excerpt from "Nothing Personal-4" by Downboy

[esercito sconfitto]

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Kirsty, Vernie and Nicole found themselves standing backs against the wall of the corridor that led to the main entrance and large, open plan reception area of the facility. “You two take care of the receptionist and I will head to the manager’s office. Once you have her secured strip her of her uniform and choose whoever you think it will fit best. They get to play the part” Kirsty whispered before turning away and leaving the two operatives to carry out her instructions. Vernie and Nicole watched Kirsty walk away and then turned and looked at each other, each thinking how they were going to get across the open space and get to the desk before the receptionist spotted them. The receptionist would be bound to question who they were and why they were arriving from the rear of the facility, which should have been reserved for staff, especially when the facility was technically closed. This could lead to the receptionist making a split second decision to call for help. That was an outcome that they couldn’t risk. Both women considered the situation both Vernie mouthed San Francisco. Nicole nodded her agreement. They would pull a San Francisco.

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Vernie chapped the wall quite loudly to attract the attention of the receptionist who turned toward the direction that he noise came from. “Hello” the receptionist called out. Vernie and Nicole retreated and chapped the wall again. This time the receptionist didn’t say anything. Vernie chapped again. “Girls, quit playing games.” Vernie chapped again and then she heard footsteps heading toward their position. “I mean it. This isn’t funny.” The receptionist rounded the corner into the corridor and got five paces in before stopping short when coming face to face with Vernie. The slight pause whilst the receptionist processed what was going to allowed Nicole to get behind her and clamp a leather gloved hand tightly over her mouth whilst also wrenching the receptionists left arm behind her back. Using just enough leverage to leave the young woman in no doubt who was in charge.

“Listen,” Vernie said glancing at the name tag on the receptionist’s uniform, “Monika we have no intention of hurting you if we don’t have to but be under no illusion that we are in complete control of this situation.” To emphasize the point Nicole put more pressure on the receptionist’s left arm. Vernie could see the woman’s eyes widened slightly above the hand that Nicole had clamped over her mouth. “Now as you do as we say nothing bad will happen to you. Nod if you understand,” Vernie continued a hint of her southern drawl peaking through. Monika nodded slowly. “My colleague is going to remove her hand but do not make a sound and open your mouth.” Monika obviously intimidated by the sudden appearance of these two women nodded again. Nicole slowly removed her hand, ready to clamp it back in place should the receptionist decide to scream. Thankfully she didn’t and Vernie was able to force a scrunched up cloth fully into her mouth. The receptionist coughed almost silently in shock at having the soft fabric filling her mouth. Vernie then tied a folded silk scarf over the receptionist’s mouth, tightly knotting it at the nape of the woman’s neck. “Don’t worry we know what we are doing Monika. Now get into that cupboard over there.” Vernie indicated a door about ten paces along the corridor and the receptionist reluctantly made her way toward it with the two operatives in close enough attendance to make sure that she didn’t decide to make a break for it.

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After leaving Vernie and Nicole to their task Kirsty walked through the building toward the office that belonged to the manager. Using the schematics that she had committed to memory Kirsty turned left and right, confident that she would not meet any other staff members. Their intelligence stated that at this time of morning the facility would have minimal staff levels, the two therapists that had been neutralised first, the receptionist that Kirsty had tasked Vernie and Nicole to take care of and the manager plus the security guard on the gate. Kirsty had decided to take care of the manager herself. Finding the correct door Kirsty flattened against the wall, pulled back her long down coat and removed the dart gun from the holster. Grabbing the handle Kirsty silently counted to five then burst through the door swinging the dart gun up to aim at a point just above the middle of the desk. To her surprise the large leather chair behind the desk was empty. Suddenly Kirsty heard movement from her right but couldn’t react before something heavy struck her forearms, forcing her arms down and making her drop the dart gun which slid away across the wooden floor. As Kirsty stared after the gun something barged into her side, knocking her to the floor and then something heavy fell on top of her. After hitting the floor Kirsty spun round to find that she was looking at a mop of curly dark hair which identified her assailant as the manager of the facility. Kirsty processed this information quickly and immediately switched modes as the manager got up and lunged toward her screaming, nails extended like the talons of a bird of prey. Kirsty dodged the nails but the two women collided again and they rolled over a couple of times, arms and legs everywhere. The manager flailed her arms at Kirsty and trying to make contact but Kirsty was able to easily deflect the blows using experience and the skills gained during years of training. The women grappled but Kirsty was in better physical condition, she worked out regularly and prided herself on her fitness levels. She let the manager continue to strike out, wasting energy and tiring herself out before picking the correct time to land a blow of her own, a short, sharp jab into the ribs which took the wind out of the manager. The woman audibly groaned and collapsed on top of Kirsty who easily flipped the manager off her and onto her back which allowed Kirsty to get up and retrieve the dart gun. Kirsty levelled the gun and looked down the sight at the manager. “I’ve called the police. They should be on the way” the manager said in between taking deep breaths.

Kirsty responded to this comment by retrieving her phone from the inside pocket of her down coat and quickly finding a number before selecting the speaker function and holding it up toward the woman lying on the floor. “Good morning. Emergency services, how can I direct your call?” Kirsty saw the woman physically slump as she recognised the voice. It was the same voice that the manager had spoken to when she had made the call to the police. Elizabeth Crawford had planned this to well to let the chance of a call leaving the facility ruin everything. They had left Horace to splice into the telephone lines at a nearby junction box. All calls had been diverted back to base.

“Now that help isn’t coming please give me the codes for safe.”

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It was tight in the cupboard but all three women managed to get in with some room to spare. “I think that they would fit you better” Vernie said to Nicole, not taking her eyes off the receptionist standing before them. The receptionist looked from Vernie to Nicole and back again, eyes wide and worried above the edge of the silk scarf and packed mouth. Nicole nodded. The receptionist was bigger than average and the uniform would probably fit the voluptuous Nicole better.

“I need your uniform Monika. Please take it off.” The receptionist stared at Nicole for a couple of seconds but made no move to obey the instruction. “You heard. It wasn’t a suggestion, now hurry up or we do this the hard way.” Monika could tell from the tone of voice that the woman with the auburn hair meant business so decided to comply. Slowly Monika undid the buttons on her pastel blue blazer and slipped it off, hanging it on a handily placed peg. Monika followed this by then taking off her similarly coloured blouse, skirt and heels before standing sheepishly trying to cover her modesty with her arms. At the same time Nicole had been slipping off her own clothing and piling it neatly on the floor. “I’ll need the stockings as well.” Reluctantly Monika unclipped the stockings and slid them down her legs before balling them up and throwing them at Nicole who caught them with one hand. “Getting feisty?”

“Just get dressed partner.” Vernie said, her southern accent once again peeking through the carefully practiced neutral one that she had worked on over the years. “Now Monika just spin round and put your hands behind your back.” Should Monika be under any illusions about what was going to happen next Vernie produced a length of cord and played it around in her hands. Monika winced as the cord was tightened around her wrists and then looped around her wrists several times and then knotted tightly, binding them together. Vernie placed her hands on Monika’s shoulders forcing the receptionist onto her knees. “Lie down.” Monika complied and Vernie used several other lengths of cord to bind the woman’s legs together at several points before Vernie finished securing the receptionist by using a short length of cord to tie Monika’s wrists to her ankles, hogtying her. “We can’t have you rolling around and making some noise and causing a distraction.” That comment got a mumbled response from the bound and gagged woman lying on the ground. That job completed Vernie turned round to find that her colleague was almost finished putting on the receptionist’s uniform, with only the blazer remaining.

“You better head off Vernie. Can you take my clothes?” Vernie nodded, grabbed the clothes and exited the cupboard. Nicole took a quick inventory to ensure that she had everything that she needed before slipping on the blazer and heading for the door to take her position at the reception desk.