Rotterdam, The Netherlands
“Yes, I appreciate that. I have an appointment with Naomi Van den Burgh. My name is Sarah Grant.” Perrie said in response to the security guard’s question about the late hour of her arrival at the office building. The female security guard glanced at her male colleague who picked up the phone and dialled an extension number. Perrie caught sight of her reflection in the highly polished surface behind the desk and hardly recognised the woman looking back at her. The black wig, prosthetic nose, contact lenses and glasses altered her appearance that much she doubted that her own mother would recognise her, which was the whole point on this mission as she had travelled to the building by public transport through the city of Amsterdam. The cover story that she was using was as a reporter for a respectable, upmarket British newspaper doing an in-depth feature on the international justice system. As part of the background for the story she was interviewing prominent members of that system, of which Naomi Van den Burgh certainly was. The Dutch solicitor has earned her reputation by representing a number of high-profile individuals accused of crimes that crossed international borders. These kinds of cases were seen as highly specialised due to their nature. Perrie’s mind drifted back to her current situation as she made eye contact with the female security guard and smiled innocently. There was a hushed conversation between the male guard and someone on the other end of the phone that Perrie couldn’t hear. The male guard put down the receiver and nodded to his female colleague.
“Miss Van den Burgh confirms the appointment,” the male guard said with a visible shrug of the shoulders.
“Follow me and I will show you to Miss Van Den Burgh’s office” the female guard said before turning to her colleague. “Lars, would you lock up.” The male guard headed for the double glass main doors whilst the female guard opened a gate in the front desk and gestured for Perrie to follow her as she walked toward the corridor that Perrie knew from studying plans of the building led to the elevators. There was silence as they waited for the one of the three lifts to return to the ground floor. The guard alternated between staring at Perrie with glancing at the numbers above the lift as they descended. Perrie just smiled and swayed slightly from the balls of her feet onto her heels, then back again, repeating the process until there was a ding that signalled the arrival of the lift. The doors on the centre of the three lifts opened and the guard gestured for Perrie to enter, which she did. The lift ride to the seventh floor went quickly and when the doors opened the guard stepped out but held the doors with one hand. “Down the corridor,” the guard said indicated right with her free arm. “It is the last door on the right. It should be open and Miss Van Den Burgh will be waiting for you in the reception area.”
“Thank you. I assume that all of the other staff on this floor will have left for the evening?” Perrie queried looking at all of rooms lying in darkness.
“I assume so,” the guard replied with a shrug before stepping back into the lift. Perrie watched the doors close and the list numbers above the doors begin to descend before turning and walking along the corridor. The office was easy to find, it was the only one with lights on. Perrie knocked and entered into a small but lavish reception area with a large desk at its centre, the name of the law firm was in bold letters on a screen behind the desk.
“Hello,” shouted Perrie. “Is anyone around?”
“Sarah, it is a pleasure to meet you.” The voice was firm and confident and the English perfect, you wouldn’t know that it was not the woman’s first language. Perrie spun toward where the voice had come from and found a sharply dressed woman in her early forties striding toward her. It was Naomi Van Den Burgh, Perrie recognised the woman from the various photographs and videos that she had watched in preparation for this mission. Perrie extended a hand which Naomi grasped firmly and shook. “Sorry for having to arrange this meeting for this time of evening but I am currently busy working on a couple of cases that are very promising.”
“That isn’t a problem Miss Van Ben Burgh. I thank you for giving some of your valuable time and fitting me into your busy timetable,” Perrie replied. The timing of the meeting couldn’t have been more perfect if she had suggested it.
“No problem. It is always a pleasure spreading the word about our work here,” the lawyer replies, “and Sarah, please call me Naomi.” The woman then indicated back from where she had appeared. “Shall we retreat to my office and get down to it?” Perrie nodded and led the way down the corridor. “It is the last door on the right.” Perrie walked down the corridor admiring the decoration and paintings that lined either side of the corridor before stopping outside the last door on the right. Naomi approached the door and they entered the room and Perrie glanced around, a large desk dominated the centre of the room with a leather chair behind it. To the left there was a round table with a couple of chairs positioned around it. “Let’s take a seat around the table shall we.”
Perrie rummaged through the bag that had been slung over her shoulder and produced a notepad and pen that she placed on the table.
“Ask away,” Naomi said before Perrie found the correct page in her notepad and started to run through the questions that had been written down for her to ask about the international legal system with a particular slant toward the rights of the accused. There were also a series of questions on dealing with deals and agreements for criminals that wanted to change their ways and go straight. The exchange was going well, the conversation was relaxed and Perrie was playing the part of the eager young reporter very well. Then Perrie started to squirm in her seat a little and took a quick glance at her watch to confirm that the time was right. “Miss Van Den Burgh, could I have a glass on water? I suddenly don’t feel well.”
“Of, course Sarah,” Naomi got up from the chair and headed across to the fridge that sat in the corner of her office. Perrie kept an eye on the solicitor and as she went to open the door of the fridge Perrie slumped off the chair and landed heavily on the floor of the office. Instantly Naomi spun round to confirm what had caused the noise and identifying what it was hurried back across and knelt down beside Perrie who was prone on the floor. “Sarah, Sarah can you hear me?” Naomi asked as she shook Perrie’s shoulder. Getting no response Naomi quickly crossed to her desk and picked up the phone and punched in the code for the main reception desk.
Hayley and Kirsty were dressed as ambulance technicians and pushed a large stretcher with Yelena hidden in a compartment under the bed toward the tall, glass fronted building. They pushed the stretcher up an access ramp and were met at a set of double doors by a man wearing the standard uniform of a security guard. Once they had entered the building the guard close and locked the doors behind him
“Follow me and please hurry. Miss Van Den Burgh says that the girl is in need of urgent help” said the male guard. Hayley and Gayle just stood and stared. Neither spoke any Dutch. The male guard was joined by his female colleague and they both stared at Hayley and Kirsty knowing that something was wrong. Before the two guards realized that these were impostors, Yelena rolled out from her hiding place and pointed a pistol at both guards who promptly raised their hands, the international sign for surrender. “Don’t resist and no harm will come to you” Yelena said in Dutch before nodding to her two colleagues. Hayley and Kirsty took this a signal and quickly bound the two guard’s wrists behind their backs with lengths of strong cord. Hayley took control of the female guard and Kirsty the male guard. “Open your mouths” Yelena said again waiving the gun menacingly in the air. Both guards complied and were rewarded with mouth filling cloths being crammed in by Hayley and Kirsty which were kept in place with bandages wrapped around the head several times and held in place with several circumferences of white tape. It was amazing how easily someone could be subdued when they were in shock at the turn of events. Now that both guards were secured and quietened Hayley and Kirsty patted them down to strip them of their keys, radios and mobile phones. Kirsty handed a set of keys to Yelena before depositing the remainder of the items on the large desk.
“Let’s get moving and not waste any time.”
“She speaks Dutch?” Kirsty whispered to Hayley who just shrugged.
“You know her better than I do,” Hayley responded with.
“Quiet you two or I will have you gag each other” Yelena hissed with a scowl before waiving the weapon at the two bound and gagged guards and pointing in the general direction of the elevators. The two guards got the message and trudged in that direction with Yelena closely behind, Hayley and Kirsty brought up the rear with one of them at each end of the gurney. The elevator came and then all got in, it was a tight squeeze with Yelena the last to enter.
“The top floor please.” Hayley said, unable to resist the temptation.
“Nine for me please.” Kirsty commented with a barely contained smile.
“I did warn you about talking, now please gag each other,” Yelena said flatly without turning around.
“Come on, you can’t be serious?” Hayley said with a smile trying to lighten the mood. The only response was a withering glare from Yelena who had now turned to face her colleagues. Hayley turned to Kirsty and found that she already had a cloth and scarf in her hand. “So, you aren’t going to back me up here then?” Hayley asked before opening her mouth and accepting the soft, thick wad as Kirsty pushed it gently into her mouth. Kirsty delicately prodded the entire cloth into Hayley’s mouth before folding the blue silk scarf into band and tying it over Hayley’s mouth. As the gag was being applied Hayley made eye contact with the two guards who were both clearly perplexed about the entire situation and how it seemed to be getting even weirder as the minutes ticked on. It didn’t bother Hayley to be gagged; she had become more than used to being gagged for long durations during her career.
“Now my turn,” Kirsty said with a smile. Before applying Kirsty’s gag Hayley took a brief moment to take in the smile that was playing around the corner of Kirsty’s mouth. Despite their differences the two women had developed a strong relationship over the past months. This may have just been a product of their current situation rather than any personal connection but that would be impossible to tell. They weren’t friends exactly but Hayley would class Kirsty as an ally, well at least Hayley hoped that she was. If there was a chance of getting out of her current predicament Hayley would need as many allies as she could muster. Hayley carefully filled Kirsty’s mouth with a cloth before applying a silk scarf to hold the cloth in place.
The elevator ride to the appropriate floor and walk to the correct door were uneventful. They were standing outside when Yelena knocked, rested her hand on the handle and listened at the door. Obviously hearing what she wanted on the other side Yelena depressed the handle and then flung open the door with force and entered the room, scanning all of the corners of the office for threats. Hayley and Kirsty followed quickly after each pushing their respective captive guard. As the door opened Naomi Van Den Burgh froze in the centre of the room, shocked and confused at this bizarre turn of events, expecting paramedics and not a woman wielding a gun, two bound and gagged guards in addition to the paramedics.
“What is going on here?” Naomi asked in amazement at the sight that had just come through the door.
“Don’t worry Naomi, just relax and everything will be fine. We have no interest in hurting you in any way. Exactly the opposite as it happens. Our employer wishes to discuss a business proposition with you,” Perrie said this from the doorway between the inner and outer offices.
“Sarah…but I thought…” Naomi stammered, trying to make sense of what was happening.
“English, Miss Van den Burgh if you want to say anything whilst you still can. Also don’t move” Yelena said as she levelled the gun at the lawyer’s chest. As soon as she had got her guard down, lying on the floor Hayley pulled a cloth and a bottle of chloroform from her pocket, soaked the former with the latter and made her way across office toward Naomi Van Den Burgh. The lawyer looked on in confusion, her gaze switching between Yelena with the gun, Perrie sitting on the floor and Hayley approaching her wielding a large white cloth in her left hand. Hayley positioned herself beside Naomi and clamped the cloth over the lower half of her face. “Don’t worry it just puts you to sleep for a bit and you have a sore head when you come round by apart from that no problem” Hayley said in her head after she had clamped the cloth over the lower half of Naomi’s face, forcing her to inhale the fumes from the chemical that had been doused on the cloth. Instantly the lawyer shook her head from side to side, trying to remove the cloth from over her nose and mouth. However, this was useless as Hayley was well practiced in the application of a chloroform-soaked cloth, even if most of the practice was from having the cloth applied to her own nose and mouth. You could still pick up tips! Naomi still panicked as she no idea what was on the cloth and there was definitely something on it, continued to struggle against her attacker. The cloth was damp and there were sweet smelling fumes coming from it and invading her nostrils. Naomi thrashed her head from side to side but the cloth remained in place, then her legs and arms started to feel heavy and unresponsive. Darkness appeared at the edges of her vision and she felt her eyelids felt heavy, all she wanted to do was close them over but she knew she had to fight against it. Unfortunately, there was no escape from the fumes coming from the cloth and after another couple of seconds everything went black. Whilst Hayley was introducing Naomi Van Den burgh to the benefits of chloroform induced slumber Kirsty went about the task of securing the two guards by firstly tying their ankles together with a similar length of strong cord that had been used on their wrists.
“Knock them both out.” This comment from Yelena received muffled protests from the guards who were now lying, wriggling on the floor.
“Before you get to upset about that listen to me for a minute. When you wake up you will not be bound and gagged. There will also be a bag with a lot of money lying on the table over there.” Perrie indicated the round table in the corner. “Now you then have two options. The first would be to call the authorities and explain what happened tonight and I would like to see you try with no CCTV pictures thanks for our technical team.” Perrie paused for effect as the guards looked at each other. “The second would be to take the money and pretend that nothing ever happened.”
“Plus, we know who you are,” Yelena added with a certain menace.
“Well….that as well and don’t worry about having to answer awkward questions about Miss Van Den Burgh going missing. We will sort that out as well.” Both guards mumbled heavily behind their gags, obvious not exactly welcoming the prospect of being knocked out. Hayley and Kirsty knelt down to press the chloroform-soaked cloths over the guard’s nose and mouths, pressing the cloths tightly over their faces. It wasn't long before their eyes fluttered and closed. As Perrie started to remove the various bits of the disguise that she had been wearing Hayley and Kirsty set about preparing Naomi for transportation, first stripping the lawyer then applying a diaper and putting her into a down filled suit. Next between them they lifted the Naomi onto the stretcher and secured her in place using several heavily padded leather straps. That job successfully completed they were almost ready to leave. “Better untie the two guards,” Perrie instructed Hayley and Kirsty as she reached into the hidden compartment in the stretcher and removed a small holdall. After that order Hayley caught Kirsty give Perrie an icy glare which she could understand as Kirsty must be used to giving the orders rather than taking them. Perrie deposited the holdall on the table next to the set of keys that they had used, as promised there was a significant amount of cash in the bag, enough to make it worthwhile to the guards to forget this ever happened.
“Do you think that the guards will say anything?” Yelena asked.
“I have no doubt that they will take the money and keep their mouths shut,” Perrie replied. Now that all of their tasks were complete the operatives took a final look around the office suit before heading out with Yelena leading the way and Hayley and Kirsty pushing the stretcher containing Naomi Van Den Burgh. Once in the lift Hayley went to remove her gag but Yelena noticed this.
“Did I tell you that you could remove the gag?” Hayley shook her head in response and lowered her hands from the back of her head. “Well then just do as you are told.” The remainder of the lift journey was made in silence and once the doors opened the group made their way to the main doors. Perrie broke off and ran toward the desk to retrieve the second set of keys that had been left there. Having retrieved the keys Perrie unlocked the door and allowed the rest of the group to exit before locking in and slipping the keys into one of the large plant pots arranged around the entrance. Hopefully the guards would notice and pick up the other set before they were relieved in the morning by the day shift. It was a short and uneventful walk back to the ambulance that they had acquired. “You can take the gags off once you get in the back but remember your instructions.” This time Hayley gave Yelena an icy stare. Once inside the back of the ambulance and having secured their captive and removed their gags Hayley retrieved the required items from their storage place. Yelena and Perrie had gotten in the cab and were about to move away.
“I wish we didn’t have to do this,” Kirsty commented sadly as she watched Hayley place two large wads of cotton wool inside two dust-masks and then pour a generous amount of chloroform onto the cotton wool. That completed Hayley handed one of the masks to Kirsty and in perfect sync the two women slipped the masked over the top of their heads and placed them over their noses and mouths. As Hayley relaxed and prepared to drift off into a chemically forced slumber, she couldn’t help but think that Elizabeth Crawford may have made a tactical error in her treatment of Kirsty. If not, exactly an ally it did give her someone that she could try to build a relationship with and work the long game. Then everything went fuzzy and Hayley let her mind wander toward the blackness.