Mother and Daughter · Part 1 (1/2)
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Helena Laverre and her daughter Daphne were going on a short holiday trip overseas. They were planning to leave their comfortable home in the western suburbs, drive for an hour to the International Airport to catch their flight.
Helena was forty five, solidly built but still reasonably fit, her figure ever so slightly fleshing a little. She had a well rounded face with short wavy brown hair. Her background was international finance, a business she worked in with her husband. She was a forceful woman with people around her.
Her daughter Daphne by contrast was a slight girl, almost to the point of thinness. She was eighteen, a narrow but pleasant face, straight dark hair with large eyes, quiet and studious by nature. She had just finished her last days at secondary school. Unfortunately she and her mother had not got on well for months now. The girl had lost her virginity almost a year ago under unpleasant and unhappy circumstances. Helena had found out about this at the time. Relations between the two had been strained ever since and the parent at least was hoping this short vacation together might improve the situation.
Another issue between them was what Daphne was to do now that she had finished her final school exams. She wanted to go to university. What to do from there she was not sure but was thinking vaguely of archeology or some historical discipline. Her mother rejected this. Her proposal was a couple of years at some obscenely expensive ladies' finishing school. And after that to marry well. The pair were not seeing eye to eye at all.
The morning had been spent packing for the journey and by the afternoon the pair were ready to depart for the airport.
The family lived in an expensive home in an area of similar upper class residences in an exclusive suburb known simply as The Heights. As befitted people who were doing very nicely in the world of finance. The house and grounds were large and needed a staff to maintain it. They were there to see mother and daughter off.
But not all of these were the loyal servants their employers thought they were. As they drove away one of the maids made a discreet phone call to people who were interested indeed in this proposed journey.
Daphne was driving. The journey was not overlong, the route not difficult and it was felt she would gain useful driving experience.
The way they were travelling, after leaving The Heights, was a long, straight well paved road through an area where nobody lived. Here and there were large stands of dense timber and that was all. Many miles ahead lay the junction with the main road which led directly to the airport. It was very infrequently used. Helena was not at ease here.
A few miles out they saw an unmarked grey van parked on the edge of the paved roadway directly ahead of them. No one was in sight. Daphne slowed down.
“Don’t stop,” Helena was firm. “No one lives out here. Anything could happen and nobody'd see it. Drive past.”
At the last moment a young woman walked out from the front of the van. She looked about thirty, had untidy brown hair and a smile on her face. She wore a skivvy with rolled up sleeves, a short woollen skirt and of all things – she was carrying a bucket. She stopped in the middle of the carriageway, directly in front of them.
Daphne stopped the car. She had to, otherwise she’d have run the woman down.
Helena spoke, “The doors of the car are locked. The windows are up. Don’t open them.” The woman walked around to the side of the car and stood directly outside the driver’s side window. She still had a smile on her face but both of the car occupants noticed it looked vacant. As if she were feeble minded. Her lips started to move but no sound could be heard.
“I can’t hear her,” said Daphne and despite what her mother had said, she lowered the window a couple of inches. Still nothing could be heard though they could see her mouth opening and closing. The vacant smile became more so, increasing the suspicion of feeblemindedness.
Exasperated, Daphne lowered the window still more, determined to find out what she wanted. When it was far enough down the woman suddenly thrust her arm into the car and reached across in front of her. She seized the car keys in the ignition, switched it off and removed them. The engine died. Within seconds the vehicle had been rendered immobile. This, it seemed, was what Helena had been fearful of all the time.
Things began to happen quickly then.
Three women ran out from behind the van to the car. All three were wearing unmarked dark green boiler suits and visored caps pulled down low. One was solid, well built and appeared to be in command. They looked like contract workers except that all were wearing grey surgical face masks which completely hid their faces.
The lady in charge and one of the trio hurried to the passenger side where Helena was. The remaining boiler suit ran to the other side where the smiling woman was standing. She was now manipulating the electronic door locking attachment on the purloined car keys. Both front door locks clicked off. The cars occupants were becoming more vulnerable by the minute.
The two pairs of attackers flung open the now unlocked car doors. They reached inside and undid the travellers' seat belts. This done, they bent over both mother and daughter and proceeded to lift them bodily out of the car.
This was relatively easy with Daphne who was a small slight person but more difficult with Helena who was both solid and heavy. But the woman in charge was very strong and she and her companion lifted her from her seat and onto the paved road. The pair were too surprised to struggle much, Daphne at least.
Then at this point Helena began to scream, “Help, help. We’re being attacked. Help!” This could be heard for some distance and in a populated area would have brought people from all directions. But here there was no one. There was not even any traffic on the road.
Helena was stood upright. The second woman got behind her and pinioned her arms. The big woman slapped her face to stop her cries. “Hush Helena! You’re too noisy, and there’s no one to hear you anyway.” And to the others, “Quick, get them both round to the other side of the van.” Both mother and daughter, their arms firmly held, were forcibly marched around to the far side of the vehicle.
The smiling woman, now deadly serious, did not take part in this. Her boiler suited companion was able to handle the slim Daphne. She closed the passenger side door, picked up the bucket she had carried originally, put it in the car, got in herself and, using the keys, started the vehicle and drove it off the road. She parked it beside a grove of trees a few yards in front of the van.
She got out and, taking her bucket, went back to the group on the off side of the van.
Meanwhile, the three uniformed women had made Helena and Daphne stand facing the side of the vehicle. The pair had their faces inches from the grey finish.
Both mother and daughter had dressed for their journey. Sensible travel shoes, comfortable slacks. Helena wore a thin, belted leather coat, Daphne a tight fitting nylon rain jacket. Their captors seemed to approve of this. The bucket was placed beside them.
This contained many pieces of very thick, soft white rope. The three boiler suits took these and began to bind their captives. The fourth woman positioned herself on the road side of the van. She was ready to wave on any driver who might slow down and offer to help. They wanted nobody to see what was happening behind it.
Helena and Daphne had their wrists crossed behind their backs and tied with the white rope. Next their arms were lashed to their sides and further secured by cinches under their armpits. "Turn them around,” ordered the boss lady. The bucket provided two damp wad gags and sashes to hold them in place. “Sorry girls, but it’s necessary to gag you as well.”
Neither mother nor daughter looked pleased as the wadded gags were forced into their mouths and kept in place by the sashes tied around their heads. “And now ladies, if you’ll just step to the rear of the vehicle.” The pair were steered to the back door of the van which the fourth woman had come round to and was now holding open.
The lady in charge got into the van and then, assisted by the other two, lifted the captive pair inside, one after the other. She was indeed a strong woman.
The interior was roomier than might have been expected. A padded bench seat ran along one side. Mother and daughter were made to sit on this some distance apart. The two other women climbed in and bound the pair’s thighs and ankles with the last of the white rope. Finally, canvas straps were used to secure the two to supports on the van’s sides underneath the padded back rest. The big woman got out while this was being done and watched through the doorway. She removed her face mask.
“Well ladies,” she smiled when the passengers were secure, “Ready for your journey? Not quite as comfortable as your last transport but it’ll be adequate.” Helena and Daphne glared over their gags. She looked at the two boiler suited women, “You two can travel in the front, I’ll ride in the back with our two guests to make sure they’re OK.” The pair nodded and got out of the van.
“And you,” she turned and spoke to the fourth woman, ”Can drive their car. No need to travel in convoy. Go at your own pace. Just get there in one piece. Remember you’re transporting our friends’ luggage.” She looked around and smiled at the bound pair and was again rewarded with glares.
Without any further ado the boss lady climbed back into the van and seated herself on the bench between the captives. The back door was closed and within minutes both vehicles were driven away. The whole incident had taken about twenty minutes from the moment the Laverre car had stopped.
The journey was to last two or three hours.
After the first hour their captor spoke. “You ladies’d be more comfortable if I took the gags out of your mouths, wouldn’t you? I’ll do this if you won’t make any fuss. We’re on a little used highway now anyway. Do you agree?” Both mother and daughter nodded. She removed the wads and placed them in a handy place on the seat.
“And perhaps you’d like a drink?” Again, nodded approval. The woman produced a bottle of spring water and held it to their mouths. They sipped thankfully. Afterwards she wiped their lips with a clean cloth. Both indicated their approval.
Helena spoke first. “You realise we’re expected at the airport? It’ll be noticed when we don’t arrive?”
“The airline has been told of a last minute cancellation of your trip. They’re so sorry you won’t be travelling with them. And as for your husband, whom you were supposed to be calling from there. Well, some of our people are at your house now and they’ll have taken him in hand. Your cook and housekeeper will already be tightly bound and gagged.”
Mother and daughter stared silently and glumly. Daphne because she had little idea of what was really going on. She wondered how this was going to affect her personally. She was far from happy these days. Helena speculated darkly on which of their business rivals were behind this.
There was only sporadic conversation for the rest of the trip.
Finally the van reached its destination. It travelled slowly for some minutes and finally stopped. The passengers heard the front doors open and close. The rear door opened. One of the boiler suits helped the lady in charge unbind their legs and ankles. Then they were helped up and lifted out of the van.
They were in a large garage area, many yards long. It had brick walls, a smooth concrete floor and some vehicles parked along one side. There appeared to be a workshop area at one end. Two women were waiting to meet them.
These two were wearing grey green, belted uniforms. Both were in their thirties or forties, looked capable and competent and were smiling. One held a clipboard and paper.
“So these are our new guests,” this lady said, "Well then, for a start they’d better be blindfolded.” Helena and Daphne were already staring curiously at their new surroundings. “Then we can take them to their accommodation.”
The bucket which had come in the van with them was brought out. Two thick sashes were produced and tied firmly over the eyes of mother and daughter. Their arms still bound, they were firmly led away, along what seemed to be long corridors. They heard a door close behind them.
The sashes were removed. They were in a room about nine yards long and four wide. This place, like the garage, had a concrete floor and brick walls. Two steel framed cot beds, neatly made up, were in the middle. At one end was a washbasin, mirror and cupboard with a curtained shower recess on one side and a wooden door, presumably a toilet, on the other. At the other was a small table with two chairs. Everything was neat, tidy and scrupulously clean.
The woman with the clipboard, her companion, and the lady in charge from the van had come with them. “Well girls,” this first said cheerfully, “These are your quarters for the duration of your stay with us. You’ll find the beds soft, the blankets warm and everything quiet. We trust you’ll be comfortable.”
The woman from the van spoke. “But first we need to take some photographs. And a little window dressing is necessary. Would you both sit down there please?” She pointed to one of the beds. Mother and daughter, arms still tied, were forcibly seated, the bucket of restraints was produced and their legs and ankles were rebound. “It’s also necessary to gag you again. Purely for pictorial purposes,” she explained, “We’ll take everything off once we’ve got you on record.”
The captives both grimaced as the wad gags were put into their mouths again. It was obviously going to be a posed photograph. The two were pushed against each other and their hair was deliberately tousled. The boss lady produced a mobile phone that could take pictures. “For the benefit of the man of the family to ensure his co-operation,” she told them, “So he can see we really have taken his womenfolk captive. Just look worried and unhappy.” There was no need for this admonition. Both were unhappy. The picture was taken.
This done, the pair were finally unbound and their three captors prepared to leave. The clipboard lady spoke, “We’ll leave you ladies now. You’ll get a meal in about an hour. As mentioned, the bedding is OK,” she nodded toward the shower, “You’ll find the water hot, soap in the holder and towels on the washbasin.” She smiled, “All mod cons. Enjoy your stay.” They went out, locking the door behind them.
Mother and daughter faced each other. Daphne spoke, “Mum. Who are these people? Where are we?”
“I’m not entirely sure. I suspect they’re working with an overseas cartel. I warned your father about getting involved with some of these Middle Eastern interests. And as to where we are, somewhere in the western mountains, I’d say.”
Daphne looked around. “Well at least it's clean and comfortable. We’re not in an abandoned warehouse or a dilapidated hut.”
Helena smiled for the first time in many hours, “We can be thankful for small mercies.”
Almost an hour later they saw daylight fading through a barred horizontal window high on a side wall.
The door opened and an African girl wearing what seemed to be the standard green uniform came in. She was carrying a tray containing two covered hot meals, cutlery, cups and a pot of tea which she put down on the table at the end of the room. “Dinner, ladies,” she smiled as she left the room. The door was locked behind her.
Since they hadn’t eaten since midday they sat and ate quickly. It was well cooked and adequate. About half an hour later the same girl came to pick up the tray.
Daphne said, “I’m going to try out their shower and see if the water’s as hot as they say.” Fifteen minutes later she was able to report that it was.
They went to bed in their underwear having no night attire. As promised, they found the beds comfortable and both slept soundly.
They woke early, dressed and found combs, brushes and face washers in the wash basin cupboard with which to perform their toilette. They had left their leather coat and rain jacket on coat hangers on pegs on the wall. Shortly after the African girl brought in a breakfast tray. “Good morning. Hope you slept well,” she smiled as she went out. Helena wondered if she was an illegal immigrant.
Breakfast finished, they were sitting on the beds when they had further visitors. Three of them.
One was the lady from the van. This time wearing a white, belted dress, so well fitting it might have been tailored. She looked like a hospital matron. It suited her. The other two were the pair they had met in the garage on their arrival. Both wore the ubiquitous g
Mother and Daughter · Part 1 (1/2)
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