The Cage Crinoline

Thomas started crying again. Lisa spoke.

"Let me out of here. I'm not going to do anything to Thomas. I can't bear seeing him so unhappy and not be able to hold him."

Alison looked at Jane, who nodded. Alison went over to the cage crinoline, unfastened a small padlock on the buckle, loosened it and braced herself as Lisa crawled out. Lisa went over to Thomas, freed his waist and ankles and lifted him in her arms. He was still crying bitterly.

"Let's go back upstairs" said Lisa.

She carried Thomas unaided all the way back to the bedroom. He was still helpless, tightly zipped into her column dress. She sat on the bed with her back against the headboard and held Thomas against her as tears still trickled down his face. Jane and Alison sat beside them. This time it was Alison who dried his face with her apron.

Lisa asked Thomas "What about - until..?"

"George and I both received letters at work. In them were photographs of us trying to revive the dead girl. They looked as if they were stills from a video. They couldn't have been faked because they were exactly as we remembered the scene. Inside each was a simple message. It said "You'll be hearing from us shortly". George opened his first and rang me. While he was talking I opened my envelope. The contents were identical. We didn't know what to do. That afternoon we both had phone calls. They wanted us to meet them that evening at the motel. We went."

He fell silent again.

"It was the two men. They said they'd bought the video from the motel's management. They would keep quiet about it but we owed them big. They'd disposed of a body, bribed the motel's management and they wanted some way of getting their money back. Then came the order. We, or one of us, preferably me, had to injure a named England footballer at the Charity event. If we did, they'd forget all about the death, destroy the video and we'd be left in peace. If not .. If not an anonymous caller would tell the police where to find the body but not until a copy of the video had been planted with it. We didn't have a choice. It was far too late to go to the Police. We agreed. But then .."

"But then you thought if you weren't picked for that match you'd be off the hook!" said Lisa "We'd worked that much out. Your efforts to be a drunken unfit bum didn't fool any of your friends. Which is why we are here."

Just then Lisa's phone rang. They looked at each other. Who could it be at three a.m. Alison rushed across to answer it.

"It's Frances!" she announced. She listened intently and then a smile grew on her face. "Hang on, Frances. I'll tell the others." She put the phone down and rushed back to the bed.

"George confessed much quicker than Thomas. Candice had it out of him in about half an hour. Harold had also worked something out from talking to some of the other players tonight. The girl wasn't "dead"! She was drugged! And so were you two! You were behaving like Zombies before you left the stag party. Candice has probably worked out which drugs were used on you and what on the girl."

"What! It can't be! That girl had no pulse, no breathing!" yelled Thomas

"It can be done - with the right drug!" shouted Alison "And you two weren't at your most perceptive. You were set up from start to finish! Candice looked carefully at the photos George had and the symptoms - cold, no pulse, etc. before she worked it out. She's at least 90% sure that's what they did. Something similar was written up in a medical journal a few months ago about a girl who was brought in to an Accident and Emergency Unit in London. It might have been the same people involved."

"If that's true" said Lisa "all we've got to do is work out how to foil their plan and get George and Thomas off their hook. That'll have to wait till the morning. Alison, tell Frances we'll see them here tomorrow at seven and thanks, many thanks to Candice."

Alison went back to the phone and relayed Lisa's message.

"Now, Thomas" said Lisa menacingly "We've got to decide what to do about you for keeping this from us for so long and worrying me sick."

"Lisa! You promised!" shouted Jane and Alison together.

"Only kidding!" said Lisa smiling. "Will one of you lock the bedroom door and hide the key while Thomas can't see."

She covered Thomas' face with her petticoats. Jane locked the door and put the key in a drawer.

"Now, first we'll get my clothes off you, Thomas." said Lisa, rolling him face down on the bed.

She unzipped him and the three of them pulled the dress off, then untied his wrists and took off the slip, revealing the body-hugging teddy. Lisa reached between his legs and fondled his balls before unpoppering the teddy and lifting it over his head. Thomas stretched his arms and legs. He was unfettered for the first time in hours.

"You've got your freedom - for a while" smiled Lisa "All you've got to do is keep it. I'll count to three and then we're chasing you. When we catch you, you'll have to pay a forfeit."

The three girls smiled at each other. He hadn't got a chance of escaping.

"One, two, THREE!" shouted Lisa as Thomas sprinted for the other side of the room. Jane and Alison went to the sides of the room as Lisa advanced. Thomas run towards Jane then switched and dashed between Lisa and Alison. The girls turned and moved together trapping him between the bed and the wall. He vaulted over the bed, escaping them. He was naked. They were hampered by their long skirts and petticoats. Eventually he would lose but he had a chance - for a while.

After about five minutes of him rushing frantically about the room and the girls moving purposefully to trap him he didn't clear the bed on one of his leaps. Lisa pounced and he vanished under a heap of swirling petticoats. As he panted for breath the three girls swaddled him in their aprons. He was wrapped from head to toe and tied tightly. Jane gagged him with her headscarf while Lisa tied hers tightly around his head. Only his eyes were left showing. Every other part of him was cocooned in white aprons.

"Time for your forfeit, Thomas" mocked Lisa. "The others had their turn earlier. Now it's mine."

She left his head wrappings but unwound him from the aprons. As she did so she straddled him, clamping her legs round his waist. She turned to Jane.

"Tie his arms above his head, please Jane"

Jane tied his arms with an apron, then tied that to the bedhead.

Lisa relaxed her grip around him, re-arranged her petticoats, and then slid down onto his shaft. A grunt emerged from Thomas' gagged mouth as her lower lips clamped his tool between them. Lisa raised herself on her arms to an angle, forcing him in deeper.

"You can have his head, Jane" said Lisa.

Jane was there in seconds. He was ungagged, his head unscarfed almost instantly. He gasped once or twice before his head vanished under Jane's skirt.

"Start licking, Thomas!" Jane ordered. He started rolling his tongue around her muff but his head was pushed closer and closer until he had to lick inside her or run out of space. It was warm, dark and moist inside Jane but he couldn't give her his full attention because Lisa's movements were demanding as well. He surrendered himself to the insistent movements of the two girls and complied with their pace. Lisa clamped him harder. Jane pulled him further in until he felt he wouldn't get out again. Then they climaxed together and collapsed into a panting heap. Jane uncovered his head and leant back on Lisa. Then both of them eased themselves off.

This time Alison wiped him around the face and then gently rubbed his balls and tool. Despite himself and to his astonishment he began to have another erection.

"This one's mine!" claimed Alison just before she opened her mouth around it. Her tongue caressed his tool and her legs swung up over his face. His head vanished under petticoats again. He couldn't clear them from his head. He began to struggle for breath until Lisa carefully lifted Alison's skirts clear before her mouth covered his. This time was slow, steady and comforting. All Thomas had to do was lie there while he was slowly stimulated and kissed. When he finally came it seemed like slowly walking up a foothill, not wildly rushing up to a peak. Even after the moment passed the continued caressing held him in thrall wrapping round him like a protective blanket keeping out the cold. He was surrounded by loving flesh now joined by Jane as well. In the post-coital tristesse his tears began to flow once more. Did he deserve so much care, so much love? Lisa licked his tears away before whispering:

"We love you, Thomas. You're ours. We're not letting you go."

Thomas' tears flowed even faster. Lisa's emphasised use of "we" had triggered them. He knew then that he and Lisa were over as a couple and she seemed to be acknowledging it, but he didn't want to lose his relationship with all of them even if he and Lisa couldn't be the partners they had been.

As if reading his thoughts, Jane spoke from the other side of him.

"You may get away from one of us, but not from all six of us. Even we three were enough to catch you tonight. You've no hope of escaping us in the end."

Lisa made it crystal clear. "I know, and you know, that you and I are nearly finished. That made this exercise more difficult but neither you nor I can get away from the love of our friends. It supports all of us no matter how we pair up. You might have Alison or Jane after me or rather they might have you. We girls own our men. You don't have much say in that. The only certain thing at present is that Candice wants George. He may not know it but she owns him already. You know that we share our slaves. You've been shared tonight. So I might still have some of you even if you belong to another of our friends. You can't get away that easily."

"Which reminds me" said Alison "We made that cage downstairs for you, not for Lisa. We girls have got to get some beauty sleep and we're not having you run off. So you will be caged."

Thomas tried to get off the bed but six arms grabbed him. The scarves were used again and his struggling body was carried downstairs. He was tipped headfirst into the cage crinoline and his arms and legs were untied as he was pushed right inside. The waistband was buckled tight and padlocked. The girls left him.

He could get an arm or his head out but not both. He couldn't reach beyond the cage because it was too wide. He resigned himself to his imprisonment. Lisa returned and handed him some clothing.

"Put these on to keep you warm. You won't get much sleep because we're having a war council at 7 a.m. See you about 6.30."

She leant over and kissed him then ruffled his hair before returning upstairs. Thomas settled down to sleep. It was quite comfortable inside the cage. The quilted base made an adequate mattress and the petticoats arched over him like a protective shield. He fell asleep dreaming that he was hiding under Lisa's skirt. She'd protect him from anyone ... ***** He woke to the sound of voices and as he looked up the waistband was covered by a female backside. A voice said "Wake up, Thomas! Here's breakfast!"

He raised himself up and kissed the muff made so available to him. He had barely time enough to begin to enjoy it before it slid away leaving the space covered with petticoats. Then they whisked away an Lisa's face appeared.

"No, Thomas. That wasn't me. Time to come out."

Lisa unbuckled the waistband and pulled Thomas out. He emerged to see Alison, Jane and Lisa still dressed as they were last night.

Alison said "While you use the bathroom we're going to change. See you in a few minutes."

He went upstairs, into the bathroom, washed, shaved and then went to dress. He heard giggling from Lisa's bedroom. He went into the kitchenette and had some cereal and coffee. The girls joined him dressed for work. He poured coffee for them.

"Put some more on, please Thomas. The others should be here soon" said Lisa "Then we'll decide what to do about those *****"

Candice, Sandra, Frances and George arrived together. George looked sheepishly at Thomas.

"I had to tell them, Thomas .." he started to say before Thomas interrupted

"You hadn't a chance against Candice. No man would have. Anyway I told as well. Perhaps we'll come out of this bruised but alive." Thomas managed a weak smile.

Harold arrived at that point. Candice took him aside and explained what they'd found out during the night. The rest took their coffee through into the living room. When Candice had finished, she and Harold joined the others. Candice sat next to George and held his hand. Harold was the only one standing. He spoke as though he was addressing a comiittee meeting.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we now know what happened and why Thomas and George have been off form." Thomas winced at this but Jane put a finger on his lips. "We have no alternative now but to approach the Police .."

Thomas pushed Jane's finger away and yelled "We can't! Not now! They'd never believe us after all this time .. " He was about to continue when Jane's mouth covered his and Lisa grabbed his arms.

"After that interruption .. " Harold continued as if Thomas had been an unwelcome heckler ".. I'd said we should approach the Police. Not Thomas and George but through a third party. We need the Police to investigate the criminals because we haven't got their resources. We need to be very careful at first. Who do we know in Silverbridge's Police that is important enough to make things happen?"

He paused and looked round the room. Thomas was still struggling, his face hidden under Jane's. Sandra started to say something then paused.

"Well, Sandra, have you any ideas?" Harold asked.

"The Chief Constable is a club member, but .." Sandra's voice tailed off. Thomas continued " but none of us know him. Do we?"

Heads shook round the room, including Thomas' who had subsided and had been released by Jane and Lisa. He then spoke.

"Sandra's forgetting her uncle. Isn't he a superintendent in London?" he asked.

Sandra replied "Yes. He is. But he's not in Silverbridge which is why I didn't mention him."

Thomas continued rapidly "But if he's in London, and they came from London, wouldn't he be much more use than a local?"

Harold cut in "Yes he would! Sandra, do you think .."

"It's worth a try" she said "He can only jump down my throat. If he thinks it's a wild goose chase he might be awkward about it. But he's always been good to me so far" she finished in a rush of words.

"OK. Anyone got any better leads?" asked Thomas "No? Then Sandra it's up to you. Can you contact your uncle today?" She nodded. "Then we'd better meet again tonight and see how far Sandra's got us. Is that agreed?" There were nods all round the room.

Candice spoke "Now that's settled I want something else."

Everyone looked serious.

"I want to see this cage crinoline in use."

They broke into laughter, nervously at first then let the tension drain out as their laughter became real and unforced.

Candice spoke through the uproar "And I think that it's only fair that George demonstrates it since he suffered far less than Thomas last night."

Several girls fell upon George and carried him downstairs struggling halfheartedly. He was tipped headfirst into the crinoline and Candice climbed on it, fastened the buckles and lowered her backside across the hole. Then she slid off and the cage was picked up and processed around the room with George's head poking out. When it was put down Lisa loosened the waistband before grabbing Candice. She called on the others to help her and Candice was pushed inside with George. Then the two were locked in.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Harold was talking quietly with Thomas. Harold wanted as much information about the London men and the girls so that Sandra could check with her uncle. He already had notes taken by Candice from George's account and he crosschecked Thomas' story with it. Then they both went downstairs to be greeted by the mayhem after Candice's imprisonment. Harold stood aghast but Thomas shouted.

"Enough! Please! Enough. George and I are still in trouble and we haven't sorted it yet."

The mood changed instantly. Lisa helped Candice and George climb out. Harold made for Sandra and talked earnestly to her while the others dispersed to go on their way to work. They would meet again this evening at 7pm. Finally as Harold and Sandra left, Lisa and Thomas finished tidying up the disarray in the workshop.

Then Lisa and Thomas went back upstairs. They sat down facing each other in the living room.

"Is it all over, Thomas?" she asked him seriously

"I think so" he answered "It's not the same any more, is it? We've lost some of what we had. You are still a great person, but you are not mine, and I'm not yours. Not any more. We were but no we're not."

Lisa nodded "That's what made this last few weeks so bad. I knew you needed help but I thought I was no longer the one you could turn to. At first I thought that the ending of our partnership was the cause but I realised that it was far more serious even than that. I needed help which is why I involved the others. I hope it will work out. I'd like to stay your friend, if you'll let me."

Thomas said "I'd like to stay your friend too. I'll be safer as a friend than as a lover. There should be fewer bruises for a start."

Lisa made a face at that "Did I hurt you much last night?"

"Only several broken ribs and and broken heart .."

Lisa crossed the room and kissed him softly on the forehead. "I'm sorry about the ribs, but you were breaking my heart as well. I'd have been happy to let you go, but not without trying to help you out of whatever mess you'd got yourself into. I couldn't walk away from that, nor could any of us."

Thomas reached up and stroked her cheek. "That's one of the reasons that we lasted so long. You may be rough, tough and sometimes dangerous but you never let anyone down. I try not to as well. The worst part of the last few weeks has been letting my team down. I don't know if they'll forgive me for that."

"If they knew, I think they would. Though they'd never have forgiven you for deliberately injuring an England player. You were doing your best to avoid that." She kissed him on the cheek "You'd better go. We've got to get to work. I'll see you here tonight. When that's over we can talk about our separate futures. Go on. Go!" She shooed him out of the room and saw him go downstairs. Then she wept for her loss. There were tears of relief as well for the hope that Thomas and George would soon be free of the danger that had soured the last few weeks.

* * *

Just before 7pm they started to arrive at Lisa's flat. Sandra arrived first but refused to say anything until they were all present. They sat around in the living room until the last one entered. Then Lisa spoke for everyone.

"Come on, Sandra! We're waiting! What did your uncle say?"

Sandra spoke slowly "Do you want the good news first? Or the bad news?"

Harold replied "Let's have the good news. We've had enough bad already." There were nods of agreement.

"OK" said Sandra "The first part of the good news is that the girl isn't dead" There were sighs of relief from Thomas and George. "She's under arrest in London, and so is the other girl and the two men. They'd been caught trying the same trick on someone else but he had his mobile phone on him and called 999 before they could stop him. The police were there in seconds because the two men were under observation. I e-mailed copies of the photos Thomas and George had received and that identified the girls. Our guys' descriptions of the two men matched as well."

"So what's the bad news?" asked George

"You and Thomas will have to make statements to the local police and you'll probably have to give evidence at their trial. The local police will give you an earful for being so stupid, but you two deserve that, don't you?" Sandra ended.