Spy Camp (m+f+/m+f+) Part 38

[slackywacky]

Glad to able to read some more of Giselle's adventures. I really enjoy this story.

[Beaumains]

“Do you want to join us?” Eight approached Giselle, who sat alone on the pebble beach. The large group of mostly girls had been playing the party game mafia, and to prepare for the next round, they released those who had been voted out from their hogties.

“I’m good. Thanks. I appreciate the offer,” Giselle responded, staring at the lake before her. The boys were still messing around with the canoes and attempted to sink each other. Polar Bear and Bull Dog were already trying to reach the shore with an upside-down canoe.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m all good.”

Eight sat down and rounded her arm around Giselle’s firetruck-red swimsuit. “That doesn’t fool me. I’m not sure what happened to you in the past few days, Swift Fox, but I’m here for you. Okay? I know the tie-up games alone are not responsible for your mood, nor that Washington picked you to be a commander. But you are here for five or six more weeks. You have to sort it out, and I am happy to help.”

Angered, Giselle balled her fists around the small rocks inside them. Washington had chosen her, but Ocelot and Tarantula had won a vote.

“Don’t give me that look. Please, spare me. If you think I won’t understand, try me.”

“Nothing is going on.”

“Nope, you just don’t want to talk about it.”

“I don’t like talking about myself. I can handle it myself. Don’t worry.”

Spider Octopus tightened her grip. “I do worry,” she whispered. “You look miserable. If I am honest, you are also anxious and frightened. That hurts me to see. But, at times, you calmed down and were so cool, crushing everyone. I want to see that Swift Fox more often.”

Giselle cracked a smile. Eight meant she wanted to see Gigi explore, like in the videos years ago, and be happy, naive, fearless, and reckless. Of course, this includes all the stupid catchphrases and one-liners.

That time was over.

And even if Giselle shared her deepest thoughts, the actress’s heart would break. Never meet your heroes, they say. She could easily shun her or gossip like everyone else. She had also allowed Willet to trick her into confirming Giselle’s identity. “I’m good. I can take care of myself.”

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, especially being a commander.”

“I won’t.”

From the group of teens, Lionfish ran to the duo. “We are starting a new round. Last chance.”

“Shall we?” Eight asked.

Giselle nodded and stood up. Declining would alarm Eight even further. They sat down next to each other in the circle surrounding Willet. “Last game before dinner, so let us make it special. If you are a mafia member and get caught, you spend dinner bound and blindfolded. Understood?”

Most loved such stakes, but Giselle focused on keeping her face neutral. Why did these games always feature bondage?

Sitting down, she received her role from Willet, and to her delight, it was the dullest, most useless role possible, which made her able to disassociate from the game completely, and she would not be tied up.

Silently, Giselle let the game play out and was eliminated roughly halfway, just after Red Deer was taped up, gagged with her own socks, and blindfolded. Being innocent, Giselle was spared while Cottontail and Hedgehog were tied up and lost the game with the mafia. To Giselle, it did not matter. Her thoughts were angry and elsewhere.

“Tarantula, Ocelot, Swift Fox, please join my table,” Washington declared as Giselle filled her plate with two burritos. Giselle sighed and sat down as far as reasonably possible from Washington at the picnic table.

He had not been forgiven.

“Congratulations again for your promotions. You three will make a strong and refreshing team of commanders. I hope you can reunite the group and allow them to reach new heights. Having three brand-new commanders is unusual, so let me outline my expectations. If you have any questions, feel free to approach us or a former commander.”

Giselle had already turned herself mentally off. Washington had only selected her to make her behave and cut out her antics. No thanks.

“Your main task is to plan and lead missions and take responsibility for the preparation, execution, and outcome. The preparation for these missions has already begun. A motivated, united group achieves superior results.”

Tarantula cut in. “Thus, not like the previous commanders?” She smiled and leaned in like a teacher’s pet who applauded the stipulations of a time-wasting, worthless project.

Washington paused for a second. “That aspect of their approach was indeed not ideal. We both observed the consequences. Therefore, healing these internal wounds is part of your mission.”

Ocelot controlled his emotions better, and in swimming shorts, his tanned, skinny, worked-out body showed off. All muscles were meant for working and not just watery packs. Giselle noted the results of studying martial arts for over a decade. She bobbed her head and spotted Ithaca opposite of her. She gaped at her intensely as if she questioned Giselle’s presence at the meeting and reminded her to behave. One nasty face was sufficient to make her break eye contact.

“Engage everyone and inspire them. Discover the unique talents and combine them into an unstoppable force. A few weeks into the camp, students will also start giving classes to share their knowledge. Part of your duties will also encompass planning classes and investigating what skills need to be improved. Tomorrow, you will receive the specifics. Is everything clear?”

Giselle nodded, just wanting to get out.

“Is there anything known about the next mission?” Ocelot inquired.

Washington grinned. “You will hear more as soon as I have further information.” Of course, he knew, but now played the stupid character as the director of the fictional spy association.

During the rest of the dinner, Giselle was stuck at the table with Washington, some counselors, and the other two commanders. She answered questions while asked but made no effort to engage in small talk. To make the awkwardness even better (in Giselle’s view), Ocelot was also not a natural talker, and Tarantula was too excited and jubilant for any sense to leave her mouth. Ithaca kept staring and smiling at Giselle but kept wisely silent, understanding Giselle was furious with her.

“I’m going for a swim,” Giselle told Spider Octopus when the meal finally finished.

“I will join you if you don’t mind. It seems nice to freshen up before we head back.”

“That’s cool.”

Eight smiled and joined Giselle walking down in the water. Her bikini had a dark violet shade, and it looked so good on her. The ugly red one-piece swimsuit had been the sole option in her size. The water was colder than earlier, but Giselle did not want to back down and smoothly lowered herself into the water.

Eight was a better swimmer, and even on her back, she was faster than Giselle. Giselle did not mind. Others joining them delighted her less.

Eight halted a few hundred feet from the shoreline and was treading water. “What are your plans for tonight?”

Giselle could smell her friend was up to something from a thousand miles away. “What do you mean?”

“You’re now a commander. You have your own room now.”

“Should I use it? It feels too elitist to use it.”

“Elitist?”

“I did not earn it. I’m not better than you.”

With a single stroke, Eight reached Giselle and grabbed her hand. “You earned it! Use it. Don’t feel bad. Everyone would do the same.” Giselle nodded. “If you want, you can even kidnap me for the night, like Willet chose to do last week with you?”

“Why would I? If I recall correctly, I have to keep you tied up?”

“So?” Eight smiled deviously. “What’s the problem?”

“Would you want that?”

“Of course! Don’t you know me by now?”

Giselle reddened. These people remained weird. “If you would that…”

A pair of hands pushed on Giselle’s shoulder from behind. “Do it!” Willet laughed. “Enjoy the perks while they last.”

[slackywacky]

Giselle had already turned herself mentally off.

She really needs to sort out what she wants (and what others want). This is not an easy story to write in my opinion, as you are dealing with lots of emotions, but you are doing an excellent job. Thank you for a new chapter.

[Caesar73]

She really needs to sort out what she wants (and what others want). This is not an easy story to write in my opinion, as you are dealing with lots of emotions, but you are doing an excellent job. Thank you for a new chapter.

Agreed on all accounts - no easy decisions to make for Giselle. A fascinating Character.

[GreyLord]

Very well done, @Beaumains. As always, I am eager to learn what will follow.

[Beaumains]

Thanks for all the comments and the 100k clicks!

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A slight headache was followed by the morning sun creeping through the cracks of the curtains and entering Giselle’s eyes. The alarm clock read 6:19 AM. There was one hour left before she was supposed to wake up.

Giselle grabbed her duvet and rolled into it, snuggling up. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before realizing her mistake. Twisting to her other side, her pupils widened, getting kicked back into reality.

Eight lay next to her, clad in her short black pajamas and lying on her stomach. A red silk ribbon connected her wrists behind her back, but they were far from touching. Giselle’s cinches had changed the ribbon into a set of handcuffs. To Giselle, it looked uncomfortable even though she had chosen soft silk. Ribbons of the same kind sewed her legs together and were fastened to the end of the bed. From their twisting, Giselle deduced Eight had been rolling in her sleep. The actress’s face was perfectly peaceful and buried in the pillow. A pink sleeping mask covered her eyes.

Carefully, Giselle covered Eight with the duvet before nestling herself under it as well.

“Thank you,” Eight murmured softly.

“Sorry,” Giselle replied. She was unsure whether Eight was awake or speaking in her sleep.

“It’s okay. I slept well. What time is it?” Eight yawned. Giselle read the alarm clock. “That’s early. I doubt I’ll sleep more. Will you?”

“I can stay in bed all day. Wasting time is a specialism of mine. Should I untie you?”

Eight rubbed the sleeping mask off. Her eyes were twinkling. “Untied? Are you crazy? It feels so good, Giselle. But it is a bit loose.”

Giselle peeled the pink sleeping mask from Eight’s face. “It’s so weird hearing that name, Vespina,” she laughed.

“It is a beautiful name. Of course, I will not use it when anyone else is around like everything you told me last night,” Eight assured. “That took a lot of courage.”

Giselle scuffed. She did not want to be patronized and reminded of the previous night. Mistakes had been made. She had opened up and regretted it already. She should have shared about her relationship with her family and what had happened with WeWereThere. It was too personal. It had made her look weak and pathetic. Eight had been pressing and charming, and when Giselle started talking, she could not stop. It was cozy in bed. In the dark and curled up against a tied-up Spider Octopus, emptying her heart had been too easy. She hated the usual light, open spaces with a therapist or authority figure eyeing her. “Don’t say that. I hate it.”

Eight laughed. “I know! You’re direct and despise sugarcoating. If you’re done with me, tie up. I dare you.”

“You sure?”

“Do it before I change my mind. And make it tight. Be cruel.”

Giselle sighed. “I don’t want to hurt you. Really.”

“You won’t, and you know that. Trust your judgment and my own. Have fun.”

All the previous time Giselle had tied – better said, had been forced to tie – others up it had always been cuffs, loose bondage, or someone experienced had been watching.

Eight sat on her knees and shook her hair behind her head. “Don’t be scared. It will be alright.” She winked. “Come at me and show you have learned something useful in the past week!”

Giselle smiled and crawled over the bed to reach Eight’s legs and untie them. “Then don’t whine later.” She also untied her friend’s arms, moved her to the high headboard, and positioned her against it on her knees while facing forward. Of course, the headboard was there for bondage, so Giselle bound Eight’s wrists to the sides.

“Tighter, please!”

“How?”

“That’s for you to figure out.”

Giselle smirked and bent Eight’s ankles up to make her stand on her kneecaps. She moved them against the headboard and rigged her legs against it. Now Spider Octopus had to use her upper body strength to balance. Otherwise, she would fall forward and put stress on her shoulders and wrists anyway. “I think I’m off to sleep,” Giselle said, forcing the pink sleep mask back over Eight’s sharp, sparkling brown eyes. Maybe a gag was needed, but Giselle wanted to give her a way to warn her if something went wrong.

“Sleep well,” Eight told Giselle, who closed the gap in the curtains and pulled the duvet over herself, burying herself underneath. Then she closed her eyes.

Usually, drifting away was trivial in this position for Giselle. But now, it was almost unthinkable. Eight could whisper, and Giselle would react, but Giselle felt responsible and had to safeguard her safety. It was unnecessary, and sleeping would be much more dramatic. Eight would love it. But with her head filled with thoughts, falling asleep was impossible. Eight would notice any movements through the mattress. Hence, she just stared at the face of the tied-up actress. She was struggling.

Eight’s face told little. Her mouth was closed and looked solemn as she slowly breathed through her nose. Her shoulders and knees carried were under continuous pressure. It was not enormous, like hanging by your arms. But it added up over time. Losing concentration and sudden movements could lead to short-term relief, but the final price would be higher.

When the alarm sounded at 7:10 AM, Giselle slammed it off swiftly and rose from her bed to turn on the lights. Someone knocked on the door, and Giselle opened it.

“Good morning, Commander Swift Fox,” Tara greeted. “These beds are so much better than those in the dorms. Are you guys ready for breakfast? It seems we are in for a treat today. We can take a shower afterward when it is less busy.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Eight exclaimed from around the corner. “Please untie me first.”

The sound of ‘tie’ caught Tarantula’s attention, and she entered the room to have a look. Red Deer, who had been Tara’s captive for the night, followed. Deep, red marks covered her arms and legs, but she appeared delighted. “You did a good job. I hope you did not keep her like that all night.”

“Oh, no, she used to be gagged,” Giselle replied without a moment of hesitation. “She wanted to be challenged.”

It took Red a second before realizing Giselle was joking. In that time, Tara had freed Eight, and the four moved to the little room where blueberry pancakes and breakfast sandwiches awaited the commanders and their abductees.

[Caesar73]

An intriguing chapter. I did like the first Paragraphs very much. Giselle awakening. The Conversation with Eight. Then the look back. Then the switch back to the Present.

[Beaumains]

Honeybee grabbed Giselle’s arm as they entered the factory’s loading dock. “You truly consider that anyone hides here?”

“It is plausible,” Giselle replied. Only an amateur would choose an enormous open space with only obvious hiding spots. You could not even climb into the ceiling. There were only large pipes to hide behind and large metal thrash bins that had long been emptied and cleaned. 

Lionfish and Cottontail walked past the half dozen rusty bins and opened and closed them in rapid succession. No one was inside who required to be bound and gagged. From a distance, Giselle watched, quite bored after an hour of fruitless searching, save from finding that stupid kid in the ventilator shaft. A big dent in the metal had been a clear giveaway, like a child hiding behind a curtain whose shoes were visible.

“So this is how our first mission felt to them: It is so boring for us but so exciting for the newcomers,” Honeybee remarked, and Giselle agreed. Only one new camper remained, and almost 30 people were looking for them.

However, she noticed something from the corner of her eye: Lionfish and Cottontail exchanged glances and smirked. Something was up. Giselle walked up, flanked by Polar Bear and Honeybee. “Seen something?”  

“All empty,” Cottontail replied. “We should move on. Maybe we should do the East-side forest again.” She was a terrible liar. Giselle walked forward, flanked by Polar Bear and Honeybee.

“There’s nobody, Swift Fox,” Lionfish lied. “If you believe we’re messing with you, check it out yourself, but this wastes time.” 

Giselle called the bluff, pushed through them, and opened the lid. She saw terror and fear. A fearful face with an open mouth and deep green eyes was surrounded by long, curly red hair and frozen in the corner. The last of the three new campers. It took Giselle a moment to compute the ramifications as Lionfish clenched her wrist.  

Traitors.  

The commanders had to arrest (and tie up) the new campers, but with the help of the traitors, the commanders could also be captured to make it fair. Polar Bear noticed it as well, and being jacked and a foot taller than Lionfish, the blonde kissed the concrete quickly. Giselle and Cottontail stepped back as Armadillo grasped Polar Bear from behind. It looked bleak. The traitors had banded together and assembled in Giselle’s search party.  

“Surrender, Swift Fox,” Honeybee smirked. Polar Bear was down. Gerbil, the wrestler from Maine, walked to Giselle while four red ropes bungled down from her belt. It was 5 against 2. Outnumbered, the commander turned around, ducked an arm, and sprinted away, losing ground on the long stretch of concrete. Racing to the forest would end badly, so Giselle opted for a long steel spiral staircase that led up. She started to gain a little and saw from above that Lionfish accompanied the new girl in their direction. Washington had designed this to make her immediately bond with some older campers.

Four floors higher, Giselle failed to find allies. Trying to hide in a room was suicide, so she ran through the corridors she had firmly memorized by now, either from the map or from a mission. Twice to the right and once to the left, Giselle entered a bridge across the deserted main hall of the factory. Ocelot and Tarantula were searching elsewhere with their crews. Fortune was not in Giselle’s favor. Her lungs were burning from the stairs, and Gerbil was a trained athlete performing on the national level. Both were not runners, and Giselle noticed she gained ground in technical corners, so she opted for another set of stairs that led up the roof. It was scattered with pipes, gravel pits, little walls, chimneys, random steel bridges, and empty chemical tanks. It was downright amazing.  

Twice as tall and actually fit, Gerbil provided Giselle no time to chill. Searching earlier, Giselle had scouted the area, finding numerous jumps and cuts, but there was no time to try them out. Gerbil beelined to the other exit, cutting Giselle off, and Lionfish, Cottontail, and the new girl passed through the entrance.  

“Now you’re cornered, stupid,” Giselle told herself, snickering like a devil. Four enemies had entered her domain, and now they had to capture her. Lionfish covered the other door, encouraging Cottontail and the new girl to chase Giselle down.

Controlling her heart rate, Giselle dodged them as if toddlers were chasing her. She made the five-, six-, and seven-foot jumps without hesitation, skirted around random iron bars, and climbed fences as she had done for half her life while her opponents lacked her experience. One erroneous choice would lead to a broken ankle. “Careful,” she told the new girl, who bonked her head as Giselle baited her under a low-hanging horizontal pole. If the girl wanted to win, she had to take even more risks.

“Just surrender, Swift Fox. Do you really want to play this game?” Lionfish shouted. “No one is going to win this.” 

“You choose to chase me,” Giselle replied, knowing she needed a plan. Eventually, the girls would switch places, and a fresh Gerbil and Lionfish would be annoying to handle. She checked the sides of the buildings, finding no friends to call for aid. She had to escape somehow without her opponents being able to follow.  

But there always is a solution, although it is often ugly. Nothing is impossible if you think outside the box.

There was another roof, about 35 feet below, with a long lamppost sticking out like a tall street light. For someone not too familiar with the capabilities of a human body, it sounds like suicide to jump onto it and then slide down. Although still dangerous, Giselle had performed it often enough to be consistent, and she considered it safer than many of the other things she had done.

“Last chance,” Giselle told Cottontail and the redhead, who had no clue what she meant until she ran between them, hopped over a brick wall, and leaped six feet through the air. Giselle’s body collided with the metal and curled around it. She used her legs to go down in a controlled manner and waved at the confused crowd above as the metal was rocking back and forth.

Inside the building, Giselle located Ocelot on the ground floor, and his 8-man-strong crew caught most of the traitors and the new girl within five minutes. Mission complete. Giselle smiled as Red Deer and Tarantula loaded up a hogtied Cottontail in the black minivan that drove them back to the office building.



“Hey, you have a moment?” Lionfish asked after dinner. “Do you have anything to do tonight?”

“I don’t think so,” Giselle replied. Eight was gone for a few days for a contractually obligated photo shoot in New York.  

The tall blonde showed enthusiastic puppy eyes. “Great! Could you do me a favor? I know tie-ups are not your thing, but Leafwing wants revenge for this afternoon.”

“She can’t ask that herself?” The new girl Giselle embarrassed in the afternoon was not socially awkward, and Giselle did not consider herself unapproachable.  

“She wants to surprise you. You know, jump you?”

“It seems quite patronizing to ask me to fall for that.”

“I’m not requesting you to act like an idiot. Just don’t avoid her or get angry.”

“Fine,” Giselle sighed. It felt like peer pressure. “Could you stay with me? I don’t trust her yet.”

“Sure,” Lionfish replied, moving in for a hug.

[slackywacky]

Scouting comes in handy, that is what Giselle showed in this chapter. Know the terrain. Now we are waiting for the revenge to happen...
Good chapter.