Betting on the Right Horse
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:06 pm
Another short story. I reassure you, I haven't given up on Pakal yet. I'm slowly progressing that story alongside with the others, though I admit that as of now I'm writing slowly, I'm not very motivated to start a lengthy story. Slow and steady wins the race.
I think you'll quickly see to which story this one is making references.
It wasn't planned at all, but as always with these short stories, I randomly got an idea and wrote a story around it. Maybe some of the conversations foreshadow something, or maybe it's just continuity nods. For now, even I don't know for sure. 
Betting on the Right Horse
**************
House Eudokia was a minor aristocratic house, therefore its fortune looked tamed compared to the ones that used to be held by the major houses before the civil war. (Though it was ill-advised to mention it to their face.) However, in the eyes of the average person, they were still disgustingly rich.
Most notably, the Eudokias owned several estates in the country, and even abroad.
Among them, there was a huge complex of buildings consisting of a stud farm, plenty of stables, and horse race tracks with terraces. These races, as well as the breeding of thoroughbred horses, were a huge source of income for the Eudokias.
Around the estate, there was a small wall, as well as plenty of well-trimmed bushes and trees.
Osana was sitting on said small wall. She was taking a break, enjoying a moment of solitude. The redhead really needed that! She couldn’t stand the condescending attitude of the other guards towards her. Osana was indeed from the Province of Shield, a region that had a reputation of being incredibly backwards.
The woman was part of the estate’s security detail tasked with watching the stables, the stud farm and the terraces during the races.
She was wearing black shoes, black trousers, a golden brown equipment belt on which a walkie talkie, a nightstick, and a stun gun were strapped, a black jacket with golden buttons worn over a crisp white button-up shirt, and a black tie. During sunny days, just like today, she was also wearing tinted glasses. The Eudokias indeed wanted their security guards to look classy and elegant. A way to show off their status.
Osana didn’t know why the Eudokias were using such a big security detail to watch the place. These were just horses. How could horses be worth so much money? Irene was even hiring elite guards besides normal sentries like Osana.
The ginger-red-haired security guard adjusted her long twin-tails, tied up with black scrunchies. Her skin was light, though without freckles, and her eyes were orange brown. She was slightly taller and more slender than average, though she didn’t look muscular. Her face was somewhere between round-shaped and square-shaped.
Osana enjoyed the sun on her face, closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh.
“Seems like a rough day, uh?” a female voice suddenly asked her.
The security guard adjusted her sunglasses and looked at her interlocutor.
The newcomer had red hair, actually very similar to Osana’s hair colour, as well as hazel eyes, a light skin tone, and a fit slim body. Her midback-long twin-tails were a clear proof that, just like Osana, she was from the Province of Shield. Judging by her tacky clothes, the redhead was a tourist here to visit the stables, the stud farm, and the racetracks for the horses. (Tourism was actually another big source of income for this estate.)
The security guard nodded. “Yes. A rough day. The elite guards won't give me a break.” she admitted. “But I’m sure you understand what I’m going through… You’re from Crossroads?”
The woman sat next to her. “Iron Peak actually. But they don’t see any difference, right? For them, we’re all the same.”
Osana nodded. “Everyone see my twin-tails, understand where I come from, and they start to look at me as if I’m some sort of slow-minded hillbilly. You know that feeling too, don’t you?”
“Well… Yeah… Even my best friend used to think that she was smarter than me… It took me saving her life to change her mind.”
“Now, I’m not saying that being underestimated has no advantage… But it’s tiresome.” Osana shook her head, then added: “Sometimes, I’m wondering if life is nothing but a weak joke with no punchline…”
“Tell me about it!” the tourist exclaimed. “There are so many dumb ridiculous things happening to me, that I suppose a superior entity is having fun at my expense. Every time I take part in something, all the wackos of the country seem to have gathered together there to ruin everything!”
“Sounds rough.” the guard admitted.
“You have no idea! I can’t take it anymore! Stupid betting rings… Horny sentries… Convoluted plans...”
The woman paused, then added:
“Amateur infiltrators… Crazy infiltrators… CRAZY AMATEUR infiltrators...”
Osana started to look wary. “I don’t think I like where this conversation is heading…” she commented.
However, the tourist couldn’t stop herself: “Infiltrators that come at the last minute and take your loot AND taunt you with a little condescending message!”
Osana’s eyes widened as she understood the kind of woman the tourist truly was. She grabbed the handle of her stun gun.
The woman’s hand was as fast and as nimble as a snake. Its edge hit a very specific spot of the guard’s neck.
“Uh!” Osana exclaimed.
Her entire world became black.
**************
Selena caught the motionless security guard by the collar of her jacket to prevent her from falling from the wall. The sunglasses had fallen onto the grass after the neckchop, but they weren’t damaged.
“Apologies.” the red-haired criminal commented. “I didn’t think we’d connect with each other so much… I'll try to make it up to you. Somehow...”
She came off the low wall, and gently laid Osana on the grassy ground between the wall and some thick bushes. That way, the two women were away from prying eyes.
A quick injection of sleeping drug was used to put the guard out of commission for the next couple of hours.
Once she was sure that her victim wouldn’t cause any trouble, Selena didn’t waste any time. She swiftly removed the security guard’s shoes, equipment belt, trousers, tie, jacket, and button-up shirt.
“Elegant uniform…” Selena commented.
As underwear, Osana was wearing dark blue boxer briefs with white polka dots and black edges, a matching dark blue t-shirt bra with white polka dots, and plain grey socks.
The infiltrator pulled a few zip-ties out of her handbag, then bound Osana’s wrists and elbows behind her back. She also zip-tied the thighs, the knees, and the ankles. Selena then pulled out a roll of large thick black duct-tape, and cut a few strips. She stuck them onto Osana’s lips to gag her, and smoothed the tape over them.
Now that the sentry had been dealt with, Selena slipped into the discarded clothes.
The red-haired infiltrator was satisfied by the result. For once, she wouldn’t even have to hide her twin-tails. Before the beginning of the mission, Lucina had proposed to change her friend’s haircut. However, Selena had refused, arguing that her twin-tails would make her look even more harmless when playing the part of the ‘dumb tourist’.
She didn’t regret her choice. Thanks to her twin-tails, from afar, the redhead could easily pass herself for the real Osana. It was the advantage of stealing the guise of a fellow countrywoman…
To finish her disguise, Selena took Osana’s black scrunchies to tie her own twin-tails. It would have been a shame to be exposed as an impostor because of scrunchies! However, she removed her own hair elastics and used them to attach Osana’s hair, allowing the guard to keep her own twin-tails.
Because there were some things you simply didn’t do...
Selena pushed Osana’s unconscious motionless body further into the bushes to better conceal her.
Finally, the infiltrator picked up the discarded sunglasses, put them on, and emerged from the bushes. She headed towards the stables, imitating the walk of a security guard.
Hopefully, Lucina was doing as well as her...
**************
Laura was new at the job. Therefore, she still had some trouble finding her way in the estate. Luckily, this time she had managed to find the storage shed without having to be accompanied. She didn’t want to be the butt of the other employees’ jokes!
However, soon she would perhaps regret that she hadn’t been accompanied by another employee...
The stable girl was wearing brown leather boots, light blue jeans, a white t-shirt with the estate’s crest on its left breast, a long-sleeved light red-and-white button up checkered shirt that she was keeping open, and a light beige ‘cowboy hat’. Said hat was adorned with a golden pin representing the estate’s crest. A burgundy bandanna was tied around her neck.
Laura was in her mid-twenties, though she was taller and fitter than average and therefore looked older. Her shoulder light brown hair were tied into two braids, and there were freckles on her cheeks. She had a pointy chin, a light skin, and chestnut eyes.
The stable girl opened the door of a storage shed, intending to grab a shovel and a wheelbarrow to clean some stables.
Her eyes widened when she saw what was inside. Or more precisely, who.
A black-haired woman wearing outrageously tacky tourist clothes.
Lucina smiled at the newcomer. “Hello there! Thanks for dropping by.”
She grabbed Laura by the shoulders, and pulled her inside the shed.
“Ow?!”
WHACK!
**************
One little injection of sleeping drug and one undressing later, Laura was sleeping blissfully, clad in a red cage bra and hot pink cheeky panties. (Lucina needed her thick black socks, as her own were too thin to go with work boots, so she also took them.)
There was no shortage of ropes in a stud farm. Lucina easily found a few coils in this storage shed.
When she saw a big wheelbarrow in the left corner of the shed, the infiltrator got an idea.
Lucina bound Laura’s wrists behind her back, then bound her ankles. She wrapped a coil of rope around the legs, another around the shoulders. Then she shoved a handkerchief into the woman’s mouth, and used the girl’s bandanna as a cleave-gag.
Lucina put the bound-and-gagged stable girl into the wheelbarrow, and covered it with a tarpaulin to conceal the unconscious body. The fit was a little tight, Laura was balled up with her thighs touching her breasts, but outside of a few cramps she should be fine.
Except that she’d probably end up the butt of a few jokes from her colleagues...
Lucina then removed her ‘tourist clothes’ to slip into the stable girl’s clothes. She struggled a lot with the boots that were too tight, but hopefully the thick socks she had stolen would protect her feet from blisters.
Once Lucina was disguised, she adjusted the hat. The infiltrator had once again asked Selena to do her hair before the beginning of the mission. They were tied up into a crown braid, to allow her to hide them better under a headgear. That cowboy hat would therefore come in handy to conceal her face…
Lucina grabbed a broom to perfect her disguise and left the shed.
**************
The stable girl’s clothes were allowing Lucina to freely roam the estate. Since she was impersonating a low-ranked employee, she was beneath most people's notice. However, she knew that she would soon have to change clothes.
Indeed, to perform her heist, the black-haired infiltrator needed to approach and handle the horses. This set of clothes wasn’t granting her the authorization to do that.
Hierarchy was strict in the estate. The stable girls (and stable boys) were janitors in everything but name. The horse grooms were the ones taking care of the animals. Internal promotions were encouraged, but the estate’s managers were expecting everyone to scrupulously respect the delimitation of their job.
It wasn’t for nothing that the hats were given by the estate. They were a simple colour-coded way to indicate each worker’s status. Light beige hats were for stable girls, black hats were for horse grooms, and white hats were for managers.
With the broom she had stolen in the storage shed, Lucina was pretending to clean the ground. She had a hard time not grimacing because the boots were truly too tight. Even if she hadn’t needed a new disguise, she would have mugged at least one more person just to change her footwear...
The black-haired woman entered the stables area.
A good chunk of the boxes were currently empty: Most of the horses were outside. It was facilitating Lucina’s work, as it meant that most of the horse grooms were also outside. She was therefore rid of a lot of potential witnesses. Of course, it also meant that she had less potential ‘generous clothes donors’, but she was confident that at least one or two horse grooms would still be inside the stables.
Lucina searched the building, still pretending to be cleaning it, still ignoring her feet’s pain.
Her efforts were eventually rewarded.
The black-haired infiltrator smiled to herself when the lone woman passed next to her.
The horse groom was wearing black work shoes, black trousers, a brown belt, a light blue long-sleeved button up shirt, a brown sleeveless work waistcoat with the golden crest of the estate printed on the back, and a black cowboy hat with a golden pin representing the estate’s crest. A night blue bandanna was tied around her neck.
The tall woman with a crooked nose had shoulder-long bleached blond hair tied into a ponytail, though the roots were starting to show, revealing that naturally she was a brunette. Her eyes were hazel brown and her skin was tanned.
Her name badge was reading: ‘Nancy’.
“Lovely day, isn’t it?” Lucina commented to the woman.
She was trying to start a conversation, but only to distract the woman and to keep her within her reach.
The horse groom stopped walking and looked at her.
“More like a busy day.” Nancy answered. “I’m supposed to take care of the horses still inside all by myself. I can tell you, it ain’t easy work!”
Lucina smiled internally. Without meaning to, Nancy had just given her an important piece of information. She was alone, and the other horse grooms weren’t expecting her to come out of the stables before quite some time.
The infiltrator didn’t need subtlety anymore.
“Sorry to have interrupted you. I don’t want to make you late.” Lucina said out loud. At the same time, she was scanning her surroundings…
… and she noticed the empty horse box nearby.
Nancy shrugged. “It’s okay.”
Then she turned to walk away.
Lucina struck when the horse groom had her back turned on her.
In a few strides, the infiltrator was on her victim. She wrapped a viselike arm around Nancy’s throat and neck, then blocked it with her other arm.
The horse groom let out a: “Gah?!”
Lucina squeezed. She mentally counted the seconds while the horse groom was struggling.
“Oooooffff…”
Nancy’s body eventually relaxed and slumped into her captor’s arms.
“Lights out…” the latter commented.
Lucina dragged the motionless unconscious body under the shoulders into the empty box, and dropped her onto a pile of hay.
Just like with Laura, a quick injection of sleeping drug was used to make sure that Nancy would be out of Lucina’s hair for the next couple of hours.
The infiltrator then stole the black hat that was used to show Nancy’s status as a horse groom. She was delighted to realize that the horse groom’s feet were bigger than the stable girl’s. They were almost the same size as Lucina’s! The black-haired woman eagerly removed them.
Lucina then briefly pondered about whether or not she should take Nancy’s other clothes, and decided to do it. She had a hunch that at least the waistcoat was also a proof of the woman’s status as a horse groom, and the trousers were probably one as well. She unzipped and removed the work waistcoat, unbuttoned and took off the shirt, unlaced and removed the shoes, unbuckled the belt and pulled off the trousers.
Nancy was left clad in a white full-cup padded bra adorned with a pattern of brown little horses, matching boyshorts, and white ankle-long socks.
Usually, Lucina would have bound and gagged the woman before changing clothes. However, the boots were killing her feet. The infiltrator decided that, for once, she would slip into her new disguise first. Besides, Nancy had been injected with a sleeping drug. She wouldn’t wake up before a while.
Lucina kicked away the boots that were too tight, and removed her own clothes until she was in her undergarments.
However, just as she was about to slip into her new disguise, an unexpected event happened.
“Hello? I heard something! Is anyone there?” someone asked from the entrance of the stable.
It was a woman’s voice.
Shit! A witness! Quick, Luce’! Think fast!
Lucina wouldn’t be able to reach her tools or to set up an ambush in time, before the newcomer would enter the box. She had to find something else.
The infiltrator suddenly remembered a scene she had read in a story, a long time ago. About an infiltrator who was also ‘caught with her pants down’, so to speak. And who found an ingenious way-out: To pretend that the woman she just mugged and she were right in the middle of… some wild ‘roleplay’, to use a euphemism. It wasn’t a story suited for all audiences, to say the least...
Still, it was a better idea than nothing.
Lucina rolled Nancy on her stomach, and made her lay on the hay. She joined the woman’s forearms in front of her, and put the horse groom’s chin on them. An outsider could be mistaken to think that the woman was simply lying on her stomach. Since from the entrance, one could only see the horse groom’s back, they couldn’t realize that she was unconscious.
Lucina sat on Nancy’s back, grabbed the woman’s shoulders, and pretended to massage them.
When the newcomer entered, Lucina commented with a seductive voice (loud enough to make sure that the other could hear her): “You like it don’t you? Well don’t worry, as soon as I’m done with the shoulders, I’ll remove your panties and send you to cloud nine in no time…”
“Uhm… Wh- What’s going on?”
Lucina was delighted to hear hesitation in the woman’s voice. If she was flustered, it meant that she lacked confidence and was probably low-ranked. A superior would have admonished the two women.
The infiltrator hid her joy though, and pretended to be furious. She looked at the newcomer.
“Do you mind?!” she barked.
Luckily for her, even though the newcomer was a guard, she seemed rather young. Probably a new recruit.
Lucina glared daggers at her.
“Excuse you! Can’t you see that my girlfriend and I are taking advantage of her break to have a moment?!”
The guard shook her head. “S-Sorry! I didn’t meant to! I- I’ll be leaving now!”
“You better not tell anyone! If you snitch on us, you’ll find horse dung in your locker every day!”
The woman literally ran away. “I won’t tell! I won’t tell!”
Lucina smiled mockingly once she was out of sight. “Sucker…”
She then noticed that Nancy was smiling in her sleep.
“Well, apparently I can move into massage. Who knew?” the black-haired woman commented to herself.
Just in case the guard wouldn’t keep her promise, Lucina quickly grabbed the horse groom’s discarded clothes and started to put them on.
However, she suddenly heard other footsteps.
SHIT!
Lucina hurriedly moved back to her position on Nancy’s back, and for the second time started to rub her shoulders.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a guard uniform.
Seriously? Did the guard actually come back?!
“Is that you again? Stop getting an eyeful, pervert!” the infiltrator exclaimed.
However, the newcomer wasn’t the same woman.
“Luce’! What are you doing?!”
Lucina’s face became bright red. “Selena?! This is not what it looks like! I swear!” She hurriedly moved away from the unconscious Nancy.
“I knew it! I knew that things would turn out ridiculous and convoluted at some point!” her friend exclaimed.
“It was an improvisation! A guard was approaching while I was undressing myself and I had to come up with an idea!” It was hard to look credible when one was half-naked, with her dark blue bra with golden edges and matching panties in full display, but Lucina tried her best.
“And THAT was the first idea you came up with?!” Selena retorted.
“I am NOT a pervert!”
Selena eyed the unconscious woman. “Well, she certainly looks like she enjoyed it…”
Nancy’s smile was indeed even wider, courtesy of her second shoulders-massage.
“It’s an unintended side-effect!” Lucina shook her head and grabbed Nancy’s trousers to slip into them. “Look! Can we just forget about what happened and move on?”
“Funny. This is what I tell myself after every heist.” a deadpan Selena dryly answered.
“Ha! Ha!” Lucina pretended to laugh while putting on and buttoning up the shirt.
She let out a sigh of pure bliss when she put on the shoes, which helped her forget about the embarrassing incident that had just happened.
Selena grabbed a few coils of ropes that were hanging on a hook in the stable. She wrapped one above Nancy’s breasts and one below them to immobilize her arms, then she cross-tied her wrists behind her back. She wrapped one more coil around the calves. Lucina gave her a clean handkerchief found in Nancy’s trousers pocket, which she shoved into the horse groom’s mouth. Finally, for the second time today, Lucina took a woman’s personal bandanna and used it as a make-shift cleave-gag, knotting it behind the neck.
The two accomplices concealed the horse groom in the haystack, under the hay.
“I can’t believe it…” Selena was still commenting.
“Stop beating a dead horse!” Lucina retorted.
"Then don't start making puns!"
**************
The two disguised criminals exited the stable.
“So the final step should be easy. I will grab the horse our client wants us to steal while you will pretend to escort me. We ‘borrow’ one of these nice horse trucks, and we bow out with elegance and discretion.” Lucina summed up.
Selena shook her head glumly. “Nothing is ever easy as far as we’re concerned.”
“Don’t say that! You’ll jinx us! Besides- Wait!”
Lucina, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and put a hand on Selena’s chest to stop her as well.
“Hold your horses!” the black-haired woman whispered.
Beat.
“I will kill you for that pun.” Selena retorted.
She was only HALF-joking.
“Oh please, don’t get on your high horse. We have more urging matters.”
“LUCE’!”
“Stop complaining and look at that!”
Lucina pointed at a group of people who were standing near the stables where the most expensive horses were located.
One was a manager of the estate, but the others...
Selena paled suddenly when she recognized them.
The owners of the estate, the Eudokias, were here.
The two infiltrators quickly hid in the shadows behind a wall.
The matriarch of the family, Irene Eudokia, was the perfect prototype of an Olympian house head. Elegant and cultured. However, Selena could only see the shrewd merciless spark in the woman’s eyes. She was wondering how many people Irene had thrown under the bus to get her family to its current position, both figuratively and literally.
Theophano Eudokia, the eldest child and heiress, had her mother’s arrogance, but not her intelligence, so she overcompensated with a snobbish scornful behaviour. Currently, she was looking very grim.
The middle children, Basile and Constantin, were twin brothers. Their muscles, the look in their eyes and their smiles were reminding Selena of the jocks who bully people in high-school.
Finally, Zoë was following her family with a sullen expression. Her dislike of equitation was common knowledge. Lucina and Selena knew that they had to avoid Irene’s youngest child. Indeed, back when they were still part of Sao’s and Reka’s team of mercenaries, Zoë was their employer. She could probably recognize them… and therefore she could spot them as impostors.
Irene was giving instructions to the manager. “I want you to bring out Brave Hawk, Golden Grace, Ice Queen, Spirit, and Storm. Their buyers are waiting for them.”
“But mother! These horses belong to me-” Theophano started to protest.
One glare from her mother was enough to shut her up.
“Need I have to remind you how much your little operation cost us, daughter mine?” Irene retorted.
She wasn’t even raising her voice, yet Theophano became bright red and recoiled in fear, as if her mother had threatened to slap her. Her brothers and her sister wisely took several steps to move away from their disgraced sibling.
“The heiress of an Olympian House, caught red-handed and arrested like a vulgar criminal.” Irene coldly commented. “Do you have any idea of the quantity of money I had to spend in bribes? Do you have any idea of the political favours I had to promise? Now, because of you, I owe something to Hieron. Our political position has never been so precarious. One misstep, and we’re finished!”
“It was the fault of these sisters who-”
Irene raised one hand, and Theophano’s retort died out. “Our House survived Olympian politics, the in-fighting at the end of the civil war, and the after-war trials. I refuse to see it destroyed by your incompetence.” the mother calmly enunciated.
“But the sisters-”
“- will be dealt with IF I deem it fit. And IF I decide to deal with them, I will choose WHEN and HOW.” Irene then starter to discuss on again the sale of her daughter's horses.
Lucina and Selena didn’t exactly know what they were talking about. And, to put it frankly, they didn’t care one bit.
Well, except for one thing.
Spirit was the horse they had been hired to steal. And they had just learned that it was supposed to be moved away. The two impostors couldn’t anymore just stroll in under the guise of horse grooms and take the horse. The managers had probably selected other people. Selena and Lucina would have to intercept them somehow.
They needed to change their original plan, and quickly!
Selena suddenly remembered her conversation with Osana. More specifically, the part about the elite guards. "I think I have an idea." she told her friend.
**************
Most of the estate’s security detail consisted of average guards. People like Osana or that poor rookie that Lucina traumatized for life. While they had some training, they were mostly here to stand around, look tough, and deal with wandering tourists or angry punters.
However, to protect the valuable horses, the Eudokias were employing more talented elite guards. People who were better trained, and who of course costed more money. But also people who could dispatch real motivated robbers.
Diane, Eileen, and Florence were among these guards. The three women were wearing the uniform of these higher-ranked sentries: black combat shoes, red trousers, a red jacket over a white shirt, a black equipment belt with various weapons, and a red beret with a golden pin.
Diane was a tall light-skinned redhead with hazel-green eyes, and a fit athletic-looking body that was a testimony of her strength.
Eileen was of average size. She had hazel green eyes and short chin-long hair, kept in place by her headband, with a bang swept to the left. One strand of hair was covering each cheek. Her light brown hair were fully dyed with a tango pink colour. She had a round face and a white skin.
Florence was a slightly taller white-skinned blue-eyed woman whose hair were tied into a high ponytail. One strand of hair was also covering each of her cheeks, and on her forehead there was a bang swept to the right. She had blond hair, but she was dying them light pink.
Currently, the three women were patrolling around the stables. They were having a conversation at the same time.
“I’m just saying that I don’t understand why Theophano hired ALL of Roxane’s former security staff…” Diane commented.
“Why are you complaining? You should be grateful!” Florence objected. “Not many people would give a second chance to sentries who have a police record AND failed spectacularly to protect their employer.”
The Eudokias had indeed hired most of Roxane Barca’s former security detail after the latter’s arrest. Sure, they had failed to protect their employer, but only because the government itself schemed to make her fall. Plus, it wasn’t every day that an entire functional security detail was put on the market. Theophano even didn’t hesitate to pull a few strings to have the guards who were imprisoned released, and to sweep under the rug their police record.
Eileen and Florence were quite happy with their new situation. Especially since they were able to work as guards, and not as maids. The two lovers were indeed mercenaries for hire. Sure, Roxane used to pay them more so that they’d agree to work as maids… But they still had their pride!
Diane explained her point of view: “I’m simply NOT looking forward to have to babysit the incompetent ones...”
“Well, good news then. I heard that Midori and Amai quit.” Eileen commented.
Diane smiled. “Good riddance!”
“Also, Ayano is in the hospital.”
The redhead’s smile widened. “Perfect! That’s two good news for the price of one!”
“And she’s probably going back to jail.”
Diane frowned. “What?! How?! What did I miss?”
“Heard that Theophano tried to do something spectacular to prove her worth.” Florence answered.
“I guess it failed.”
Florence nodded. “Spectacularly. Everyone was arrested.”
Selena and Lucina approached the patrolling guards discreetly from behind.
Eileen was adding: “A total utter humiliation. I heard that Zoe spent hours ball-tied in a fish delivery trunk.”
“Poor her! Must have caught a cold…” Diane commented.
“Oh no, it was a fake fish delivery truck, so it wasn’t refrigerated.” Eileen explained.
Diane gave her a meaningful look. “A FISH delivery truck?”
“Apparently, this was a very important part of the boss' plan!” Eileen added, as if to justify herself.
“Seriously? If you’re going to take the trouble to disguise a truck, why make it a FISH DELIVERY truck? It’s like the boss is purposefully trying to make fools out of us!”
“And you know what happened to Edwige?” Florence added. “She was found bound to two other women in a kinky bondage position… and Phoebe was part of it! That goon was so horny, the police heard her moans from outside their closet... Talk about an embarrassing way to be found in!”
Diane shrugged. “Well, I’ve always found Edwige annoying with her sport obsession… Serves her right!”
Lucina and Selena were almost on them. They were about to strike.
However, Diane suddenly noticed them. She frowned.
Shit! Lucina thought. Busted!
“Hey, Osana! What are you doing here?!” Diane exclaimed.
Lucina couldn’t believe her ears. Selena’s dumb twin-tails had just saved their hides!
However, the black-haired woman wasn’t the kind of person who would question a gift of fate. She knew that it would only take these women a few seconds to realize that the redhead in front of them was not Osana.
“Low blow!” Lucina exclaimed.
She kicked Diane between the legs. The guard opened big wide eyes and squeaked. She maybe wasn’t a man, but it was still an effective tactic to neutralize her.
Eileen and Florence shared one glance.
“Infiltrators!” they then exclaimed, as if it was a war cry.
Lucina and Selena jumped them, as Diane was falling on her knees while muttering ‘Bloody bitches!’ in-between two moans of pain.
The pink-haired women were trained mercenaries, and had been hardened by a criminal career.
However, so were Lucina and Selena. And they also had received a military training, and had been trained by Reka during their time as henchwomen. They were stronger than their opponents.
The scuffle ended abruptly Selena grabbed Eileen’s head, Lucina grabbed Florence’s, and they conked the two women’s skulls. This left the pink-haired women dazed. A punch to the temple and a neck-chop were respectively used to knock them out. The guards barely had the time to make a grunt.
Diane was recovering from the hit. “I’ll- I’ll make you pay!” she muttered.
Then she realized that she was alone against two. The guard quickly changed her tune.
“I meant- I will pay you to not hurt me!”
Lucina smiled. “How much?” she asked.
Selena rolled her eyes. “Luce’…” she started to say.
“Hey! Can’t blame me for trying to earn some pocket money on the side!” her friend joked.
While they were arguing, Diane was slowly moving her hand to grab her walkie-talkie.
Unfortunately for her, Selena noticed her. “So you think you can take us for fools?” she growled.
Diane gulped. “I was just-”
Selena’s fist flew, and hit a very specific part of the guard’s forehead, instantly sending her to slumberland.
“I hate it when people take me for a fool…” the redhead added.
**************
Lucina didn’t have enough knock-out serum anymore for the three guards. Therefore, she injected each of them with a smaller dose. The effects wouldn’t last long… though they would last long enough for the infiltrators to do their thing.
The two accomplices stripped the women down to their undergarments. (Lucina insisted to also divest the spare one of her uniform. Since Diane was the spare one, Selena didn’t try to object.)
Diane was wearing a blue sports bra, dark blue seamless sports stretching panties, and black sports socks. Eileen and Florence were wearing the same striped black-and-red socks. Eileen was also clad in light pink cheeky panties with white little flowers and a matching t-shirt bra, while Florence was wearing a white full-cup push-up bra and white briefs that both had a pattern of colourful butterflies.
Lucina located a small tool-shed. Then she looked at the three defeated women. “You know… Their conversation gave me an idea…” she said with a sly smile.
Selena rolled her eyes. “Luce’… Do we really have the time?”
The black-haired woman checked her wristwatch. “In fact, yes.”
“Goodness! You’re doing it again, just like with these horny sentries! That was a RHETORICAL question! RHETORICAL!”
Lucina ignored her outburst. “Put your uniform on. I’ll deal with the rest.”
Selena groaned in annoyance. “One of these days, Luce’… One of these days…”
Her friend opened the door of the shed and dragged the three guards inside one by one.
“I wish I could see their reaction when they’ll wake up…” the black-haired woman was muttering to herself.
**************
Diane groaned, and opened her eyes. It didn’t take the groggy guard long to realize that her limbs were restrained, and that a gag was silencing her. Indeed, ropes were wrapped around her wrists, her ankles, her elbows, her knees, and her upper-arms. Tape was wrapped around her lower face to silence her.
Worst, Diana could clearly feel that she was almost naked – her uniform had been stolen. Only her underpants remained.
Oh… Not again!
But being bound and gagged in her skivvies wasn’t actually the worst thing that had happened to her. Indeed, the red-haired guard found herself sandwiched between Eileen and Florence.
The two pink-haired women were bound with ropes and gagged with tape in a way that was similar to Diane’s.
However, because of the small size of the shed, Eileen’s and Florence’s bodies were pressed against Diane’s: the first was to her right, and the latter was to her left. The infiltrators even wrapped a few ropes around their three bodies to make sure the sentries would remain ‘close to each other’, so to speak. Diane could feel the other two women’s breasts pressed against her shoulders, and their thighs pressed against hers.
It was, for all intent and purpose, a kinky bondage position. Rather similar to the one Edwige was found in.
Seriously? Come on! I spoke ill of Edwige for, like, two seconds! Did I really DESERVE karmic justice for that?!
Diane shook her head.
Eileen and Florence had also woken up by now. They were groaning and moaning in their gags. The red-haired guard could feel their bodies move and grind slightly against hers.
Something was wrong however. Diane suddenly realized that she was the target of the two pink-haired women’s annoyed glances. Clearly, they were resenting the fact that she was in-between them!
Oh come on! Seriously? At a time like this?! she tried to say through her gag.
“Hh cumh hn! Shriislh? Ht h thmh lhkh thhs?!”
She of course couldn’t understand how frustrating it was for the other two guards. Not only were Eileen and Florence utterly humiliated, not only would they have to spend hours in an uncomfortable position; but they also couldn’t have the only solace guards like them could have in their situation. Aka taking comfort in the other’s presence and, maybe, trying to make the most of their situation and to find some pleasure.
Diane sighed in her gag. The wait was going to be long…
**************
While walking, Lucina and Selena were imitating the confident ‘I-am-ten-times-better-than-you’ attitude of elite guards. They quickly went to the part of the stables where their target was located.
They got lucky.
Two horse grooms were currently leading the horse called Spirit out of his box. The first employee had slick black hair, a pale skin, and dark brown eyes. The second employee had frizzy black hair, a black skin, and brown eyes.
“We were almost late.” Selena whispered.
“Key word: ‘Almost’.” Lucina softly retorted, to justify her decision to have some fun with the bondage technique on Diane, Eileen, and Florence.
The black-haired quickly came up with a plan.
“Plus. I think we may find a way to use these two to our advantage. Looks like luck is on our side for once...”
She cleared her throat.
The two horse grooms looked at her. “Is there a problem?”
Lucina nodded. “The managers are fearing a theft. We were sent here to escort you.” she lied. Once again, her talent to lie at people's faces didn't fail her.
The two employees shared a look, but then nodded. “Okay.”
Had Lucina and Selena worn normal guards’ uniforms, the horse grooms would probably have been suspicious. However, the two impostors were wearing the outfits of elite guards, clothes that gave them a lot of authority.
It was enough to fool the two horse grooms.
Lucina and Selena knew about the general layout of the estate. They knew that there were several parkings for the horse trucks.
The impostors took the liberty to lead the way… and to lead the horse grooms to a secondary parking area, where there was no witness.
The two employees’ help proved to be very useful, as thanks to them the thieves didn’t need to make the horse enter the truck themselves.
“There you go. It’s done.” the black-skinned employee commented after she closed the back door of the horse truck.
“Thanks a lot! You were very helpful.” Selena said.
“Just for that, we’ll let you keep your clothes.” Lucina added.
The employees frowned. “Ex- Excuse you?” one asked.
The black-haired infiltrator ignored her. “However, we can’t let you drive that horse away. Or wander freely for the next hour for that matter.”
“Is- Is this a joke?”
“You’re supposed to be a guard…”
Lucina chuckled. “Oh! If only you knew…”
She and Selena lunged forward.
Each horse groom suddenly found herself with a stun gun pressed under her chin.
Lucina smiled. “So. Do you surrender quietly or do we have to use these gadgets?”
**************
They left the two bound-and-gagged women seated inside an empty horse truck. The unlucky horse grooms were bound back-to-back with ropes. Each woman’s legs were also immobilized with ropes wrapped around them. Lucina and Selena had used the employees’ bandannas as cleave-gags.
Well, at least the two women were still fully-clothed...
Lucina ignored their victims’ pleading looks, and closed the backdoor of the vehicle.
“Bear it with me, girls! I’m sure you’ll be found in no time!” she commented.
“Hurry up!” her accomplice exclaimed.
Lucina and Selena were about to climb into the horse truck. They wanted to drive away before one of their many victims was found.
A voice suddenly called them: “Hey, you two! What are you doing with that horse? My father has bought him for me!”
The newcomer was a young woman in her early twenties. Her shoulder-long hair were platinium blond, with a few strands dyed blue. She had a square haircut. Her skin was lightly tanned thanks to plenty of self-tanning creams, and her eyes were blue. The curvy young woman had shapely legs and thighs. She was wearing an expensive equestrian garb designed by a renowned couturier: brown cavalier leather boots with gold metallic parts, black riding trousers, a crisp white shirt, a crimson red riding jacket with silver-plated buttons, and a black riding helmet.
“You peasants better handle him with care, or I’ll sue you for what little money you have!” the young woman added.
Selena and Lucina shared a glance. “We should really ignore her…” the redhead whispered to her friend. “We’re on schedule.”
The rich spoiled brat apparently didn’t like the fact that they were ignoring her. “Are you daft?” She looked at Selena. “Well, judging by your haircut, I don’t expect you to be able to form full sentences, so probably yes…”
Selena’s face became bright red because of her anger.
Lucina looked at her. “Change of plan?” she proposed, as she knew the redhead couldn’t stand being frowned upon because of her origins.
Her friend nodded. “Change of plan.”
Lucina bowed gracefully. “She’s all yours…”
The spoiled rich girl frowned. “How dare you ignore me? My father is-”
Selena’s fist violently collided with her face.
**************
“Apologies for that.” Selena told her friend. “I put us behind schedule.”
Lucina shrugged. “No need to feel sorry.”
The black-haired woman tightened the ropes hog-tying the rider. The latter squirmed and let out muffled squeals.
The platinium-blond-haired woman had been stripped down to her undergarments: a ruby red thong and a black balcony bra. Her wrists were tied behind her back, coils of ropes were wrapped around her shoulders and around her legs and ankles. A rope was connecting the bound wrists to the bound ankles, forcing the prisoner to lift her legs. The woman’s long white riding socks had been shoved into her mouth, and a copious amount of tape was wrapped around the lower face as a gag and around the eyes as a blindfold.
“I made the bonds extra uncomfortable, just for you Selena.” Lucina added.
“Thanks Luce’…”
The redhead was currently slipping into the spoiled heiress’ riding outfit.
Now, Selena usually wasn’t the kind of infiltrator who was looking for any excuse to strip a woman just for the fun of it. She had a very practical vision on uniform stealing. She wasn’t enjoying the process, it was a mean to an end for her.
But with this girl who insulted her, she chose to make an exception...
“You’re welcome.” Lucina answered.
She looked at her ropework.
“I say, it’s the perfect way to finish this little operation! I mean, we infiltrated a stud farm, and we ALMOST didn’t hog-tie anyone… For one second, I thought we were going to look bad.”
Selena rolled her eyes. “Aaaand you’re making it weird and ridiculous. Again.”
“Bah! It was to avenge your honour! Plus, that boat had already sailed with the three guards in the tool-shed…”
“Or with you massaging that horse groom.” the redhead slyly remarked.
Lucina became bright red. “Can we NOT talk about that, please?”
Selena smiled. “Maybe.” she teased her friend.
They left the hog-tied woman in the open, awaiting her humiliating discovery, and climbed into the van. Lucina sat behind the wheel.
Then they drove away with their prize.
"Well, it was a bumpy ride at some points, but we succeeded. Choosing this mission was the right idea." Lucina commented with a beaming smile. "Looks like we've been... betting on the right horse!"
They almost went off the road when Selena tried to strangle her for that pun.
**************
A few days later, Osana was at home, on sick leave because of her mugging. She was surprised to see that an enveloppe with a good sum of money had been deposited in her mailbox. Inside, there was also a small message: 'People from Shield like us should stick together.'
The red-haired guard shrugged. "Meh. I've seen weirder things." she commented to herself. "Actually, I wouldn't mind being mugged by this one again..."
She would later learn that the infiltrator had mugged a postal worker to find her address.
Truly, life WAS a bad joke with no punchline...
**************
THE END
I think you'll quickly see to which story this one is making references.
It wasn't planned at all, but as always with these short stories, I randomly got an idea and wrote a story around it. Maybe some of the conversations foreshadow something, or maybe it's just continuity nods. For now, even I don't know for sure. Betting on the Right Horse
**************
House Eudokia was a minor aristocratic house, therefore its fortune looked tamed compared to the ones that used to be held by the major houses before the civil war. (Though it was ill-advised to mention it to their face.) However, in the eyes of the average person, they were still disgustingly rich.
Most notably, the Eudokias owned several estates in the country, and even abroad.
Among them, there was a huge complex of buildings consisting of a stud farm, plenty of stables, and horse race tracks with terraces. These races, as well as the breeding of thoroughbred horses, were a huge source of income for the Eudokias.
Around the estate, there was a small wall, as well as plenty of well-trimmed bushes and trees.
Osana was sitting on said small wall. She was taking a break, enjoying a moment of solitude. The redhead really needed that! She couldn’t stand the condescending attitude of the other guards towards her. Osana was indeed from the Province of Shield, a region that had a reputation of being incredibly backwards.
The woman was part of the estate’s security detail tasked with watching the stables, the stud farm and the terraces during the races.
She was wearing black shoes, black trousers, a golden brown equipment belt on which a walkie talkie, a nightstick, and a stun gun were strapped, a black jacket with golden buttons worn over a crisp white button-up shirt, and a black tie. During sunny days, just like today, she was also wearing tinted glasses. The Eudokias indeed wanted their security guards to look classy and elegant. A way to show off their status.
Osana didn’t know why the Eudokias were using such a big security detail to watch the place. These were just horses. How could horses be worth so much money? Irene was even hiring elite guards besides normal sentries like Osana.
The ginger-red-haired security guard adjusted her long twin-tails, tied up with black scrunchies. Her skin was light, though without freckles, and her eyes were orange brown. She was slightly taller and more slender than average, though she didn’t look muscular. Her face was somewhere between round-shaped and square-shaped.
Osana enjoyed the sun on her face, closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh.
“Seems like a rough day, uh?” a female voice suddenly asked her.
The security guard adjusted her sunglasses and looked at her interlocutor.
The newcomer had red hair, actually very similar to Osana’s hair colour, as well as hazel eyes, a light skin tone, and a fit slim body. Her midback-long twin-tails were a clear proof that, just like Osana, she was from the Province of Shield. Judging by her tacky clothes, the redhead was a tourist here to visit the stables, the stud farm, and the racetracks for the horses. (Tourism was actually another big source of income for this estate.)
The security guard nodded. “Yes. A rough day. The elite guards won't give me a break.” she admitted. “But I’m sure you understand what I’m going through… You’re from Crossroads?”
The woman sat next to her. “Iron Peak actually. But they don’t see any difference, right? For them, we’re all the same.”
Osana nodded. “Everyone see my twin-tails, understand where I come from, and they start to look at me as if I’m some sort of slow-minded hillbilly. You know that feeling too, don’t you?”
“Well… Yeah… Even my best friend used to think that she was smarter than me… It took me saving her life to change her mind.”
“Now, I’m not saying that being underestimated has no advantage… But it’s tiresome.” Osana shook her head, then added: “Sometimes, I’m wondering if life is nothing but a weak joke with no punchline…”
“Tell me about it!” the tourist exclaimed. “There are so many dumb ridiculous things happening to me, that I suppose a superior entity is having fun at my expense. Every time I take part in something, all the wackos of the country seem to have gathered together there to ruin everything!”
“Sounds rough.” the guard admitted.
“You have no idea! I can’t take it anymore! Stupid betting rings… Horny sentries… Convoluted plans...”
The woman paused, then added:
“Amateur infiltrators… Crazy infiltrators… CRAZY AMATEUR infiltrators...”
Osana started to look wary. “I don’t think I like where this conversation is heading…” she commented.
However, the tourist couldn’t stop herself: “Infiltrators that come at the last minute and take your loot AND taunt you with a little condescending message!”
Osana’s eyes widened as she understood the kind of woman the tourist truly was. She grabbed the handle of her stun gun.
The woman’s hand was as fast and as nimble as a snake. Its edge hit a very specific spot of the guard’s neck.
“Uh!” Osana exclaimed.
Her entire world became black.
**************
Selena caught the motionless security guard by the collar of her jacket to prevent her from falling from the wall. The sunglasses had fallen onto the grass after the neckchop, but they weren’t damaged.
“Apologies.” the red-haired criminal commented. “I didn’t think we’d connect with each other so much… I'll try to make it up to you. Somehow...”
She came off the low wall, and gently laid Osana on the grassy ground between the wall and some thick bushes. That way, the two women were away from prying eyes.
A quick injection of sleeping drug was used to put the guard out of commission for the next couple of hours.
Once she was sure that her victim wouldn’t cause any trouble, Selena didn’t waste any time. She swiftly removed the security guard’s shoes, equipment belt, trousers, tie, jacket, and button-up shirt.
“Elegant uniform…” Selena commented.
As underwear, Osana was wearing dark blue boxer briefs with white polka dots and black edges, a matching dark blue t-shirt bra with white polka dots, and plain grey socks.
The infiltrator pulled a few zip-ties out of her handbag, then bound Osana’s wrists and elbows behind her back. She also zip-tied the thighs, the knees, and the ankles. Selena then pulled out a roll of large thick black duct-tape, and cut a few strips. She stuck them onto Osana’s lips to gag her, and smoothed the tape over them.
Now that the sentry had been dealt with, Selena slipped into the discarded clothes.
The red-haired infiltrator was satisfied by the result. For once, she wouldn’t even have to hide her twin-tails. Before the beginning of the mission, Lucina had proposed to change her friend’s haircut. However, Selena had refused, arguing that her twin-tails would make her look even more harmless when playing the part of the ‘dumb tourist’.
She didn’t regret her choice. Thanks to her twin-tails, from afar, the redhead could easily pass herself for the real Osana. It was the advantage of stealing the guise of a fellow countrywoman…
To finish her disguise, Selena took Osana’s black scrunchies to tie her own twin-tails. It would have been a shame to be exposed as an impostor because of scrunchies! However, she removed her own hair elastics and used them to attach Osana’s hair, allowing the guard to keep her own twin-tails.
Because there were some things you simply didn’t do...
Selena pushed Osana’s unconscious motionless body further into the bushes to better conceal her.
Finally, the infiltrator picked up the discarded sunglasses, put them on, and emerged from the bushes. She headed towards the stables, imitating the walk of a security guard.
Hopefully, Lucina was doing as well as her...
**************
Laura was new at the job. Therefore, she still had some trouble finding her way in the estate. Luckily, this time she had managed to find the storage shed without having to be accompanied. She didn’t want to be the butt of the other employees’ jokes!
However, soon she would perhaps regret that she hadn’t been accompanied by another employee...
The stable girl was wearing brown leather boots, light blue jeans, a white t-shirt with the estate’s crest on its left breast, a long-sleeved light red-and-white button up checkered shirt that she was keeping open, and a light beige ‘cowboy hat’. Said hat was adorned with a golden pin representing the estate’s crest. A burgundy bandanna was tied around her neck.
Laura was in her mid-twenties, though she was taller and fitter than average and therefore looked older. Her shoulder light brown hair were tied into two braids, and there were freckles on her cheeks. She had a pointy chin, a light skin, and chestnut eyes.
The stable girl opened the door of a storage shed, intending to grab a shovel and a wheelbarrow to clean some stables.
Her eyes widened when she saw what was inside. Or more precisely, who.
A black-haired woman wearing outrageously tacky tourist clothes.
Lucina smiled at the newcomer. “Hello there! Thanks for dropping by.”
She grabbed Laura by the shoulders, and pulled her inside the shed.
“Ow?!”
WHACK!
**************
One little injection of sleeping drug and one undressing later, Laura was sleeping blissfully, clad in a red cage bra and hot pink cheeky panties. (Lucina needed her thick black socks, as her own were too thin to go with work boots, so she also took them.)
There was no shortage of ropes in a stud farm. Lucina easily found a few coils in this storage shed.
When she saw a big wheelbarrow in the left corner of the shed, the infiltrator got an idea.
Lucina bound Laura’s wrists behind her back, then bound her ankles. She wrapped a coil of rope around the legs, another around the shoulders. Then she shoved a handkerchief into the woman’s mouth, and used the girl’s bandanna as a cleave-gag.
Lucina put the bound-and-gagged stable girl into the wheelbarrow, and covered it with a tarpaulin to conceal the unconscious body. The fit was a little tight, Laura was balled up with her thighs touching her breasts, but outside of a few cramps she should be fine.
Except that she’d probably end up the butt of a few jokes from her colleagues...
Lucina then removed her ‘tourist clothes’ to slip into the stable girl’s clothes. She struggled a lot with the boots that were too tight, but hopefully the thick socks she had stolen would protect her feet from blisters.
Once Lucina was disguised, she adjusted the hat. The infiltrator had once again asked Selena to do her hair before the beginning of the mission. They were tied up into a crown braid, to allow her to hide them better under a headgear. That cowboy hat would therefore come in handy to conceal her face…
Lucina grabbed a broom to perfect her disguise and left the shed.
**************
The stable girl’s clothes were allowing Lucina to freely roam the estate. Since she was impersonating a low-ranked employee, she was beneath most people's notice. However, she knew that she would soon have to change clothes.
Indeed, to perform her heist, the black-haired infiltrator needed to approach and handle the horses. This set of clothes wasn’t granting her the authorization to do that.
Hierarchy was strict in the estate. The stable girls (and stable boys) were janitors in everything but name. The horse grooms were the ones taking care of the animals. Internal promotions were encouraged, but the estate’s managers were expecting everyone to scrupulously respect the delimitation of their job.
It wasn’t for nothing that the hats were given by the estate. They were a simple colour-coded way to indicate each worker’s status. Light beige hats were for stable girls, black hats were for horse grooms, and white hats were for managers.
With the broom she had stolen in the storage shed, Lucina was pretending to clean the ground. She had a hard time not grimacing because the boots were truly too tight. Even if she hadn’t needed a new disguise, she would have mugged at least one more person just to change her footwear...
The black-haired woman entered the stables area.
A good chunk of the boxes were currently empty: Most of the horses were outside. It was facilitating Lucina’s work, as it meant that most of the horse grooms were also outside. She was therefore rid of a lot of potential witnesses. Of course, it also meant that she had less potential ‘generous clothes donors’, but she was confident that at least one or two horse grooms would still be inside the stables.
Lucina searched the building, still pretending to be cleaning it, still ignoring her feet’s pain.
Her efforts were eventually rewarded.
The black-haired infiltrator smiled to herself when the lone woman passed next to her.
The horse groom was wearing black work shoes, black trousers, a brown belt, a light blue long-sleeved button up shirt, a brown sleeveless work waistcoat with the golden crest of the estate printed on the back, and a black cowboy hat with a golden pin representing the estate’s crest. A night blue bandanna was tied around her neck.
The tall woman with a crooked nose had shoulder-long bleached blond hair tied into a ponytail, though the roots were starting to show, revealing that naturally she was a brunette. Her eyes were hazel brown and her skin was tanned.
Her name badge was reading: ‘Nancy’.
“Lovely day, isn’t it?” Lucina commented to the woman.
She was trying to start a conversation, but only to distract the woman and to keep her within her reach.
The horse groom stopped walking and looked at her.
“More like a busy day.” Nancy answered. “I’m supposed to take care of the horses still inside all by myself. I can tell you, it ain’t easy work!”
Lucina smiled internally. Without meaning to, Nancy had just given her an important piece of information. She was alone, and the other horse grooms weren’t expecting her to come out of the stables before quite some time.
The infiltrator didn’t need subtlety anymore.
“Sorry to have interrupted you. I don’t want to make you late.” Lucina said out loud. At the same time, she was scanning her surroundings…
… and she noticed the empty horse box nearby.
Nancy shrugged. “It’s okay.”
Then she turned to walk away.
Lucina struck when the horse groom had her back turned on her.
In a few strides, the infiltrator was on her victim. She wrapped a viselike arm around Nancy’s throat and neck, then blocked it with her other arm.
The horse groom let out a: “Gah?!”
Lucina squeezed. She mentally counted the seconds while the horse groom was struggling.
“Oooooffff…”
Nancy’s body eventually relaxed and slumped into her captor’s arms.
“Lights out…” the latter commented.
Lucina dragged the motionless unconscious body under the shoulders into the empty box, and dropped her onto a pile of hay.
Just like with Laura, a quick injection of sleeping drug was used to make sure that Nancy would be out of Lucina’s hair for the next couple of hours.
The infiltrator then stole the black hat that was used to show Nancy’s status as a horse groom. She was delighted to realize that the horse groom’s feet were bigger than the stable girl’s. They were almost the same size as Lucina’s! The black-haired woman eagerly removed them.
Lucina then briefly pondered about whether or not she should take Nancy’s other clothes, and decided to do it. She had a hunch that at least the waistcoat was also a proof of the woman’s status as a horse groom, and the trousers were probably one as well. She unzipped and removed the work waistcoat, unbuttoned and took off the shirt, unlaced and removed the shoes, unbuckled the belt and pulled off the trousers.
Nancy was left clad in a white full-cup padded bra adorned with a pattern of brown little horses, matching boyshorts, and white ankle-long socks.
Usually, Lucina would have bound and gagged the woman before changing clothes. However, the boots were killing her feet. The infiltrator decided that, for once, she would slip into her new disguise first. Besides, Nancy had been injected with a sleeping drug. She wouldn’t wake up before a while.
Lucina kicked away the boots that were too tight, and removed her own clothes until she was in her undergarments.
However, just as she was about to slip into her new disguise, an unexpected event happened.
“Hello? I heard something! Is anyone there?” someone asked from the entrance of the stable.
It was a woman’s voice.
Shit! A witness! Quick, Luce’! Think fast!
Lucina wouldn’t be able to reach her tools or to set up an ambush in time, before the newcomer would enter the box. She had to find something else.
The infiltrator suddenly remembered a scene she had read in a story, a long time ago. About an infiltrator who was also ‘caught with her pants down’, so to speak. And who found an ingenious way-out: To pretend that the woman she just mugged and she were right in the middle of… some wild ‘roleplay’, to use a euphemism. It wasn’t a story suited for all audiences, to say the least...
Still, it was a better idea than nothing.
Lucina rolled Nancy on her stomach, and made her lay on the hay. She joined the woman’s forearms in front of her, and put the horse groom’s chin on them. An outsider could be mistaken to think that the woman was simply lying on her stomach. Since from the entrance, one could only see the horse groom’s back, they couldn’t realize that she was unconscious.
Lucina sat on Nancy’s back, grabbed the woman’s shoulders, and pretended to massage them.
When the newcomer entered, Lucina commented with a seductive voice (loud enough to make sure that the other could hear her): “You like it don’t you? Well don’t worry, as soon as I’m done with the shoulders, I’ll remove your panties and send you to cloud nine in no time…”
“Uhm… Wh- What’s going on?”
Lucina was delighted to hear hesitation in the woman’s voice. If she was flustered, it meant that she lacked confidence and was probably low-ranked. A superior would have admonished the two women.
The infiltrator hid her joy though, and pretended to be furious. She looked at the newcomer.
“Do you mind?!” she barked.
Luckily for her, even though the newcomer was a guard, she seemed rather young. Probably a new recruit.
Lucina glared daggers at her.
“Excuse you! Can’t you see that my girlfriend and I are taking advantage of her break to have a moment?!”
The guard shook her head. “S-Sorry! I didn’t meant to! I- I’ll be leaving now!”
“You better not tell anyone! If you snitch on us, you’ll find horse dung in your locker every day!”
The woman literally ran away. “I won’t tell! I won’t tell!”
Lucina smiled mockingly once she was out of sight. “Sucker…”
She then noticed that Nancy was smiling in her sleep.
“Well, apparently I can move into massage. Who knew?” the black-haired woman commented to herself.
Just in case the guard wouldn’t keep her promise, Lucina quickly grabbed the horse groom’s discarded clothes and started to put them on.
However, she suddenly heard other footsteps.
SHIT!
Lucina hurriedly moved back to her position on Nancy’s back, and for the second time started to rub her shoulders.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a guard uniform.
Seriously? Did the guard actually come back?!
“Is that you again? Stop getting an eyeful, pervert!” the infiltrator exclaimed.
However, the newcomer wasn’t the same woman.
“Luce’! What are you doing?!”
Lucina’s face became bright red. “Selena?! This is not what it looks like! I swear!” She hurriedly moved away from the unconscious Nancy.
“I knew it! I knew that things would turn out ridiculous and convoluted at some point!” her friend exclaimed.
“It was an improvisation! A guard was approaching while I was undressing myself and I had to come up with an idea!” It was hard to look credible when one was half-naked, with her dark blue bra with golden edges and matching panties in full display, but Lucina tried her best.
“And THAT was the first idea you came up with?!” Selena retorted.
“I am NOT a pervert!”
Selena eyed the unconscious woman. “Well, she certainly looks like she enjoyed it…”
Nancy’s smile was indeed even wider, courtesy of her second shoulders-massage.
“It’s an unintended side-effect!” Lucina shook her head and grabbed Nancy’s trousers to slip into them. “Look! Can we just forget about what happened and move on?”
“Funny. This is what I tell myself after every heist.” a deadpan Selena dryly answered.
“Ha! Ha!” Lucina pretended to laugh while putting on and buttoning up the shirt.
She let out a sigh of pure bliss when she put on the shoes, which helped her forget about the embarrassing incident that had just happened.
Selena grabbed a few coils of ropes that were hanging on a hook in the stable. She wrapped one above Nancy’s breasts and one below them to immobilize her arms, then she cross-tied her wrists behind her back. She wrapped one more coil around the calves. Lucina gave her a clean handkerchief found in Nancy’s trousers pocket, which she shoved into the horse groom’s mouth. Finally, for the second time today, Lucina took a woman’s personal bandanna and used it as a make-shift cleave-gag, knotting it behind the neck.
The two accomplices concealed the horse groom in the haystack, under the hay.
“I can’t believe it…” Selena was still commenting.
“Stop beating a dead horse!” Lucina retorted.
"Then don't start making puns!"
**************
The two disguised criminals exited the stable.
“So the final step should be easy. I will grab the horse our client wants us to steal while you will pretend to escort me. We ‘borrow’ one of these nice horse trucks, and we bow out with elegance and discretion.” Lucina summed up.
Selena shook her head glumly. “Nothing is ever easy as far as we’re concerned.”
“Don’t say that! You’ll jinx us! Besides- Wait!”
Lucina, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and put a hand on Selena’s chest to stop her as well.
“Hold your horses!” the black-haired woman whispered.
Beat.
“I will kill you for that pun.” Selena retorted.
She was only HALF-joking.
“Oh please, don’t get on your high horse. We have more urging matters.”
“LUCE’!”
“Stop complaining and look at that!”
Lucina pointed at a group of people who were standing near the stables where the most expensive horses were located.
One was a manager of the estate, but the others...
Selena paled suddenly when she recognized them.
The owners of the estate, the Eudokias, were here.
The two infiltrators quickly hid in the shadows behind a wall.
The matriarch of the family, Irene Eudokia, was the perfect prototype of an Olympian house head. Elegant and cultured. However, Selena could only see the shrewd merciless spark in the woman’s eyes. She was wondering how many people Irene had thrown under the bus to get her family to its current position, both figuratively and literally.
Theophano Eudokia, the eldest child and heiress, had her mother’s arrogance, but not her intelligence, so she overcompensated with a snobbish scornful behaviour. Currently, she was looking very grim.
The middle children, Basile and Constantin, were twin brothers. Their muscles, the look in their eyes and their smiles were reminding Selena of the jocks who bully people in high-school.
Finally, Zoë was following her family with a sullen expression. Her dislike of equitation was common knowledge. Lucina and Selena knew that they had to avoid Irene’s youngest child. Indeed, back when they were still part of Sao’s and Reka’s team of mercenaries, Zoë was their employer. She could probably recognize them… and therefore she could spot them as impostors.
Irene was giving instructions to the manager. “I want you to bring out Brave Hawk, Golden Grace, Ice Queen, Spirit, and Storm. Their buyers are waiting for them.”
“But mother! These horses belong to me-” Theophano started to protest.
One glare from her mother was enough to shut her up.
“Need I have to remind you how much your little operation cost us, daughter mine?” Irene retorted.
She wasn’t even raising her voice, yet Theophano became bright red and recoiled in fear, as if her mother had threatened to slap her. Her brothers and her sister wisely took several steps to move away from their disgraced sibling.
“The heiress of an Olympian House, caught red-handed and arrested like a vulgar criminal.” Irene coldly commented. “Do you have any idea of the quantity of money I had to spend in bribes? Do you have any idea of the political favours I had to promise? Now, because of you, I owe something to Hieron. Our political position has never been so precarious. One misstep, and we’re finished!”
“It was the fault of these sisters who-”
Irene raised one hand, and Theophano’s retort died out. “Our House survived Olympian politics, the in-fighting at the end of the civil war, and the after-war trials. I refuse to see it destroyed by your incompetence.” the mother calmly enunciated.
“But the sisters-”
“- will be dealt with IF I deem it fit. And IF I decide to deal with them, I will choose WHEN and HOW.” Irene then starter to discuss on again the sale of her daughter's horses.
Lucina and Selena didn’t exactly know what they were talking about. And, to put it frankly, they didn’t care one bit.
Well, except for one thing.
Spirit was the horse they had been hired to steal. And they had just learned that it was supposed to be moved away. The two impostors couldn’t anymore just stroll in under the guise of horse grooms and take the horse. The managers had probably selected other people. Selena and Lucina would have to intercept them somehow.
They needed to change their original plan, and quickly!
Selena suddenly remembered her conversation with Osana. More specifically, the part about the elite guards. "I think I have an idea." she told her friend.
**************
Most of the estate’s security detail consisted of average guards. People like Osana or that poor rookie that Lucina traumatized for life. While they had some training, they were mostly here to stand around, look tough, and deal with wandering tourists or angry punters.
However, to protect the valuable horses, the Eudokias were employing more talented elite guards. People who were better trained, and who of course costed more money. But also people who could dispatch real motivated robbers.
Diane, Eileen, and Florence were among these guards. The three women were wearing the uniform of these higher-ranked sentries: black combat shoes, red trousers, a red jacket over a white shirt, a black equipment belt with various weapons, and a red beret with a golden pin.
Diane was a tall light-skinned redhead with hazel-green eyes, and a fit athletic-looking body that was a testimony of her strength.
Eileen was of average size. She had hazel green eyes and short chin-long hair, kept in place by her headband, with a bang swept to the left. One strand of hair was covering each cheek. Her light brown hair were fully dyed with a tango pink colour. She had a round face and a white skin.
Florence was a slightly taller white-skinned blue-eyed woman whose hair were tied into a high ponytail. One strand of hair was also covering each of her cheeks, and on her forehead there was a bang swept to the right. She had blond hair, but she was dying them light pink.
Currently, the three women were patrolling around the stables. They were having a conversation at the same time.
“I’m just saying that I don’t understand why Theophano hired ALL of Roxane’s former security staff…” Diane commented.
“Why are you complaining? You should be grateful!” Florence objected. “Not many people would give a second chance to sentries who have a police record AND failed spectacularly to protect their employer.”
The Eudokias had indeed hired most of Roxane Barca’s former security detail after the latter’s arrest. Sure, they had failed to protect their employer, but only because the government itself schemed to make her fall. Plus, it wasn’t every day that an entire functional security detail was put on the market. Theophano even didn’t hesitate to pull a few strings to have the guards who were imprisoned released, and to sweep under the rug their police record.
Eileen and Florence were quite happy with their new situation. Especially since they were able to work as guards, and not as maids. The two lovers were indeed mercenaries for hire. Sure, Roxane used to pay them more so that they’d agree to work as maids… But they still had their pride!
Diane explained her point of view: “I’m simply NOT looking forward to have to babysit the incompetent ones...”
“Well, good news then. I heard that Midori and Amai quit.” Eileen commented.
Diane smiled. “Good riddance!”
“Also, Ayano is in the hospital.”
The redhead’s smile widened. “Perfect! That’s two good news for the price of one!”
“And she’s probably going back to jail.”
Diane frowned. “What?! How?! What did I miss?”
“Heard that Theophano tried to do something spectacular to prove her worth.” Florence answered.
“I guess it failed.”
Florence nodded. “Spectacularly. Everyone was arrested.”
Selena and Lucina approached the patrolling guards discreetly from behind.
Eileen was adding: “A total utter humiliation. I heard that Zoe spent hours ball-tied in a fish delivery trunk.”
“Poor her! Must have caught a cold…” Diane commented.
“Oh no, it was a fake fish delivery truck, so it wasn’t refrigerated.” Eileen explained.
Diane gave her a meaningful look. “A FISH delivery truck?”
“Apparently, this was a very important part of the boss' plan!” Eileen added, as if to justify herself.
“Seriously? If you’re going to take the trouble to disguise a truck, why make it a FISH DELIVERY truck? It’s like the boss is purposefully trying to make fools out of us!”
“And you know what happened to Edwige?” Florence added. “She was found bound to two other women in a kinky bondage position… and Phoebe was part of it! That goon was so horny, the police heard her moans from outside their closet... Talk about an embarrassing way to be found in!”
Diane shrugged. “Well, I’ve always found Edwige annoying with her sport obsession… Serves her right!”
Lucina and Selena were almost on them. They were about to strike.
However, Diane suddenly noticed them. She frowned.
Shit! Lucina thought. Busted!
“Hey, Osana! What are you doing here?!” Diane exclaimed.
Lucina couldn’t believe her ears. Selena’s dumb twin-tails had just saved their hides!
However, the black-haired woman wasn’t the kind of person who would question a gift of fate. She knew that it would only take these women a few seconds to realize that the redhead in front of them was not Osana.
“Low blow!” Lucina exclaimed.
She kicked Diane between the legs. The guard opened big wide eyes and squeaked. She maybe wasn’t a man, but it was still an effective tactic to neutralize her.
Eileen and Florence shared one glance.
“Infiltrators!” they then exclaimed, as if it was a war cry.
Lucina and Selena jumped them, as Diane was falling on her knees while muttering ‘Bloody bitches!’ in-between two moans of pain.
The pink-haired women were trained mercenaries, and had been hardened by a criminal career.
However, so were Lucina and Selena. And they also had received a military training, and had been trained by Reka during their time as henchwomen. They were stronger than their opponents.
The scuffle ended abruptly Selena grabbed Eileen’s head, Lucina grabbed Florence’s, and they conked the two women’s skulls. This left the pink-haired women dazed. A punch to the temple and a neck-chop were respectively used to knock them out. The guards barely had the time to make a grunt.
Diane was recovering from the hit. “I’ll- I’ll make you pay!” she muttered.
Then she realized that she was alone against two. The guard quickly changed her tune.
“I meant- I will pay you to not hurt me!”
Lucina smiled. “How much?” she asked.
Selena rolled her eyes. “Luce’…” she started to say.
“Hey! Can’t blame me for trying to earn some pocket money on the side!” her friend joked.
While they were arguing, Diane was slowly moving her hand to grab her walkie-talkie.
Unfortunately for her, Selena noticed her. “So you think you can take us for fools?” she growled.
Diane gulped. “I was just-”
Selena’s fist flew, and hit a very specific part of the guard’s forehead, instantly sending her to slumberland.
“I hate it when people take me for a fool…” the redhead added.
**************
Lucina didn’t have enough knock-out serum anymore for the three guards. Therefore, she injected each of them with a smaller dose. The effects wouldn’t last long… though they would last long enough for the infiltrators to do their thing.
The two accomplices stripped the women down to their undergarments. (Lucina insisted to also divest the spare one of her uniform. Since Diane was the spare one, Selena didn’t try to object.)
Diane was wearing a blue sports bra, dark blue seamless sports stretching panties, and black sports socks. Eileen and Florence were wearing the same striped black-and-red socks. Eileen was also clad in light pink cheeky panties with white little flowers and a matching t-shirt bra, while Florence was wearing a white full-cup push-up bra and white briefs that both had a pattern of colourful butterflies.
Lucina located a small tool-shed. Then she looked at the three defeated women. “You know… Their conversation gave me an idea…” she said with a sly smile.
Selena rolled her eyes. “Luce’… Do we really have the time?”
The black-haired woman checked her wristwatch. “In fact, yes.”
“Goodness! You’re doing it again, just like with these horny sentries! That was a RHETORICAL question! RHETORICAL!”
Lucina ignored her outburst. “Put your uniform on. I’ll deal with the rest.”
Selena groaned in annoyance. “One of these days, Luce’… One of these days…”
Her friend opened the door of the shed and dragged the three guards inside one by one.
“I wish I could see their reaction when they’ll wake up…” the black-haired woman was muttering to herself.
**************
Diane groaned, and opened her eyes. It didn’t take the groggy guard long to realize that her limbs were restrained, and that a gag was silencing her. Indeed, ropes were wrapped around her wrists, her ankles, her elbows, her knees, and her upper-arms. Tape was wrapped around her lower face to silence her.
Worst, Diana could clearly feel that she was almost naked – her uniform had been stolen. Only her underpants remained.
Oh… Not again!
But being bound and gagged in her skivvies wasn’t actually the worst thing that had happened to her. Indeed, the red-haired guard found herself sandwiched between Eileen and Florence.
The two pink-haired women were bound with ropes and gagged with tape in a way that was similar to Diane’s.
However, because of the small size of the shed, Eileen’s and Florence’s bodies were pressed against Diane’s: the first was to her right, and the latter was to her left. The infiltrators even wrapped a few ropes around their three bodies to make sure the sentries would remain ‘close to each other’, so to speak. Diane could feel the other two women’s breasts pressed against her shoulders, and their thighs pressed against hers.
It was, for all intent and purpose, a kinky bondage position. Rather similar to the one Edwige was found in.
Seriously? Come on! I spoke ill of Edwige for, like, two seconds! Did I really DESERVE karmic justice for that?!
Diane shook her head.
Eileen and Florence had also woken up by now. They were groaning and moaning in their gags. The red-haired guard could feel their bodies move and grind slightly against hers.
Something was wrong however. Diane suddenly realized that she was the target of the two pink-haired women’s annoyed glances. Clearly, they were resenting the fact that she was in-between them!
Oh come on! Seriously? At a time like this?! she tried to say through her gag.
“Hh cumh hn! Shriislh? Ht h thmh lhkh thhs?!”
She of course couldn’t understand how frustrating it was for the other two guards. Not only were Eileen and Florence utterly humiliated, not only would they have to spend hours in an uncomfortable position; but they also couldn’t have the only solace guards like them could have in their situation. Aka taking comfort in the other’s presence and, maybe, trying to make the most of their situation and to find some pleasure.
Diane sighed in her gag. The wait was going to be long…
**************
While walking, Lucina and Selena were imitating the confident ‘I-am-ten-times-better-than-you’ attitude of elite guards. They quickly went to the part of the stables where their target was located.
They got lucky.
Two horse grooms were currently leading the horse called Spirit out of his box. The first employee had slick black hair, a pale skin, and dark brown eyes. The second employee had frizzy black hair, a black skin, and brown eyes.
“We were almost late.” Selena whispered.
“Key word: ‘Almost’.” Lucina softly retorted, to justify her decision to have some fun with the bondage technique on Diane, Eileen, and Florence.
The black-haired quickly came up with a plan.
“Plus. I think we may find a way to use these two to our advantage. Looks like luck is on our side for once...”
She cleared her throat.
The two horse grooms looked at her. “Is there a problem?”
Lucina nodded. “The managers are fearing a theft. We were sent here to escort you.” she lied. Once again, her talent to lie at people's faces didn't fail her.
The two employees shared a look, but then nodded. “Okay.”
Had Lucina and Selena worn normal guards’ uniforms, the horse grooms would probably have been suspicious. However, the two impostors were wearing the outfits of elite guards, clothes that gave them a lot of authority.
It was enough to fool the two horse grooms.
Lucina and Selena knew about the general layout of the estate. They knew that there were several parkings for the horse trucks.
The impostors took the liberty to lead the way… and to lead the horse grooms to a secondary parking area, where there was no witness.
The two employees’ help proved to be very useful, as thanks to them the thieves didn’t need to make the horse enter the truck themselves.
“There you go. It’s done.” the black-skinned employee commented after she closed the back door of the horse truck.
“Thanks a lot! You were very helpful.” Selena said.
“Just for that, we’ll let you keep your clothes.” Lucina added.
The employees frowned. “Ex- Excuse you?” one asked.
The black-haired infiltrator ignored her. “However, we can’t let you drive that horse away. Or wander freely for the next hour for that matter.”
“Is- Is this a joke?”
“You’re supposed to be a guard…”
Lucina chuckled. “Oh! If only you knew…”
She and Selena lunged forward.
Each horse groom suddenly found herself with a stun gun pressed under her chin.
Lucina smiled. “So. Do you surrender quietly or do we have to use these gadgets?”
**************
They left the two bound-and-gagged women seated inside an empty horse truck. The unlucky horse grooms were bound back-to-back with ropes. Each woman’s legs were also immobilized with ropes wrapped around them. Lucina and Selena had used the employees’ bandannas as cleave-gags.
Well, at least the two women were still fully-clothed...
Lucina ignored their victims’ pleading looks, and closed the backdoor of the vehicle.
“Bear it with me, girls! I’m sure you’ll be found in no time!” she commented.
“Hurry up!” her accomplice exclaimed.
Lucina and Selena were about to climb into the horse truck. They wanted to drive away before one of their many victims was found.
A voice suddenly called them: “Hey, you two! What are you doing with that horse? My father has bought him for me!”
The newcomer was a young woman in her early twenties. Her shoulder-long hair were platinium blond, with a few strands dyed blue. She had a square haircut. Her skin was lightly tanned thanks to plenty of self-tanning creams, and her eyes were blue. The curvy young woman had shapely legs and thighs. She was wearing an expensive equestrian garb designed by a renowned couturier: brown cavalier leather boots with gold metallic parts, black riding trousers, a crisp white shirt, a crimson red riding jacket with silver-plated buttons, and a black riding helmet.
“You peasants better handle him with care, or I’ll sue you for what little money you have!” the young woman added.
Selena and Lucina shared a glance. “We should really ignore her…” the redhead whispered to her friend. “We’re on schedule.”
The rich spoiled brat apparently didn’t like the fact that they were ignoring her. “Are you daft?” She looked at Selena. “Well, judging by your haircut, I don’t expect you to be able to form full sentences, so probably yes…”
Selena’s face became bright red because of her anger.
Lucina looked at her. “Change of plan?” she proposed, as she knew the redhead couldn’t stand being frowned upon because of her origins.
Her friend nodded. “Change of plan.”
Lucina bowed gracefully. “She’s all yours…”
The spoiled rich girl frowned. “How dare you ignore me? My father is-”
Selena’s fist violently collided with her face.
**************
“Apologies for that.” Selena told her friend. “I put us behind schedule.”
Lucina shrugged. “No need to feel sorry.”
The black-haired woman tightened the ropes hog-tying the rider. The latter squirmed and let out muffled squeals.
The platinium-blond-haired woman had been stripped down to her undergarments: a ruby red thong and a black balcony bra. Her wrists were tied behind her back, coils of ropes were wrapped around her shoulders and around her legs and ankles. A rope was connecting the bound wrists to the bound ankles, forcing the prisoner to lift her legs. The woman’s long white riding socks had been shoved into her mouth, and a copious amount of tape was wrapped around the lower face as a gag and around the eyes as a blindfold.
“I made the bonds extra uncomfortable, just for you Selena.” Lucina added.
“Thanks Luce’…”
The redhead was currently slipping into the spoiled heiress’ riding outfit.
Now, Selena usually wasn’t the kind of infiltrator who was looking for any excuse to strip a woman just for the fun of it. She had a very practical vision on uniform stealing. She wasn’t enjoying the process, it was a mean to an end for her.
But with this girl who insulted her, she chose to make an exception...
“You’re welcome.” Lucina answered.
She looked at her ropework.
“I say, it’s the perfect way to finish this little operation! I mean, we infiltrated a stud farm, and we ALMOST didn’t hog-tie anyone… For one second, I thought we were going to look bad.”
Selena rolled her eyes. “Aaaand you’re making it weird and ridiculous. Again.”
“Bah! It was to avenge your honour! Plus, that boat had already sailed with the three guards in the tool-shed…”
“Or with you massaging that horse groom.” the redhead slyly remarked.
Lucina became bright red. “Can we NOT talk about that, please?”
Selena smiled. “Maybe.” she teased her friend.
They left the hog-tied woman in the open, awaiting her humiliating discovery, and climbed into the van. Lucina sat behind the wheel.
Then they drove away with their prize.
"Well, it was a bumpy ride at some points, but we succeeded. Choosing this mission was the right idea." Lucina commented with a beaming smile. "Looks like we've been... betting on the right horse!"
They almost went off the road when Selena tried to strangle her for that pun.
**************
A few days later, Osana was at home, on sick leave because of her mugging. She was surprised to see that an enveloppe with a good sum of money had been deposited in her mailbox. Inside, there was also a small message: 'People from Shield like us should stick together.'
The red-haired guard shrugged. "Meh. I've seen weirder things." she commented to herself. "Actually, I wouldn't mind being mugged by this one again..."
She would later learn that the infiltrator had mugged a postal worker to find her address.
Truly, life WAS a bad joke with no punchline...
**************
THE END
- whatever the accent , acute or what else
