Hi everyone; This is the rest of a story. Don't hesitate to tell me what you thing about it
Sarah was still in shock. Tied up, helpless, she watched her own daughter with utter incomprehension. Lara, her baby, the one she had raised alone, the one she had sacrificed herself for... had just betrayed her trust in the most brutal way possible.
But Sarah wasn't just shocked. She was angry. A dull rage bubbled up inside her. She struggled, trying to keep her composure despite her wrists firmly tied behind her back.
Just then, Lara gestured to the robber standing next to her.
- Take off his boots and tie his ankles.
The thug hesitated for a second, giving Lara an uncertain look.
- Why take off her shoes?†he asked, puzzled.
- Do as I say,†replied Lara curtly.
Sarah felt a shiver of unease run down her spine. Her boots? Why on earth would her daughter want them taken away from her?
The robber shrugged and crouched down. He grabbed Sarah's right ankle, then her left, and pulled gently to remove her boots one by one. Then, following Lara's instructions, he took a piece of rope and tied her ankles firmly together, thus restricting Sarah's movements.
Sarah tried to wiggle her feet, but the strain was real.
- I don't want you doing acrobatics, Mom. I know how good you are at turning a situation to your advantage, so you might as well avoid surprises,†Lara explained with a smirk.
- Lara, stop this madness,†she hissed, trying to remain calm.
But Lara didn't respond.
- Why are you doing this?†growled Sarah, trying to maintain a proud posture despite her growing vulnerability.
Lara crossed her arms and looked her straight in the eye.
- You'll soon understand, Mom. I've always listened to you. All my life, I've followed your rules, your demands, your orders. You wanted me to be perfect. Strong. Independent. But you never asked yourself if I was happy.
Sarah gritted her teeth.
- If you think money is going to make you happy, you're wrong, Lara. That's not how it works.
Lara laughed softly.
- Of course that's how it works. Do you think I want to spend my life working my ass off like you do? Locked up in an office, bending to the rules of a world that gives nothing to those who foolishly follow the laws? You think you're strong, Mom, but in the end, you're just a prisoner of this system. I want to be free.
Sarah shook her head.
- You're making a mistake. If you do this, you'll never be able to go back.
Lara sighed.
- You don't get it, do you? I don't want to go back. I want to get away. Away from here. Away from you.
Sarah felt a pang in her heart.
- Lara... I've raised you alone, I've done my best.
- No, you didn't. You did what YOU wanted. What YOU thought was right. I never had any say in the matter. But today, that's over. By the way, do you know why I asked our friend to take off your boots?
She crouched down and took hold of her mother's socks, pulling them off slowly, gradually revealing her mother's neat, bare skin.
When her feet were completely exposed, Lara examined them for a moment before smiling mockingly.
- It's crazy... Even your feet are perfect. Impeccable nails, red varnish, soft skin... You really take care of yourself, Mom. It's a shame no one will be able to admire them properly now.
Sarah clenched her jaws. It wasn't a question of appearance. It was a question of respect, of bearing, of control.
She opened her mouth to retort, but Lara carefully rolled one of her socks into a ball in her hand.
- You know, Mom, you talk too much.
- Lara, don't do this.
- Oh, yes, I am.
With a quick movement, Lara forced the sock against her mother's lips. Sarah tried to clench her teeth, but Lara pressed firmly, and the fabric finally seeped into her mouth.
- NO PLEASE MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!†protested Sarah, shaking her head in refusal.
But Lara didn't stop there. She took the second sock and pushed it in too, filling her mother's mouth completely.
- I'm sorry, but you really have to learn to listen sometimes,†she murmured, staring at her.
Sarah continued to protest, to moan, but her sounds were now muffled by the fabric.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
One of the robbers approached with a roll of heavy-duty tape. He crouched down and watched Sarah for a moment, before tearing off a long piece and pressing it firmly to her lips.
Silence fell.
Lara sighed at ease and straightened up.
- It felt good.
She headed for Sarah's desk. Opening the bottom drawer, she pulled out a shiny set of keys.
She twirled them between her fingers before handing them to the robbers.
Sarah shook her head violently, groaning behind her gag.
- MPHHHH! MMPHHHHHHHHH!
Her bare feet slid nervously across the cold floor as she struggled as hard as she could, her eyes screaming out her desperation and anger.
Lara looked at her with amusement.
- Oh, look at you. Miss Perfection tied up, barefoot, unable to say a word. Looks like you're not really in control anymore, huh?
Sarah growled furiously behind her gag, her cheeks flushed with frustration and humiliation.
- MPHHH!
Lara gently patted her mother's cheek.
- Don't worry, Mom. Everything's going according to plan.
The robbers exchanged satisfied glances and left immediately for the safe room.
Sarah closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remain calm. She was totally vulnerable, but she hadn't said her last word.
She couldn't let her daughter make this mistake.
But how could she fix the situation when she couldn't even speak?
Sarah was beside herself. Bound, gagged, barefoot and completely helpless, she was at the mercy of her own daughter.
Lara stood before her, a triumphant smile on her lips, fully relishing the situation.
- Well, Mom? Aren't you usually the one in control?
Sarah glared at Lara and tried to speak, but only muffled complaints escaped the tape over her lips.
- MPHHH! MPHHHHHH!
Lara burst out laughing.
- Oh, it's so satisfying! You, who spend all your time giving me orders, telling me what to do, look at you now.
She let her gaze slide down to her mother's bare feet.
- And those pretty little feet... I didn't think big Sarah, always so strict and serious, would do her nails in such... feminine red polish.
She crouched down, brought her fingers to her mother's well-aligned toes and brushed the soft skin with her fingertips.
Sarah shivered and tried to move her feet back, but her bonds prevented her from doing anything.
- MPHHHHH!†she protested, her eyes flashing.
- What, are you embarrassed? Yet you had no problem treating me like an obedient child all these years. You see, Mom, that's freedom. You don't control anything anymore.
Sarah grunted in frustration, struggling weakly as Lara tapped the top of her foot mockingly.
- Come on, I'll leave you alone for a while. I'm sure you love standing there like a pretty, silent doll, don't you?
Sarah responded with a long MPHHHHHHHH! of protest, but Lara just smiled and turned away.
One of the burglars called out to her.
- Lara, come here, we need you!
- I'm coming,†she replied, before giving her mother one last mocking look.
- Don't move, eh? Ah... sorry, as if you could.
She walked away, giggling, leaving Sarah alone.
Sarah closed her eyes for a moment, trying to keep her composure despite the humiliation and frustration burning inside her.
She inhaled deeply through her nose.
She had to act.
Struggling like a worm, she rolled on the floor, desperately seeking a way to free herself. Her bare feet scraped against the cold ground as she tried to move forward as best she could.
Then she saw the door to the vault room.
It was ajar.
And the robbers were all inside.
Her mind lit up.
She knew what she had to do.
She remembered the emergency key she always kept in her trouser pocket.
But with her hands tied behind her back, reaching for it would be impossible
She wriggled furiously, rubbing her body against the floor, her bare feet glued together sliding awkwardly over the smooth surface.
She jerked again and again, her muffled moans punctuating every movement.
- MPHHH! MPHHHHHH!
After a superhuman effort, she finally reached the door and rolled onto her side to get her fingers to her pocket.
She fumbled, her nails brushing the fabric, until at last she felt the cold metal of the key.
A shiver of hope ran through her.
She struggled to grasp it, her bound wrists preventing her from making any precise movement.
- MPHHH! she grunted, redoubling her efforts.
Finally, the key fell to the floor with a metallic clang.
Sarah breathed heavily through her nose, her heart beating wildly.
She had only one chance.
Straightening slightly, she stretched out her feet and tried to wedge the key between her perfectly polished toes.
Her muscles were tense, her breathing rapid.
She managed to close the door with the strength of her feet.
Then she trembled slightly as she tried to align the key with the lock.
Her bare feet were the only thing that could turn the situation around.
Slowly, with absolute precision, she turned the key in the lock using her toes.
The sound of the lock closing sounded like victory.
Sarah exhaled deeply, her body tense with relief.
- MPHHHHHHHHHH! she moaned, exhausted but satisfied.
She'd done it.
But no sooner had relief overcome her than an icy voice startled her.
- It's a good thing Lara asked me to look after you... She knew you were up to something.
Sarah froze.
Her blood ran cold.
She turned her head slightly and saw one of the burglars standing back, looking at her with a smirk.
She'd been caught.
And this time, there was no escape.
The burglar leaned over to his walkie-talkie and called Lara:
- We've got a problem... Your mother tried to lock us in the safe room.
A silence fell over the bank, then Lara's amused voice echoed through the phone:
- Oh... What a surprise.
Sarah, still on the floor, her wrists tied behind her back and her bare feet exposed, closed her eyes in frustration. She knew Lara was going to take advantage of her.
Seconds later, Lara returned to her at a nonchalant pace, arms crossed, a mocking smile on her lips.
- Mom, mom, mom... I knew you couldn't stop yourself from doing something.
Sarah growled furiously behind her gag, still trying to make her daughter understand that she was making a mistake.
- MPHHHHH! MPHHHHH!
Lara crouched beside her, her smile widening.
- You know what that means, don't you?
She gently patted his cheek.
- Punishment.
Sarah clenched her fists. It was cruel. It was humiliating. It was exactly what she would have done with Lara when she crossed the line.
- You taught me that a bad deed deserves a penalty. And you know what? I've learned my lesson too.
She took an extra length of rope and slowly slipped it through her fingers before wrapping it around Sarah's wrists.
Then, with a deftness that showed she'd anticipated this moment, she linked the latter to her mother's already bound ankles, forcing her into a strict, vulnerable hogtie, with her bare feet exposed in the air.
Sarah struggled, trying to straighten her legs, but the bonds were tight.
- MPHHHHH!†she protested.
Lara burst out laughing.
- Look at you... You really are helpless, Mom. Do you realize what you're in for?
She settled down next to Sarah's perfectly aligned feet and watched them with a smirk.
- Looks like that pretty red varnish is finally going to do something.
Sarah widened her eyes and shook her head frantically, finally understanding what her daughter was about to do.
- MPHHHHHHH! MPHHHHHH!
She tried to curl her toes, but Lara gave her no chance.
Her fingertips slowly grazed the arch of her mother's foot.
Sarah gasped violently, a long, muffled moan escaping from behind her gag.
- MPHHHHHHHHH!
- Ohhh, Mom's ticklish?†mocked Lara.
She increased the pressure, tracing little circles on the soles of her feet with cruel precision.
Sarah squirmed as much as her bonds would allow, jiggling frantically under the effects of the pressure.
- MPHHHHHHHHH! MPHHHHHHHHH!
Her toes wiggled in all directions, trying to escape her daughter's nimble fingers.
- See, that's funny,†giggled Lara. Usually, you're the one who dictates the rules. But now, I'm the one who decides when it stops.
She continued her torment for long minutes, playing with the extreme sensitivity of her mother's feet.
The burglars looked on with laughter, but one of them finally intervened.
- Well, that's all well and good, but the cops are outside. We'll have to find a solution.
Lara finally stopped, leaving Sarah panting, her body still trembling from the tickle.
She stood up and glanced outside.
Flashing lights illuminated the front of the bank. The police had surrounded the building.
Sarah, still tied up and vulnerable, tried to figure out what Lara was up to.
Her daughter was smart. She knew that getting out with the bags of money under her arm was impossible.
She was up to something.
But what was it?
Sarah was at her wits' end. Her body was tired from trying to fight back, her wrists ached from pulling at her bonds, and above all, this unbearable humiliation imposed by her own daughter.
But despite the anger and frustration bubbling up inside her, she knew she had to keep her cool. Lara was no longer a rebellious teenager seeking to defy authority. She had moved on to a whole new level.
Sarah couldn't afford to rush her.
She inhaled deeply through her nose and began to moan behind her gag.
- MPHHHHHHHH! MPHHHHHHHHH!
She struggled slightly, raising her head to meet Lara's gaze, hoping to capture her attention.
But her daughter, still sitting nonchalantly beside her, merely smiled in amusement.
- What, Mom? Is there something you want to say?
Sarah nodded sharply.
- MPHHHHH! MPHHHHHHH!
Lara giggled and tapped the top of her mother's foot with her fingertips, like you would with an angry cat.
- I love seeing you beg like that... Usually, you're the one giving orders, imposing your will. But here, look at you.
Sarah groaned in frustration, closing her eyes for a second before reopening them to stare intently at her daughter.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
She went on like this for several minutes, multiplying her muffled complaints, hoping that Lara would finally give in.
Finally, after a long sigh, Lara shrugged.
- All right, then. I admit it's a bit frustrating not being able to hear your smug justifications.
She leaned slowly towards her mother's face and grabbed a corner of the tape.
- But one condition.
Sarah waited, motionless.
- Not a single scream. And above all, don't talk to me as if you were still above me.
Sarah hesitated a second before nodding, having no other choice.
With a jerk, Lara ripped off the tape.
Sarah winced, her skin burning under the adhesive. But she had no time to complain, for immediately afterwards, she spat out the soaked socks with a disgusted air.
- It's the height of disrespect...†she breathed under her breath, her voice hoarse from being gagged for so long.
Lara giggled.
- Oh, is it? You think I'm disrespectful? That's funny, coming from you.
Sarah didn't respond immediately. She knew she had to walk on eggshells. Lara was on the defensive, and the slightest misstep could make the situation worse.
She took a deep breath and deliberately softened her tone.
- Listen, Lara... I need to understand. What are you going to do? The bank is surrounded. How do you plan to get out of it?
Lara smiles mysteriously.
- Oh, you know me, Mom... You hate it when people spoil movies for you, don't you?
Sarah clenched her jaw.
Lara was playing on her nerves, just as she had done when she was younger and wanted to stand up to her.
- Lara...
- No, Mum. You'll see.
Sarah breathed in slowly, trying not to lose her patience.
Her tone became even more conciliatory.
- If you untie me now, we can still work this out. I can convince the police that you've been manipulated, that you weren't really involved...
Lara burst out laughing.
- Did she really? And we can pretend it never happened? As if you hadn't been bound and gagged like a common hostage by your own daughter?
She shook her head.
- No, Mom. It's over now.
Sarah felt her heart clench.
Try as she might, Lara was impervious.
None of her techniques were working.
She changed her angle.
- So tell me... Why? How did we get here?
Lara stopped smiling.
Her eyes hardened slightly.
She stared at her for a moment, silent.
Then, slowly, she straightened up.
- Do you really want to know, Mom?
Sarah nodded, breathless.
She was finally going to understand.
Sarah listened to her daughter with growing attention, her mind trying to fill in the gaps in a story she'd never imagined she'd hear.
- I've wanted to run away dozens of times,†said Lara, her eyes dark. But I had nowhere to go, not enough money... until I met him.
Sarah frowned.
- Who was he?
- My boyfriend.
Sarah felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
- You did all this... for a boy?
Lara crossed her arms, clearly annoyed by her mother's tone.
- Don't start, Mom. He's not just a boy. He's the only person who really understood me. He too wanted to run away from his family. We had the same dream: to start all over again, somewhere else, far from this life. And what could be better than to plan a robbery using his mother, who's a banker?
She paused for a moment, then continued in a harder voice:
- You think it's easy to live with you? All my life, you've suffocated me with your rules, your demands. Every time I tried to breathe, you'd call me to order. I was never good enough for you, never strong enough, never good enough. I was just an extension of your perfect little world.
Sarah felt a pang of pain in her chest.
- Lara... I only wanted what was good for you.
- My good? Lara laughed bitterly. No, Mom. You wanted a perfect daughter who would fit your mold. But I just wanted to be free. And now I'm going to be.
Sarah shook her head.
- That's crazy, Lara. Do you really think a robbery was going to give you a new life? It's a naive adolescent plan that will just ruin your life!
Lara stared at her for a long moment, then sighed and rolled her eyes.
- You talk too much, Mom.
Sarah felt her stomach knot up as she saw the smile return to her daughter's lips.
- I think it's time to find your socks.
Sarah widened her eyes and shook her head frantically.
- No, no, please, Lara. Don't do this.
She wasn't in a power struggle anymore. Not anymore. She didn't want to put up with this.
- Find something else... anything, but not this.
Lara raised an eyebrow, feigning reflection.
- Hmm... Tempting. But no.
She took his chin and smiled.
- Do you know why? Because, given the beauty of your feet, your socks are much more at home in your mouth.
Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but Lara didn't give her the chance.
She stuffed her soaked socks between her lips again, pushing the fabric all the way down.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHH!†moaned Sarah, twitching her toes in frustration.
Lara laughed at this reaction, then grabbed a wide strip of heavy-duty tape.
- Come on, Mom, be quiet.
With a precise gesture, she placed the tape over Sarah's mouth, sealing her gag with implacable firmness.
- MPHHHHHHH!†protested the helpless woman, squirming in her bonds.
Lara let out a mocking laugh.
- Look at you, the great director, the fighter... gagged with her own socks, barefoot and tied up like a common gift box. Quite a change, huh?
She gently patted her mother's cheek, admiring her work.
- You have to admit it's ironic. All my life, you've imposed rules on me. Now it's up to me.
Sarah glowered at her, but this only amused Lara more.
Just then, one of the burglars entered the room.
- Lara, everything's ready. We're putting the plan in place.
Lara nodded, a determined smile on her face.
As for Sarah, she struggled against her bonds, her eyes burning with worry.
What was she going to do now?
Sarah lay on the cold office floor, totally restrained in a humiliating position.
Lara hadn't done things by halves: after discovering that her mother had tried to entrap them, she had taken great pleasure in strengthening her bonds, tying her wrists to her ankles in a tight hogtie that further restricted her movements.
Sarah could now only squirm miserably, her bare feet perfectly exposed and slightly lifted from the ground. Her toes twitched with every movement, desperately seeking a means of support.
But there was none.
MPPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
- So, Mom, it's not as much fun when you're the one who's stuck, is it?
Lara crouched down in front of her, a mocking smile on her lips.
Sarah glared at her daughter, her face flushed with frustration and helplessness. She tried again to speak, to reason with Lara, but all that came out was a long “MPHHHHHHHHH!â€, muffled by the sock gag that still sealed her mouth.
Lara giggled.
- I think I love that sound. Seriously, Mom, you should see yourself. All your life, you've wanted to control everything... And look at you now!
Sarah struggled violently, rolling onto her side, contracting her muscles in a last effort to try and untie her wrists. But Lara had done her job.
- Stubborn as ever, eh? her daughter scoffed. You can wriggle as much as you like, those ropes won't move a millimeter.
Sarah groaned angrily, her bare feet dangling in the air.
Lara, amused, reached out and brushed the sole of her mother's foot with one finger.
- You're so helpless like that... I confess, I love this position. No kicking, no punching. Just you, barefoot, tied up and unable to interrupt me.
Sarah glared at her, mumbling muffled protests under her gag.
Lara smiled and sighed.
- Come on, I'll be nice. I owe you an explanation before I go.
Sarah stopped struggling. She stared intently at her daughter, realizing that this might be her last chance to intervene.
- Come on, Mom. I've got a surprise for you.
Lara grabbed Sarah's bonds and, with the help of one of the burglars, lifted her slightly. The hogtie's posture made the movement difficult, forcing Sarah to contort her body awkwardly as they dragged her to the back door.
When they opened it, a man in police uniform was waiting outside.
Sarah felt her heart stop.
A policeman.
But he didn't look surprised. He crossed his arms and sighed.
- About time,†he growled.
Sarah felt a jolt of adrenaline run through her body.
An accomplice.
Lara grabbed a suitcase full of cash and handed it to the cop.
- As promised. Now it's time to go.
Robert opened the suitcase, nodded, then turned to Lara.
- The car's ready. If we hang around, we'll be stranded.
Sarah struggled violently, her chest heaving with the effort.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHÂ !
She wanted to scream, to protest, to beg her daughter to stop this madness.
Lara turned back to her, and this time there was a strange gleam in her eyes. A touch of remorse.
- You're probably wondering how I managed to corrupt a cop, right?
Sarah glared at her, her anger growing.
Lara shrugged.
- When you know where to look, you can always find someone willing to betray for a good price. You taught me to be smart, Mom. And I thank you for that.
Sarah growled behind her gag, her breathing quickening.
She had to act now.
This was her last chance.
But Lara and Robert were already ready to leave.
And Sarah, still barefoot, hogtied and gagged, had only a few seconds left to try one last stunt...
Sarah gasped behind her gag, her body aching from too much time tied up. Her heart was pounding as she watched her daughter prepare to flee. Lara stood before her, impassive, but with an indecipherable gleam in her eye.
- It's time to say goodbye, Mom.
Sarah shook her head furiously, moaning in protest through her gag.
Lara ignored her pleas and turned to the burglars.
- Put her in her office chair. After all, she loves him so much.
Sarah gave a muffled groan as she realized what her daughter was planning to do. She struggled as hard as she could, but her bonds had exhausted her.
The criminals lifted her with ease and cut the rope holding her in hogtie.
A brief relief.
Almost immediately, she was slammed into her own chair, her back pressed against the leather backrest.
Her arms were briefly untied, then pulled back and securely tied again behind the chair. Next, a rope clamped her torso to the seat, above and over her breasts, immobilizing her completely. But they didn't stop there.
Sarah let out another “MPHHHHHH!†of protest as she felt her ankles being pulled up under the seat.
- You're too clever, Mom. Let's make sure you don't do that foot lock thing again.
Lara watched helplessly as the burglars firmly secured her wrists to her bare ankles, bending her slightly forward.
Sarah was completely neutralized.
She pulled at her bonds, her breath coming in rapid, panicked gasps as she desperately tried to free herself.
Then she saw something that made her blood run cold.
One of the burglars pulled out a thick black vest, with exposed cables and a digital timer.
- MPHHHHHHHHHH!
Her muffled scream echoed through the room as they pulled the vest over her, fastening it firmly against her torso already compressed by the ropes.
She felt a cold weight against her chest. A bomb.
Lara crouched in front of her, an almost tender smile on her lips.
- Relax, Mom. It's not real.
Sarah stopped struggling, her eyes desperately searching her daughter's for the truth.
Lara winked at her.
- I would never do that to you. You're my mother, I love you anyway.
She placed a kiss on his cheek.
- But I need time. This little device will keep the cops busy while I escape. They'll think you're in danger, and they'll be too busy rescuing you to think about coming after me. Clever, eh?
Sarah shouted another “MPHHHHHH!†in protest.
She tried to implore Lara with her eyes, desperately trying to bring her back to her senses. But her daughter had already stepped aside, ready to leave.
- It's a pity you can't explain all this to them with your gag. Wouldn't it be a shame if they panicked over nothing?
Sarah roared with rage, pulling with all her might against the ropes holding her in place. She had to act fast.
Outside, she heard the sound of the police moving into position.
Lara walked towards the exit, taking one last look at her tied-up mother.
- Goodbye, Mum. We'll see each other again.
Sarah screamed one last time, struggling with all her might.
MPPPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
BOOM!
The main door exploded under the force of the police ram.
This was her last hope.
If she was to stop Lara before it was too late, it had to happen now!
Sarah was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
At last, the police entered the room, but instead of untying her, they panicked when they saw the bomb.
- Damn it, it's a bomb!†one of them shouted, backing away in a hurry.
- Call the bomb squad, quick! shouted another.
Sarah let out a long, furious moan through her gag.
- MPHHHHHHH!
She struggled in the chair, her wrists firmly bound to her bare ankles, preventing her from making the slightest blow or attracting their attention with anything other than muffled complaints.
She couldn't even stamp her feet, her ankles being bound to her wrists behind the chair.
- Calm down, ma'am, we'll take care of everything! an officer tried to reassure her.
Sarah let out a muffled cry of exasperation.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Every second counted.
Meanwhile, the police officers waited stupidly for the deminer, talking amongst themselves, checking their radios, going in circles, while Sarah boiled with impatience.
The seconds dragged on and on.
Sarah squirmed in the chair, tugging at her restraints, her toes twitching in frustration.
- MPHHHHHHHHH!!!
She tried everything to get their attention, but they were too busy organizing.
- He's taking a long time, that deminer...†muttered one of the policemen.
- It's a delicate situation, you have to be careful. replied another.
Sarah closed her eyes in rage.
Careful?
They were wasting precious time while Lara escaped!
She let out a louder wail, her body twisting violently.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
A policeman glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.
- I think she's trying to say something.
- Yeah, hurry up, I guess.
But they didn't move.
Sarah let out a muffled moan, her eyes flashing.
After what seemed like an eternity, the deminer finally arrived, dressed in his thick protective suit.
He knelt in front of her, examining the bomb with concentration.
Sarah let out an annoyed groan.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
She squirmed, tugged at her bonds, tried to get his attention, but he didn't even look up at her.
- Madam, stand still!†he growled, frowning. Do you want me to make a mistake?
Sarah wanted to scream.
She shook her head frantically, toes twitching, fingers twisted in frustration.
It wasn't possible to be so incompetent!
The deminer took his time.
Too much time.
Far too much time.
He observed each cable, checked his tools, took notes.
Sarah let out a muffled moan of rage.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
The policemen stood back, guns pointed at the bomb, perfectly useless.
Minutes passed.
Sarah couldn't take it anymore.
She moaned furiously, shaking her head, trying to get their attention, her toes wiggling nervously.
- MPHHHHHHHHH!!! MPHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
The deminer didn't even seem to notice her.
He checked again and again, changing angles, muttering things to himself.
Then, suddenly, he froze.
- Wait a second...
Sarah looked up abruptly, her heart beating furiously.
- MPHHHHHHH?!
The deminer frowned, taking a closer look at the wires.
He bent down, took a closer look...
Then he sighed.
- Damn...
He straightened up, visibly embarrassed.
- This thing is fake.
Sarah clenched her bound fists, her toes twitching in pure anger.
- MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!
She was on the verge of implosion.
The deminer, red with shame, finally tore the tape from his mouth.
Sarah immediately spat out the soaked socks with a sound of disgust.
She gasped for breath, her jaws aching.
- Holy shit!†she cried.
She shook her head violently, her eyes burning with pure rage.
An officer approached, beginning to untie the ropes.
- Your daughter and her accomplices have fled.
Sarah gritted her teeth, her wrists reddened by the bonds.
- But no one was hurt,†he continued. We'll find her.
Sarah immediately looked up at him.
- I want to be part of the team.
The inspector raised his eyebrows.
- Are you sure? It'll be dangerous.
Sarah looked him straight in the eye.
- I'm a boxing champion,†she declared coolly. I'm not afraid of danger.
The policeman smirked and crossed his arms..
- A boxing champion?†he asked, raising an eyebrow. The one who's just been bound, gagged and neutralized by a teenage girl?
Sarah blushed violently, feeling a wave of humiliation rising.
- I... it was a trap...†she stammered, searching for words. She surprised me... and...
The officer smiled slightly, then nodded.
- Don't worry, we all have our bad days,†he joked. But next time, keep your socks on your feet, it might save you some trouble.
Sarah clenched her fists, but didn't respond to the provocation.
She was focused on one thing now: finding Lara.
