Chapter 5: Considerations

"It could be a good idea," Freddie Clegg was leaning on the rail of the balcony overlooking one of his training rooms. In the room below, Sarah, a long-time, originally unwilling employee of Clegg Enteprises, was taking amusement from freeing two of their latest "guests" from the packaging used to ensure their secure transfer and safe arrival.

Elspeth Grant, "Ellie" as she was known, was standing alongside Freddie. They'd both come to see the new acquisitions. "Hmmm?" Ellie wasn't really listening; she was more interested in the packaging used in the boxes that the girls had been imprisoned in. It was something new that the logistics boys had been trying out. Injection foam had been pumped in around the girls, providing a packing that at one time protected and confined them.

"Norman's proposal."

"I thought you said it sounded a bit vague."

"Rick's people did some research. The proposition stands up. The older one is at the top end of what we'd normally consider for age but Larry seems to feel we could place her. The other two are pretty much on spec for regular product. I know we're not short of product at the moment but I'd like to do Norman a favour."

"Hmm," Ellie's grunt was sceptical. To her it sounded like Freddie had already made up his mind. Her attention was soon drawn back to the squealing captives. Extracted from their crates, they were now starting to realise what was happening to them. The taller of the two girls was struggling spiritedly but when the tape covering her eyes was removed the site of the room she was now in seemed to subdue her.

"That's all right, dear," Sarah greeted the puzzled captive. "This must all be rather different from what you expected."

What do you expect, wondered Freddie, after you have been grabbed and drugged and wake up to find yourself blinded, gagged and helpless in crate that holds you immobile? Possibly not a brightly lit room looking like an open plan office in any typical modern development. Possibly not to be greeted in a conversational manner by a girl not much older than you wearing an outfit that looked like she'd stepped out of "Mad Men", either. Sarah still favoured a rather retro look.

Sarah guided the girl across to the centre of the room and left her standing there. She was obviously trying to make sense of her surroundings, looking up to the gallery where Freddie and the others were looking down. The first girl's companion seemed just as confused when she was freed from her crate. Freddie watched closely as the lid was removed and the top slab of foam prised away. It really was fascinating, the way that the material expanded to fit so exactly around the form of whatever was within.

The fit was so close that Sarah found it difficult to extricate her from the crate. It needs some sort of strap putting underneath the captive before they go in, Freddie thought to himself. Eventually, the second girl was standing alongside her companion and Sarah could peel away the tape that blindfolded her. Freddie smiled. The two college girls in their short tartan kilts, mary-jane shoes, white knee socks and white short sleeved blouses had just the right look about them. They'd certainly be popular when it came to the auction provided they could keep that "innocent but corruptible" look through their training.

"Now," Sarah began chattily, "I'll just take off your kilts, if that's all right. It's just that the boys like to see what they've got and you know what boys are like." As she unfastened the waistband of each girl's skirt, allowing them to fall around their ankles, Lucy and Jill began to realise just why they had been abducted.

"And the shirts, please," Freddie called down.

"Sure, boss," Sarah replied, wrenching open Lucy's blouse before turning to Jill and doing the same. Jill tried to pull away, tripped on her skirt and fell, sprawling on the floor.

"Careful," called Freddie, "don't bruise the fruit." He turned back to Ellie. "Nice legs, though." Ellie rolled her eyes; Freddie was as predictable as ever.