Veronica groaned. "Of course."
Elizabeth clapped her hands. "This is going to be so fun!"
As they searched through the storage unit, Veronica kept flexing her wrists, feeling the weight of the manacles around them. Despite her earlier protests, she couldn't ignore the strange excitement bubbling in her chest. There was something oddly satisfying about the feel of the cuffs, the way they clinked with every movement. It wasn’t just about the escape—it was about the challenge, the performance.
Elizabeth rummaged through a wooden chest, pulling out a set of thick iron leg shackles. "Found some!" she called. She dragged them over, the chain rattling between them. "Oh wow, these are heavy."
Veronica eyed them, trying to act indifferent. "Great. More things to lock me up in." But as she took the shackles from Elizabeth, she felt a pull—like they belonged to her.
Daniel flipped through the book, skimming for more details. "Okay, it says here that the full act requires wrists, ankles, and a collar. There should also be a waist chain somewhere."
Elizabeth stood up, brushing off dust. "There’s a lot of stuff in here—what exactly was this magician doing with all these tricks?"
Daniel smirked. "Escaping, hopefully." He knelt down and pulled open another crate, revealing a thick leather collar with an attached chain. "And here’s the next piece."
Veronica hesitated as she looked at it, but something inside her pushed her forward. She took it from Daniel and slowly fastened it around her neck, the buckle snapping into place with a firm click.
She shivered. "Okay… that felt way too natural."
Elizabeth grinned. "I think you're secretly loving this."
Veronica scoffed, but she couldn’t deny the rush running through her. The more she wore, the more she felt like the escape artist she was supposed to be. Like the role was becoming second nature.
Daniel cleared his throat. "Alright, we’ve got most of the pieces. Now, according to the book, once you’re fully restrained, you have to step into the trunk. That’s where the real magic happens."
Veronica smirked as she locked the leg shackles in place and gave them an experimental tug. She was bound from head to toe now, and yet… it felt right.
"Well then," she said, stepping forward with a confident clank of chains. "Let’s see what this trick can really do."
Elizabeth watched with growing amusement as Daniel methodically secured every restraint inside the trunk. Veronica, despite her earlier reluctance, was now fully committed—though she tried not to show just how much she was enjoying it.
"Okay," Daniel muttered, checking the book again. "It says to start with the base shackles, then connect those to the trunk itself."
He secured Veronica’s already-bound wrists to a set of metal loops inside, ensuring she had almost no range of motion. Her legs were then locked into place with another set of restraints, chaining her ankles to the interior of the trunk. A thick belt-like strap was fastened over her waist, pinning her lower body in place.
Elizabeth leaned over, smirking. "Well, you're not going anywhere now."
Veronica tugged experimentally at the restraints, feeling the tension in the chains.
She gave Elizabeth a defiant look. "You say that like I wanted to escape."
Elizabeth chuckled. "Well, it's an escape trick, isn’t it? You're supposed to get out."
Daniel tightened the final strap and closed the book. "Actually… not yet."
Veronica blinked. "What do you mean, not yet?"
Daniel tapped the trunk lid. "The routine has a few more steps. This isn’t just a lock-and-escape trick—it’s a full disappearing act. Once we close the lid, the trunk is supposed to be moved, and then when it's opened again—poof. No more Veronica."
Elizabeth clapped her hands. "Oh, I like that!"
Veronica narrowed her eyes. "And where exactly am I supposed to go?"
Daniel hesitated, flipping through the pages. "...It doesn't say."
Veronica groaned. "Oh, that's just great."
Elizabeth grinned mischievously. "Only one way to find out!"
Before Veronica could protest, Daniel shut the lid of the trunk and latched it securely. With one last click, she was sealed inside, completely at their mercy.
Daniel placed his hands on the trunk. "Alright… let’s see what happens next."
Daniel handed Elizabeth a large, ornate sheet—deep crimson with golden trim, heavy enough to drape with drama but light enough to handle easily. “Here, Elizabeth, the instructions say you need to cover the trunk completely. Stand over it, and make sure the sheet touches the floor on all sides.”
Elizabeth took the sheet, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Alright, let’s make this a show.” She moved to the centre of the room, positioning herself directly over the trunk. With a practiced flourish, she lifted the sheet and let it billow down over the trunk, the fabric settling like a cloak over the mysterious box.
As she adjusted the edges, making sure everything was concealed, Daniel began locking the trunk’s lid with a series of heavy padlocks. Each clasp clicked into place with a solid, resounding clack, the metal gleaming under the storage unit’s dim lights.
“Everything okay in there, Veronica?” Elizabeth called out, her voice light but with a thread of genuine concern.
From inside the trunk, Veronica’s voice was muffled but steady. “Yeah, I’m fine. Not exactly cozy, though. You guys sure this isn’t some elaborate prank?”
Daniel chuckled as he secured the final padlock. “Trust me, if this works the way it’s supposed to, you’ll be the one pulling a prank on us by vanishing.”
Elizabeth grinned, adjusting the sheet one last time. “And then reappearing in some grand flourish! It’s all very Houdini.”
Veronica sighed, her voice wry. “Well, if I reappear tangled in chains on the other side of the storage unit, you owe me coffee for a week.”
“Deal,” Daniel said, stepping back. “Alright, Elizabeth, now for the big reveal. On the count of three, pull the sheet away with a flourish. Let’s see if this magic has any truth to it.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath, fingers curled around the edges of the fabric. “Ready?”
From the trunk, Veronica muttered, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“One… two… three!”
Elizabeth yanked the sheet away, her arm sweeping up with a dramatic flair. The fabric flew back, revealing the trunk, now covered in glimmering padlocks.
And inside, Veronica held her breath, feeling a strange sensation—a warmth spreading through the metal, through her restraints, as if the trunk itself was pulsing with magic.
Would she vanish? And if she did, where would she reappear? The anticipation hung thick in the air as they all waited to see what magic would unfold…
Elizabeth hesitated but nodded, gripping the sheet once more. "Alright, but are we sure about this?"
Daniel smirked, holding up the book. "The instructions are clear. You need to stand over the trunk, under the sheet. Just trust the process."
Elizabeth took her place, stepping onto the trunk with careful balance. She pulled the sheet over herself, fully covering her form as she stood tall above the locked chest.
"Now," Daniel instructed, "both of you count down from ten. When you reach three, something should happen."
Elizabeth and Veronica exchanged glances. Veronica, still locked inside the trunk, rolled her eyes.
"Alright, but if this just turns out to be another prank—"
"Just count," Daniel interrupted.
Together, the two women began counting.
"Ten... nine... eight..."
Elizabeth adjusted her footing. Veronica, still in the trunk, could feel something shifting around her.
"Seven... six... five..."
A tingling sensation ran through Elizabeth's body. Veronica, trapped inside, felt something similar, as if the air itself was shifting.
"Four... three—"
A brilliant flash of light burst through the sheet, illuminating the storage unit for a split second. Daniel instinctively stepped back, blinking against the sudden brightness.
And then—
Veronica was now standing where Elizabeth had been, blinking in confusion, draped in Elizabeth's outfit.
Elizabeth’s voice, now coming from inside the locked trunk, sounded bewildered. "What happened?!"
Veronica looked down at herself, her hands running over the unfamiliar outfit—Elizabeth’s clothes.
Her eyes widened. "What the hell?! Why am I wearing this?"
Daniel burst into laughter, staring in amazement. "It worked!"
From the trunk, Elizabeth groaned. "Define worked because I'm the one locked in here now!"
Veronica turned in a circle, still stunned. "I—I was just in there! And now I'm—"
She paused, gripping her hair, still styled the way Elizabeth had done it earlier. "I even feel like I should be you right now!"
Daniel leaned against a crate, grinning ear to ear. "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing The Transposition Trick!"
Elizabeth banged on the inside of the trunk. "Yeah, yeah, great trick, but maybe let me out first?!"
Veronica smirked as she watched Daniel undo the locks. "Uh, Elizabeth? I was the one in the box a minute ago, remember?"
Elizabeth groaned from inside. "Yeah, and now it’s my turn, apparently! Can you please get me out of here?"
Daniel flipped open the lid, revealing Elizabeth completely bound in the restraints, her arms locked behind her, legs secured together, and the manacles still fastened around her wrists. But the real shock was her outfit—she was now wearing Veronica’s sleek black cat burglar ensemble.
Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Okay, that wasn’t in the plan."
Elizabeth wriggled against the restraints. "You think?! I was wearing my clothes just a second ago!"
Daniel scanned the book. "It says the trick swaps everything—position, outfits, and even restraints. Looks like it’s all or nothing."
Elizabeth huffed. "Great. Just great."
Veronica grinned, arms crossed. "Well, I gotta say… you do pull it off."
Elizabeth shot her a glare. "Just get me out of here!"
Daniel chuckled as he started working on the locks. "Alright, alright. But hey, at least now we know it works."
As he and Veronica freed her, Elizabeth muttered, "Next time, you're getting in the box again, Veronica."
Veronica smirked. "Yeah, we’ll see about that."
Previous parts of the Lockup stories.
Chapter Thirteen: Stretching, Spikes and Shackles.
Chapter Twelve: Blades and Misalignment
Chapter Eleven: Veronica finds her suit
Chapter Ten: The Lockup. Veronica gets a glow up
Chapter Nine: Compacting Veronica
Chapter Eight: Pancakes and inflating balloons
Chapter Seven: But wait, there's more!
Chapter Four: One becomes two, two become one
Chapter Three: Restoration of a Lady