaide said amusingly.
Carolyn glared at her. Adelaide quickly got serious again.
"Right, we've gotta move. My car's parked around the corner."
The two women quickly walked to the vehicle, with Duke scurrying along behind them.
*******************
Kelly set the phone back down on the table and turned to Atsuko. "Let that be a lesson, darling."
Atsuko simply scowled. She was once again in the imprisoning warehouse, restrained to a chair, this time with handcuffs and leg cuffs. A thick seal of tape covered her mouth.
"A good attempt to escape," Kelly mused. "But not good enough. And now your wife will have to work even faster."
"And let this be your last warning," Addison added. "Try to escape again, and we put a bullet in you."
Atsuko glared at her capteresses, but made no attempt at sounding her displeasure through the gag.
Kelly turned back to Addison. "That reminds me... Were you asleep earlier? That's the only way she could have gotten free."
Addison shrugged. "I just nodded off for a minute. No need to get on my case."
Kelly ushered her partner to a far corner of the room. Atsuko strained to hear their hushed conversation.
"I wish you'd take this a little more seriously," Kelly whispered. "We're supposed to be tough and badass. We're not supposed to fall asleep on the job."
"Cut me some slack," Addison replied in annoyance. "I've been exhausted lately. On the run from the law, barely getting any sleep for days. It's starting to wear on me."
Kelly sighed. "Well, not much longer. As soon as we get that money, it's a private jet to the Philippine Islands. Mai tais and backrubs from sunrise to sunset."
"Assuming that Carolyn woman gets the money," Addison noted. "You think she'll come through?"
"If she loves her wife - and it sounds like she does - she will." A playful smile appeared on Kelly's face as she patted the gun strapped to her hip. "And once we have the money, we can kill both of those lovebirds and be on our way."
"I can already taste the mai tais," Addison chuckled.
Atsuko felt a cold fear grip her heart. Her kidnappers had no intention of letting her go. They were going to kill her... and Carolyn, too!
She had to warn Carolyn... but there was no chance. No escape.
Her wife was walking towards a deathtrap, and Atsuko could not do a thing to stop it.
*********************
Jenna and Harper reached the yacht's guardroom and entered. The small lounge was well-furnished, with a couch, a mini-fridge, and a small TV.
Currently the only other employee in the lounge was Evelyn. The tan-skinned, brown-haired woman was sitting on the couch, beer in hand. She smiled at her fellow security guards.
"Hi, girls. Grab a seat. The late-night movie's about to start." She patted the spot on the seat beside her.
"Ms. Caldwell sure knows how to treat her security staff," Harper noted as she grabbed a beer from the fridge and plopped down on the couch.
"Much better than our last job," Evelyn agreed.
The three women had previously spent some time working as security guards at an airfield in Sarasota. During that time, they had developed a friendship with one another, and enjoyed socializing when the hours were slow.
But their time at the airfield had been short-lived. A week ago, all three women - along with their coworker Desirée - had been mugged by intruders. Their uniforms had been stolen and they were left for hours in a hot guard booth, bound and gagged in their underwear. They were eventually found and freed, but their incompetence had meant the termination of their jobs.
Still, the women were never known to give up. A few days ago, they had found new jobs, working on the luxurious yacht of Gina Caldwell. They had offered Desirée a chance to join them, but she turned it down, citing the rising numbers of security guards being mugged for their uniforms. ("Why tempt fate again?" she had asked.)
It was a rewarding job, and even included late-night downtime - which the women were more than happy to take.
Evelyn glanced at Jenna, who was still staring out the door. "Jen, sit down. I've got an ice-cold beer with your name on it."
"Hm?" Jenna looked up. "Oh sorry... I guess I was a bit distracted."
"What about?" Evelyn asked as she flipped across the channels.
"We passed these two women in the hall - a boilerwoman and a secretary, I think. But they looked... I dunno, familiar..."
"Just your imagination," Harper said dismissively, popping the cap off her bottle.
"Actually," Evelyn said, "I got a similar feeling earlier tonight. I bumped into another security guard. Petite redhead, innocent look in her eyes. I could swear I've seen her before..."
"Maybe in your fantasies," Harper chuckled. She ducked as Evelyn threw a couch pillow at her.
Jenna was about to say something in response when a faint clunking noise interrupted her thoughts. She looked around. "Where's that sound coming from?"
The three women listened. It was a steady THUD-THUD, like someone banging on a metal pipe.
"Sounds like it's right above our heads," Evelyn noted. "What's the room right above this one?"
Jenna paused. "I think it's Ms. Caldwell's office."
Evelyn jumped from the couch. "Might be trouble, girls. Follow me."
"Now?" Harper groused. "The movie's about to start."
But she set her beer down and followed her two coworkers out the door.
The three guards made it to Gina's office in no time. Evelyn knocked loudly. "Ma'am? Are you okay in there?"
She pressed her ear to the door. The steady thumping noise was getting louder.
She swung open the door and the trio of women stepped into the office. The noises were coming from the closet.
Jenna reached the closet door first and opened it. She let out a gasp at the sight - Gina Caldwell and an underwear-clad Tilly bound and gagged on the floor of the closet.
"Ma'am, what happened?"
"HMMPPPHHH!"
"Right, sorry." Jenna quickly knelt down and removed her employer's gag.
"Barbarians!" Gina growled the moment she could speak. "Whoever's responsible for this outrage... I want them found now!'
"Who did this?" Evelyn wondered. "What did they want?"
Harper removed Tilly's gag, and the secretary immediately began to speak. "The bank codes... She took the bank codes from my laptop. Then she took my clothes." (She naturally left out the part about offering said clothes in the first place.)
"I figured that part out," Harper deadpanned. "Welcome to the club, girlfriend."
Jenna snapped her fingers. "The airfield!"
Harper glanced her way. "Hm?"
"That's where I recognized those two women from," Jenna explained. "They were at the airfield. When our uniforms were stolen... they were there. One of them mocked us when she left us in that dark guard booth."
Evelyn nodded. "Yes, that's where I recognized the redhead from... I didn't fully remember, since my brain was probably hazy from the gas bomb. But it's coming back now. That woman must have been one of the impostors who stole the codes."
"I don't care who they are," Gina snapped. "I want them found and I want them caught."
"Should we call the cops?" Harper asked.
"No!" Gina said jarringly. "I do not care to involve the police in my affairs... for various legal reasons. This needs to be handled outside the law."
Evelyn nodded. "We'll take care of it."
"We will?" Harper asked.
Evelyn nodded. "We're her security guards, right? It's our job to protect her interests."
"But... We've been working for hours... There are other guards on the night shift who can handle it..."
But Jenna sided with Evelyn. "Those women... Whoever they are, we've got a score to settle with them. It's business... but it's also personal."
"Stop bickering and get moving," Ms. Caldwell said angrily. "You're wasting time. Those crooks could be halfway to the bank by now."
"Come on, girls," Evelyn said. "We'll take our motorbikes. Cut through the side streets, and we'll be there in no time."
Harper and Jenna followed her out the door, leaving two women rubbing their sore wrists and ankles.
Ms. Caldwell turned to her secretary. "Can you put some clothes on? It's disrespectful to stand before me in your underwear."
Tilly sighed inwardly, but tried to keep a cheerful expression. "Yes, ma'am. Right away, ma'am."
Between several small cliffhangers (Carolyn's meeting with the mechanics, Tilly seeing through Adelaide's disguise and pulling out her gun...) and the failed escape causing the deadline being shortened, you prove once more that you manage to write suspense pretty well. As always I want to say.
Once more, poor Atsuko and Carolyn are forced in a situation where they have no choice but steal clothes. Though I notice that at least Carolyn had the luck to come across a rude woman. Almost as if the plot wanted to make it slightly easier for her... Mhhh... Joke aside, this sort of scenario is always interesting due to its moral dilemnas. Carolyn and Atsuko remain some of the characters I sympathize with the most on this Board. Plus, Carolyn's interactions with Adelaide are often great. I admit it, I thought the part during which she thinks Adelaide is up to her usual mockeries when she tells her Tilly gave her the clothes, even though she's telling the truth, weirdly hilarious.
The scene between Tilly and Adelaide surely was a strange (but interesting) change of pace. You rarely see such kind of routine! Tilly is indeed taking things surprisingly well... It ties in with your tradition of surprising us with twists. A bit surprised to see Adelaide get some character development at that specific moment, though this time I'll wait until the story is over to comment on it. Ah, the problems of instant reaction on message boards! Sometimes I wish I could jump forward a few weeks in the future, when the story is done...
The last part promises a slightly more complex climax than expected, since Harper, Jenna, Evelyn, and Caldwell will apparently also join the fray. Wait and see, as they say...
Yes, it's important to keep the suspense going, not jut from chapter to chapter, but from scene to scene. Not every scene can feature a dramatic reveal or center on a uniform theft, so I try to keep the tension going wherever I can.
The boilerwoman being rude wasn't really meant to make her an easier mugging target for Carolyn. (Although it probably didn't hurt...) Rather, it was a way of showing that - even when faced with an ill-mannered woman and a need for new clothes - Carolyn is hesitant to resort to the uniform-stealing tactics of many other characters, and only does it here when the woman in question threatens to expose her identity. Carolyn's sympathy remains an important part of her character, as does her relationship with Atsuko - there is a warmth to their bond that contrasts some of the colder women in the series.
The scene with Tilly was one of the trickiest to write, since it's crucial to developing Adelaide as a character. Adelaide herself can be cruel and self-serving, but she still dismisses the practice of uniform stealing as "part of her job," so it's necessary for an outsider like Tilly to call her out on her excuses. I also wanted to strike a balance with Tilly's character as well, making her understandable but not sympathetic to Adelaide's cause.
I couldn't resist adding a few more characters to the story, especially if it allowed for some more callbacks to "Sisters in Arms," to which this story is in many ways a sequel. As to where this is all going, I will try to have the next chapter out sooner than later.
one like Tilly is totally unexpected at our board... we had some ( few) people volunteering to become victims by offering their clothes to the uniforms stealers...but asking to return an outfit to the previous owner... well, it's not just unprecedented, but even shocking
i loved some quotes ... about Adelaide and what she thinks of her line of work
"It seemed ridiculous to return a uniform she had rightfully stolen."
Thanks for the response. The concept of returning a stolen uniform is something I've bandied with for years, and have probably included it as an aside in the past. But I think this is the first time a woman has requested a uniform returned (to another victim, no less) for financial reasons. I like to include these new ideas now and then to keep the scenarios fresh and unpredictable.
And of course, it's a great way to reflect on Adelaide's character and give her some unusual interactions with potential victims.
Carolyn inhaled deeply as she stared out the car window. Then she exhaled with a long and drawn-out cross between a breath and a sigh.
"Please stop doing that," Adelaide said in annoyance.
"Sorry," Carolyn replied quietly. "I'm just... trying to stay calm. I feel like I'm going to be sick..."
"You're not going to be sick," Adelaide said tersely as she steered the car back toward the city streets. "Especially not on my new leather seats. Just don't work yourself into a panic."
Carolyn nodded. But despite her best efforts, her breathing maintained a heavier rate than usual.
Adelaide was about to say something in anger and aggravation, but she caught Duke in the rearview mirror, casually licking Carolyn's hand. Judging by her expression, Carolyn either didn't mind or was too upset to notice.
"Why don't I open the window." Adelaide hit a button, allowing the passenger-side window to slide downward. Carolyn felt a rush of cold air hit her face.
"Feel better?" Adelaide asked.
Carolyn wasn't sure what to say. Before she could form any response, however, Duke bounded onto her lap and stuck his head out the window, allowing his tongue to flap in the wind.
Despite her current mood and the surrounding circumstances, Carolyn couldn't help but laugh.
"I think it made someone feel better," she noted with a smile.
Adelaide smiled as well. "He loves doing that, ever since he was a puppy. Really spices up the long car rides."
Carolyn scratched the dog behind the ears. "Sounds like you two have known each other for a while."
"Seven years and counting," Adelaide nodded. "You have any pets?"
Carolyn shook her head. "I've always wanted a cat, but never got one. Atsuko's allergic..."
Her voice trailed off again near the end as she mentioned her wife's name. But she quickly recovered. "I'm... I'm not going to cry again. She would want me to be strong."
Adelaide nodded. "We'll get her back," she said softly. "I promise."
Carolyn continued scratching Duke's ears for a few minutes as the car hummed along in silence.
Then she spoke. "The bank is probably packed with security. I... guess you have a plan for getting inside?"
Adelaide nodded. "I do."
"Does it... does it involve mugging any more women?"
"A few. Is that a problem?
Carolyn sighed, slowly and softly. "Not if there isn't another option."
Adelaide pulled the car up to the curb of a dark side street. Most of the buildings in the neighborhood were closed at this hour; the only sign of activity came from a dim light from a garage at the corner.
"There might be other options," she said to Carolyn. "But I'm working from experience. I have a lot of experience in the art of infiltration and disguise, and those are the tactics I rely on. I can try to use other options, but it would almost certainly put Atsuko's life at extra risk."
Carolyn bit her lip. "I... I understand."
Adelaide pointed at the garage on the corner. There was a shop just beside it with a sign marked "Electric Repair."
"If the normal schedule holds," she said, "there should still be a couple of electricians working late in there. They should be able to provide us with what we need." She opened the door and hopped out. "Want to wait in the car? I'll signal when the coast is clear."
Carolyn nodded. "Just... don't hurt them too badly."
Adelaide patted the pouch of chloroform pads at her hip. "Don't worry. I've got this covered."
She crept silently towards the garage. Carolyn remained in the car, the softly whimpering dog on her lap.
"I just can't figure that woman out," she murmured. "What do you think, Duke?"
In response, the dog simply wagged his tail.
*********************
There were indeed two women working at this hour in the garage, although neither one was particularly thrilled about it.
"Can't believe we get stuck with the late shift," Debra muttered, crossing her arms and leaning against the side of the company van. "Whose idea was it to keep the place open twenty-four hours a day?"
She was an athletic woman of average height, with alabaster skin and short magenta-dyed hair in sideswept bangs. She wore a standard uniform of dark blue long-sleeve coveralls, slate-grey woolen cap, and black rubber-soled safety boots.
"That would be our employers," Jessie replied, from the work desk where she was currently tinkering over a small phone. "Take it up with them."
She was slightly shorter than her coworker, with almond skin and frizzy black hair tied back into a low ponytail. She was attired in a uniform similar to Debra, although her boots were light brown.
Debra glanced at her watch. "Still another forty-five minutes till we punch out," she muttered. "I'm gonna grab a midnight snack from the mini-fridge. Want something?"
"Wouldn't mind a drink," Jessie said, her eyes still focused on her work. "Something with caffeine, preferably."
"Coming right up." Debra disappeared through the door leading into the shop.
Jessie remained at her desk, concentrating on the small but intricate device before her. Her hands expertly maneuvered the small tools over the phone's inner workings.
Her concentration on her work was laser-focused; her concentration on her surroundings, however, was markedly less so. Thus, she did not hear the soft footfalls entering the garage, or the silent woman responsible for them.
Adelaide sized up the young woman. From the back, she appeared to be a good size for Carolyn. Now it was but a quick matter of rendering her inert.
Adelaide thought of Carolyn's words again. Don't hurt them too badly.
The chloroform pads were relatively harmless, and usually did the trick. However, they ran the risk of creating a prolonged struggle, during which her target in question could cause quite a ruckus. Adelaide needed the knockout to be quick and quiet.
Fortunately, she had other methods. Carolyn didn't need to know...
Jessie remained fixated on her work as Adelaide slowly crept up behind her. In a way, Adelaide admired how immersed this woman was in her project - even if it would cost her dearly.
Pushing any stray thoughts from her brain, Adelaide aimed one of her patented judo chops to the side of the woman's neck.
Jessie felt a sharp pain at her neck, and for an instant, her eyes froze in a widened position. Then, they rolled back into her head. She let out a soft moan as she fell backwards from her stool, right into Adelaide's waiting arms.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Adelaide smiled as she lowered the woman to the floor. "Now, let's see about your coworker..."
But as she turned back to the shop doorway, Adelaide froze. The magenta-haired woman had just stepped through the door, two soda cans in hand, and was looking on in shock at the sight of Adelaide standing over her unconscious partner.
"Who the hell are you?" she snarled.
"I can explain." Adelaide tried using a soothing voice. She needed to buy a few seconds in order to get closer to this woman...
Unfortunately, Debra was very much a "shoot first, ask questions later" type of girl. She immediately chucked one of the soda cans she was holding at Adelaide's head.
Adelaide skillfully dodged the first soda can... but did not have time to react to the second one. It grazed the side of her head, sending a jolt of pain into her cranium.
"Errgghh..." Adelaide dropped to her knees, clutching the side of her head. She felt dizzy.
Debra approached her angrily, grabbing her by the collar and hoisting her upward. "You've got five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't have you arrested."
"W-wait..." Adelaide could hardly get her bearings enough to formulate a complete sentence. "I... I'm..."
Debra scowled. "One of those street thugs, eh? I know how to deal with the likes of you."
She raised her fist, preparing to punch Adelaide's lights out. Adelaide was too discombobulated to fight back. She simply closed her eyes and braced herself.
But no fist came speeding toward her face. Instead, Adelaide heard a "MMMPPHH!" noise, and was immediately dropped to the ground.
Adelaide opened her eyes. Debra was still standing over her, but was concentrating on other matters. Specifically, the fact that another woman had grabbed her from behind and was pressing a chloroform pad over her mouth and nose.
"I'm very sorry about this," Carolyn said, even as she kept the pad firmly pressed over the struggling woman's face. "Please... please don't make this more difficult than it needs to be."
Debra growled into the chloroform pad and tried reaching around behind to pull at Carolyn's hair. But the redhead had tied her hair back into a ponytail, making it difficult for the electrician to reach. "Please, just stop struggling. I don't like this anymore than you do."
"Hrrrmmmpphh..." Debra was weakening. Her eyelids fluttered. Carolyn could feel the woman's strength draining away.
"You'll be okay," she whispered softly into the woman's ear. "I promise. Everything's gonna be okay..."
Debra slumped in Carolyn's grip, unconscious.
Carolyn exhaled in relief and lowered the woman to the floor. Then she reached out a hand to Adelaide to help her up.
Adelaide gripped Carolyn's hand gratefully and got to her feet. "That was amazing. Thank you."
"I was going to stay in the car," Carolyn admitted. "But I couldn't help myself. I heard some commotion and came running."
"I'm very glad you did," Adelaide smiled. "That woman was about to knock me into next Tuesday. Ouch." She clutched at the side of her head.
"Let me see that." Carolyn glanced at Adelaide's temple. "You've got a bruise there. Should put some ice on it to prevent swelling."
"Don't worry about me," Adelaide retorted. "We're pressed for time, remember? Let's get dressed."
Carolyn nodded, glancing down at the two fallen women. She pointed at the dark-haired girl. "I think she's about my size."
"Just start stripping her," Adelaide urged. "I'll take the other one."
Carolyn nodded, and knelt down beside the unconscious Jessie.
For a few minutes, the two women worked in silence, removing the uniforms and boots from the two electricians. Carolyn kept her thoughts on Atsuko. For you, darling. I'm doing all this for you.
It made her feel a little better to acknowledge it, but it still couldn't alleviate the guilt she felt at attacking these poor women.
Before long, both electricians were reduced to their underwear. Jessie wore a black-and-white checkered bikini bra and lavender knickers. Debra sported a turquoise T-shirt bra and palm-green boyshorts.
Adelaide found some black cables and blue electrical tape on one of the shelves. "Get dressed. I'll tie them up."
Carolyn hurriedly began changing into the still-warm uniform. Meanwhile, Adelaide began binding and gagging the two women.
"Don't make the ropes too tight," Carolyn said. "They could get a cramp."
Adelaide chuckled. "Don't worry, doll. I've been tying up women for years, and I've never had an unsatisfied customer."
Carolyn groaned inwardly, but returned her concentration to lacing up the boots.
Pretty soon, the two electricians were both silenced and secured. Adelaide dragged them into a nearby supply closet and shut the door.
"How long till somebody finds them?" Carolyn asked.
Adelaide shrugged. "Six, maybe seven hours. Whenever they open tomorrow... Look, stop worrying about them, okay? We got what we need."
She grabbed the uniform and boots from the floor. "We'll take their van to complete the disguise. I'll get changed in the back." She glanced at Carolyn. "Do you mind driving? I've still got a bit of a headache from that soda can."
Carolyn nodded slowly. "Yes... I'll drive. What's the next part of the plan?"
"I'll explain on the way to the bank. Let's move."
*********************
Evelyn's suggestion to use motorbikes as transportation had been a good one. She and her friends were able to navigate their way through the city streets and side alleys with hardly any disturbances.
Before long, they reached the First National Bank. An impressive structure, standing at four stories of tinted glass and polished aluminum. By day, it was a veritable beehive of activity. At night, most employees had gone home, but there were still a few who worked late hours. Additionally, due to the high amount of savings stored in their vaults, the bank employed round-the-clock security to ensure the safety of their customers' assets.
Evelyn pulled her motorbike to a stop across the street from the bank. Jenna and Harper pulled up behind them.
"There it is, girls," Evelyn announced. "The most heavily secured bank in the city. And we've got to finagle our way inside."
"Why not just go through the front door?" Jenna asked. "We'll explain to them that we're trying to catch a pair of crooks who are going to break into the Valencia Steele account. They'll beef up security and catch the bad guys."
"Bad girls," Harper corrected.
But Evelyn shook her head. "Sorry, but you heard Ms. Caldwell. She doesn't want to involve the authorities, including those at the bank. We need to catch these criminals ourselves, quickly and without alerting any outsiders to our presence."
"Are you sure they'll try to enter the bank tonight?" Harper inquired. "Maybe they'll wait till morning... or even next week."
"I doubt it," Evelyn responded. "Once they stole the codes from Ms. Caldwell, they probably figure it's just a matter of time till someone catches up with them. I would be surprised if they waited till tomorrow to strike."
Harper considered this, and nodded. "Okay, good point. Follow-up question: How the hell do we get inside the bank without alerting anyone? They've probably got security cameras and guards posted everywhere."
Evelyn nodded in understanding. "It won't be easy," she admitted, "but where there's a will, there's a way."
She glanced at the building again. "Come on... let's circle around to the back. There's gotta be another entrance."
Quietly, the three women made their way to the rear of the banking complex, careful to avoid passing any windows or external cameras.
Peeking through the tall bushes, Evelyn squinted. A lone lightbulb shone above the rear service entrance. There was no one about.
"Should we try the door?" Jenna asked.
"Probably locked," Evelyn reasoned, gesturing to the small keycard scanner near the door. "There must be a way..."
At that moment, the sound of squeaking hinges indicated that the door was opening. Evelyn quickly ducked down out of sight, motioning for her friends to keep quiet.
The door opened, and a tall, well-toned woman stepped into the backlot. She had light skin and shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair. She wore a tan button-down shirt and black tie, with dark blue trousers and shiny black loafers. A peaked black cap was perched upon her head, and a small security badge was pinned just above her left breast. There was a holstered gun strapped to one of her hips, and a small white keycard pinned to the other.
"That must be one of the bank's security guards," Evelyn whispered.
"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Harper replied dryly. "No wonder you make the big bucks."
The guard withdrew a cigarette and silver lighter from her pocket. She leaned against the wall as she lit it up.
"She's got a keycard," Jenna pointed out. "If we could grab it, we'd be able to get inside."
"Big deal," Harper grumbled. "We're not going to blend in like this."
Jenna shrugged. "Then I'm out of ideas. Unless you want to, I dunno, knock that guard out and put on her uniform." She chuckled slightly.
Evelyn's eyes sparked. "That's a great idea."
"What?" Jenna looked surprised. "No, I was being sarcastic. Obviously we can't knock women out and steal their clothes."
"Why not?" Evelyn countered. "Some other women did it to us, remember?"
"Of course I remember. But they were wrong, and we'd be wrong if we emulated their behavior. Besides, if that guard gets mugged for her uniform, she could lose her job, the same way we did."
"I don't much care about her job," Evelyn replied bluntly. "I care about ours. We have a task to complete, and it may involve bending a few laws."
Harper nodded. "Uniform thefts are becoming more common these days," she noted. "It's just a part of the world now. If we don't get on board, it won't be long before we get mugged again."
Jenna sighed. "It just feels to me like we're taking part in a disturbing trend."
"Call it what you want." Evelyn quietly rose to her feet. "In the meantime, I've got a uniform to steal."
The security guard had her back turned to the bushes and was puffing idly away at her cigarette. She did not hear the soft footfalls of the woman slowly creeping up behind her. The guard was also facing the overhead light, meaning that Evelyn had no risk of being betrayed by her shadow.
The guard finished her cigarette and dropped it to the ground, crushing it with the heel of her shoe. She exhaled in satisfaction, ready to go back indoors.
But her plans were unceremoniously interrupted, as a muscled arm encircled her neck and a female hand clamped over her mouth.
"Hgghhmmhhh? Hhhmmmmppphhh!" The guard's emotions cycled quickly, from shock to confusion to anger. By the time she worked up the sense to fight back, she had been pulled off-balance, with Evelyn dragging her back towards the bushes.
The guard's shoes scuffed at the gravel beneath her feet. Evelyn tightened her grip around the woman's neck, applying specific pressure to her carotid artery. An old form of sleeper hold she had learned years earlier in self-defense class - though her instructor likely had not intended it to be used for this purpose.
Nevertheless, the tactic proved marvelously effective. By the time they reached the bushes, the blonde woman's strength had drained away. She slumped, limp and unconscious, in Evelyn's grip.
Evelyn dragged the guard into the bushes and laid her on the ground. She smiled at her colleagues. "How'd I do? Pretty good, eh?"
"Badass," Harper agreed. "Looks like this mission is gonna be more fun than I thought."
Jenna glanced down at the unconscious woman. "We are going to get in so much trouble for this."
"No we won't," Evelyn replied wearily. "Harper's right - tons of women are getting mugged for their clothes these days."
"The world is changing," Harper nodded. "We need to get with the times."
Jenna snorted. "Whatever."
"Just keep a lookout, will you?" Harper said. "Make sure no one else pops by and sees us."
Jenna muttered something under her breath, but obeyed.
While she kept watch, Evelyn and Harper stripped the security guard of her uniform and boots. Beneath her clothes, the guard wore a plum-colored bandeau bra and neon-green cheeky panties.
Evelyn tossed Harper a roll of black duct tape. "Tie her up while I get dressed."
Evelyn was of course no stranger to wearing security uniforms, but this was the first time she had donned one that had been purloined from another woman. The uniform fit rather well, give or take an inch around the waist.
After lacing up the shoes, she strapped the gun holster to her hip and held up the keycard. "Our ticket inside, girls."
Harper finished binding and gagging the woman. "Fantastic. Let's get a move on."
Jenna looked down at the real guard, still sleeping peacefully amidst her duct-tape restraints. "She's gonna go through it too, you know."
"Go through what?" Evelyn asked.
"We had our uniforms stolen, and now we're motivated to steal another woman's uniform. And someday in the future, this woman will be inspired to steal a uniform from a different woman. And so on, and so on."
"It's the circle of life," Harper chortled.
"It's an endless paradigm," Jenna said. "At some point, the line needs to be broken. Otherwise, women are just going to keep stealing other women's clothes from now till eternity."
"Can we have the philosophy debates later?" Evelyn stood and brushed off her new uniform. "Right now we've got work to do."
She stepped out of the bushes and motioned for her friends to follow. "Come on. Time's a-wasting."
Harper followed. So did Jenna, after a last backward glance at the real guard.
****************
Atsuko's mouth was dry. Her wrists were raw. And she was fatigued from her continuing struggles.
Nevertheless, she refused to fall asleep. She knew what was at stake... and she had to stay strong.
Across the room from the chair she had been bound to, Kelly and Addison were poring over a few maps and brochures, clearly mapping out their future. They were paying little heed to Atsuko... But every so often, Kelly glanced her way. Just in case the young woman was attempting another escape.
Summoning her strength, Atsuko spoke out. "You... you can still walk away from this."
Kelly glanced her way again. "You say something, squirt?"
"I said..." Atsuko took a breath. "I said, you can still walk away from this. Let me go, and I won't press charges. You can get away, and forget this ever happened."
Addison smirked. "And why would we want to do that?" she asked. "In case you didn't notice, we're holding all the cards in this game."
"Because..." Atsuko thought for a moment. "If anything happens to me, my sister will come after you."
"Your sister?" Kelly said with a note of amusement in her voice. "What, is she a cop?"
"No," Atsuko replied. "She's actually a criminal on her own. And a dangerous one. Toshiko Suzuki... I suppose you've heard of her."
Kelly and Addison exchanged a glance. "Toshiko..." Kelly said speculatively. "Wasn't that the name of the woman Valencia Steele hired to bomb Cerberus?"
"I thought that was Karima," Addison replied. "Anyway... we're not scared of your sister, girlie. Or anyone else, for that matter."
"Well, you should be," Atsuko pressed. "Let me go or you'll be sorry. Let me go or..."
"Addison darling," Kelly said off-handedly. "Be a dear and gag our little guest, why don't you."
Addison picked up the duct tape with a grin. "I thought you'd never ask."
"Wait, no! Listen to mmmmmmpppppphhh!" Atsuko found herself silenced midsentence as Addison applied a thick strip of duct tape over her lips.
"You've said quite enough tonight, darling," Addison smiled, smoothing the tape over Atsuko's cheeks.
Atsuko glared at her, but could do nothing else.
Addison turned her back and strode back to the table, leaving Atsuko behind. Bound, silenced... and more helpless than ever.
Slowly, Atsuko's steely façade began to crack. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
I'm sorry, Carolyn... I'm so... so sorry.
****************
The keycard did the trick. Evelyn stepped inside the bank and, making sure the coast was clear, beckoned Jenna and Harper in as well.
"All right, girls," she said quietly, pointing to a nearby closet. "Better go hide in there for now. I'll find you some disguises like mine."
"Here it goes," Jenna said with another roll of her eyes. "You steal one uniform, and then you get the urge to steal another, and another..."
"Quit griping and do what she says." Harper grasped Jenna's arm and dragged her into the closet.
Evelyn continued down the hallway, trying to appear normal and nonchalant. Still, there was a briskness in her step, as she knew Ms. Caldwell expected her to complete her job sooner rather than later.
Fortunately, she did not have to scour the halls for long. Turning the corner, she spotted two other security guards, standing by the ice machine and chatting with one another.
The two women were dressed in security uniforms similar to the one Evelyn had stolen, and were about the same size as she and her friends. One of them was a slim but athletic woman with dark skin and black hair in a French braid. The other was slightly more muscular, with light skin and short straw-colored bangs. They nodded politely at Evelyn as she approached.
Evelyn nodded back. Then she spoke in a professional tone. "Good evening, fellow officers. Might I request your assistance down the hall?" She gestured behind her. "Appears that someone broke the lock on the back entrance."
The two guards exchanged a glance, then shrugged. They began following Evelyn back down the hall.
Evelyn suppressed a grin. Fish in a barrel, she thought.
They reached the rear entrance. Evelyn pointed. "There, take a look."
The French-braided guard approached, looking at the lock in confusion. It appeared to be in perfect working order. The straw-haired guard stood behind her, flicking on her flashlight.
Suddenly, the closet door directly perpendicular to the rear entrance opened, and a gloved hand shot out. It covered the mouth of the startled guard. She was swiftly pulled into the closet, her flashlight dropping to the floor.
The sound of the light hitting the ground alerted the French-braided officer, and she turned with a start. However, before she could reach for her gun, Evelyn stunned her from behind with a judo chop. The woman stiffened, then fell backwards with a soft moan. Evelyn caught her and dragged her into the closet as well.
Harper had already rendered the straw-haired guard unconscious, and propped her up against the wall. She smiled as Evelyn entered. "Welcome to the party."
Evelyn set the second guard down beside her unconscious friend. "I think this one's closer to your size, Jenna. Hurry up and get changed."
Jenna sighed as she knelt down and began unlacing the straw-haired guard's shoes. "You know," she remarked, "women fought for years."
"Fought for what?" Harper asked as she began stripping the other guard.
"For equality, of course," Jenna said matter-of-factly. "Fifty years ago, female security guards were highly uncommon. It's only in the last few decades that we've seen an uptick in women entering the security profession. Not to mention the police force, the military, even the space program."
She pulled off the guard's shoes. "And yet, just as women are entering these jobs... they're winding up in increasingly embarrassing situations. Every other day, there's another story on the news - some policewoman, or military woman, or female security guard is found in a closet, bound and gagged, stripped to her underwear."
Harper shrugged as she continued her stripping procedure. "So? Like I said, it's just the world we live in."
"Well, we shouldn't encourage it," Jenna said in annoyance. "Every time a professional woman gets her uniform stolen, the progress that we've made in the workforce takes a step backwards. We should be applauding women who take serious and dangerous jobs - not stripping them and leaving them tied up in a closet."
Now it was Harper's turn to sigh. "You're taking this too seriously, Jen."
Evelyn nodded. "As long as other women continue stealing uniforms as a means of accomplishing their goals, we need to do the same. Adapt or get left behind." She looked at her wristwatch. "Table the arguments for now and get dressed. We've gotta move."
Jenna wanted to press the point further, but decided it best to keep quiet and comply. She finished stripping the one guard just as Harper finished stripping the other.
The French-braided guard wore a shale-grey woolen sports bra and chartreuse high-cut briefs. The straw-haired guard wore an orchid full-cup bra and green-blue striped v-kini panties. Evelyn used some of the spare tape to bind and gag them while Harper and Jenna put on their uniforms.
The real guards were beginning to stir by the time Evelyn had finished securing them. She stood and looked at her two cohorts, eyeing their disguises. "Perfect. No one will suspect a thing."
"This uniform reminds me of the one I wore back during my first job," Harper remarked. "I spent six months as a museum security guard. Good hours, good pay."
"And I'll bet no one ever mugged you for your uniform back then," Jenna pressed.
"Nope! Those were simpler times." Harper glanced at her watch. "Shall we get moving?"
"We shall." Evelyn opened the door and stepped out. Harper followed.
Jenna lingered in the closet, watching as the two real security guards regained consciousness and began assessing their predicament.
"Mmmpphh?"
"Mmrrrmmmpphhh!"
Jenna knelt down beside them. "Look, I know you're probably angry right now, but... when you get free, try to return to your normal lives. Don't go finding other women and mugging them for their clothes like we do. The cycle needs to end, and you can help end it."
The guards looked at her in confusion.
"And despite how this looks, I have great respect for women who engage in dangerous jobs like you do," Jenna continued. "You're both great feminist role models! We just... needed your uniforms tonight. I hope you understand. I hope--"
"Jen, you coming?" Harper called from outside.
"Yes, yes." Jenna stood up and adjusted her peaked cap. "Good night, ladies. Thanks for your clothes. I hope this is the last time someone steals them."
She exited the closet and shut the door. The two bound-and-gagged guards exchanged a bewildered glance.
********************
Carolyn carefully pulled the maintenance van up to the underground entrance of the bank's parking garage.
"Now remember," Adelaide said from the passenger seat. "Keep calm and stick to the script."
Carolyn nodded. "Got it."
She rolled down the window as she approached the guard booth.
The guard on duty looked up at her, and at the electronics van itself. "Can I help you?"
Carolyn flashed a smile. "We were called here... by the bank's management. To inspect a defective alarm system..."
Her voice trailed off as she glanced at Adelaide, who held her breath. They had the uniforms and the vehicle - would it be enough to get inside?
A brief yet interminable silence. Then the guard spoke. "I don't recall hearing anything about the need for a security check."
"Er... well..." Carolyn could feel herself starting to panic internally.
Adelaide chose that moment to intervene. "I don't believe management wanted to alert too many people. Could spark unnecessary gossip that perhaps the security wasn't up to par."
The guard considered, then nodded. "All right. Go on in."
Adelaide nodded politely, and motioned for Carolyn to drive past the gate.
Once in the parking garage, Carolyn found a spot for utility vehicles. After parking, she glanced at Adelaide.
"Okay... what now?"
"The vaults are in the sub-basement," Adelaide reasoned. "But in order to reach them, we'll need to first reach the main level and walk to the employee access doors on the other side of the building. We've got to go upstairs before we go back down."
"How do you know so much about the bank's layout?" Carolyn asked.
Adelaide grinned. "Sweetie, in my line of work, it helps to know a lot of these things."
Carolyn still winced slightly every time Adelaide referred to her illegal activities as a "line of work." But she said nothing.
"These technician uniforms got us past the gate," Adelaide continued. "But we'll need new disguises to enter the bank itself."
Carolyn sighed. "I figured you would say that..."
"Sorry, Red. It's the only way. Either stick to the plan or give up now."
Carolyn frowned. "I'm not going to give up. I don't approve of your methods, but... I won't deny they've worked so far."
"Perfect." Adelaide glanced in the sideview mirror. "Aha! There's an opportunity."
Carolyn glanced in the rearview. The elevator doors at the opposite side of the parking lot had slid open, and two young women now stepped out.
Each woman was dressed in a dark grey vest over a cream white blouse, with a black pencil skirt and brown penny loafers. One of the women had white skin and sandy blonde hair tied back into a slim ponytail. The other had tan skin and honey brown hair in wavy curls.
"Bank tellers," Adelaide said with a sly grin. "There's our way inside."
She caught Carolyn's eye. "Now this next part could get tricky, and I'm going to need your help. Think you can handle it?"
Carolyn nodded, and held up two chloroform pads. "For Atsuko, I can handle anything."
She handed one of the pads to Adelaide, who accepted it with a respectful nod and a gracious smile.
The two bank tellers had just finished a lengthy workday, and were more than eager to finally go home.
The blonde yawned and smiled at her coworker. "Thanks for offering me a ride... I really hate taking the bus at this hour."
"Think nothing of it," the brunette smiled back. "I always enjoy having some company in the car, especially after such a long and draining day."
As testament to how exhausted the bank tellers were, neither one was aware of the two other women creeping silently up behind them.
Carolyn took a deep breath as she positioned herself behind the blonde teller and began quietly walking behind her in lockstep. This was always her least favorite part...
Adelaide caught her eye once again, and gave her an encouraging nod. Don't panic. You can do this.
Carolyn nodded back, the unspoken message passing right into her mind. I can do this.
"Say, did you hear something?" the blonde teller asked as they reached the car.
The brunette raised an eyebrow, "Come to think of it..."
That was as far as she got. Adelaide and Carolyn leaped in unison, each wrapping an arm around a surprised bank teller's body, and pressing a chloroform-soaked pad over her mouth.
"Hmmppphhhh?!?"
The questioning sound made by the blonde teller was muffled by Carolyn's hand and chloroform pad, yet it still betrayed a sudden jolting mix of emotions - shock, bewilderment, horror. Carolyn felt sorry for her, but knew she could not remove the pad.
Right beside her, Adelaide was smoothly and efficiently chloroforming the brunette woman. The teller, taken as much by surprise as her friend, could not work up the leverage to fight back.
Adelaide smiled at Carolyn. You're doing great. Keep it up.
Carolyn tried to stay focused. This wasn't pleasant, but it was easier than she had anticipated. She kept a firm grip, as the blonde's struggles continued to weaken.
Then Carolyn saw the reflection of her own face in the tinted car window - and the face of her victim. The blonde's nose and mouth may have been obscured by the pad, but her eyes were open and looking at Carolyn with a mix of anger and fear.
Immediately, Carolyn understood. The blonde had no idea who she was. In the bank teller's mind, Carolyn was some evil criminal who had attacked her without provocation, in a dark parking garage, in the middle of the night. In her eyes, Carolyn was a villain.
"I'm sorry," Carolyn quickly whispered into the woman's ear. "I know you're scared... I was too, when I got my clothes stolen. I promise I wouldn't do this if I had another option."
Carolyn did not know if the woman could understand her... or anything at all, by this point. The chloroform was doing its job quite well, and the blonde's eyes were now fluttering closed.
Finally, the bank teller sank into unconsciousness, her head drooping onto Carolyn's right shoulder.
"Nice going, Red!" Adelaide's voice cut through Carolyn's inner thoughts. "You were almost as fast as I was."
Adelaide's victim had lost consciousness only five seconds earlier. She lowered the brunette to the ground.
"It's not a race," Carolyn said crossly. "I understand if we need to chloroform civilians and steal their clothes, but please stop acting like this is some fun little game."
Adelaide put a hand on her shoulder. "You okay, Red?"
"I'm just tired of your attitude," Carolyn said angrily. "You're treating all this like a joke. Like you always do."
Adelaide removed her hand. She looked a bit hurt. "Excuse me?"
"I still remember when you chloroformed me and stole my bus driver uniform," Carolyn continued. "You were whispering taunts in my ear. I was so scared, I had no idea what was going on. But you were speaking in a sweet little voice, calling yourself 'Auntie Adelaide' and telling me to 'enjoy the smell.' Like you were playing a prank or something."
Adelaide scowled. "I wasn't..."
"Just be serious," Carolyn continued. "You hurt other women and steal their clothes, and you get paid for it. Why do you have to mock them as well?"
"Because I'm not a monster!" Adelaide angrily snapped.
Carolyn looked at her in surprise.
"I'm not a monster," Adelaide repeated. "Yes, I've mugged a lot of women and stripped them and so on and so forth. But I don't like to appear callous or cruel. So I joke about it. I try to stay upbeat. I don't want to be seen as a heartless crook." She looked visibly upset, for the first time Carolyn could remember.
"But joking about these women is itself a cruel thing to do," Carolyn pressed. "Not only do you steal their clothes, but you're stealing their dignity and self-esteem as well."
Adelaide looked down at the floor. "It's not personal... It's never personal..."
She looked up at Carolyn again. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For mugging you," Adelaide said. "For chloroforming you on that coach bus and wearing your clothes without permission. For tying and gagging you and stuffing you in a luggage compartment while I took your place." Her voice trembled slightly. "I know now that you're more than just some random unwilling uniform donor. You're a real person, with real emotions, with a wife who loves you."
She wiped her eyes. "I know I put you through hell. And you have no reason to forgive me. But I just want you to know... I'm sorry."
The two women stood in silence. Adelaide kept her eyes to the floor, seemingly ashamed to look at Carolyn again.
Finally, Carolyn approached and lightly touched her elbow.
"Adelaide," she said softly. "I forgive you."
Adelaide looked up in a mixture of surprise and relief. "You... do?"
"I do," Carolyn nodded. "And I was wrong about you too. I used to think you were cold and cruel... but I see now that you've got a heart inside."
Adelaide let out a brief chuckle. "Please stop... Someone's going to think we're in a Disney movie."
"Don't ruin the moment," Carolyn replied. "No jokes. Just accept the compliment."
She looked down at the the two bank tellers, still lying unconscious on the ground. "So, um... do you still want to strip them? I feel a little awkward about getting back to business, after the talk we've just had."
"We'll strip them," Carolyn assured her. "We do need their uniforms, after all. But try to remember... these women are more than just a pair of uniforms. They've got lives of their own."
"Lives which we've just interrupted," Adelaide observed.
Carolyn nodded. "And we should try to keep them as comfortable as possible while they're out of uniform."
Adelaide glanced around, her eyes settling on a utility closet nearby. "In there... It's probably warmer than the cold air of the garage."
"Good idea." Carolyn picked up one of the bank tellers by her underarms and began dragging her towards the closet. Adelaide followed suit with the other one.
Following the intense conversation they'd just had, stripping the two bank tellers was almost a relief - for Adelaide, anyway. Carolyn's face remained passive as she divested the blonde teller of her clothing and shoes.
Beneath their outfits, the bank tellers had rather plain underwear. The blonde wore an ivory full-cup bra and beige hiphuggers, while the brunette was left in a pewter T-shirt bra and smoky grey boyshorts.
"I'll tie them up," Adelaide offered.
"We can tie them up together." Carolyn took two rolls of duct tape from the shelf and handed one to Adelaide. "Not too tight, okay?"
Adelaide nodded. "Not too tight."
The women went about restraining the two tellers on the floor of the closet, back to back. Carolyn did her best to ensure that the women would not experience unnecessary discomfort during their time in the closet.
"Only a few hours, girls," she spoke softly to the unconscious women. "And then you won't have to worry about us again."
She and Adelaide dressed in the uniforms and slipped their feet into the shoes. Adelaide found her uniform to be uncomfortably tight around the waist, but decided not to voice any complaints.
She looked at Carolyn. "Disguises seem good. Ready to roll?"
Carolyn nodded. "I am if you are."
The two women stepped out of the closet, leaving the two still-napping tellers behind.
Carolyn gave them a last sympathetic glance before shutting the door.
She wasn't proud of her actions... but with each new uniform, she was getting one step closer to feeling Atsuko's warm, loving embrace once again.
*********************
The duo reached the vault elevators with minimal hassle. Most of the bank staff was gone for the night, and even security seemed fairly lax.
Adelaide was surprised to see the elevators unguarded. Her intel had told her that there were usually two security guards flanking the elevator, ensuring that no one but authorized bank personnel could get inside. But there were no guards stationed in the area at all.
Adelaide silently viewed it as a stroke of luck. She guessed that the guards were probably occupied elsewhere.
And, of course, they were - though not in the way she thought. The real elevator guards were currently in a closet at the other end of the hallway, bound and gagged and sorely lacking in their state of dress.
Adelaide however had no way of knowing this - and neither did Carolyn, who followed her accomplice into the elevator, which began its descent into the bank's lower vault.
The faint "ding" of the elevator heralded their arrival at the vault level. The doors whispered open, and Adelaide and Carolyn stepped out onto the cold metal floor.
"This way," Adelaide motioned, beckoning her associate down the corridor.
"This place is huge," Carolyn observed, eyes darting to the doorways along the corridor. "How will we ever know which deposit box we're looking for?"
"Don't be too intimidated," Adelaide said in assurance without breaking her stride. "This place is all arranged alphabetically. We just need to find S for Steele."
The search did not take long. Soon they had found the room and, after a bit of searching, located the right safety deposit box.
"You've got the codes?" Carolyn asked.
Adelaide tapped her brain. "Stored 'em right in here." She began entering a long string of numbers into the keypad.
Carolyn knew that any mistakes in the numbers code would trigger an alarm and likely bring several armed security guards charging into the room. But she trusted Adelaide not to make a mistake. She was a bit surprised by how much her faith in this woman had grown this night.
Adelaide finished entering the numbers and was rewarded with the cheerful flicker of a small green light. The door to the deposit box clicked open.
Adelaide slid the drawer out into the open, and her eyes began sparkling. "Oh yeah... Come to mama."
Inside the deposit box was a wealth of jewels - diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. They glimmered in the light, each reflecting exorbitant value.
"These could be worth millions," Adelaide observed, running her fingers through the treasure trove. "I've never seen this many lovely rocks in my life."
But Carolyn shook her head. "I know what you're thinking, and... we can't keep any of these. Those kidnappers probably know how much Valencia had stored in here. If anything's missing, they might not be so keen to follow through on their deal."
Adelaide nodded absent-mindedly, but her eyes kept glancing at the jewels. "Tell me you're not at least tempted..."
"I would give up all the diamonds in the world if it meant getting Atsuko back," Carolyn replied. "Now come on, let's gather everything up and go."
Adelaide acquiesced, and quickly began scooping up all the jewels into a burlap bag. Part of her still felt like keeping a few for herself... but a deal was a deal.
Once all the precious stones were gathered, she knotted the bag. "Okay... let's skedaddle."
Carolyn followed her as she headed for the vault room door.
At once, their path was blocked as a tall shadow appeared in the entrance.
"Well, hello."
The dark-skinned woman was tall and muscular, and dressed in the uniform of the bank's security staff. However, based on the small wrinkles and ruffles in the outfit, Adelaide quickly guessed that this woman was not the uniform's intended owner.
"Excuse us," she spoke in her most professional voice. "We need to go home." From the corner of her eye, Adelaide could see that Carolyn was growing visibly intimidated.
Harper remained in the doorway, arms folded, as Evelyn and Jenna stepped up behind her. "Afraid you're not going anywhere, girls. We know who you are."
Adelaide assumed a fighting position. "Red, get behind me. We're not getting caught by a bunch of fake bank guards."
"Smart girl," Evelyn said, as she and her friends stepped into the room. "We don't work for the bank. We work for Gina Caldwell. And whatever you've stolen is rightfully hers."
Before Adelaide could think of another reply, the three uniformed women all pulled out their guns.
"Now, Ms. Caldwell wants to speak with you two," Evelyn continued. "We can do this the easy way... or the violent way."
Adelaide glared at them. She was fast and athletic, but even she would have a hard time fighting three different gunwomen.
"P-please, you don't understand." Carolyn had finally found her voice. "We're not criminals. We needed the jewels because--"
"Save the explanations," Evelyn interrupted. "You'll have plenty of time to be interrogated later."
She nodded at Harper and Jenna. "Let's tie them up. Jenna, keep your weapon trained in case they try any funny business."
"You're making a mistake," Adelaide said angrily. "You..."
"She told you to clam up." Harper bent Adelaide's wrists behind her and began binding them tightly with white cable.
Carolyn could only look on helplessly as Jenna tied her up as well. "Please... I need to be free. My wife... She's... mmmmppphhhh..." Her please were cut off as Evelyn smoothed a strip of black duct tape over her mouth.
"Do you think we should interrogate them now?" Jenna asked. "The red-haired one sounds pretty sincere."
"Don't let their innocent words fool you," Evelyn replied. "Remember, we nearly died back at that airfield and these two women didn't care less. They're crooks, and should be treated as such."
Jenna nodded. "Good point."
Before long, Adelaide and Carolyn were both tightly bound and gagged. They glanced at each other uncertainly from their positions on the floor.
Evelyn stood over them proudly. "Ms. Caldwell will be pleased," she told her coworkers. "She might even give us a nice paycheck bonus."
Jenna nodded. "Sounds great."
"Just one problem," Evelyn noted with a bit of a frown. "We managed to get inside the bank without attracting outside attention. But we're not gonna be able to just walk out of here with two bound-and-gagged women slung over our shoulders. People will definitely have questions."
A faint "ding" from down the hall perked her ears up.
She and her friends peeked out of the vault room. The elevator doors at the other end of the hall had opened, and a cleaning woman stepped out, pushing a cart with a pair of trash cans perched upon it.
"Trash collection?" Jenna whispered. "At this hour?"
"Makes sense," Evelyn shrugged. "The bank probably prefers the trash be taken out after most people have gone home. Less issue of buildup for the following morning."
The cleaning woman was tall and slightly pudgy, with light skin and blonde hair that peeked out in curls beneath her red-and-white checkered kerchief. She wore a light blue smock over a white T-shirt and dark blue jeans, and black waterproof rubber boots. She turned the opposite corner, and the women could hear the wheels of the cart rolling down the hall.
A smile spread across Harper's lips. "I've got an idea."
Quietly, she exited the room and began walking down the hall, following the sounds of the cleaning cart.
"Here we go again," Jenna grumbled. "Harper gets a taste of stealing one uniform, and now she wants to steal another. So predictable."
"Not sure about predictable," Evelyn responded. "I'm just worried about time-consuming. Ms. Caldwell will get impatient if we delay."
"Mmmppphhh!" Carolyn was still trying to get the guards' attention.
Evelyn sighed. "Jenna, could you please keep them quiet? This job is stressful enough."
Jenna nodded. She approached the restrained Adelaide and Carolyn and knelt down beside them. "Look, no hard feelings... But you did break the law."
"Mmmppphhh! Mmmm-mmmpppphhh!" Carolyn frantically shook her head. Please, remove my gag and listen to me!
Jenna glanced at the floor. Her eye fell on Carolyn's pouch, which had fallen to the ground, spilling a few of the white clothe pads on the ground.
Jenna picked one up and sniffed it. She wrinkled her nose. "Chloroform."
Then she smiled sweetly at Carolyn. "Just to calm you down a bit, honey."
So saying, she pressed the chloroform pad against Carolyn's lower face. The redhead's already muffled cries grew even more muted as she was forced to breathe in the intoxicating fumes.
Carolyn felt her world going cloudy. She was losing her strength. She had failed.
Atsuko... I'm so... so sorry...
Moments later, she was unconscious.
Jenna turned to Adelaide. "Your turn."
Adelaide scowled and struggled, but had little means to fight as the chloroform did its work.
Harper returned from down the hall, pushing the trash cart along on a squeaky wheel. Lying flat on the cart beside the cans was the cleaning woman, sleeping off the effects of Harper's neck chop.
"You two get a head start," Harper told her friends. "I'll change into this gal's uniform and put our two friends in the trash cans. No one will bother a cleaning woman just taking out the trash."
"Good thinking," Evelyn said. "Jenna, come on. Let's get back upstairs."
"Okay." Jenna stopped and turned toward Harper. "But you have to promise that this is the last time you steal another woman's uniform."
"I absolutely will not promise that," Harper responded, an impish grin on her face.
Jenna shook her head in exasperation, then followed Evelyn out the door. "Stupid paradigm..."
Harper wasted no time carrying out the next phase. She stripped the cleaning woman down to her azure demi-cup bra and purple control briefs. Then she slipped into the woman's clothes, boots, and smock. Knotting the kerchief around her hair helped complete the disguise.
There were some clean white rags in the smock's pockets; these Harper used to bind and gag the real cleaning woman. She dragged the woman over to one of the large metal safes in the far corner of the room and placed her inside, leaving the door open enough to allow air to pass through.
"That should keep you 'safe' for a while, honey," she chuckled.
Then she paused. Was that a pun? She hated puns. And yet, something about stealing this woman's clothes had made her cheerful enough to crack an immature joke.
"Interesting," she mused. Somehow, each new disguise seemed to help improve her mood.
But there was time to consider her humorous side later. She returned to the matter at hand, placing the restrained and slumbering figures of Carolyn and Adelaide into the trash cans, covering them with plastic lids, and rolling the cart out the door.
*********************
Evelyn and Jenna had "borrowed" one of the security vans from the bank's parking lot. They idled at the rear of the building as Harper stepped out with the cart.
"Nice work," Evelyn smiled from the driver's seat. "Toss them in the back of the van and let's get moving."
Harper obliged, climbing into the rear of the van with her two prisoners and dropping them on the floor. She took a seat and pulled off the kerchief, shaking her dark hair from confinement.
"That was fun," she said cheerily. "We should do it more often."
Jenna rolled her eyes. "Right. Nothing more fun than erasing the advances of feminism."
"Stop squabbling, girls." Evelyn steered the van onto the road. "Right now the only thing that matters is getting these two lowlifes back where Ms. Caldwell can deal with them."
The van continued down the road, with Evelyn ignoring the occasional stop sign. In the rear of the van, Carolyn and Adelaide continued to sleep off the effects of the chloroform.
But for the two of them - and especially Carolyn - it was far from a restful slumber.
And once again, you've displayed your mastery of suspense by having the two storylines collide at the exact worst moment... for Carolyn and Adelaide, that is. Because for a reader, that's the perfect moment for a good old cliffhanger. I wonder how things will evolve...
Nothing much to say about the uniform stealings. Well-written as always, but that's a given. I noticed that one woman has magenta-dyed hair. I bet Trackman will appreciate the detail. I wonder if the arrival of this janitress 'in the nick of time' is a reference to the scene in Jomsviking's Professional Kidnappers?
I enjoyed the interactions between the characters. Since they have varying personalities and points of views, it leads to interesting conversations. There's of course the obvious ones between Adelaide and Carolyn; but also with Harper, Evelyn, and Jenna. I probably have mentioned it at one point in a previous story, but I really appreciate how your teams are never some sort of 'beehive groups'. Each member has her own traits that set her apart. Jenna, Harper and Evelyn are maybe on the same team, but they're also shown to have varying personalities and moral compasses.
Speaking of interactions, I don't think it'll be a surprise when I say that I appreciated the heartfelt conversation between Carolyn and Adelaide. I appreciated a lot how you managed to give both sides a point, by having Adelaide explaining the reasons behind her attitude. While I already confessed that Adelaide was far from my favorite character, I think it was an interesting spin. Hurray for character development . However, if I have to be 100% honest, I'll admit that my main regret is that these thematics and debates aren't centered around an other character. (I think you pretty much know which one I'm talking about. ) An appetizer maybe? Well, it's important to judge something for what it is, not for what I want it to be. And as always, you wrote good interactions. I often point out how good you are at portraying 'light-hearted' interactions, ones that feature jokes and one-liners. But you're also very good at writing 'serious' interactions. If I had to nitpick, because I love to nitpick , it would be that Adelaide's development seems a little too quick, when you compare it to her attitude during several previous entire stories, especially since it started (in the previous part) with a conversation with a woman she didn't know beforehand and probably wasn't much different from her many victims. Carolyn is also rather quick to forgive, though I guess that it's part of her character. Though as I said, it's a nitpick, and it's probably also linked to the fact that Adelaide hadn't been a major character during most of her previous appearances. Plus, I prefer getting the heartfelt scenes now rather than wait for too long.
Good idea to address the spreading of uniform stealing tactics, and its effect on the mentalities with the debates between Evelyn and Jenna, as well as further explaining the high number of uniformed women. It makes your universe feel more organic, more plausible and coherent. Because in fiction, internal coherence is more important than realism.
Also...
"It's an endless paradigm."
Don't think I didn't notice this reference. Though in a way, it was only a matter of time before the well-known 'Tirepanted paradigm' would officially be mentioned in a story. But no Jenna, it's not a "stupid paragidm". It's a very serious mathematical equation. I suspect it will reveal us the secret of the meaning of the universe. (So the result is most likely 42.)
I do always try to end each chapter on some sort of perilous cliffhanger. This is easier in the longer stories, when there are a lot of running threads and any one of them could have a potential cliffhanger at some point. It's tougher in these shorter and more micro-focused tales, but I try my best.
I love Jomsviking's "Professional Kidnappers" and that's a great scene. But no, not an intentional reference in my story. From what I can tell, most unwilling uniform donors in my stories tend to arrive in the nick of time, almost as a rule. I guess the infiltrators just get lucky more than usual.
I also try to give each character in these stories her own distinct voice and personality, even when they travel in groups. Adding Jenna, Harper, and Evelyn into the mix allowed for another group of characters to develop and interact with one another - and for different ways to explore the moral shades of grey in this series. I try to make the conversations interesting, since they tend to carry the story (sometimes more than the USB scenes do).
The conversation between Carolyn and Adelaide was something I wrote and fine-tuned carefully, to make sure it had the proper impact. I began writing this story knowing that it would be an important developmental point for Adelaide, and I wanted to ensure it was handled correctly. I understand the critique that it may have felt a bit rushed, but I felt that Adelaide had been around in enough stories to give her character some gravitas, even if she isn't usually shown as sympathetic in previous adventures. And this story presented numerous opportunities to show her human side (such as her friendship with Duke), which is integral even before Carolyn confronts her.
And yes, I'm aware that some of these conversations might be more impactful if they happened around Bobbi, Bridget, and Felicia. But I don't want those three characters to get all the main focus. I want all these characters to feel fully-formed, and these spinoff stories have been a great opportunity to develop them. (For example, Carolyn started out as a nameless bus driver in Volume 2, and has now become one of the most prominent characters in the series.)
I like to occasionally touch on the statistically high number of women who get mugged for their uniforms in the series, for reasons you've mentioned. A little self-awareness goes a long way to deepening the series.
I'm surprised it took the characters so long to reference the "paradigm" directly, but I guess it had to be done sooner or later. It was a good way to make Jenna stand out from the other USB victims-turned-muggers, by having her call out the behavior and disapprove of it for reasons of progress. That said, I don't expect the paradigm to unlock any deep or meaningful secrets, although neither did Hitchhiker's Guide.
I hope to have the final chapter of this story posted soon. After that, I may have one more (very) short story before the end of the year, depending on scheduling issues.
Addison drummed her fingers on the table in annoyance. She glanced at her watch for the fifth time in the past ten minutes.
"What is taking that red-haired bimbo so long?" she muttered.
"Patience, Addy," Kelly replied. She was across the table, still poring over several large maps.
"I've had enough of being patient," Addison groused. "We don't exactly have a time surplus. And do we even know if we can trust this Carolyn woman?"
"Carolyn will come through," Kelly said. "She knows the price if she doesn't."
So saying, she cast a sideways glance at Atsuko, still bound and gagged in the corner.
Atsuko merely scowled, and tugged again at her restraints. They refused to budge.
"Maybe she needs another quick reminder," Addison mused, reaching for the phone.
Kelly smirked. "If you say so... But make sure it's the last reminder."
********************
The rumbling van struck a pothole, jolting Carolyn awake.
Her frightened eyes darted around. Where was she?
Slowly, then more quickly, her memories returned. The bank... the vault... Gina Caldwell's goons... and the chloroform.
Now she and Adelaide were tied and gagged on the dirty floor of the van, captives of Ms. Caldwell's team.
Harper glanced down at her. "Well, well... Looks like one of our sleeping beauties is awake."
"Mmmmppphhh!" It had been a long night, and Carolyn was growing desperate. She had to somehow communicate with these women about Atsuko's predicament.
"If she's going to start moaning and groaning into her gag," Evelyn called from the driver's seat, "you might need to chloroform her again."
Carolyn stopped moaning and quickly shook her head.
"I think that did the trick," Harper chuckled.
Her coy laughter was interrupted by the sound of buzzing.
"Whose phone is that?" Evelyn asked.
"Not mine," Jenna and Harper said almost simultaneously.
Harper glanced down at Carolyn. "Looks like it's coming from her."
She reached into Carolyn's pocket and pulled out the cell phone. "You don't mind if I answer this... do ya, toots?"
Carolyn grumbled something to herself, still glaring at Harper.
"Put it on speaker," Evelyn said. "Maybe we'll learn something about these women before we interrogate them."
Harper obliged as she answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, Carolyn," a woman's voice purred menacingly into the phone. "What's the status on our money?"
"Money?" Harper asked, before she could stop herself.
As luck would have it, Addison was not familiar with Carolyn's voice - apart from their brief encounter at the Steele mansion a week earlier - and thus had no reason to get suspicious.
Instead, she got frustrated. "Yes, the money," she said in anger. "Move your ass and get us the cash, or your wife gets a bullet between the eyes. Is that clear?"
There was silence in the van as Evelyn, Jenna, and Harper digested these words.
Then Harper spoke. "Er... yes?"
"It better be," Addison said. "Once you have it, bring the whole thing to the corner of 14th and Bradbury. Alert anyone, or be even a minute late, and Atsuko dies." She hung up.
There was silence in the van.
Jenna glanced at her coworkers. "Um... guys? I think we should talk."
"Way ahead of you." Evelyn pulled the van off the road and shut off the engine.
Harper knelt down beside the redheaded captive. "You're Carolyn?"
Carolyn nodded. Her heart was still racing from the deadly threat in the phone call.
Harper grasped the tape-gag and peeled it off Carolyn's lips. "Tell us what's going on. Start talking."
After taking a few deep gulps of air to calm herself, Carolyn began to explain.
She told them about Kelly and Addison... about Atsuko... and about enlisting help from Adelaide. She spoke quickly, occasionally slurring her words - yet the three women listened with rapt attention.
"Please," she finished tearfully, as exhausted as she was frightened. "You need to let me go. They're going to kill my wife... I need to save her..."
Evelyn beckoned Harper and Jenna outside the van for a private talk.
"So what do we think?" she asked her friends.
"She sounded genuine," Jenna surmised. "I think she's telling the truth."
Harper shrugged. "Maybe she is. But we still have a job to do. Right, Eve?"
Evelyn looked uncomfortable. "A woman's life may be at stake," she said. "And the police can do nothing to help her..."
She thought for a few moments. Then a smile appeared on her face.
"I think we should help her."
"What?" Harper looked incredulous.
"Think about it - she's working under coercion of these kidnappers. And those kidnappers also want what rightfully belongs to Ms. Caldwell. If we catch them, the boss will be thrilled."
"I think we should help her because it's the right thing to do," Jenna piped up.
Harper groaned. "Here we go with the lectures..."
"No lectures," Evelyn interrupted. "Let's just get to work, girls. Are you in or out?"
"In," Jenna said confidently.
Harper hesitated.
"It might give you an opportunity to steal another woman's clothes," Evelyn said temptingly.
Harper smiled. "Sure, why not."
*********************
It took a matter of minutes for the trio to free Carolyn and Adelaide and explain that they wanted to help.
Adelaide was still none too happy about the way she had been tied up and chloroformed by these women, and she kept glancing sideways at Harper. The dark-haired woman was glaring at her suspiciously.
Nevertheless, she voiced minimal protest as Evelyn discussed plans with Carolyn.
"I think this could work," Evelyn said. "You'll get your wife back, Ms. Caldwell will get her money, and we'll all keep our jobs."
Carolyn nodded. Already, Evelyn's professional tone was starting to make her feel better.
"Don't worry," she said confidently. "You and your wife will be together before you know it."
Carolyn nodded. "Thank you... so much."
Evelyn returned to the driver's seat. "Okay, ladies... buckle up. This drive shouldn't take more than twenty minutes... provided I only break a few local speed limits."
As she steered onto the road, Adelaide beckoned Carolyn to the rear of the van.
"Are you sure we can trust these women?" she whispered. "They did attack us... tied us up and everything."
Carolyn nodded. "I know... but can you blame them? We were breaking and entering... and they were just doing their job." She smiled half-heartedly. "Sometimes, we need to trust others - eve people we thought were our enemies - to get what we need."
Adelaide paused, then nodded slowly. She remained largely silent for the remainder of the trip.
*********************
Bradbury Street was mostly quiet as the van reached the corner of 14th.
Evelyn glanced at her watch. "It's about 3:15... so we have just under an hour to set our little trap into motion."
She turned to Carolyn and Adelaide. "You two stay here and lie low. We'll signal you when we're ready."
She exited the van, followed by Jenna and Harper.
Carolyn remained quiet, seated alongside an equally quiet Adelaide in the rear of the van.
Then the red-haired woman broke the silence. "Duke... where is he? Will he be okay?"
Adelaide nodded. "He knows how to find his way home."
Carolyn nodded. "Sounds like you trained him well."
Adelaide nodded back and smiled. "I did... I have a lot of free time, and all that."
"Don't you ever hang out with friends?" Carolyn asked.
Adelaide shrugged. "Not really... Haven't too many to speak of."
She chuckled slightly. "Actually, I did run into an old friend recently... Tamara, my old college roommate. Met her a few weeks ago, in unusual circumstances."
"What do you mean?"
"Right after I... er, took possession of your bus driver uniform." Adelaide seemed a bit flustered. "I bumped into Tamara right then. She was working with some FBI agents, and they needed clothes... So I convinced the handball girls on the bus to hand over their uniforms."
She gave an amused smile. "What's funny is that I think Tamara was originally planning to knock me out and steal my uniform... the one I stole from you. Which would have been pretty funny..."
She paused. "Of course, no, it wouldn't. Because then she'd probably have stuffed me in a luggage compartment, like I did to you."
Carolyn patted her shoulder. "I dunno... It would have been a little funny."
She laughed. Adelaide couldn't help but join her.
**********************
Evelyn crept through the dark streets and alleyways, Jenna and Harper following behind her.
"Just what are we looking for?" Harper whispered.
"Covers," Evelyn replied. "Disguises, anything to help us blend in and appear innocuous in this area."
"Good luck with that," Jenna scoffed. "No one's awake at this hour of the night."
Evelyn peeked around the corner. Then her eyes lit up and smiled. "Almost no one."
The factory warehouse was old and worn, but still fairly large and well-structured. Based on the signage out front, it was a small woodworking location owned a larger conglomerate, which had several such buildings dotted around the tri-state. The employees were paid meager wages and often had to work late hours into the night.
It was this last detail that would prove beneficial to Evelyn and her friends.
Squinting in the dim lighting of the overhead streetlamps, Evelyn could see a lone figure standing outside the building. Occasionally the woman would take a few paces in one direction or the other, shining her flashlight on the surrounding area.
"The night watchwoman," Evelyn whispered to her cohorts.
The watchwoman was tall and tan-skinned, clad in an olive-green uniform shirt beneath a dark brown wool-lined jacket, as well as black pants and polished black loafers. Atop her bob-cut brown hair was a black cap with a company logo emblazoned on the front.
"So great to see another business hire a woman for this job," Jenna smiled. Then her grin faded. "Wait a minute... you're not going to steal her uniform, are you?"
"Of course we're not," Evelyn replied.
Jenna smiled again. "Good. Because I'm tired of watching strong, hardworking women get knocked out and stripped simply because.--"
"You are," Evelyn continued.
Jenna paused. "I'm what?"
"You're going to steal her uniform," Evelyn replied. "Of the three of us, you're closest to her in size."
Jenna crossed her arms. "Are you serious?"
"She's serious," Harper said tersely. "If you want, I can knock her out for you. But I probably won't be as gentle as you would."
Jenna glanced back and forth between Evelyn and Harper. Then she sighed in defeat. "When this is over, I'm giving you both a lecture about the importance of women's progress in the workforce."
"Can't wait," Harper said dryly.
Jenna peeked around the corner. The watchwoman had her back turned, and was taking a few paces in the opposite direction.
Jenna sighed inwardly. Then she quietly crept towards the unsuspecting watchwoman.
A clattering noise from the far alley seemed to startle the watchwoman. Jenna froze, but the uniformed brunette did not turn toward her. Instead, she approached the far alleyway and shined her flashlight on the ground.
The light betrayed a small and guilty-looking raccoon, who quickly scampered past the guard and down the street.
The watchwoman chuckled and shook her head. "Looking out for raccoons at three in the morning. They don't pay me enough for this."
A voice cut the air behind her. "I agree."
Surprised, the watchwoman began to turn around. But before she could complete the move, Jenna had trapped her in a headlock.
"Studies show that female security guards aren't getting paid enough these days," Jenna explained crisply to the struggling woman. "Which sucks, because they work longer hours, get tougher assignments, and are far more likely to have their uniforms stolen on the job."
The watchwoman's shoes scuffed at the ground, but she was clearly outmatched in strength.
"I feel sorry for women in our profession... Truly, I do," Jenna continued. "I've been fighting for wage equality for years. And I will keep fighting." She sighed again. "But unfortunately, tonight I need to become part of the problem."
She dragged the still-struggling guard into the shadows of the alleyway.
From the adjoining alleyway on the other side of the building, Evelyn and Harper watched and waited.
"Why does she have to make this political?" Harper muttered. "Just steal the clothes. Don't need to make a big scene out of it."
"Let her steal uniforms her way," Evelyn replied. "And you can steal them your way. That's the beauty of America... Everyone has great freedom of choice."
Harper nodded. "Except the woman getting mugged."
Evelyn chuckled. "I suppose she doesn't have much choice in the matter."
In the alleyway, Jenna didn't waste much time. She stripped the watchwoman down to her coal-colored sports bra and vermilion boyshorts, then bound her with spare white cords and gagged her with grey tape.
This process is almost becoming routine already, she thought to herself in annoyance.
Minutes later, she stepped out of the far alleyway, buttoning up the watchwoman's uniform. She approached Evelyn and Harper, a sullen look on her face. "Okay, I'm wearing her clothes. Happy now?"
"Give us details, Jen," Harper said in amusement. "Where did you stash her? How'd you tie her up? What color is her underwear?"
Jenna glared at her. "Stop objectifying that woman, Harper. She's an innocent civilian... Deserves to be remembered as more than just a uniform theft victim."
"Enough, you two," Evelyn said in exhaustion. "We'll have time to discuss everyone's underwear later. For now, let's get inside the factory... Jenna, stand guard outside the door like the real watchwoman. Harper, follow me."
*****************
The inside of the factory was generally dark and empty, with sparse activity at this hour.
Nevertheless, Evelyn and Harper could hear a pair of voices echoing through the hall.
"Are you nearly done, Jan?" a woman's voice sighed. "I don't know why we have to be the last two people working here tonight."
"Cheer up, Lettie," another woman replied. "We get paid for overtime, don't we?"
Evelyn and Harper peeked around the corner, into the woodworking factory's main room. Sure enough, there were only two women on call at the moment. Both were dressed in dusty blue coveralls with brown gloves and work boots and grey tinted safety goggles.
The first woman, a fair-skinned, cherub-faced redhead, mopped her brow. "But usually we finish the night early! What happened this time?"
Her friend, a slightly taller woman with dark skin and a ponytail of oily black hair, shrugged. "I heard there was a bit of sabotage at one of the lumber sites earlier tonight, so there were delays in the production chain... Apparently, one of the rival companies hired a spy to mess with the machinery... She tied up one of the lumberjanes on site and stole her uniform to blend in, then sabotaged the equipment."
Lettie rolled her eyes. "A likely story... They come up with the most preposterous excuses to keep us from questioning the workload."
"You don't believe it?" Jan asked.
"Infiltrators tying up women for their uniforms?" Lettie said with a shrug. "You've been reading too many novels. That sort of thing doesn't happen in real life."
"I've heard of quite a few such incidents, actually," Jan countered. "We live in a dangerous world."
Lettie laughed as she turned away to study the counters on the wall. "If you believe these fairy tales, I've got some magic beans to sell you."
Jan was about to respond when she heard a soft rustle of movement behind her. However, before she could turn around, she felt a hand clamp over her mouth.
"Hmmpphh?!" Her cry of surprise was muffled by both the hand and the clanking noises of the surrounding machinery. She was swiftly dragged off, boots scrabbling at the floor.
Lettie glanced at her watch as she turned back around. "Okay, I think we've done more than enough work for tonight... You want to split a cab home?"
No answer. Lettie glanced around. "Jan? Where are you?"
She sighed and put down her clipboard as she began walking past the machinery. "Come on, Jan. You know I hate your practical jokes, especially late at nigh--"
A hand clapped itself over her mouth, interrupting her grumbles and immediately silencing her.
Harper's voice whispered in the frightened woman's ear. "What were you just saying about magic beans, doll?"
*********************
Ten minutes was all it took. By that time, the two factory workers had been safely stored in a handy supply closet, minus their uniforms.
Lettie wore a green-and-yellow striped racerback bra and pair of magenta briefs. Jan was left in a periwinkle sports bra and eggshell-white bikini bottoms. The women had been bound back-to-back with grey nylon ropes and gagged with green packaging tape.
They could simply watch and glare as Evelyn and Harper donned their uniforms, pulled on their gloves, and laced up their boots.
"Sorry, girls," Evelyn told them as she strapped on the goggles. "Extenuating circumstances require us to commandeer your clothes."
"No need for explanations," Harper told her. "Stealing clothes is just a part of life now. These women will learn to accept it, just as we did."
Lettie and Jan's muffled grunts and moans suggested that they were in fact not accepting it.
Evelyn sighed as she shut the closet door. "You certainly have an interesting philosophy, Harp."
"Can't live life without it."
Evelyn looked at her watch. "Well, we've got disguises with time to spare. Let's reconvene with Jenna and get ready to spring our trap."
********************
Kelly steered the sedan down the road, taking caution to use quiet side streets. Even at this hour, she knew the risks of getting caught.
"How's our passenger?" she asked Addison, who was calmly sitting beside her.
Addison turned to glance at the backseat of the sedan. Lying there was Atsuko, still bound and gagged and looking both angry and fearful.
"Still nicely bundled up," Addison mused. "Cheer up, honeycakes. You're going to see your wife again."
Kelly nodded. "A sweet little reunion... right before the end."
Both women laughed. Atsuko felt the tears sting her eyes.
This can't be the end... It just can't...
Kelly glanced at the overhead street sign. "I think the rendezvous point is right around the corner." She pulled over and parked the car.
"Keep an eye on our friend," she told Addison. "I'll be back with the goods."
She stepped out of the car and tucked her gun into the back of her pants, covering it with her sweater.
Atsuko swallowed. No! Carolyn... please, no!
She started panicking, struggling frantically against the ropes. But her efforts were halted as she felt the cold steel of a gun muzzle against the side of her head.
"Let's not go doing anything stupid, girl," Addison whispered. "I need you to stay nice and quiet. Can you do that for me?"
Her voice had the sweet tinge of melted butter, but she kept the gun firmly pressed to Atsuko's head.
Atsuko grew still and quiet, tears frozen on her cheeks. Silently, she prayed for a miracle.
******************
Carolyn cautiously exited the van, suitcase clutched in one hand, and glanced out at the dark side street.
She turned back to Adelaide, who still sat in the vehicle. The woman gave her an encouraging thumbs-up.
"I... don't know if I can do this," Carolyn whispered.
"I know you can," Adelaide replied.
"Can't you come with me?"
Adelaide shook her head. "They may expect a trap if you don't go alone. We're already taking risks as it is."
Carolyn paused for a moment, unsure of what to do.
"You're stronger than you think, Red," Adelaide told her. "Go for it. For Atsuko."
Carolyn nodded. "For Atsuko."
She stepped out into the road, a more determined look now on her face.
Moving with careful steps, Carolyn rounded the corner. A large factory warehouse loomed overhead, its windows darkened and rimmed with sawdust.
A lone uniformed watchwoman stood guard at the front, arms folded. As Carolyn drew closer, the woman winked at her. It was Jenna.
Carolyn knew that the real watchwoman had likely been stashed somewhere, bound and gagged in her underwear. But she forced herself to focus. Much as she hated to admit it, a few muggings were probably necessary if it meant saving Atsuko.
Carolyn rounded the next corner, squinting beneath the dim streetlights. She walked to the rendezvous point and stood, quivering, in the cold darkness.
"You made it."
The voice was calm, but with an air of menace. Carolyn recognized it as belonging to the woman who had spoken with her on the phone.
Kelly emerged from the shadows, a grim smile on her face. "Did you get what we want?"
Carolyn held up the suitcase. "It's... it's all here."
"Perfect." Kelly held out her hand. "Give it over."
Carolyn lowered the suitcase. "First show me Atsuko. I want to know she's okay."
"She's alive," Kelly said tersely. "And she'll stay that way if you give us what we want. Now hand it over."
Carolyn considered relenting, but she did not want to appear afraid. Besides, she did not trust this woman to uphold her end of the bargain.
"I want to see my wife. I'll give you everything as soon as I know she's okay."
Kelly sighed. Then she spoke into her radio. "Addison, bring out the package."
There was a level of dismissiveness in the way she referred to Atsuko as a "package." Carolyn winced.
Two long minutes passed in silence. Then footsteps approached.
Addison appeared from around the corner, leading Atsuko along. The frightened woman was still gagged, and her hands were tied, but Addison had taken the liberty of freeing her ankles.
Carolyn went white as a sheet. "Suki... are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"Mmmmppphhh! Mmmrrrmmpphh!" Atsuko was in no position to communicate. Run, Carolyn! Run, please!
"As you can see, she's fine." Kelly's voice betrayed a hint of impatience. "Now hand over the money."
Cautiously, Carolyn approached Kelly. The black woman smiled and placed one hand behind her back. Her fingers tightened around her gun.
Carolyn moved slowly, deliberately. She held out the suitcase. Any moment now, she thought.
Kelly gripped the suitcase with her free hand. "Thank you, darling."
At once, the nearby side door to the warehouse opened, and two women in factory uniforms burst out.
Kelly looked up in confusion. Her confusion turned to shock as the two workers pulled out guns.
"Freeze!" Evelyn yelled.
On reflex, Kelly grabbed Carolyn and put a gun to her head. "You freeze, bitches," she spat.
Evelyn and Harper froze. In the dim lighting, they couldn't risk hitting Carolyn.
"This was a trap?" Kelly growled at Carolyn. "You little snake... I should kill you right now..."
At that moment, Atsuko stomped down on Addison's foot as hard as she could. Addison let out a cry of pain and loosened her grip.
Kelly turned to see Atsuko charging at her. The young woman head-butted Kelly, knocking the gun from her hand.
Kelly fell to the ground in a daze. Immediately, Evelyn and Harper trained their weapons on her.
Addison turned and fled back the way she came. It was now every woman for herself...
But she did not get far. A figure appeared from the alleyway in a watchwoman's uniform.
"What's your hurry?" Jenna smiled, holding up her gun.
But Addison did not slow down. She crashed right into Jenna, knocking the woman off her feet.
Addison now trained the gun on Jenna. "You're dead now..."
Then suddenly, with an "UUGGHHNNN..." she pitched forward and fell to the ground.
Adelaide stood triumphantly over the unconscious woman, blowing on her fist.
"I got bored of waiting in the van," she explained, reaching down to help Jenna to her feet.
Jenna took a deep breath. "You... saved my life."
"I guess that squares us for the time I left you tied up in that shack," Adelaide mused.
Grabbing Addison by the arms, they dragged her back to where their associates were waiting.
Evelyn was slapping the handcuffs on a sour-faced Kelly. Nearby, Harper was cutting the bonds that held Atsuko's wrists. Carolyn was nearby, trying to catch her breath.
The moment Atsuko's hands were free, she raced toward Carolyn and embraced her tightly. Carolyn, though quite shaken, did not hesitate to return the hug.
Harper smiled as she watched them. "Ain't love wonderful?"
Jenna sighed. "Let them enjoy the moment, Harp."
*******************
In short order, Kelly and Addison had been cuffed and gagged and tossed into the back of the security van. They glared angrily at Evelyn, teeth gritted behind their cloth gags.
Evelyn was not intimidated. "It took a lot of effort to catch you two... plenty of time, resources, and quite a few stolen uniforms. So don't think we're just going to let you escape."
So saying, she shut the door on the two criminals, then turned her attention back to her associates.
Harper and Jenna were discussing matters with Carolyn and Atsuko, ensuring that both women were okay and that Atsuko had not been harmed by her perilous experience.
For her part, Atsuko was simply relieved.
"I was so worried," she told Carolyn. "So scared that I was going to lose you forever."
Carolyn gripped her wife's hand tightly and squeezed. "You know I'd never let that happen."
Then she turned her attention to the three guards. "You're... not going to press charges against us, right?"
Evelyn shook her head. "You were working under coercion. Besides, we've caught the real criminals now. I think Ms. Caldwell will be fine with what we have... You two can just go home and relax."
Harper nudged her in the ribs. "What about the other one?" She looked around. "Where'd she go?"
Carolyn glanced around. Adelaide was nowhere to be seen. "I guess... I guess she did her work here."
"Well, so have we," Evelyn said, retaining her professional air. "Let's be off, girls... And Carolyn, would you like us to drop you and your wife off at home?"
But Carolyn shook her head. "We'll take a cab." She glanced at Atsuko. "Unless you're nervous?"
Atsuko shook her head. "Not anymore."
Carolyn beamed.
"All right, girls," Evelyn nodded. "Thanks for your help. And best of luck."
She climbed into the driver's seat of the security van. Jenna and Harper clambered in as well.
Carolyn and Atsuko watched as the van drove off. Carolyn exhaled as it disappeared around the corner.
"Never a dull moment in our lives, is there?" Atsuko said with a grin.
Carolyn let out a reluctant laugh. "I guess not," she admitted. "But I think we deserve some downtime."
A pair of lights appeared from the distance, and a yellow cab rolled up the street.
Carolyn brightened. "There's our ride home!"
Atsuko looked surprised. "Wow... I didn't think it would be this easy to get a cab at this hour."
Carolyn held out a hand, and the cab obligingly stopped. The two women climbed into the backseat.
"228 Grant Street, please," Carolyn told the driver, a dark-haired woman with a green turtleneck sweater, tan slacks, and a grey woolen cap.
"Sure thing, Red," the driver smiled as she pulled the car onto the road.
Carolyn blinked as she recognized the driver's voice. "...Adelaide?"
Adelaide smiled into the rearview mirror. "Guilty as charged. I know you girls have been through a lot tonight... I figured I at least owed you a safe trip home."
Atsuko stared at her strangely. "I recognize you..." Then her eyes widened. "Wait a minute... You're the woman who..."
"...mugged your wife for her uniform that one time," Adelaide nodded. "Yes, that was me. A slightly younger and less knowledgeable me."
She gave a pause. "But I've spent the last few hours getting to know your Carolyn... Understanding her. She's one of the most kindhearted people I know... You should be proud to be married to her."
Atsuko couldn't help but smile at this. But she still didn't like the idea of this woman driving their cab. "Carolyn, can we trust her?"
Carolyn nodded. "I think so... She's not as bad as I thought she was."
Then she glanced around the cab. "So... what did you do to the real taxicab driver?" A look of concern crossed her face.
Adelaide chuckled. "Don't worry, she's fine. A little nerve pinch was all it took to knock her out. She's relaxing in the trunk as we speak."
Carolyn frowned at this. Adelaide immediately took notice.
"I know you don't approve of my methods, Red... and maybe you never will. But after tonight... Maybe you can at least see some of the benefits of these extralegal methods. I'm not saying that mugging and uniform thievery need to become a daily part of your routine... but it does have its benefits."
Carolyn shrugged. "I guess..." But she didn't seem too happy about it.
The remainder of the ride was mostly quiet.
Eventually, Adelaide reached the destination and pulled up to the house.
Atsuko exited the vehicle, Carolyn following behind her.
"Have a good night, ladies," Adelaide said with a smile.
"Wait!" Carolyn held up a hand. She reached for her purse. "How much... how much do I owe you for helping me tonight?"
Adelaide looked surprised. Then she remembered. "Right... this was a for-hire gig, wasn't it?"
She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. "Well, good news ladies... consider tonight's work on the house. Totally free."
Now it was Carolyn's turn to look surprised. "Seriously?"
Adelaide nodded. "Why don't you keep the cash... Spend it on something nice for yourselves."
Carolyn smiled. "Thank you... for all your help. Thanks so much."
Adelaide tipped her cap. "You ladies have a good night, okay? Don't get into any more trouble."
She rolled up the window and sped away.
Carolyn and Atsuko watched the car disappear around the corner. Then they entered the house.
"I just can't figure that woman out," Atsuko murmured.
"Give her some time," Carolyn said, a small smile on her face. "Everyone just needs some time."
She glanced at her watch. "Speaking of which, it's pretty late... We should get to bed and get some sleep."
Atsuko clasped Carolyn's hand. "Oh, we're definitely going to bed," she replied. "But there won't be much sleep involved."
Carolyn grinned as she saw the seductive look in Atsuko's eyes. "Lead the way, Suki."
She allowed Atsuko to guide her towards the bedroom. The door closed behind them.
********************
Adelaide drove about six blocks before finally pulling over on a quiet side street.
She stepped out of the car and stepped around to the back. She popped open the trunk and looked inside.
The real cabdriver was still asleep. She was a stocky, light-skinned woman with reddish-brown hair and scant freckles on her cheeks. She was currently clad in nothing but a lavender sports bra and white-lined cyan cotton briefs. Her wrists and ankles were bound with slim cables and her mouth was gagged with a grey washcloth.
"Thanks for your help," Adelaide said as she changed out of her cabdriving clothes and tossed them into the trunk with the woman. "I didn't make those knots too tight; once you wake up, you should be able to get free and get dressed. No need to thank me... I guess I'm growing a bit softhearted."
Once she had changed back into her old clothes, Adelaide walked the dozen or so blocks back to her home. Despite the late hour, she did not encounter any trouble.
She finally entered her apartment and stretched. "Hey, Duke, I'm back."
She looked around. "Duke, buddy? You home?"
She peeked into the next room to see her dog sleeping in the corner. He had returned home earlier and made his way inside through the pet door.
Adelaide smiled. "Good night, buddy."
She prepared to turn in herself - it had been a long day and a longer night.
But as she got ready for bed, she remembered her earlier conversation with Carolyn... and one point in particular.
She jotted down a quick note on the counter, to remind herself in the morning. Call Tamara.
Humming to herself, she headed for bed.
********************
Gina Caldwell drummed her fingers on her desk impatiently. Every so often, she glanced at the clock on the wall.
"What is taking so long?" she growled.
"Don't worry, ma'am," Tilly said in her most assuring voice. "I got the call from Evelyn. They'll be here soon, prisoners in tow."
"Worry?" Ms. Caldwell scoffed. "I've suffered dramatic business losses in the past week, endured a break-in, and was just recently tied up and tossed in a closet. Why would I have any goddamn reason to worry?"
Tilly wanted to deliver an acidic comment in response to her boss' brusqueness, but held her tongue. Ms. Caldwell's recent bout of humiliation had done little to cool her haughty demeanor - not that Tilly had expected it would.
Heavy footfalls sounded down the hallway, towards the office door. Caldwell let out a breath. "Finally..."
The office door opened, and Evelyn stepped inside. She was followed closely by Jenna and Harper.
Caldwell eyed their appearance strangely. Evelyn and Harper were dressed in factory coveralls; Jenna was dressed in what appeared to be a watchwoman's uniform.
"Where did you get those clothes?" Caldwell asked in annoyance. "What happened to the security uniforms you usually wear?"
"Sorry, ma'am," Evelyn explained. "We needed to change clothes a few times on this job. Don't worry, we held on to our usual uniforms."
"In the future, please dress normally when entering my office," Caldwell said sternly. "Anyway, did you catch those break-in bitches?"
Evelyn nodded at Jenna and Harper, who promptly dragged a pair of bound, gagged, angry-looking women into the office. They tossed the two captives down before Caldwell's desk.
Caldwell looked down at Kelly and Addison. "Who the hell are these two? Where's the woman who broke into my office and drugged me?"
"Long story, ma'am," Evelyn said. "Rest assured, these are the women responsible for the headaches you've endured tonight."
Caldwell raised an eyebrow. Then she approached the two prisoners, knelt down beside Kelly, and unhooked her gag. "Talk. Who are you?"
Kelly glared at Caldwell defiantly, unwilling to speak.
Caldwell grabbed Kelly's hair and pulled, hard. The captive woman let out a cry of pain.
"Talk," Caldwell said sternly. "Or my girls will make you talk."
Harper cracked her knuckles, a malicious smile on her face. "Just say the word, boss."
"No, wait!" Kelly relented. "We... we work for Valencia Steele... or we did, before she was arrested."
At the mention of Valencia's name, Gina Caldwell looked surprised.
"We were just trying to get some of her money," Kelly admitted. "And you were a close business associate of hers... had the codes and everything..."
Gina glared at her secretary. "Tilly, I thought you wiped those connections!"
"I did," Tilly quickly lied.
Gina turned back to Kelly. "Well, whatever the case... you two made a mistake by trying to steal what's rightfully mine." She gestured to her guards. "Lock these two up in the brig; I'll figure out what to do with them later."
Evelyn nodded. She grabbed Kelly and re-gagged her, then hoisted the struggling woman up on her shoulder and exited the office. Jenna likewise lifted and carried Addison out of the room.
Harper lingered. " You sure you don't want me to rough them up, boss? I can be very convincing..."
"Not just yet," Caldwell said, waving the guard off.
Once the security women had left, Caldwell glared at Tilly. "Maybe you meant to scrub those codes... but you didn't do a good enough job."
Tilly kept silent.
Caldwell sat back down at her desk. "But I'm not going to waste time reprimanding anyone... the fact is, Valencia's arrest is a larger headache than just this little break-in."
She removed a folder from her drawer and set it on the desk. "As I was saying before we were interrupted earlier tonight... I've been collecting the news reports that have damaged Hobson and Cerberus in the last few weeks. And they have a nosy reporter or two in common."
She opened the folder. Inside were a series of news clippings from the Daily Tribune. Most of them had a single name beneath the headline - Bridget Baxter.
One or two of the clippings had a shared byline - Baxter and Moira Mills. "The same Moira Mills who broke that new story on Rucon," Caldwell observed.
"I'm afraid I don't follow," Tilly said. "You're collecting the work on... reporters?"
"Reporters," Gina Caldwell said the word acerbically, "are bad for business. Women like Baxter and Mills have been systematically ruining and toppling all the corporations that I have major stakes in. Every time one of these companies gets embroiled in a huge scandal, I lose money." She glared down at the clippings. "These idiot journalists claim to care about 'facts' and 'justice' but what they really care about is selling papers... And they don't give a damn if hardworking businesswomen like myself suffer because of it."
Tilly nodded. "I get it... But what can you do about it? The Tribune is widely read and distributed, both in print and online. And they're not known for listening to criticism."
"I know that," Caldwell said. "But I've had enough of these weasels ruining my life... And I'm sure plenty of other business entrepreneurs in my position feel the same way. These reporters need to be stopped and silenced... by any means necessary."
A crafty smile crossed her face. "Now listen carefully. I have a plan..."
THE END
That wraps up my final chapter/story of 2021. Seasons greetings, and a happy new year to all!
Joke aside, this sort of scenario is always interesting due to its moral dilemnas. Carolyn and Atsuko remain some of the characters I sympathize with the most on this Board. Plus, Carolyn's interactions with Adelaide are often great. I admit it, I thought the part during which she thinks Adelaide is up to her usual mockeries when she tells her Tilly gave her the clothes, even though she's telling the truth, weirdly hilarious.