Lisette and the Cyber Geeks

Lisette and the Cyber Geeks

Brian Sands

Il Burbero ("The Grump"), HtF Vidcaps

Chapter Seventeen

Culinary Arts

It took all of the two hours predicted by Mrs Alvina Gamms before Lisette heard the sound of a key rattling at the door to the cellar. In the meantime, however, she had not been idle.

Painstaking experimentation with the potato peeler proved that that simple kitchen implement had an unexpected use. At a pinch, it could unscrew the nuts that held the wrist bands of her shackles. It was painful work, getting one hand to twist sufficiently above the other to allow the metal point of the peeler to reach the groove in the screw. Lisette wished that she had on a long sleeved dress instead of the sleeveless and now mutilated black silk. But her aching fingers paid off in the long run, with the result that she managed to unscrew one of the cuffs several turns down the thread. That allowed more freedom and, when she changed the peeler to the other hand to began work on the opposite cuff, movement was easier. After the initial sweating to get a screw turning, the screws in both cuffs were now substantially loose.

Lisette did not try to continue, although the temptation was strong to work on them until they fell from the screw-holes. She wanted to see Chérie and ascertain that the girl was unharmed, or at least no worse the wear than she herself felt. Instead, she tucked the potato peeler away inside the folds of the blanket, so that it would be spotted immediately if the blanket was picked up.

Resignedly, she tried to make herself as comfortable as possible with her back to the wall. But the metal bands that joined together behind her head kept on slipping against the uneven stonework, and the weight of the iron frame tended to pull her head down and make her body slump. She bit on the gag that filled her mouth, and at least this helped to make the scold’s bridle more stable. It was a real horror and she heard the sounds of the approaching villains with relief. Or at least with hope. She would have to remain gagged while they were questioning Chérie, but Gamms had promised to free her from the contraption when the interrogation with its sham threats was over.

Lisette’s heart sank when the only gang members who entered were Madame Red Vellum, Bombadil Kidd, and Sigrid. The big Scandinavian was gripping Chérie by her shoulders and guiding her firmly down the steps.

Chérie was clad in the lacy silk panties and matching white bra Don and Roger had given her. It was a 36D, remembered Lisette a touch enviously (although her measurement was a quite respectable 34C). The lingerie looked good on Chérie, although it was no longer new after the hours of restraint the girl must have gone through. The rest of the outfit of jacket, skirt and blouse loaned by Lisette was missing. Lisette glanced down at what had been her favourite silk dress, now shorter and with a ragged hem. At this rate, she would have nothing left to wear but, looked at philosophically, it gave her a good excuse for a shopping expedition.

Chérie’s arms were behind her back, evidently secured there. A wide black scarf covered her eyes and she was gagged with a very thick piece of white cloth tied between her jaws. Lisette decided from the girl’s strained face and bulging cheeks that her mouth was also packed with cloth. The quartet walked across the floor towards her. Chérie stumbled on the uneven paving and was supported by Sigrid with what Lisette thought was unusual gentleness.

As they approached, Madame Vellum signed to Doctor Kidd. That worthy turned away and walked to a darkened corner of the cellar. He picked up a heavy ornate chair that stood there and carried it to the centre of the room in front of Lisette. He set it down and Sigrid gently pushed Chérie into it. Chérie turned slightly before she sat, and Lisette saw that her wrists were held in rigid handcuffs, the sort that were joined by a single-direction hinge. They must limit movement even more than these things on my wrists, thought Lisette. There was no need to bind Chérie up more thoroughly than that. There was obviously no escape.

Madame Vellum looked around and grunted with annoyance.

"Boompsie, go and find something to tie our lady lawyer into her chair. There’s never any rope when we need it!"

"They’re alls bein used for th’ packing," grumbled the man as he exited up the steps.

"Now," said Vellum.

She strode to Chérie’s side, bent and untied the knot of the blindfold, and slowly, sensuously removed it from the girl’s face. A pad of silk cloth held over her eyes by the scarf, which must have kept her in total darkness, fell into her lap. Chérie blinked against the light.

"There will be certain privileges for both of you," Vellum purred, "If you cooperate, Little Miss Lawyer. I need to know from you precisely what you reported to your superiors before our, ah, hit man Doc Legato snatched you. And as for you ..." She turned to Lisette. "Your interference, by trying to follow in the footsteps of this meddling girl, has seriously inconvenienced us. But - it - won’t - happen - again."

She was interrupted by the opening of the cellar door. Bombadil Kidd returned, waddling down the steps with a long coil of gold-coloured curtain cord over his arm. The cord had tassles at each end.

"This’s all I c’d find," the man grunted.

"It will have to do then. Tie her into the chair."

Lisette watched as Kidd wound the cord several times about Chérie’s waist and shoulders, fastening her to the chair with a not very secure-looking knot.

Madame Vellum sighed and shrugged in Sigrid’s direction. Sigrid was standing to one side with a look of professional horror on her face.

"If we had time, I would let Sigrid bind the girl. But that will have to do. Anyway, they can’t get out of here ... Now, lawyer lady, I want you to watch carefully ... Sigrid, help Miss Rivers to her feet please."

Lisette was hauled to her feet where she stood swaying slightly. Now that she was upright and unsupported by the wall, she felt even more heavily weighed down by the shackles at her ankles and on her wrists. Her neck and shoulders ached dreadfully from the weight of the scold’s bridle.

Chérie gave a start and strained feebly in her ropes. Lisette realised then how exhausted her friend was and knew that Chérie could only give support in spirit. It’s up to me, thought Lisette grimly. When they’ve gone ...

Lisette was brought back to the immediate situation when Sigrid, in response to an unseen nod from Vellum, took her silk dress by the opposite sides of the deep V of the décolletage and with a single movement ripped it open almost from top to bottom. A series of rips followed as the silk was torn from Lisette’s shoulders and, after Sigrid on her haunches completed the demolition to the point where the hem should have been, the whole garment fell to the floor to mingle with the ankle chains. Lisette stood as defiantly as possible under the weight of the chains and the head cage and looked her tormenter in the eyes.

Bombadil Kidd goggled at the sight of black panties, stockings and suspender belt, and lace half-cup bra. Very little was left to the imagination of even a dullard like him.

"Fripperies, Sigrid. They can go too," muttered Vellum.

Lisette had a diverting mental image of disgraced military officers on parade, stripped of their signifiers of rank, as Sigrid gleefully sought the tabs that clipped Lisette’s stockings to her suspender belt and unfastened them. The suspender belt was removed and thrown to one side. Sigrid did away with Lisette’s stockings by the simple means of ripping them all the way down to her feet, first one, then the other, squatting as she had done to tear the dress. The remnants of the stockings were left in an untidy heap around Lisette’s leg irons, mingled with the dress remnants.

"Now that’s what I call a ladder in a stocking!" remarked Madame Vellum. "They will be destroyed, just as our lawyer’s unflattering outer garments were, so that no clues will be left to where you have been held."

I hope she stops there, thought Lisette, whose modesty was protected now only by the lacy cousins of Chérie’s lingerie outfit.

"You can keep your bras and panties, for now," Vellum added, looking from one prisoner to the other. "I’m sure Boompsie shan’t complain. But, later, it may be a different story."

Lisette shivered. It would be appropriate to this gang’s worldview to bind her and Chérie naked.

"Well ..." breathed Vellum. "What beautiful golden skin you have my dear. Getting a little goose-pimply I see. It would be a shame to discolour it with bruising."

Sigrid produced a short piece of black hose pipe from somewhere on her person and stood with her legs spread, smacking the heavy rubber menacingly against the palm of one hand.

Chérie struggled and shook her head weakly, mewing through her gag. Vellum turned to her.

"You don’t want your friend hurt, do you?"

Chérie renewed her struggles, shaking her head wildly. Lisette was not sure who was demonstrating the most histrionic ability, Vellum or Chérie. Chérie must surely be over-acting, she considered. The girl was usually so reserved. Was it a case of bluff against bluff? Did Chérie guess that it was an act on Vellum’s part?

Madame Vellum continued.

"We have various options for disposing of you two pretty gad-flies. No doubt you can make a connection between the chains your friend languishes in, and the nearby harbour ..."

She paused to watch the effect of this on Chérie, who moaned despairingly through her gag.

"But it would be such a waste to dispose of you that way ... We might consider white slavery instead. That is not a business we ourselves conduct, but we have contacts. There’s a crime-lord named Murgatroyd, for example. He would pay a lot for two beautiful young women ... On the other hand, can we buy your temporary silence I wonder?"

Chérie nodded vigorously and whimpered through her gag. Lisette, who had already heard this proposition from Sir Hoffnung, speaking on his own behalf, was more convinced than ever that the gang wanted out.

"I need to hear it from your own lips, my dear, so I’m going to take off your gag. I do hope you won’t scream."

Lisette felt glad for Chérie as Vellum untied the thick cloth from between the girl’s jaws - it appeared to be a large piece of bed sheet - and fastidiously extracted the gag wadded inside Chérie’s mouth with forefinger and thumb. Chérie coughed and licked her lips. Vellum nodded to Sigrid.

"Give her some water."

Chérie took long, grateful sips from a flask that Sigrid held to her mouth. Lisette observed the contrast between that studied attention to self-preservation and the girl’s near-hysteria only moments before. Chérie’s playing them at this game, thought Lisette, I hope they don’t tumble to it. Sigrid will probably miss the deception, and Kidd. But Madame is far more astute. Oh please, Chérie, don’t overdo it!

"Thank you," said Chérie, allowing her speech to stumble, "But please don’t hurt us. I’ll do anything you want me to do ..." She rolled her eyes and looked terrified.

Here, Lisette saw the lascivious expression on the face of Bombodil Kidd become even more revolting as the man hovered in the background, soaking up the spectacle of two young women, bound and in lingerie. Can we play on his lust, wondered Lisette, if we were alone with him? That was very, very dangerous, she decided.

"We shan’t hurt you," said Vellum, her face softening a fraction, although the grim lines at the corners of her mouth remained. "But you must answer this question to my satisfaction: What have you told your bosses?"

"I wasn’t able to tell them n- nothing," exclaimed Chérie, throwing grammar to the wind. "Y- You kidnapped me before I reported in."

"Aha! So how did Miss Ruisseau get on the trail?"

"I- I don’t know ... Really I don’t," exclaimed Chérie in a frightened voice at Madame Vellum’s pregnant pause.

"Hmm." Madame Vellum began her habit of pacing the floor. "We already know that our young Revenue investigator had the photographs Legato took for a souvenir ... By the way, we’ll have to drop him from our payroll, Sigrid. The little shit can’t be trusted ..."

"An’ he iss too wiolent, mit does guns, Madame."

"Quite so, Sigrid dear. Quite so ... Boompsie, not a word to our little hit man, understand?"

"Yes Mumsie," muttered Bombodil dejectedly. He seemed to Lisette to be sinking out of his depth in the to-and-fro of Velum’s intrigue.

"Very well ..." Madame Vellum turned back to Chérie. "So, my dear, will you agree to keep quiet about us until after we’ve left the country."

"Yes, yes, anything. Only please don’t hurt us."

Lisette hoped that Chérie would not roll her eyes again. To her relief, the girl kept a steady, somewhat beseeching gaze, on her interrogator.

"I mean of course, that one of you will be held by us as insurance against the other raising the alarm ... Sigrid ... Boompsie, I have decided that we will give lawyer Chalmers her freedom ..."

"But Mumsie ...!"

"Quiet, Boompsie! I am doing this for one reason: the girl nearly died on us when we freighted her from the country house. No. Two reasons: she almost died on us, and she does not appear to have as strong a constitution as Miss Rivers ... No. Three reasons: she nearly died, Miss Rivers is stronger, and Miss Chalmers becomes hysterical easily. No. Four reasons, Sigrid: Miss Chalmers almost suffocated to death, she is dangerously exhausted, she is an hysteric, but, most importantly, she cannot know as much about our activities as Miss Rivers obviously does, for our young Miss Houdini has been in and out of our hands too many times."

"Zo ... Vat iss it ve do, ja?"

"I have to discuss this with Alvina ... Boompsie, please tell Mrs Gamms that I need to consult with her. Be quick about it!"

"Yes Mumsie." Kidd scuttled away up the steps.

"Can I ask a favour?" It was Chérie.

Madame Vellum looked at the girl expectantly.

"It’s not for me, but for Lisa ... Could you take that thing off her head? It looks so horribly uncomfortable."

Vellum sighed theatrically. "I suppose so, yes. Alvina did say something about releasing her from it after the your interrogation ... Sigrid?"

"Ja."

Sigrid took Lisette by the shoulders and pushed her down to the floor. The young woman folded her legs sideways. They were trapped at the ankles in a tangle of chains, black silk and torn stockings. When she was seated against the wall, Sigrid unfastened the screws that held the scold’s bridle together at the back of her head and, gently, the huge silk-wrapped gag was eased from Lisette’s mouth to the accompaniment of faint retching.

"I said she was tough," observed Madame Vellum, and Lisette could have sworn that there was a faint tone of pride in the woman’s voice, or was it respect?

"You have been a nice challenge," Vellum continued, "It is a pleasure to cross swords with someone worthy of me. Can you speak yet? ... I see you can’t ... No matter. Do you agree substantially with what your friend has just said? After all, you are receiving legal advice."

Lisette nodded weakly.

"Excellent. We are of one mind then ... Ah, Alvina."

Mrs Gamms appeared with Kidd trailing in her wake.

"The crates are nearly all packed in the van. Only a few left," said Mrs Gamms. "You wish to discuss our next move?"

"Yes indeed. I have put the proposition to this young lawyer and she has agreed that she will not tell the authorities about us, or our plans, until we have left the country. That is as we discussed."

"Oh, my yes. Ant this one?"

Gamms indicated Lisette.

"She has no choice in the matter. She will remain our prisoner, securely bound, until the last minute. She will be left in a safe place. Then, as you and I discussed earlier, as soon as we set foot on foreign soil, we will phone Miss Chalmers and tell her where she can find her friend. Do you see any problems with the plan, beyond what we have already discussed?"

Mrs Alvina Gamms looked thoughtful.

"How can we be sure that the Chalmers girl won’t get in touch with her office as soon as she’s free?"

"Oh no, I won’t, I swear it!" cried Chérie frantically. "I don’t want anything to happen to Lisa ... I- I’ll sit quietly in my apartment until I hear from you."

"Well ... We can safeguard against that by delaying your release," said Gamms to Chérie.

"Unfortunately, there may be a day, perhaps two, during which we have to take the Chalmers girl at her word," interposed Vellum. "It depends on the pilot."

It was time for Lisette to speak.

"Ch- Chérie," she said through jaws that were stiff and refused to work properly, "You will do what they say, won’t you? It shan’t make any difference. Our own work on this case is over once they leave the country. It will no longer be our responsibility. And you look all in." She turned her face to Madame Vellum. "I think it’s a very humane decision to let her go free." She turned back to Chérie, ignoring the look of amusement on Vellum’s face. "And, Chérie, stay inside your apartment. Don’t go out. Don’t get in touch with anyone. Ignore your phone if it rings ..."

"Excellent idea," said Mrs Gamms. "You can pick up the phone when you hear one of us on the line."

"Oh I will, I will!" cried Chérie.

"Fine," said Vellum, "Now, we’ve wasted enough time down here. Our two guests can wait another half-hour or so while those last crates are packed. Then they will be trussed up again, and blindfolded, and we’ll take them with us to the drop-off point. At some stage, and we shall have to decide on that, the Chalmers girl can be delivered to her apartment ... Come."

Vellum, Gamms, Sigrid and Kidd moved towards the steps. Madame Vellum paused and turned.

"Alvina, it might be wise to put light gags on them."

"Of course, Madame. I almost forgot."

Mrs Gamms walked back towards the two bound women. She picked up the long piece of bed sheet that still lay in Chérie’s lap and twisted it a couple of times.

"Tie their gags tight enough to prevent them from talking to each other," said Madame Vellum from the foot of the steps, "But not so tight as to choke them, especially Miss Chalmers."

The bed sheet was already between Chérie’s jaws. It was wound carefully a second time in her mouth before being tied at the back of her neck.

Mrs Gamms then turned her attention to Lisette. My god, I hope she doesn’t inspect my wrist shackles, the young woman thought. She’s sure to notice that the screws have been loosened.

Gamms took up the remnants of Lisette’s dress and tore off a large rectangle of black silk which she then folded, twirled so that it twisted in the middle, and gagged her in the same way that she had just secured Chérie. Lisette bit down on two thick layers of silk stretched between jaws that were still aching painfully from the scold’s bridle. Gamms rose and left the cellar without a backward glance, and without checking on Lisette’s restraints.

It’s now or never, Lisette thought desperately. I don’t believe they’ll let Chérie go so easily because, in their place, I wouldn’t expect her to stay silent. She wondered whether Madame Vellum was having an unusual attack of kindness. But, in my place, we are obligated by our professional ethics. So they shouldn’t believe anything I say either! There’s only half an hour to get free and find our way out of this building before they take us somewhere else.

There was another reason for Lisette’s decision. When they discover that I’ve almost escaped again, she reasoned, they’ll make me pay dearly for it! And she’d had enough of being tied up into a ball or locked inside dark places. No wonder poor Chérie’s finding it hard to take! Her fingers began to search for the potato peeler hidden inside the folds of the blanket on which she was sitting.

As she worked on the screw of one wrist cuff, Lisette ignored the discomfort of her gag. There was not much feeling left in her jaws anyway. Chérie, on the other hand, was straining at the insubstantial curtain cord that bound her to the chair, and the continual shaking of her head from side to side told Lisette, when she glanced up at her friend, that Chérie was finding her gag unbearable. Chérie could not see what Lisette was doing. Lisette’s head was down and not much movement appeared to be going on behind her. And to Chérie’s eyes, it seemed that Lisette had given up.

A screw fell out of its groove and plunked softly onto the blanket. Chérie’s eyes lit up with renewed hope as Lisette brought her arms stiffly to the front and, changing the potato peeler to her free hand, attacked the second cuff’s screw mercilessly. Soon that too lay on the blanket by Lisette’s knees.

The first thing she did now that her hands were free was to reach to the back of her head and work feverishly on the knot that held her gag so tightly in place. When the silk finally came away, she held her jaws in both hands and massaged them, and her cheeks, vigorously.

"Hold on, Chérie honey. I have to get my legs free before I can attend to you. I’d love to wriggle over and take that gag out of your mouth. They’re so uncomfortable, aren’t they? But I’ve got to get myself completely free first. We just have to try to get out of this place."

Chérie nodded, wide-eyed. She stopped struggling. She continued to watch quietly as Lisette cleared away the debris of torn black silk and nylon from around her ankles and set to work on the ankle cuffs. They were closed by screws in the same way as her wrist bands, and with her hands now completely free Lisette made short work of them. She struggled to her knees, then to her feet, swaying on weak legs, and stumbled to Chérie’s side.

"Hold still, dear. God, they know how to keep a girl quiet, don’t they?"

"Ngg," replied Chérie.

"There ... The advice I’ve always had it not to try to speak at once. Wearing a gag for a long time really dries out your mouth. Here ..."

And Lisette began massaging Chérie’s jaws and cheeks in the same way that she had done for herself.

"That was a great act you put on," said Lisette as she worked. "It was an act I suppose? You haven’t cracked have you?"

"N- No, I haven’t cracked," Chérie replied with a faint grin. "I almost did suffocate when they transported me in that boot. I was gagged so tightly and some of the cloth stuck to the back of my throat." Chérie’s words were coming out slurred but recognisable.

"So, when they unrolled me and took the ropes off, I decided to stay flaked out. It was easy to do at first. I really was exhausted. And, believe it or not, that horrible woman actually was frightened. They took better care of me after that. So, when they brought me in here, I decided to make a show of hysteria. I think I did rather well ... Oh yes, they took those clothes you kindly loaned me. And I think she’s right when she says they destroyed them because they were evidence. ... Though I think that forensic will have other things to say ..."

Chérie fell silent.

"That’s some speech for a woman who’s been bound and gagged for hours!"

"Oh, they allowed me to have the gag off, until you were brought in. I was in another cellar, and these places have such thick walls that no scream would get through."

"I know. The gags are more for punishment than to stop us from calling for help. There’re no people in those isolated country places ... Although that hares and hounds group came at the right time ... Come on, let’s see what we can do about those cuffs."

While they were speaking, Lisette had untied the inept knots fashioned by Bombodil Kidd and freed Chérie’s ankle bonds. But the rigid metal handcuffs defied all her attempts with the potato peeler.

"I’m sorry, Chérie. I know I’m a good cook, but I can’t do a thing about those handcuffs. Do you think you can run okay with them on? I managed to cover several fields to a farmhouse with my hands tied behind my back."

"I- I think it will be all right ... What do you plan to do? How can we get out of this room?"

This was a problem Lisette had put off thinking about. She walked across the cellar gravely, her arms hugged around her body self consciously as she was clad in flimsy panties and bra, inspecting the high windows. She guessed that the door’s lock would resist all culinary arts. So it had to be one of the windows.

Lisette stopped at an unusual window that was lower than the others, was not barred, and was sited near a corner of the room. When she turned to speak to Chérie, she was surprised to find the girl standing at her side.

"I think we might be able to get out through this window," she said. "It’s low enough to stand on one of the chairs."

Lisette walked quickly to where Chérie had been tied, picked up the chair, and returned, placing it directly below the window. She climbed up on it - her legs were beginning to feel a little stronger - and tested the window latch. The rusted metal came away in her hand, but that also meant it no longer held the window locked. A couple of pushes, and the frame with its grimy glass panes swung open grudgingly. Lisette looked down at Chérie.

"Come on! I’ll help you up, but you’ll have to make do with your hands cuffed behind."

"I’m game," was the reply. "Anything to get out of this place!"

Lisette supported Chérie as she climbed up onto the chair, then helped the young lawyer wriggle head first until she was halfway through the window. Chérie looked back over her shoulder at Lisette.

"The ground’s not far. Push me all the way through!"

Lisette complied, and Chérie disappeared suddenly. There was no sound of a fall, and Lisette hoped that Chérie’s landing was on grass. When she leapt to the chair’s seat and put her head through, she saw that it was the case. Chérie was rolling over and over to one side to allow Lisette room to scramble through. One well-proportioned breast had popped from her bra. Chérie came up on her knees as Lisette tumbled onto the grass beside her.

"This is better than I thought," Lisette gasped, "I was terrified about finding our way through all those passages." She scrambled to her feet and quickly tucked Chérie’s breast back into the bra for her. "Come on. Let’s see whether there’s a spare car out front. I know this place a little."

They were somewhere at the side of the building, but Lisette was sure that if they walked in the right direction they would reach the gravel driveway and parking area. She helped Chérie as much as she could, supporting her friend whenever she slipped on the grassy moat that evidently surrounded the building. She reasoned that, whichever way they were walking, they would eventually come to the front.

Lisette paused. They had reached a corner. She looked back at Chérie. Sweat poured down the young lawyer’s face, but her lips were drawn into a tight line. Chérie was obviously putting out as much energy as she could in order to keep up with her older and, if one believed Madame Vellum, tougher friend.

"Hopefully, not far to go now," Lisette whispered. "I think we’re at the front."

Holding herself close to the wall, she cautiously peeped around the corner. Of all the sights that Lisette expected to see, she was totally unprepared for the one that met her gaze.

Staring back at her, eyeball to eyeball, and with a similar look of surprise on his round face, was Sir Justin Hoffnung.

ã Brian Sands 2004