Casey's Rise Ch. 12

"Ok, you guys follow that car Bernstein got into. The place looks empty so we'll go in for a closer look," Greg texted to Cassandra.

The Mustang carefully pulled out of the parking spot and started tailing Bernstein's car. In the meantime, Casey and Greg set off on foot to check out the house. They walked around the outside, but it was impossible to see anything inside because all of the curtains were drawn.

"It's very quiet," Greg whispered. "I think we should take a look inside."

"Are you sure?" Casey replied. "That's breaking and entering if we get caught."

"I don't think we have a choice if we want to find Ellie," Greg replied solemnly. "She may not be here anyway, but we might find something that will give us a clue to where they've taken her."

"Ok, you're the boss," Casey agreed, worriedly.

Greg looked over at her and smiled briefly at her. He never ceased to be stunned by how beautiful she was and how she carried herself so gracefully in her nakedness.

"Ok, this window is our entry point," Greg decided after looking around. "It's just a stupid latch that I can pop easy enough, and it's out of sight of any neighbours who might be watching."

A minute later they were both looking around inside the gloomily lit house, and to their great surprise they found Ellie sitting in the main dining area all alone. She was wearing a dress! They quickly rushed to her to find she was duct-taped to the chair, and she was wearing a gag.

As they set about trying to undo her bonds, Ellie was making muffled noises through her gag which suddenly got louder and had an urgency about them. Casey looked up at her face and noticed her eyes were huge and she was gesturing behind them. Just as she was about to turn to look, a rifle butt smacked into the back of Greg's head and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Casey screamed and scrambled to the side to look up at a man standing behind her.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" the man leered as he looked Casey up and down hungrily. He rested the rifle up against a wall and took a step towards her.

"Please don't hurt me," Casey begged as she backed away. "I just came to rescue my friend. I don't want any trouble."

"What a tasty little treat you are. This seems like divine providence to me. Come closer, girl, and maybe we can come to an arrangement."

Casey eyed the rifle against the wall behind him, but it was too far away for her to get to easily. One advantage she had was that this man only saw a helpless naked girl, so Casey played along by holding her hands up and feigning terror and weakness. Little did he know that she wasn't exactly weak or defenceless, though. As he stepped within range, she suddenly brought her foot up in a front kick, catching him squarely under the chin and knocking him out cold. She then quickly checked on Greg to make sure he was still breathing, before grabbing a knife from the kitchen and cutting Ellie free.

"Oh my God. Thank you, Casey! I thought my life was over. Oh God, is Greg ok?" Ellie exclaimed when at last the gag was off.

"I think he's just out cold," Casey replied. "I'm hoping that's all anyway. He got hit pretty hard."

"I have to get this fucking dress off," Ellie replied as she slipped it over her head. "They've been keeping me dressed and tied up while they all pray around me and sing hymns. It's been a nightmare."

"Bastards! Ok, we need to get you out of here, but first we need to wake Greg up. I'll get some water. We probably should take care of that asshole too," Casey instructed as she pointed towards the unconscious man. "Where's the duct-tape?"

"Right here," Ellie replied as she picked up a roll from a nearby shelf. "I'll take care of him if you wanna get some water for Greg?"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?"

Casey and Ellie turned to see Bernstein standing in the doorway holding a handgun!

"This is just too perfect," Bernstein gloated. "The little whore who ruined my life, standing here before me, trespassing in my home. A dirty little thief as well as a slut, and I'm well within my rights to defend my property."

Bernstein carefully aimed the gun just as Greg started to rouse. The first thing he became aware of was the pain in the back of his head, and he reached around to rub it and saw blood on his hand. The next thing was the sound of a gunshot, and then Casey falling at his side, followed by the sound of Cassandra's voice screaming "CASEY!"

He groggily looked up and saw Cassandra standing in the doorway across the room, and Bernstein holding a gun turning towards her. A gun? Cassandra? Casey had been shot?? As if in slow motion, he glanced at Casey. There was blood. He looked back up at Bernstein turning to aim the gun at Cassandra. Without thinking, he was on his feet and diving across the room in full quarterback style. His arms wrapped around the former principal, crash-tackling her just as another shot rang out. Cassandra screamed and cowered as the bullet hit the doorframe inches from her head. Greg quickly had Bernstein's wrist, using his elbow to pin her chest as he wrested the gun from her grip and slid it across the floor towards Cassandra. His next thought was Casey and he quickly rushed back to her.

Oh my God! There was blood all over the right side of her face and he couldn't even see her eye through the mess. At first, he thought she was dead, but then a low moan escaped her lips and her hand raised up. He felt for her carotid. She was alive, but this didn't look good. He quickly ripped his shirt off and wrapped it around her head.

"Is she ok?" Ellie asked shakily, beginning to sob.

"CASEY!" Cassandra screamed again as she rushed over to her girlfriend's side, holding Bernstein's pistol awkwardly in her hand while pointing it at the floor.

"We need to get her to hospital straight away," Greg instructed as he scooped Casey up and cradled her in his arms. "You guys call the cops and don't let these two out of your sight."

"This is an outrage!" Bernstein screamed. "You invaded my home, so she got what was coming to her! I insist that you call the police!"

"Shut the fuck up, bitch!" Jolene snapped as she entered the scene and saw what was happening around her. Then in the same motion she drew her Taser and shot Bernstein squarely in the chest, smirking as the older woman fell to the floor, writhing in response to the voltage coursing through her body.

"Can you take this please, Jolene?" Cassandra tearfully asked as she held the pistol between her thumb and forefinger and tried to pass it to Jolene.

"Umm... I don't think it's a good idea for me to have a gun in my hands right now," Jolene admitted. "Just make sure neither of these assholes can get it if you can't handle holding it. C'mon, Cass, Casey needs us to be strong now. Remember you're a trained badass."

"You're right," Cassandra agreed and took the gun in both hands, training it on Bernstein and the unconscious man.

"I have to get her to hospital," Greg repeated for Jolene's sake. "You girls get the cops here and tell them and the hospital I'm coming."

"Oh God, is she ok?" Jolene asked in shock at seeing the state her sister was in.

"I don't know, Jolene, but it's bad," Greg replied.

"Where was she hit? Is she breathing?"

"She's alive, but now is not the time for talking. I need you to get out of my way so I can get her to a doctor."

Jolene's face was white as she looked at Casey being carried past her. Moments later Greg gently laid Casey's unconscious body into the passenger seat of the Trans Am and then quickly ran around to the driver's seat. He turned the key and the engine roared into life. With tyres screeching and the supercharger howling, the car rounded the corner, barely keeping traction before Greg floored it. He slowed briefly on approach to an intersection, and then carefully pushed through the red light, forcing people to stop and make way for him, and then floored it again out the other side.

It wasn't long before a police car with lights and siren blaring slid sideways in front of him out of a side street. Greg was infuriated in his desperation to get his girlfriend to help and wasn't going to stop now for some traffic violation, but then to his surprise the driver's arm motioned out the window for him to follow. The girls must have got through to the police and they knew what was going on. He floored it again, easily maintaining the police car's pace. Traffic lights were now no longer a problem.

At last, they arrived at the hospital. The police car led him to the ambulance bay where a group of hospital personnel in scrubs were waiting with a gurney. Greg followed them in as they rushed inside, but then was asked to wait outside as they took Casey into a theatre.

Oh God Casey! Please be alive!

*****

Barely a day later, Eunice Bernstein sat in the back of a van with her hands in her lap, bound together with a cable tie. She'd been sentenced to twenty years indenture for grand larceny, and for the use of undue force! It was an outrage. The judge barely considered her side of the argument. Ellie was family and obviously had been brainwashed by that cult of disgusting nudists who were going to exploit her for their own gain, but he would hear none of it. What was his name? Sturt? He was obviously corrupt. She would make a complaint against him in her appeal. She still had friends in CAMDOS who would surely come to her aid and get her out of this mess. An even greater outrage came after the so-called trial. To stand and hear people bidding for her was so humiliating! And now to be led off to a life of drudgery. She was a master educator, the former principal of one of the State's leading educational institutions! She was so much more than a janitor or maid, but that was surely the life set before her now.

She didn't know who had purchased her indenture or where she was being taken. The van driver had been less than forthcoming with any details, or any conversation at all really, but she guessed she would find out soon enough at the end of this journey. There were no side windows for her to even get a decent view of where she was being taken. It was terrifying, humiliating, and confusing.

Finally, the van came to a halt and the side door slid open. Outside she caught a glimpse of a circular driveway in front of a lavish home. She briefly thought that at least she would be surrounded by a level of luxury here, even if she was going to be performing menial tasks. The driver helped her to her feet, and she stood at the foot of the steps. The cable tie was hurting her wrists and she hoped they would soon cut it off. Why wouldn't someone tell her what was going on?

The front door opened and a large man in an expensive suit made his way down the steps towards her. So, this was her new owner?

"Hello, buttana," greeted Joe Bloccato.

*****

Casey blinked and peered around the semi-gloom of the room. It smelled strangely antiseptic. Where was she? What had happened? How did she get here?

"Casey? Casey? You're in the hospital. You've been in an accident but you're ok."

Casey looked towards the voice and tried to focus. She finally was able to make out a nurse smiling gently at her.

"W-what happened?" she asked.

"You came in with a gunshot wound," the nurse explained. "There was some swelling to your brain, so we've been keeping you in a coma, but we hope there's no permanent damage."

"Oh... uh... how long have I been out?"

"About a week. Unfortunately, we weren't able to save your eye, but there are some wonderful prosthetics we can look at when you're feeling better."

"My eye? Oh no! Seriously?" Casey asked as her hand went up to feel the bandages covering the right side of her face and head. There was a dull pain underneath.

"I'm afraid so, but you're alive, Casey. Not many get to go through what you did and live to talk about it. You're one very lucky girl."

"Did you get the bullet out?" Casey asked.

"It was a through and through," the nurse explained. "The bullet exited near your temple. There was some damage to your eye socket and there will be some scarring, but it should all be coverable with makeup once it heals. You can talk to a plastic surgeon if you're not happy with it, but from what the surgeons told me, it should heal up nicely. I know it doesn't sound great at the moment, but if the bullet had struck you just a few more degrees straight on, you wouldn't be here with us today to talk about it. You really are a walking miracle."

"Oh my God! Thank you so much for saving me! I can't believe this has happened."

"Thank you. It was our pleasure," the nurse smiled. "Now, if you're feeling up to it, I can take you to a private ward. There are a few people waiting there who are going to be very happy to see you."

The nurse carefully helped Casey into a wheelchair and pushed her out of the Intensive Care Ward and into a busy hall. While Casey was still naked and her breasts were clearly visible, a blanket was draped over her body to help keep her warm. White bandages covered a pad over her right eye, also concealing most of her hair. She felt groggy and surreal, still not fully grasping what had happened to her.

The nurse pushed her into an elevator, and at last she was led into a room.

"Casey!" Cassandra squealed, rushing over to hug her.

Casey looked around the room. Greg and Jolene were also present, and her parents, and even Ellie. She still felt confused and out of place as everyone clamoured to hug her.

"Oh God, I'm so happy to see you. You had us so worried."

"Your poor eye."

"You're alive! That's all that matters."

Casey glanced at each person with a blank expression on her face, obviously not quite taking in what was happening.

"The last thing I remember was talking to that guy Andrew with all of the nudists who came to help us. I don't remember how I got here or who even shot me. Can someone fill me in?" she finally asked

"Oh right, of course. We went to rescue Ellie and broke into Bernstein's home," Greg explained. "Then she came home and shot you, quite on purpose. She was going to shoot Cassandra too."

"You should have seen him, Case," Cassandra added. "Our bloke shot across the room without a thought to his own safety and crash-tackled the bitch. She's in jail now, I'm sure."

"Oh really? Is that the end of those protesters then?" Casey asked.

"Pretty much, I'd say," Jolene responded. "Andrew said to call him if they come back, but without Bernstein around I doubt we'll see them again anyway."

"Who's looking after the resort?" Casey asked, suddenly realising the whole team was in the room with her.

"Don't worry about that," Jolene smiled. "All under control. We've been taking turns watching over you, but we all came in just now when they told us they were going to wake you up. The Crescent is doing fine. The phone's even started ringing again, and the bookings are coming back."

"Oh, thank God for that," Casey responded with some relief.

Casey looked down at her mother's hand holding her own.

"I'm so sorry, Mum," she began, looking into her mother's tearful eyes. "I would never in a million years thought something like this would happen. I'm sorry if I made you worry."

"You gave us a fright but we're so relieved you're ok now. That's all that matters," Sue replied, stroking Casey's hand.

"We've been here the whole time," Michael added. "You made the news too. I guess that's why your phone started ringing again. You've got a lot of fans out there, Casey, and a lot of people have been rooting for you."

"There's even a 'savecasey' hashtag," Cassandra added with a smile.

"Are you ok, Ellie?" Casey asked, suddenly noticing her.

"I saw everything," Ellie explained. "I've been so worried. I haven't been able to concentrate on anything else, so I had to be here to see that you're ok."

"Oh wow," Casey responded as she looked around the room at all the people who so obviously loved her and had worried so much about her. "I feel a little overwhelmed right now. I guess I have a lot to deal with, but you know what? With all of you behind me I know I'm going to be fine."

They all clamoured around and hugged her again.

*****

Some years later, Casey exited the elevator at the Crescent and strode out confidently into the lobby, and then down to the pool area. She was undeniably sexy with her perky tits, hairless pussy with its protruding labia, jiggling clit piercing and the impossibly tall stilettos, but there was also something else about her, like there was a whole lot more to this girl than just her body. The black eye patch was the first thing most people noticed after her nudity. It was something she insisted on wearing rather than accept a prosthetic, and fine pink scars radiated out from it towards her temple. It was obvious she had seen some shit.

The next thing people noticed was how she carried herself. Visible abs and a wasp-like waist gave way to long and muscular legs. She moved with cat-like grace, and yet there was also kind of an athletic bounce in her step as she walked, like there was too much energy in her legs and gravity was struggling to keep her earth-bound. Well-defined arms and shoulders, and a V-shaped back completed the picture. Then there was the way she looked into people's eyes. Her remaining eye had a steeliness that seemed to see straight through people, like she was looking straight into their souls. It was kind of disconcerting at first, and it often caused people to tell her more than they thought they should have. There was a wariness about her too. She was almost constantly scanning, looking the person in front of her up and down, and occasionally checking over her shoulder as she spoke, and yet when she smiled it was like the whole world lit up and you couldn't help but smile back.

As she walked around, she seemed to know everyone by name, which was no small feat. There was now around one hundred and fifty Crescent Girls on staff, with at least fifty current students, fifty postgraduates and about the same again on the full time staff. Alumni would visit regularly, and all were permanently naked and wore their piercings and butt-plugs with pride. Crescent girls were world-famous, highly sought after and commanded huge salaries. That wasn't to say there wasn't a lot of nervousness for a new recruit when shed her clothes for the first time, but they were never alone and never regretted the decision. Being permanently nude was a special kind of freedom. Nothing to hide. No more secrets. I am woman, I am sexy, and I am proud of it.

Amelia had Casey's cappuccino ready for her as she rounded the corner and sat at her usual stool with her back to the bar, watching guests and staff around the pool.

"Thanks, Amelia. You're a godsend. How are things with Bernard and the baby?" Casey asked, turning to her friend.

"He's sick of changing nappies but he loves being a dad," Amelia smiled.

"You could have taken longer off, if you wanted," Casey responded.

"Nah, it's fine," Amelia replied. "I missed being here, and Bernard can manage for a few hours without me now. I use the breast pump, so he has enough milk to keep her fed."

"As long as you're sure?" Casey responded. "If you need more time off, just say so."

"Thanks, Casey. I'll be fine," Amelia assured her.

"You haven't seen Greg around, have you?" Casey asked.

"Um... he finished the school run this morning, but I saw him drive off in the bus again with three girls about an hour ago. I guess they have photoshoots?"

"Oh, that's right," Casey replied. "That'd be Stef, Jessie, and Sarah. They all have shoots with Mark this morning. Dammit. I was hoping to see him before he left."

"I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"Yeah, I know he will. We're all so busy these days, I hardly seem to see him. We might need to employ a full-time bus driver."