(Request) Tied by Parents / Whole Family - (FMfm-FMfm)

[harveygasson]

This is a really fantastic update, love how in to it Tony is and that his parents are enjoying joining in more and more. Looking forward to the next part!

[Dpsiic]

Really enjoying this and looking forward to the next instalment.

[Detective-Gag]

Not knowing that their son had already slipped free, Diana and David were downstairs in the kitchen, passively leaning over the counter as Diana was boiling some water for tea.

"So, was being a kidnapper everything you thought it would be?" David joked, as he watched his wife take the pot from the heater, and bring it over to pour on top of the teabag in his mug.

"It was...interesting," Diana said, after a moment of thought. "Amusing...not at all like those terrible stories you hear about on the news; more like those old black & white television dramas I used to watch with my father."

David nodded in agreement, as his wife poured her own cup. "I think the boy likes the adventure of it; and being tied up just adds to the realism," the father reasoned, letting the steaming beverage cool a bit as he picked it up. "So us lending him a hand in doing the actual tying probably is a good thing."

"Well, I'm enjoying it, too," Diana said, taking a sip of the hot drink, and leaning back over the counter to smile mischievously at her husband. "So what are we doing about our little hostage upstairs?"

"We'll let him stew up there for a few minutes before we go check on him," David suggested, taking a gulp of the caffeinated beverage now that it had cooled a bit. "I've been reading up on the tropes of this sort of thing, so I figure we'll either do a ransom photo, or..."

There came a creaking sound from around the corner, and both David and Diana glanced over from the kitchen counter.

"...or maybe we need to think of something else," David finished, putting a finger to his lips to indicate that both he and Diana needed to remain silent, as the husband quietly crept out of the back of the kitchen.

Realizing that somebody had been eavesdropping, Diana collected the satchel of materials they'd brought in with them from the car...just as she heard a small "Mmmph!" emanate from just outside the kitchen, as David dragged Tony back inside, the father's hand pressed over his son's mouth, his other hand around the boy's flailing wrist to steady him.

"Mrmph!" Tony protested, voice muffled beneath his father's palm. "Lmt mm gmmph!"

"What's this?" David said, laughing as his son tried & failed to separate himself from his father's grip. "Looks like somebody's been snooping around!"

"He got free VERY quickly, didn't he?" Diana added, impressed by how fast Tony had escaped.

"You' were supposed to stay tied & gagged upstairs, kid," David said to Tony, as he stomped his foot. "What are you doing down here?"

"Mmm...you didn't say I wasn't allowed to untie myself!" Tony pointed out, as his father lifted his hand to allow him to speak. "Besides...it wasn't like it was hard to get free...all I had to do was slip my arms under my legs!"

Tony's parents looked back at each other, shaking their heads at their son's criticisms.

It sounded like he was actually DISAPPOINTED with their performance!

"Well, if you're going complain that much...I guess we outta do a better job, then," David chuckled, tilting his head over at his wife. "But first...better shut him up again."

"Got it," Diana giggled, fishing around inside the satchel; this time producing a roll of the silver duct tape, before tearing off a piece and walking over.

Tony feigned horror as his mother approached. "No!" he cried, as his father held his arms behind his back. "Don't gag me again...GMPH!"

The wide piece of duct tape cut him off, as his mother smoothed it against his cheeks. "I can't get over how much I adore doing that," Diana gushed, as Tony shook his head indignantly.

"Mmmph!" he muttered defiantly, furrowing his brow up at his mother, growing flush with embarrassment.

"Let's take the brat downstairs, and tie him up properly," David said, as he pulled Tony towards the hall. "Grab the bag."

"Nnmph!" Tony continued to mumble under the tape, as he was marched downstairs, his mother close behind with the satchel of materials.

Evidently, his parents had already prepared for the next phase of their arranged game...Tony was surprised to see that a metal folding chair was already waiting for him in the center of the basement, and a tripod mounted across from it, with a video recorder.

"Whmdyrm dmphng?" Tony inquired, already having a good idea of what his father had in mind as he brought the boy over to the chair, and made him sit down.

"Sit still, kid," David commanded, as his wife handed him a soft white rope from the bag, and began binding Tony's wrists behind his back through the gap in the folding chair.

Diana, meanwhile, tore off two more strips of duct tape, and applied them over the first to complete the boy's gag. "I think three strips looks right, doesn't it?" she mused, running her thumbs across the tape to eliminate the crinkles.

Tony's eyes went wide as he simultaneously felt himself being bound & gagged...he'd always had to progress step-by-step whenever he tied himself up; he'd never experienced it happening at the same time before!

"Mmmph! Hmmph!" Tony mumbled, as his father took a longer piece of white rope from the bag, and began looping it around his arms. "Hlmmph mmph!"

"Shh..." his mother crooned, as she started binding his ankles together with her own rope. "It'll be alright!"

"Nnmph! Hlmmph!" Tony continued to mumble, as he started to squirm around in the chair, feeling himself held back against the seat as his father finished tying his upper body.

"Think you'll be able to slip out of THAT, kid?" David challenged, stepping out from behind where Tony sat, crossing his arms as he stared down at his son.

Tony gave an approving nod, as his mother starting binding his legs together just below his knees. "Ymph, thsm sm tghmtrm thm bfrm," Tony said, talking under the duct tape.

Diana clapped her hands when she was finished, rising to her feet as she stared in wonder at her handiwork. "How'd I do?" she asked.

"Marvelous," her husband answered, giving her hand a squeeze as they stood next to each other. "The kid's not going anywhere, I think."

"Gmt mm nmt fm hrmph!" Tony exclaimed, cheeks puffing out beneath the gray tape, bouncing in the seat as he strained against the cord holding him to it. "Hlmmph!"

Both David & Diana had to surpress their laughter as they watched Tony struggle in futility.

"Hmm...I think he's missing something," Diana mused, stooping down to rummage in the bag on the floor.

"Oh?" David intoned.

His wife took out another white handkerchief, and folded it in half. "They always used these white cloths on the shows me and my father watched on TV," she confided, walking over behind where her son sat. "For "gags", I mean....I always thought it looked funny."

"Should work better with that tape underneath," David noted, as Tony nodded up at his mother.

"Ymph!" Tony mumbled in approval. "Mmm lkm thm wym thymv lkmmph!"

"Well, then..." Diana breathed, lowering the band of white cloth down over her son's face, and pulling it tightly over his duct taped mouth. "I'm glad we're in agreement."

"Mmmph!" Tony exclaimed, leaning into the fantasy as he was being thoroughly gagged, and his mother tied the handkerchief into place.

Just then, as Diana was knotting the gag behind Tony's head; DAvid felt his cell phone buzz in his pocket.

Frowning, he pulled it out, and stared at the security notification, indicating that someone was at their front door.

"It's Bella," David said, holding the cell phone up for his wife to see. "Looks like she's back from her friend's house."

Bella was Tony's little sister, by a year.

"Mmmph!" Tony said, looking between his parents. "Whmt rm ym gnmph dmmph?"

"Oh, goodness...what are we going to do about...this?" Diana asked worriedly, gesturing at their son, now bound, gagged & confined to their basement.

David puzzled over the situation for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well..." he said slowly, a grin starting to form. "If the kid can stay quiet....maybe we can double our ransom."

Both Tony and Diana stared dumbfounded at David, trying to understand the implication...

...and then Diana raised a hand to her lips. "Oh!" she exclaimed in comprehension.

Tony, meanwhile, began bobbing his head in excitement, realizing what his father intended.

"I'lm bm qumnt," Tony promised through the tape & cloth now muffling his speech. "Wm cnm mk nmt nm srpsmph..."

"Oh!" she

[Redman]

Fantastic update! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite stories of all time.

[TuggyBoundMale]

This is great stuff. I wonder what will happen to Bella now

[WhereAmI]

2 for the price of 1, er 2, um im confused. Double the trouble, double the fun, doublemint gum.
A brother/sister kidnapping, how fun.

[Dpsiic]

I am loving this, can’t wait for the next instalment. And wondering how Diana is going to get tied up.

[harveygasson]

Great new part to the story and Bella involved next too!

[Detective-Gag]

Bella Korbeau slowly shut the door behind her, pocketing her house key once she entered her family’s dwelling…she’d spent the first part of her afternoon at her friend’s house; opting to take the school bus with her so that they could both have a study session. The two girls were practically neighbors, so Bella’s parents had allowed her to walk home afterwards from across the street.

Like her brother, she wore a uniform for the private school they both attended: a white collared button-up, grey vest, blue necktie tucked underneath, black shoes…except Bella wore a short blue skirt for the girl’s uniform. She had brown eyes like her brother, and wore a black hairband with medium length, straight black hair that went down just below her ears.

“Hello?” Bella called, slipping her backpack off and setting it down at the base of the stairs in the foyer. “Mom? Dad? I’m home!”

When there was no response, Bella shrugged and opted to head straight for the kitchen, to grab a soda from the fridge. Upon entering the kitchen, however; she found her mother, Diana, zipping up a black duffel bag on the kitchen table.

“Oh, hey Mom,” Bella greeted, as she saw her mother flinch as she spoke, and whirled around, her hands resting on the edge of the tabletop.

“Bella, honey!” Diana answered warmly, smiling back at her daughter. “How was your friend’s house?”

“Fine,” Bella responded nonchalantly, frowning at her mom as she eyed her & the bag behind her. “You didn’t answer when I came in.”

“Ah, I must not have heard you,” Diana apologized, putting on a strained smile.

“What’s that?” Bella asked innocently, gesturing to the bag.

“Oh, this?” Diana said, patting the duffel. “Your father was just clearing some stuff out of the garage.”

“Where’s he?” Bella inquired, gaze drifting beyond the kitchen. “With Tony?”

“I think so…” her mother said, trailing off.

Bella tilted her head curiously, and went for the refrigerator, and pulled out a cold can of cola from inside, snapping the tab open. “Well, I’m going to put my stuff upstairs,” Bella told her mother, sipping the drink as she left the kitchen.

“Sounds good, dear,” Diana said after her, watching her depart. She sighed, turning back around to finish zipping up the black duffel…concealing the bundle of rope that had been slightly poking out from the corner of the bag…

—

“Did you manage to grab the supplies before saw you?” David asked his wife, as she came stepping down the basement stairs.

Diana sighed. “Barely,” she told him, handing her husband the the duffel, with their son sitting between them off to the side.

“Mmmmph! Gmmmph!” Tony was grunting, bending his tied legs up into his chest as he rocked against the chair, allowing the gag to mask the sounds of his yells from down in the basement. “Hlmmph!”

“So, how are we going to bring Bella into this?” questioned Diana, watching her son struggle futilely. “Should we just go grab her?”

“We could,” David considered, taking a look inside the bag. “Although, we should probably give her a heads up, so we don’t startle her.”

“Aw, but it was such a nice surprise when we picked Tony up from school,” Diana pouted, smiling over at Tony, as the boy pretended to shake his head defiantly.

David paused thoughtfully, rubbing his jaw. “How about this,” he said finally, as he explained how they would wrangle their daughter into their joint kidnapping scheme…

—

"Bella?" Diana's voice rang out, from somewhere below. "Do you have a moment, honey?"

Bella looked over from her bed, having taken a break to go skimming through Tiktok on her cellphone, hearing her mother calling from downstairs. "Coming, Mom!" she replied back, setting her cellphone down on her nightstand before jumping off the mattress, and leaving the bedroom.

As the dark-haired girl descended the stairs, she once again found her mother in the kitchen awaiting her, sitting at the table, scrolling on her tablet; though the duffel in the table had disappeared. "What'd you need, Mom?" Bella asked.

"Could you help your father real quick? Diana asked, pointing towards the hallway leading from the kitchen to where the basement stairs were located. "He's doing some kind of project."

Bella nodded, saying, "Sure, Mom," before heading for the basement.

"Dad...?" Bella ventured, voice rebounding off the walls in the narrow space as she clambered down to the lowest level of the house. "Mom said you needed me...?"

"...mmmmmph...!!"

Bella paused for a half-second on the last stretch of stairs, having heard an unfamiliar sound. "Dad?" she asked again, continuing on. "Is that you...?"

Upon reaching the bottom, Bella froze, as she stared in shock at the source of the noise...her brother, Tony, was seated in the middle of the basement; and he was tied up!

"Blmmph!" Tony mumbled, eyes wide above a smooth white cloth that was covering his mouth, shifting around in a metal folding chair. White rope encircled her arms, appearing to hold him against the metallic seat, ankles & knees secured together with more rope. "Bm crmnflmph!"

"What's going on...?" Bella asked, confused, as she slowly approached him, spying the tripod positioned across from him with the video camcorder, and a familiar black duffel bag resting on the carpet. "Is this one of your self tie-up games?"

Tony shook his head furiously, trying to tell her something through the gag. "Mmm bm kdnppnd!" he mumbled, leaning forward in the chair as far as he could, the rope holding him back. "Ym nmnd tm rnm!"

"I can't understand you with that on," Bella giggled, gesturing to the gag, causing Tony to stomp his feet in frustration.

"Tmk thm gmg mff!" Tony said, attempting to switch tactics as he started jutting out his chin, urging his sister to come closer.

Realizing his intention, Bella walked up to where her brother sat, and reached up to pull the soft white fabric down from his lower face...and was surprised to see that he also had three strips of grey duct tape plastered over his lips.

"Wow, you really gagged yourself, this time," Bella whistled, frowning at the duct tape.

Tony shook his head. "Nm tllng ym, nmt wsmn't mmph!" her brother tried to say, lips moving underneath the adhesive.

"Hang on," Bella said to him, lifting her hand to try and peel back the corner of the tape. "I don't wanna do this too quickly..."

"No so fast there, kid!" came a deeper voice...a familiar voice...from around the corner of the basement.

Bella turned to see her father now standing in the open, in his business pants & blue collared shirt....and a length of white rope stretched between his hands, which were amusingly covered by a pair of black gloves.

"Dad?" Bella asked, straightening as she and her brother looked over towards him. "What's going on?"

"We were in the middle of kidnapping this "brat" for a ransom," David revealed with a smile, throwing a nod to Tony sitting in the chair. "But it looks like we've got ourselves a snoop now, meddling in our affairs!"

It dawned on Bella then, that she hadn't interrupted one of Tony's games...not exactly.

"YOU'RE who tied him up!?" Bella exclaimed in disbelief, as Tony nodded vigorously.

"Mm-hmm!" Tony confirmed, duct tape still gagging him. "Thym kdnmmpd mm frm schlmph!"

"We scooped him up after school," came a woman's voice from behind where Bella stood, as the daughter whirled around to see her mother coming down the stairs, blocking where she'd come from.

"BOTH of you?" Bella gasped, eyes dancing between her parents, amazed. "But why?"

"We thought it'd be fun to help Tony out," her father elaborated, giving the girl a wink. "We were just about to start the next part of the game; when we heard you come home."

"...so you're just playing along?" Bella stated, coming to understand.

"And we thought you might want to participate," Diana offered.

Bella blinked. "As a hostage-taker?"

"No, silly," Diana giggled. "As a hostage!"

Bella was taken aback. "Like...tied up?"

"You did barge into our hideout," David pointed out to his daughter, chuckling to himself. "We can't allow you to leave now!"

Bella placed her hands on her hips, just above her uniformed skirt. "Tony and I did always have to take turns whenever we tied each other up," she reasoned slowly. "And I have always wanted to be a real snoop."

"So you'd like to play?" DIana asked, striding over to her daughter.

Bella nodded. "Sure," she agreed. "How do we start? Or...continue...?"

"First things first," her father said, taking her hands behind her back. "Gotta make sure you can't escape."

Bella felt the soft white rope tighten around her wrists, as her father bound them together behind her back. "You think you villains can stop the legendary Korbeau Siblings?" Bella declared, deciding to lean into her "snooping" persona.

Her mother placed a hand over her daughter's mouth, silencing her while her father went to fetch another folding chair from the basement storage room. "We already have," Diana teased.

"Mmph!" Bella muttered beneath her mother's palm, as she watched her father return with a second metal chair, unfolding it next to where Tony sat.

The boy watched as her sister was escorted over & sat down beside him by his mother, as his Dad opened up the black duffel on the floor, and pulled out more rope, and the roll of duct tape.

Bella's eyes fixated on the tape above her mother's hand. "Rm ym gnmph ysm thmnt?" she mumbled.

"Honey, why don't you go ahead and take this, and gag this girl like her brother," David suggested to his wife, handing her the roll of tape.

"With pleasure," Diana cackled, taking her hand off Bella's mouth so that she could tear off a piece of the gray tape.

"You won't get away with this!" Bella said defiantly, once she could speak. "You...GMMPH!"

Bella grimanced, as her mother lowered the piece of duct tape down over her face from behind her, pulling it backward so that it pressed against her mouth, mid-speech.

"I think that's my favorite part," Diana giggled, as she ripped off another piece, and Bella blinked in surprise by how abrupt her mother had been in gagging her. "They get so quiet all of a sudden!"

"Hmmph!" Bella grunted, as though challenging that statement, as her mother wasted no time applying two more pieces over the first, the daughter leaning back in her chair slightly as Diana ran her fingers over the girl's cheeks to smooth the wrinkles.

Tony looked at her sister sympathetically, as the sibling locked eyes, both now sporting matching rectangles of dull gray tape over their mouths.

"Mmmph," Tony intoned, wriggling in his chair.

"Grmmmph," Bella groaned back at him, before looking down to see her father already binding her legs together. "Mrmmmmph!"

"Finish tying her to the chair, darling," David said to his wife, passing her up a another bundle of rope from the duffel.

"Oh, very nice!" DIana said giddily, taking the white cord, unfurling it, and starting to wrap it around Bella's arms & behind the metal chair, just like her brother.

"Nmmph! Rmmph!" Bella mumbled through the duct tape, wringing her bound wrists behind her through the gap in the folding chair, as she felt both her parents finish tightening the knots, until she could no longer move adequately. "Gmt mm nmt mm hrmph!"

"Lmt hrm gmph!" Tony joined in, until both kids were both grunting & fidgeting in their chairs, nearly identical in their school uniforms & bindings.

"Aw, listen to the two of them!" Diana said gleefully, resting a hand between them on both their shoulders. "Aren't they cute!?"

"Still a bit too noisy for their own good," David sighed, standing back up, and producing another white handkerchief from his back pocket. "Get the boy's gag back over his mouth; and I'll gag the girl."

"Right!" Diana remembered, before pulling the ends of the cloth still dangling around Tony's neck.

"Gnrmmnmmph...!!" Tony sputtered, as he felt the gag pulled firmly back over his taped mouth, shutting his eyes as he felt it tighten back into place.

"Tnymph, rm ymph...GMMPH!?" Bella started to mumble reassuringly to her brother, before her father abruptly pulled the white cloth band down over her own mouth. "Mmmph! Hmmmph!"

Both siblings tapped their feet impotently on the carpeted floor, unable to do anything to prevent their gags from being applied, tied to the chairs as they were.

"There we go," David said gruffly, lightly tussling both of his children's hair once they were silenced. "That should shut them up."

"Mmmmmmmmph...!!" the two siblings whined, slumping in their seats as they solemnly looked at one another.

Now strictly tied to the chairs with the white rope, and with identical white handkerchiefs serving as gags; both children now resembled the same sort of victims they'd seen on television shows, or the book covers of their favorite detective novels.

"The two of you behave yourselves, now!" David warned them, jabbing a finger from Bella to Tony, as they stared up at him. "Your mother...I mean, my partner...and I are going upstairs to make some phone calls." Their father snickered. "But we'll be back to check on you."

"Ym wmn't gmn't awym wmth thsmph!" Bella exclaimed.

"Ymph, lmt umnphf gmph!" Tony added, twisting in the chair. "Nm ngmg usmphf!"

"Hush, now," Diana teased, draping an arm on her husband's shoulder affectionately. "And keep those delightful gags on."

This only served to make her children bob their heads in frustration, mumbling with renewed effort as Bella and Tony watched both their parents head towards the basement stairs, leaving the pair of young hostages to struggle a they disappeared back up to the main floor of the house.

"Hlmmmmmph!" they both yelled after them, either taking turns shouting through their gags, or sometimes in unison. "Hlmmmmph! Smbymmph hlmmmmph umphf....!!"

[WhereAmI]

This is great, two kidnapped brats in the basement tied to chairs and gagged so only mmmmppphhhhing is possible. I hope the kids learn to obey the kidnappers before they have to get tough and teach the kids a lesson.

I can't wait yo see where this story goes next, its almost real life.

[Redman]

DT, your gagtalk dialogues are unmatched. Well done! I absolutely love how enthusiastic Bella was about joining the game, once she overcame her initial surprise at the parents' involvement. It's shaping up nicely, and I eagerly look forward to the next installment in the Korbeau family tie up game!

[Detective-Gag]

This is great, two kidnapped brats in the basement tied to chairs and gagged so only mmmmppphhhhing is possible.

Best seats in the house!

(currently)

[Detective-Gag]

DT, your gagtalk dialogues are unmatched. Well done! I absolutely love how enthusiastic Bella was about joining the game, once she overcame her initial surprise at the parents' involvement. It's shaping up nicely, and I eagerly look forward to the next installment in the Korbeau family tie up game!

Thanks for the compliment!

(gag talk dialogues are some of my favorites banters)

Honestly, while I keep this story consistent; I may have to write a separate series about the sleuthing stories of the Korbeau Siblings. XD

[1990Kidnapping]

Im really enjoying this story, its lighthearted, the gag talk is great, all around its just a gem. The dynamics and roleplay are fun as well, would love to see this as a series. Imagine their aunt and uncle visiting, so the kidnappers 'sell' them to their aunt and uncle. In reality, the parents are going on vacation and need a babysitters, and now these two are tied up and told to do the chores to clean up the house while theyre gone

[Detective-Gag]

Im really enjoying this story, its lighthearted, the gag talk is great, all around its just a gem. The dynamics and roleplay are fun as well, would love to see this as a series. Imagine their aunt and uncle visiting, so the kidnappers 'sell' them to their aunt and uncle. In reality, the parents are going on vacation and need a babysitters, and now these two are tied up and told to do the chores to clean up the house while theyre gone

The grandparents keeping the kids tied & gagged, whenever they’re not doing chores, as a means to keep them under control is a good idea.

Might have a bit where the kids turn the tables on their grandmother; once they escape their grandfather’s ropes & look for some payback.

…only to get caught again, and join her. XD

[1990Kidnapping]

Im really enjoying this story, its lighthearted, the gag talk is great, all around its just a gem. The dynamics and roleplay are fun as well, would love to see this as a series. Imagine their aunt and uncle visiting, so the kidnappers 'sell' them to their aunt and uncle. In reality, the parents are going on vacation and need a babysitters, and now these two are tied up and told to do the chores to clean up the house while theyre gone

The grandparents keeping the kids tied & gagged, whenever they’re not doing chores, as a means to keep them under control is a good idea.

Might have a bit where the kids turn the tables on their grandmother; once they escape their grandfather’s ropes & look for some payback.

…only to get caught again, and join her. XD

Thats a fun idea, then the grandmother is released and tells them that for daring to be property that escaped their bonds and tied her up they each get an hour of belly tickling

[erfan]

This is a great story!
I can't wait for the kids to get their revenge soon and for the parents to be tied up with rope and gagged with tape

[lilshinefan]

super cute and fun!

[Alboreland]

Great story. Like others I really enjoy the gag talk. Gag talk is so underrated and a big part of tugs. The ones that are tied will always try to talk back or communicate with the others they are bound and gagged with. Some words can be understood even with the best gags and struggling while trying to communicate is a big part of it.

I like the taunts by the kidnappers and I hope the tables are turned and they are soon bound and gagged.

[Detective-Gag]

Once David and Diana were safely out of earshot of their kids, the two parents immediately burst into a fit of laughter.

“Oh…oh dear,” Diana wheezed, placing a hand on her forehead, as she’d grown quite warm. “I cant…!”

“Well…that’s certainly one way to handle children,” David joked, causing Diana to shake her head at him, as her laughter renewed itself.

“Stop,” she said to him, lightly shoving him in his shoulder. “You’re terrible!”

Once the mirth had faded a bit, David cleared his throat. “So now that we have the little tykes all secured, what’s our angle?” he asked his wife. “I don’t think they’re going to wriggle free any time soon.”

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Diana answered, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “This is all still a bit surreal to me; but I still think it’s cute.”

Both parents stood in silence, mulling it over.

“Well, I think maybe we should transition into our ransom video,” David proposed, revisiting their earlier discussion. “But hear me out…I’ve got an idea you might find appealing.”

“I’m all ears,” Diana replied, as her husband gently took her by the waist, guiding them through the house as he began explaining his plan…

—

Minutes had passed, and downstairs in the basement, both Tony and Bella were still fervently struggling in the seats they were bound to.

“Grmmph…c’nmph!” Bella mumbled, looking down at the rope pinning her arms to her sides. “Nm cmn’t mnvm!”

“Thmnt’s thm pnmt,” her brother pointed out, offering his sagely wisdom of being tied. “Yrm nmt smpssnd tm mnvm.”

“Nm cmn’t undrstmnd ym!” Bella grunted in frustration, shaking her head. “Wrm gngmd!”

“Mmmph!”

“Hlmmph!”

Both siblings tilted their heads back, yelling beneath the duct tape & cloth gags that muffled their voices, as they resumed rocking back & forth in the metal folding chairs.

…it was in the midst of this display, that a figure then came down the basement stairs, silently observing the spectacle of two children.

“It’s no use trying to struggle,” the figure stated, causing both children to cease their activity, as both Tony & Bella then fixated on the speaker.

It was their Dad, of course…he still had his suit pants, blue collared shirt, and polished shoes…but now he was wearing some kind of ninja mask: a black hood that covered his nose, mouth and entire head, with only a single slit revealing his eyes.

Coupled with the black gloves, he actually looked like some kind of burglar, or criminal.

“Mmmph! Lmt umph gmph!” both Tony & Bella mumbled, jutting out their chins defiantly as their masked dad approached, and began fiddling with the video camera on the tripod, flipping out the folding screen.

“Glad to see those gags are still working,” their father chuckled, turning on the camera, and adjusting it to make sure that both kids were inside the frame of the shot, zooming in the picture.

“Whmt rm ym dmphing?” Bella asked, curious as to what her father was doing.

“Filming a little ransom video for your rich mother,” David divulged, taking his gloved hands off the camera once it was set the way he wanted it, and letting it record.

Both Tony and Bella exchanged silent glances, and then resumed their squirming around in the chairs, having been told they were now being recorded.

“Mmmph! Hlmmph umphf!!” Tony grunted, brown eyes wide above his gag as he addressed the camera lens.

“Wmv bnm kdnmpnd!” Bella added, bouncing up and down in her chair. “Plsm hlmph!”

“Hello, Miss Korbeau,” David said menacingly, stepping in front of the video recorder, while the brother & sister continued to struggle in the background. “As you can see, we have kidnapped your two youngest children; and are holding them hostage.”

“Gmmph! Wmv bnm tmnd umpf!” Bella mumbled loudly, leaning off to the side so she could be seen behind her father.

“Nmd wmv bnm gnggmd!” Tony added, leaning in the opposite direction.

David chuckled at the noise being made behind him. “Your children have not been harmed; but we are keeping them tied & gagged so that they behave themselves.”

Bella & Tony squirmed indignantly at that, angrily stomping their feet as they fumed through the cloth covering their mouths.

“Instructions will be provided to you on how to see them both safely returned,” David continued, crossing his arms. “You will receive a phone call, where you will get to speak to your children, and be told on where you can drop off the ransom money in exchange for them.”

Both Tony & Bella perked up at that statement, giving sidelong glances at each other.

They’d be able to speak to their mother?

…and it sounded like they’d be freed from the chairs at some point, too!

“Do not attempt to contact the police, or any other authorities,” David warned, pointing a gloved hand at the camera. “We’ll be contacting you soon…”

“Hlmph umphf, Mnmph!” Bella & Tony yelled, watching at their father stepped back around the camcorder, and switch it off.

“You two stay put,” David told his two children, detaching the camera, and folding up the tripod, tucking it underneath his arm. “I’ll be back down in a half hour.”

“Ym wmn’t gmt anywymph wmph thsmph…!” Bella shouted after him, as David headed back up the stairs.

“Dmn’t lvm usmph hrmph!” Tony pleaded, twisting in the seat. “Hlmmph!”

But their father disappeared once again upstairs, leaving the two siblings only able to stare silently at one another, contemplating this impending ransom call when he returned…

—

Fifteen minutes later, David returned to Diana, his wife waiting patiently in the living room.

“Alright…I think you’re going to get a kick out of this,” David said to her, having taken off his balaclava & gloves, and lowering himself down next to his wife on the couch.

He took out his cell phone, where he’d saved the video to, and paired the device to their living room television, through their WiFi.

Once David’s cell phone was paired, the TV turned on…and the video he’d saved suddenly appeared on the large screen.

Both Bella & Tony were shown struggling in their chairs, bound & gagged just as they had left them, grunting at the camera with wide eyes.

“Hello, Miss Korbeau,” said an unfamiliar voice, one that sounded incredibly deep, and computerized; as a masked figure stepped in front of the camera.

Diana blinked at the person on-screen. “Is that you?” she asked her husband. “Where’d you get that mask?”

David grinned at her. “It was in our storage shed,” he revealed. “I wore it when I was shoveling snow last winter.”

“How did you get your voice to sound like that?”

David waggled his smartphone at her. “Voice-changer app,” he explained. “For every kidnapper’s ransom needs.”

Diana chuckled. “Well, it certainly sounds authentic.”

“As you can see, we have kidnapped your two youngest children; and are holding them hostage,” David’s kidnapper-persona continued on the TV. “Your children have not been harmed; but we are keeping them tied & gagged so that they behave themselves.”

Diana watched her two children poke their heads around either side of their father, who was blocking them from view, as they continued to grunt & mumble in the background.

“Our kids are certainly good performers, too,” Diana observed, resting her hand on her husband’s shoulder next to her. “I feel like I’m watching an episode of a crime drama.”

“Do not attempt to contact the police, or any other authorities,” her masked husband concluded on-screen, pointing at the camera. “We’ll be contacting you soon…”

The “kidnapper” stepped out of frame, leaving Bella & Tony to cry out through their gags for help; and the video froze on that final shot, as the ransom concluded.

“Well, that was certainly exciting!” Diana breathed, turning to look at David. “But what’s all this about getting a phone call?” A smile played on her face. “Is that the next part of the game?”

David nodded. “Now you get to try your hand at acting…”

[WhereAmI]

Now will Diabe Korbeau pay the ransom or are Tony and Bella doomed to live tied up in the basement forever and ever. Only the kidnapper's shadow knows for sure.

Tune in next week same suspenseful time, same suspenseful basement.

This is truly getting better and better every chapter. I wish I could be there to watch Tony and Bella struggle to get untied and listen to their gag-talking.

[Dpsiic]

This just gets better and better. As everyone says the gag talk is brillant.

[Redman]

This is one amazing game! I can't wait to see how this all resolves. It definitely sounds like they're planning a car ride, if I'm not mistaken. Which would be positively awesome!

[Detective-Gag]

This is one amazing game! I can't wait to see how this all resolves. It definitely sounds like they're planning a car ride, if I'm not mistaken. Which would be positively awesome!

I have something of that sort in mind, at a certain point. : )

But for now…we’ll just wait and see!

[Detective-Gag]

"Wm nmnd tm gmt nmt mv hrmph!" Tony insisted, giving his ropes another shake.

After their father had departed a second time, both siblings had resumed their fruitless efforts at escaping.

Though, truth be told, both children had been enjoying the story of the game, thus far., and weren't in much hurry to be released...Tony and Bella were unaccustomed to being captured simultaneously; and their parents had done a serviceable job in tying them up.

"Nmt's nm ysm," Bella lamented, sagging in her chair wearily. "Thm rmps rm tm tmnt...wrm stmck."

Likewise, the brother & sister were enjoying their muffled banter...the combination of the sticky tape, kept firmly in place by the cloth overlapping it, genuinely made their gags feel real.

Tony was considering what sort of inspiring comment he might mumble to perhaps lift his sister's spirits, when there came the sound of footsteps coming back down into the basement...their father had returned; sporting the same balaclava & black gloves he'd been wearing as before, and the black duffel bag in his left hand.

"Just like I left you...perfect," David chuckled, and this time, the two children did not even try protesting beneath their gags.

"What, nothing to say?" their father goaded, and both children merely narrowed their brown eyes at him warily, remaining silent.

"Well, I suppose then that you both have finally come to understand your situation, then," David grunted, setting down the duffel bag, and then went to drag a nearby end table over to where the two siblings were sitting. Their kidnapper took out his cellphone again, placing it down onto the table, both children focusing on it.

"Now, we're going to call your mommy," David said dryly, eliciting a shifting of embarrassment from both siblings, upon being referred to in such an infantile manner. "I'm going to let you speak to her, so she knows that both you brats are okay...but no funny stuff, you hear? Don't try to tell her where you think you are, or what we look like. Got it?"

Bella and Tony looked at each other, then turned back and nodded up at their "kidnapper".

"Good...one more thing," their father said, bending over to rummage around in the duffel, and taking out a roll of white duct tape, and setting it down next to the smartphone.

"Mmph," Tony grunted, recognizing the tape from when he'd been snatched into the car.

"You'll need fresh gags afterwards," David clarified, chuckling as he walked behind where his two children sat, and began loosening the white handkerchiefs from their mouths, slipping them off to reveal the gray duct tape still underneath.

"Now then...you both ready?" David asked, pocketing the two handkerchiefs as Bella & Tony watched him pick up the phone, and dial a number.

David switched the smartphone to the open speaker, the sound of the dial tone now audible, as he set it back down, letting it ring.

The ringing cut off, after a few moments, as the call was connected.

"...hello?" a woman's voice answered tentatively, filling the basement through the speaker.

"Miss Korbeau...I trust you have followed our instructions?" David asked, leaning down over the table.

"Is this the kidnapper?" Diana asked, sounding appropriately concerned. "Where are my children?"

"Mmph! Hlmph!" Bella said, the duct tape still holding firm over her mouth.

"Wrm hrmph!" Tony added, lips somewhat visible beneath the indentation of the gray tape.

"You children are fine," their father said dismissively, putting a finger to where his lips would be on his balaclava, signaling for the two kids to be quiet.

"Is that them?" Diana asked, having heard the mumbling. "Let me speak with them!"

"Of course," David replied, stepping over to Bella first. "Allow me a moment...they're both still gagged..."

Bella lifted her chin, and her father slowly peeled the duct tape from the corner, away from her mouth.

"Mmm...Mom!" Bella gasped, once the tape had been removed. "Please help! They're holding us in a basement somewhere, and...mmph!"

David's gloved hand pressed down on his daughter's mouth, cutting her off.

"Bella!?" Diana exclaimed through the smartphone, unable to see as Bella kicked out with her bound feet angrily, as David kept her silent. "What's happening!?"

"Immediately breaking the rules," her father laughed, reaching for the roll of white tape with one hand, while keeping the other around Bella's mouth.

Tony watched as their father briefly released Bella, and ripped a piece of the white tape from the roll.

"Don't worry, Mom!" Bella said, undaunted. "We're fine! We're gonna get out of here and...GMPH!?"

Bella's eyes widened, as the white duct tape was pressed against her mouth, rendering her silent as before.

"You're not going anywhere yet, little miss," David admonished, as Bella looked down at the fresh white tape in irritation.

David turned to Tony. "Are you going to spill the beans, kid?" David inquired, as the boy shook his head.

"Good," his father sighed, as the man peeled the gray tape from Tony's lips.

"...Mom?" he asked, the first clear word Tony had given since he'd been tied up down in the basement.

"Tony? Is that you?" he heard his mother respond through the phone speaker. "Are you hurt!?"

"Yeah, Mom, it's me," Tony confirmed, as he watched his father tear another piece of the white tape from the roll. "No, I'm not hurt."

"What happened to you?" Diana asked worriedly. "And your sister; why did she stop speaking to me!?"

"We've been kidnapped, Mom," Tony explained. "They grabbed me after school, and...then they captured Bella." He winced. "He's gagging her again; we're not allowed to say much."

"They're gagging you!?" Diana cried, and Tony was impressed by how mortified she sounded; despite having partaken in the kidnapping only about an hour before. "How dare they!"

Tony watched as his father lowered another piece of the white tape down over Bella's face, and smoothed it over the first. "It's alright, Mom...I think they just want to keep us under control; they've got us tied to chairs, too."

"Honey, listen...I'm going to get you out of there," Diana declared, as David applied the final strip of tape over Bella's mouth, the girl furrowing her brow up at her father in irritation as he patted her on the head. "Just remain calm!"

"Wrap it up, kid," David commanded, tearing off another piece of tape. "You mother and I have business to discuss."

"He's about to gag me again, Mom," Tony sighed. "Don't worry...it'll be okay...mmph!"

"Nicely said, kid," David told him, as he placed the white tape down over his mouth, followed by two more strips. "Better than your sister, at least."

"Mmmph! Hmmph! Gmmph!" both Tony & Bella intoned, in a mixture of defiance & frustration at having only been briefly allowed to speak, bouncing in their seats against the ropes.

"Let my children go!" Diana demanded, as David turned to pick up the phone.

"After you've paid the ransom," David chided, speaking directly into the mic. "The amount is $500,000...I think you'll find that a more than fair amount."

"Half a million!?" Diana balked.

"$250,000 for each kid...and you're lucky I'm not charging $500,000 apiece for the full million," David said sourly, glancing back at the struggling children. "It's a hassle, babysitting these two brats."

"I...I can't gather that much money on short notice!" Diana stammered.

"Well, you better think of something, lady," David shot back, fighting the urge not to laugh at his wife's melodrama. "If you don't have the money this time tomorrow...you can forget about seeing both your kids again!"

"Nmmph! Mnmph, hlmmph umsph!" Bella & Tony pleaded, the white tape shifting slightly as the spoke beneath it.

"No, wait!" Diana said quickly. "I'll...I'll get the money, I swear!"

"Expect another phone call, this time tomorrow," David muttered into the phone, eyeballing his two hostages. "And remember...don't contact the authorities."

He ended the call, putting the smartphone back into his pocket. "Good performances, from both of you," David told his children, who gazed silently up at him. "You put her at ease...I'm sure your mommy will fork over the cash, now."

"Hwm lmng rm ym gnmph kmmp umphf bmnd nm gmggnd lkm thsm!?" Bella mumbled angrily, cheeks puffing out against the white taoe plastered over her lips.

"Wm dmnd whmt ym askmnd," Tony reasoned, trying to sound diplomatic through his own gag.

"Hmm...you brats did help...mostly," David conceded, giving his daughter a withering look through the narrow slit of his mask. "Tell you what...we'll get you out of those chairs for tonight; so long as you both behave yourselves."

The two siblings exchanged glances, as David turned to leave again. "We'll come fetch you when it's bedtime," he taunted, heading up the basement stairs. "Until then...you know the drill: sit tight, and keep quiet."

"...ym rllymph thnk hm's gnmph lmt usm gmph?" Bella mumbled at her brother, once their "kidnapper" had departed.

Tony shrugged. "Wm dmn't hvm mnch mf nm chysmph," he responded, looking down as he shifted his feet. "Wm cnm onlymph wmnt frm Mnm tm pym thm rnsmph."

The siblings resumed their testing of the ropes; but the effort was more subdued & half-hearted this time around...with the assurance that their abductor would return, the two of them could only wait and see what was in store next...