Cassandra remained cool: „If I scream, you will be dead within a minute!“
But Viola knew that game only too well: „If you scream, you won`t be in a condition to frolick about my death.“
For a while, both women stared at each other. Then, Cassandra lowered her eyes and resigningly reached behind her back for the buttons and hooks that held her dress.
„That`s fine, there`s no need to get shot just for some money.“
Cassandra did not stir. She had now opened the dress and let it slide down to the ground. Viola could see that she was wearing no full slip, just a camisole and a white silk underskirt.
„Get on.“
Slowly, Cassandra undid her underskirt, revealing her garter belt, knickers and stockings.
„Wow, you are really pretty for a woman of your age. Too bad I ain`t got a hand free for examining you myself.“
„Well, then you better should stop thinking about it, before you get too disappointed“, a man`s voice hissed and Viola felt the cold barrel of a gun at her neck and another one pushed into her back.
Cassandra stepped forward and took the gun from the astonished burglar`s hand. Whilst one of the men grabbed Viola`s wrists to tie them behind her back, the other man stepped inside and dipped his head to the half-dressed bank manager.
„I just wanted to tell you that that journalist is working in her pressroom again, when I saw you needed some help.“
„Well, Garth, you have come – wait a minute! How long have you been there before you decided to help me?“
Garth smiled wolfishly and looked down at Cassandra in her underwear.
„I just combined the pleasant with the useful.“
Cassandra blushed slightly, but then, she smiled. She knew that Garth had a tendency towards sadism, but that was one of the reasons why he was her favourite henchman. In her business, people sometimes had to be persuaded the hard way, and Garth was the right man for such occasions. His assault on Andrea had prooved that, though what he had just implied meant that the damned reporter still was not broken.
Meanwhile Alan, his colleague, had bound Viola`s wrists and elbows and was forcing a cloth rag into her mouth. Garth helped him to gag the burglar who squirmed and moaned and he tied his bandana between her lips to prevent her from spitting out her gag. Cassandra put her clothes back on, then, she went over to Viola, who, held by the two men on both sides, was standing in front of her, staring at her angrily. Cassandra playfully caressed her right cheek.
Drawing by hugues66
„So, it`s true what they say: crime doesn`t pay.“
„Mmhhhmmmph!“
„I am sure you don`t want to tell me about your true identity. But perhaps, you have hidden a hint somewhere on yourself?“
Viola panted angrily and stared daggers at Cassandra as the bank manager slowly unbuttoned her smock. Beneath, she still wore her black man`s shirt. Cassandra opened the buttons of this too, one by one. The shirt diverged a few inches, revealing Viola`s belly button and a bit of her breasts.
„Mph!“
„Oh, come on, you sure-“
Viola did not wait for her to finish her sentence. She had seen that both men were a little distracted from trying to get a glimpse of her boobs. With a grunt, she squirmed in their grip, knocked Alan on the ear with her forehead and kicked Garth`s shin. Surprised, they let her go and Viola headed for the corridor – only to run into a third man standing there.
She tried to push him aside, but meanwhile, Garth and Alan had recovered from their surprise and grabbed her arms, pulling her to the ground. Despite her desperate resistance, they tied her ankles and knees and put her into a tight hogtie. Cassandra looked down at the burglar that was lying to her feet. The fight had crumpled her open shirt and her left breast was showing.
„My, my, so much trouble in such a short time. I think we should teach you to behave better. Besides, I want to know more about the robberies you and your men have committed. And you will tell us, sooner or later, believe me. But cheer up: at least, now you will see the safe.“
***
Being gagged with a pair of knickers was not only a humiliating experience, it also meant that Arina could only breathe through her nose. This would not have been a problem if she had been sitting or lying somewhere, but she was forced to walk through the hot Arizona sun, though a little wind brought some refreshment. For hours, she and Nascha were now forced to follow Cuchillo`s horse and he kept a steady walking speed of some five miles an hour. In addition, Arina had not had a drink for more than 20 hours now and she was still tired from not being able to sleep during the night. So, she more stumbled than walked on her leash and could not even get some joy from the fact that Nascha showed signs of exhaustion, too.
Abaut an hour before dusk, however, when they were heading towards a little forest, a dust cloud quickly approached, which emerged to be a group of riders. Cuchillo counted eight men when they were still half a mile away. He cursed silently. The forest was only some 300 yards away, but with the girls leashed to his horse, he could not gallop and he did not want to leave them behind either.
So, he hid behind a rock that was shaped like a big „U“, with the opening towards the woods. Cuchillo took his Sharps rifle and dismounted his horse. When he took position to look at the men, he could see that they had halted some 300 yards away. Cuchillo had gotten his name for his skills in using a knife, but he was quite an able marksman, too. He aimed carefully and fired on one of the men. A second later, he could see the man`s hat flow away and all of them jumped behind some rocks or bushes.
Cuchillo looked around. He had stopped them for the moment, but sooner or later, they would launch an attack. Since he had not hurt the man he had shot, they still were eight and, despite his rifle ranged longer that theirs, they could simply attack him from two sides. That meant, unless...
He drew his knife and approached Nascha.
„I know, you would like to see me dead, and now`s a good opportunity. But I don`t know if these white men will be kind to you once they got you. So, maybe, you prefer helping me to get out of this.“
After a few seconds of hesitating, Nascha nodded. He released her from the leash and cut her ties and the leather band covering her mouth. Whilst Nascha ungagged herself, he fetched his other rifle for her. It was a Spencer that was less good for firing at long distances, but with it`s magazine of seven bullets, it would help Nascha to keep on steady fire.
When Nascha had pulled the sodden knickers from her mouth, she grabbed the gun and went to her position, not bothering to get dressed. Arina, who had collapsed on the ground, just looked around to see something. But the rock was between her and the potential rescuers.
BANG!
A shot was fired from the other side, but not even hitting the rock. Other shots followed, some of them hitting the rock and ricocheting from it. Neither Cuchillo nor Nascha got hit, and they answered the fire.
Arina looked for an escape. Her fingers were numb from being tied up so long, and her gag could not be undone without a knife. But with some wriggling and squirming, she managed to slip from the noose. Now, she could raise and walk on weak legs. The two Apache still were firing at the posse, not taking care of her.
Arina thought of running towards the men, but decided against it. If she showed herself up now, she could easily be shot – if by mistake, by a ricocheting bullet or by one of the Indians, it didn`t matter. Besides, she still had some sense of modesty and did not want any rescuer to see her stark naked. So, she decided to make it to the woods. There, she could sure free herself from her bonds and try to find something to get provisionally dressed, some branches if necessary.
Taking a last look at her captor and his wife, who still were too occupied by fighting to look at her, Arina headed towards the forest. After some 50 yards, she even found the strength to run.
***
The bank of White Skull had two safes. One stood in the counter room and contained some 200 dollars for the little daily business. The other one was in the cellar, behind an iron grid. Cassandra opened the grid`s door with the key that had indeed been hidden in her underskirt and the men dumped the hogtied Viola on the floor. Cassandra lit an oil lamp, then, she knelt in front of Viola.
„Uuuhhmmmmm! Mmmmhhhmmmph!“
The burglar squirmed and tried to wriggle away when Cassandra reached for her belt.
„Alan, Dan, a hand, please!“
The two men grabbed Viola and held her whilst Garth just watched gleefully when Cassandra opened Viola`s belt. Then, she unbuttoned the fly of her trousers and pulled them down over her hips, revealing a pair of pink silk knickers.
„Wow, quite erotic for a woman that behaves like a man. But phew, have you been wearing these the last week when sitting in the saddle?“
Cassandra playfully waved her hand in front of her nose whilst Viola blushed deeply from the humiliation.
„Well, where you are going now, there will be another wardrobe. That is, unless you tell us where your accomplices are. If we can get hold of your whole gang and even get our money back, we might think of letting you go.“
Viola violently shook her head. But she was no traitor and besides, she did not trust Cassandra`s offer the least. At least, she decided, she would not give in that easy. Viola was a tough woman and she was sure that she could stand some beating.
However, Cassandra seemed to have expected that she wasn`t willing to talk. She rose to her feet and told Garth:
„Well, she`s all yours.“
Garth showed a grin that made Viola shiver, but then, he hesitated.
„Miss DeRainier, I first have to repeat my warning from just now: I saw Miss Benson and your secretary working on the printing press. It seems that we haven`t been persuasive enough to stop her from telling – lies about you.“
Cassandra thought about that. Then, she went for the safe, unlocked it and gave a small bag to any of the men.
„Take care of her and that black bitch, one and for all. Take Leyland and McAllister with you, I am quite sure that her accomplices won`t start an attack as long as I have their boss here.“
Viola tried to oppress a triumphant look. She had told her men to wait until midnight until they should look for her if she hadn`t come back. But midnight was still some two and a half hours to go and these people would not make the time nice.
Garth went over to Viola and yanked the belt from her still pulled down trousers. Then, he threaded it under the rope that bound the girl`s wrists and ankles together and pulled the belt upwards till she was lying with her back arched and her thighs hardly touching the ground. Viola let out a grunt of discomfort when Garth bucled the belt to the grid to keep her in that straining and uncomfortable position.
„Just to keep her from hurting you, once you are alone with her“, he smiled.
Cassandra shooed him away and he and the others left. Then, she turned towards Viola.
„I am afraid I`m just an amateur in getting people to talk, but at least, I now can have some fun with you.“
***
„All good things are three“, Arina thought by herself. It was her third attempt to escape her captor When she had reached the forest, she could see that the Apache were still fighting against the posse. They had not recognized her disappearance yet. Arina walked through the woods, trying to find something to cut her ties with. But she had to pass the whole forest until she reached some rocks with sharp edges. After quite a time, she managed to saw through her elbow ties. It hurt when circulation set in again, but she persisted and brought her hands to the front. She reached for her gag, but the dried leather had become so tight she was unable to pull it from her mouth.
„Mmmhhhrrrrr!“
Arina let out a cry of frustration. Did she really have to remain naked, gagged and with her hands tied, after all she had went through? Determined, she rubbed her wrist ties over the rock`s edge until she could free her hands. When she once again had feelings in her fingers, she continued her walk. It would be too diffivult to rub the gag against the edge, but perhaps, she could find a broken piece of stone and use that as a makeshift knife. Since she was in the mountains, it took her only some minutes to find a suitable stone. Impatiently, she worked on the leather, till she could finally get it from her mouth. Panting heavily through her nose, she undid the cloths covering her lips and worked the totally soaked wad of her knickers from her mouth.
„Phew! Now, at least I can scream for help – and be found stark naked!“
Reluctantly, she looked at her knickers. They were wet with her saliva, but they were the only clothing she had, except for the boots. The remnants of her camisole were torn and to no use for her. She would have to remain topless anyway until she found some covering and she wanted to at least cover her most intimate parts a bit. So, she put the knickers on a stone for drying. When she had sat down, the exhaustion of not having had food or something to drink for one day, the lack of sleep and the sheer stress of the last days took their toll: after only one minute, she had fallen asleep.
***
„What the hell is going on?“, Winona hissed towards Malcolm who was hiding together with her near the bank house. They had been on an evening walk as a loving couple, but had stopped when they had seen three men enter the house. After some 20 minutes, these men came back, called the guards and they all left.
„I am not sure what that means, but it sure means that now, the house is unguarded and empty except for your friend. Perhaps, we should spend her a visit.“
***
Having worked like mad for three hours, Andrea had managed to repair the printing press and to write down a manuscript of the lead article for the next edition, but then, they had been too tired to get on. Especially Andrea, though she did not show it, was still suffering from having had to spend more than eight hours bound and gagged wedged into her clothes chest. But Zenobia had not talked back when her friend had told her that work was done for the moment and soon, both women were soundly sleeping.
„What a lovely sight“, Garth thought when he sttod in the open door of the sleeping room some 30 minutes later. Andrea was sleeping on her back, faintly snoring, whilst Zenobia lay on her side and had one arm laid across Andrea. Both were only wearing white sleeveless nightgowns.
Garth had posted Leyland and McAllister to keep cave whilst he, Alan and Dan had sneaked into the house. They had brought several pre-cut ropes and some cloths with them, but, when Dan just was balling up a rag in his hand, Garth pointed to the chair with his chin. Over it hung two pairs of knickers, one black with only a little lace, the others white and frilly. Smiling, Dan took the black pair and stepped over to Zenobia`s side of the bed. Garth took the other pair and went beside Andrea whilst Alan prepared to throw himself over the girls`s ankles.
Garth brought his left to Andrea`s nose and gently pinched her nose shut. With a strange sound, the woman opened her mouth. In one move, Garth jumped on the bed, pinned her arms under his knees and stuffed the knickers into her mouth.
„Uuhhmmm!“
A faint groan was all Andrea could emit before Garth had forced all of the silky cloth behind her teeth. She stared at him with widened eyes, gurgled into her gag and tired to squirm, but could not get her hands or legs free. Garth took a knotted cloth and pressed the knot between Andrea`s teeth before brutally knotting it in her neck.
„Uuuhmmm! Ghhhmmmm! Hhhhrrrrrrrrmmmmmm!“
Some grunting and moaning from beside him told him that Dan had gagged Zenobia properly, too. Now, he grabbed Andrea`s arms and turned her on her belly. It twisted her hip, since Alan still lay on her legs, but Garth managed to bind her wrists and elbows. He then helped Dan to restrain Zenobia the same way before they tied both girls`s legs at the ankles, above and below the knees and halfway between hips and knees. Now, both women squirmed on the bed and grunted through their gags, frantically trying to alert someone`s attention. Garth and Dan ripped the cases from the pillows and pulled them over the girls`s heads. Then, Garth took another rope and tied a noose in it. This, he slung over Andrea`s head at mouth`s level and pulled it tight in her neck before tying the other end to her ankles, hogtying the girl and forcing her to arch her head back. Dan did the same to Zenobia.
„Hhhrrrrrr! Hrrrrrrr!“, Andrea screamed, barely audible from underneath the linen hood.
„Mph! Mph! Mph!“, an equally silenced Zenobia answered.
Taking two canvas sacks they had brought with them, they put the girls inside and wrapped more rope around them to further secure their victims.
„Right, load them on the horses and ride for where I have told you! I will follow in a few minutes!“
The men obeyed, carrying the helplessly squirming and moaning women over their shoulders. Garth had already looked for money on his last visit, so, he just went downstairs and found the manuscript of the planned article. He glanced through it and had to admit it was quite well written.
„Too bad it will never be published“, he thought when he incended it with a match. Then, he threw the still burning oil lamp against the wall, waited until the flames were licking on the wallpaper and left the house.
***
To Winona`s and Malcolm`s surprise, not only had the guards gone, the side door was unlocked. Malcolm drew his gun before they sneaked in. They had seen light in on of the upper rooms from the outside and so, they went upstairs, but found nobody there.
„Maybe, she`s in the cellar“, Winona presumed.
They found the cellar`s door and indeed, they could see some light and heard a female voice. When they had reached the corner of the corridor, they could see Cassandra in some kind of cell: at least, it had an iron grid. To this grid, a woman was attached. They could not see her front, but she was hogtied and a knotted cloth in her neck and the faint sounds she made showed that she was gagged. Her clothes looked quite disarranged. Cassandra spoke to her, pointing to the door of an open safe.
„Well, here you can see what you came for: all my money and gold, some 20.000 dollars alltogether. Maybe, this is a small bank in comparison to those in Tucson, not talking about New York, but it`s quite a sum. And soon, it will be a bit more, once I`ve handed you over to the hands of justice – after you have been in Garth`s hands, of course.“
„Mmmhhmmmph!“
„Oh, don`t be like that. After some ten years, I am sure you have got acquainted to prison life and will prefer to stay there.“
Winona saw in the corner of her eye Malcolm pour some strange smelling liquid on a cloth. Then, he prepared for a swift attack.
„I will even let you feel some of the gold you have failed to get“, Cassandra mocked and bent into the safe. Malcolm darted forward.
„Mmmhhmmmph!“, Viola moaned when she saw the man materializing behind the bank manager.
„Just wait, I – Uuuhmmmmmm! Mhhhhrrrrrrrr! Hmmmmmmmmm!“
Cassandra screamed into the cloth pressed over her mouth and nose and squirmed in Malcolm`s grip. But soon, her moans became softer and her movements slowed down. Finally, her eyes twisted and she collapsed. Malcolm let the cloth over her face for one more minute before he let her down to the floor.
„Mhhmmm! Uuuhhhmmm!“
But Malcolm ignored Viola and examined the safe.
„Did you find anything?“, Winona asked.
„I would say so. Here`s the original report from the mine. She has paid them some 10.000, but has told the main insurance company that she paid 12.000.“
Winona frowned: „Is that really all?“
Malcolm shook his head, holding a folder in his hand.
„Here`s the most interesting part. Obviously, the mine has sold some of their silver to her. Without taxes, of course. So, both the miners and she made some profit and the main company had the loss. I would say, that`s another 4.000 bucks.“
„So, what do you want to do with her? Bring her to the Marshal?“, Winona asked, pointing at the unconscious Cassandra.
Malcolm shook his head: „I have order to bring her to my bosses. Give me a hand, please.“
He turned Cassandra to her belly and tied her wrists with his belt. Without further taking care of the moaning Viola, he loosened the belt that held her to the grid. With that,. He tied Cassandra`s ankles. Then, he loosened his cravat and looked for something to gag her with.
„If she`s really such a fierce criminal, maybe that`s the right gag for her.“
Winona lifted her skirts and pulled down her knickers. Malcolm only smiled at this kinky idea, but Viola let out a squeal of both disgust and didbelief. Malcolm took the white silky garment and put it to his nose, causing Winona to blush slightly. Then, he thoroughly stuffed the bank manager`s mouth with them and cleave-gagged her with his cravat.
In a corner, there were some empty canvas sacks. Malcolm took one and pulled it over the unconscious woman, knotting it a t her feet. Then, he heaved her over his shoulder.
„All right, let`s go!“
„Uuuuhhmmm! Mhhmmmm!“
„Oh, of course, what about her?“, Winona asked.
Malcolm hesitated, then, he put Cassandra back to the floor.
„If she has disappeared, too, maybe Cassandra`s henchmen will think that she has freed herself and abducted her. Besides, I am sure she is of some interest, too.“
He looked down at the bound and gagged woman that squirmed on the floor and mewed through her gag. Her skirt was unbuttened, revealing a pair of medium-sized, but nicely shaped breasts. Her trousers were pulled down to her knees and showed a pair of pink, slightly frayed knickers.
„In and around this little town, there are only two women who wear man`s trousers. One is the editor of the local newspaper. We have seen her yesterday and it`s definitely not her. The other one is the leader of the gang that frightens the whole area with it`s robberies.“
Since the gang had never committed any bloodshed, this was slightly exaggerated, but the fearful glabce in Viola`s eyes told him he had guessed right.
„She has stolen from my boss, too, so, maybe, he want`s to talk to her, too.“
Viola really fought, but, being hogtied, she was no match for Malcolm who, with the help of Winona, stowed her into another sack.
„What about the money?“, Winona asked with a greedy glance in her eyes.
„Well, first of all, it`s not ours. But what counts much more, soon Cassandra`s men might come back here and they are five armed men. And maybe, our thieve princesses` men will arrive, too. On the other hand, it`s her money and where she`s going, she won`t need it. Let`s make a compromise. I will carry these two Ladies, and you will get the papers and folders we need as an evidence. If you have some capacity left, you may take money, too. But we will share fifty-fifty.“
Winona was quite strong, despite being small and rather petite, but it was quite a big pack of folders and in addition, Cassandra had no bank notes in her safe, but only gold and silver. So, she could only take some 3.000 dollars with her when they left.
***
After a shootout of more than an hour, both sides had nearly run out of ammunition and had found out that neither side could win. Nevertheless, despite hundreds of shots had been fired, the losses were negligible. Three members of the posse were wounded, two of them would have to quit the manhunt, but it was already clear that they would fully recover. Cuchillo had two grazes on his arm and Nascha hadn`t been hit by a single bullet.
It was only when both sides had ceased fire that Cuchillo recognized Arina had gone. He cursed silently. This time, he could not even blame Nascha for that.
„Maybe, it`s better that way“, Nascha said, „now, we can use the dark to get away.“
He first looked at her in anger, but then, he hugged her and meant:
„Right. Let`s prepare a few things.“
To get a head start, Cuchillo wanted the posse`s members make believe he still was there. He took off his clothes except for his loincloth. Nascha, who was already naked, decided to put the knickers back on. She had been gagged with them and they did little to protect her from the weather, but they had been a souvenir from Cuchillo in luckier times.
When Cuchillo had prepared a little campfire, he took the clothes and some branches from a dead tree and built a figure he leant to the rock. From the distance, it would look like a man. Then, he took some cloth and wrapped them around the hooves of his horse. Now, he only owned his knife, the two rifles, together with some ten rounds of ammunition, some ropes and the tanned hides that were still tied on his horse`s back. Nascha cuddled to him.
„Now, we can make a new beginning somewhere, only the two of us.“
Cuchillo held her in his arms, but he answered:
„No. Tomorrow, I will find this white girl. I love you, Nascha, but letting her go would be like a defeat. And I won`t be defeated. For Cuchillo, it`s victory or death.“
Nascha knew that any word from her would have only provoked a quarrel. So, she mounted the horse after him and slowly, they made it to the woods, protected by the dark that had fallen over the scenery.
***
When Winona carefully looked out of the house, she was surprised to hear a bell and shouting people. For a moment, she thought that they were looking for them, but then a glow told her that obviously a fire nearby.
„Well, that`s a lucky coincidence! With all the people trying to help or keen on watching, nobody will take care of us“, Winona said.
Quickly, they made it around the next corner. Malcolm coughed under his heavy load of two bound and gagged damsels, of whom one was squirming and bouncing, but he persisted.
Indeed, they could see noone walking around. Everyone was trying to get to the fire, some for to hel, others for to look. However, when they were close to the street where the backside of their hotel was, their luck ended.
„Stop and raise your hands! I am quite sure you will have a lot to explain!“
A few yards before them, a tall, thin man was standing, pointing at them with the barrel of his revolver.
***