Chapter 1: Belvedere College For Young Ladies

Belvedere College aimed to ensure that all its students would be able to conduct themselves as ladies once they left its portals. However, some high-spirited members of the senior year were determined to learn all they could of less ladylike pursuits. Alcohol was a continual problem for, though it was legal for the 18-year-olds to be drinking, the College took the firm view that no lady was ever seen to be the worse for drink. The senior year girls didn't really agree.

"Are you sure it's down here?"

"Yes, that new girl, Christy, was bragging about it last night."

"A case of vodka! That's going to be a hell of a dorm party!"

"You'd better believe it. Come on, it's behind the shed, she said."

Lucy Amory and Jill Pascoe crept slowly around the back of the Science block. They were feeling their way in the dark, reluctant to use a torch in case they were seen from the main School building. Two black-clad men did not have the same constraint on their movements. Night vision goggles gave them a clear view of the two young women as they edged their way towards their prize. They noted with satisfaction that the girls had just as rebellious an attitude to their college uniforms; skirts shorter than regulation and blouses rather tighter than would be considered ladylike were favoured by the girls of the senior year and these were no exception.

"You keep watch, and I'll see what I can find, Lucy," Jill said as she slid into the gap between the Science block and the small shed that the school's groundsman used.

Lucy stood peering into the dark while, unknown to her, one of the men slid closer to her. A slight rustle was the only warning she had. It was while she was puzzling what the sound might mean that a gloved hand clamped a sickly smelling cloth over her mouth and nose, while an arm reached around her body and dragged her back against her assailant's chest. As consciousness ebbed away, Lucy heard the calls of her friend, "Lucy? Lucy? Lummmm!!" as she, too, fell victim to the intruders.