by C. R. Daems
"I'm a doctor. I'm just here to check on the girl's health and treat her if necessary. She's fine," he said, pointing into the room. I gave her a shot to flush the drugs from her body. She should be conscious in three or four hours."
I looked up when two marines came down the stairs dragging a small man who looked defiant and to have resisted arrest.
"I demand a lawyer," he shouted, then stopped when he saw me. Red twisted around my neck and hissed in his direction.
"I recognize you," I said as I opened my tablet and tapped on a file named Kidnapping Ring. Then I flicked through some pictures until I found his. His image had been captured while transporting one of the missing women after a name change. Lucio, Tamatha had said, was the ring's sadistic psychopath who conducted the indoctrination. "Tell you what, Lucio, I'm going to give you three options. You can tell me everything you know about your organization, option one. Or, option two, you can keep quiet and go to Stonewall for the rest of your life. Under option one, you will get a lawyer and the benefit of all the protection under the law you ignore. Under option two, there is no lawyer, no judge and jury, no civilian prison. Oh, and the residents of Stonewall will know you were involved in sex trafficking, which will probably make you very popular."
"You can't do that," he protested.
I raised my badge. "Oh, but I can and I will. Option one." I held up one finger. "Or option two." I extended a second finger. "Sorry, there is no option three, as much as I'd like to shoot you."
Just then the commissioner arrived. "Hi, Anna; what have you found?" he asked, looking around. I showed him the woman on the cot and explained how we had deduced the kidnapping merchants and their two indoctrination locations. "The house, warehouse, Captain of the Merry Dee, and doctor are yours. I think the evil little man over there is probably going to skip all those bothersome lawyers, courts, and juries and go straight to Stonewall," I said. "I did offer him an option of staying with you, Commissioner Martinez."
"I'm entitled to a lawyer and a trial!" Lucio shouted.
"Colonel Pannell, if you would, see to Mr. Lucio's transportation to Stonewall for refusing to cooperate with a UAS agent with P1A authority," I said as I stepped closer to Lucio. "This is just like the options you give the women—although I admit I'm not providing the suicide option, but then I doubt that was ever a real option. Just like your option one to the women, it's that or option two is a given." I stared at Lucio as he struggled with his options. The problem he had was that if he talked, the kidnapping ring would be unlikely to fund his lawyers and provide support and maybe even arrange for him to be killed before his trial. If he didn't, he was going to Stonewall for life and knew he had no chance of a lawyer or getting free. "Option two it is, then. Colonel, take him away under the authority granted me by the UAS Committee."
* * *
"I want to search the Merry Dee; anyone want to come along?" I asked when we arrived back on the Taranis. I grinned when everyone, including Martz and Guzman, raised a hand. "Good—the more eyes the better. We're looking for information relating to their routes, rendezvous with other merchants, and information on the kidnapped women. Our working hypothesis is that someone on each system collects information on women who meet the kidnappers' profile. They pass the information in some form to the merchants we've identified, who pass it to other merchants going toward Shadows Rest." Seeing everyone nod, we left with Pannell and my security for the Merry Dee. I grabbed Abbott and with Martz following, we made our way to the Bridge. Abbott and Martz began with the main control system, whereas I went to the Comm station.
After four hours we called it quits. Abbott and Martz managed to find a file named Black Water and another named Truth Star. They were both password locked. I found communications with a company called Active Media.
* * *
"You want to do what?" Commissioner Martinez asked in astonishment.
"First to search Active Media, then accompany your police to raid the registered and unregistered brothels and the two escort services Tamatha has identified," I repeated to a stunned Martinez.
"The brothels are registered and are reviewed every year to maintain their licenses. Therefore you aren't going to find anything," he protested.
"I'm really not interested in their government documentation. I want to see each woman who works for them and to conduct my own search to make sure they don't have a second set of books."
"You have the authority and I'll fully support you. I just don't want to see you hurt in the process," Martinez said, then shrugged when I nodded. "Who's first?"
"Active Media," I said. Martinez decided to come along. He sent four policemen, two of whom were women, and Pannell had six marines. When we entered the small but well-equipped suite of offices, the four police and four marines spread out to ensure nothing was destroyed or otherwise tampered with. The commissioner and I went to the CEO's office without stopping to talk with the receptionist or the CEO's secretary.
When I opened the door, a thirtysomething man stood and glared at me. "Who the hell are you and what do you want?"
"Thank you for asking. I'm Anna Paulus, an agent of the UAS with P1A authority," I said but paused as Red chose to appear with his head on my shoulder. "And my friend is called Red. Since you're being direct, let me precipitate. I'd like a copy of the file you sent early today to the Merry Dee and the password to unlock it. Before you answer, let me remind you that refusing someone with P1A authority can—and will—result in immediate lifetime accommodations at Stonewall." I waved my P1A placard so he could see it. The man lost his angry look, turned pale, sputtered several times in an attempt to respond, and sat. I waited, letting him consider his position.
When he finally spoke, his voice cracked with emotion. "My client pays me to take pictures of women meeting his criteria and to provide a general background investigation. As far as I know, there is no law against doing that, although most people wouldn't like it done to them. I have no idea what they do with the information. I assumed they are vetting them for a job of some kind."
"You are correct in your assumption. The password, please." I thought the please was a nice touch, as I would have liked to have Pannell break his arms and legs.
"t_r_u_t_h_s_t_a_r_425," he said, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.
"And the kidnapping. Did you think that aggressive recruiting?" I asked.
"We never—"
"Careful." I held up my hand, interrupting. With lawyers and a jury, you may do much better than Stonewall and no lawyers, juries, appeals…" I said. He nodded. I turned him over to the commissioner's people.
We spent the next two days at the registered brothels. There I found two of the missing women and took them into custody and back to the Taranis.
"You have to let us go. They will think we ran away. If so they will kidnap our sisters and kill our brothers," Agnes Santos said, wringing her hands as she paced the room, unable to sit.
"Agnes, this gentleman is General Guzman, Chief of the Army and Marine forces. If you give him the names of your family members and where they live, he will guarantee their safety. Talk to Tamatha. You will have the option of joining you family or staying on this ship until it's safe for you to leave. The accounts you have are safe, so you will have choices afterward."
* * *
"What now?" Martz asked after a quiet dinner in her dining room. "I think you have the kidnappers' attention. You rang their bell so hard they must feel like tuning forks."
"I wouldn't want them to forget me, so let's go to Black Water. It's only three days' travel, and I can look for a bigger hammer and another bell to ring."
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Star System: Black Water – Demolition Act II
"What's on Black Water?" Guzman asked.
"According to my latest information, Susan Guzman," I said. He sat stunned, his eyes misty. We were alone by design. I had told everyone except Guzman my staff meeting would be delayed, and that Banner would notify them when the
conference room would be available.
"You know where she is?" A hint of anger flashed across his face, but he refrained from saying anything.
"I know you think you know what Susan has been going through and you intend to help her recover. If you want some advice from someone who has been were your daughter has—don't. Think of your daughter as a returning soldier from a very bad engagement."
"What do you mean?" He glared at me.
"Like soldiers returning from war, they don't want to talk about it. It will be the same for these women. It's their story and no one has a right to it. If you try to question her about it or try to indicate you know how she feels or what she should do next, you will drive her away. Someday she may tell you part of what happened, but I doubt she will ever tell you or anyone the entire story. Just let her know by your actions you are there if she needs you. The second night after I was released from the hospital, I crawled into bed with my mother. She didn't ask me anything or give me soothing words. She pulled the covers up around me and pulled me close. Without saying anything, she made me feel safe. And that was exactly what I needed, not meaningless words."
Guzman sat there for a long time before speaking. "Thank you."
* * *
"What can I do for you, Anna?" Commissioner Bailey asked after he had coffee served for Commander Cooper and me.
"I had thought to slowly acquire enough information to dismantle the kidnapping ring. I've concluded it could take years. And while I collect the information necessary to destroy them, hundreds of women will suffer. So instead of announcing, 'This is the police! Drop your gun,' I'm going to shoot first and find out later if they had a gun."
Bailey roared with laughter but quickly sobered. "That could be dangerous for you. Many will not like that approach."
"I will lose less sleep worrying about that than the missing women." I winked. "For the next couple of days, I intend to crash your suspected brothels and visit the businessmen my three rescued women know use the kidnapping ring, looking for the missing women. Would you like to come along?"
"Sounds interesting; I'd love to join you."
I spent the next several hours working with the police unit concerned with vice. It was interesting. They suspected several groups of prostitution but were restricted by the current laws from any aggressive search actions. I wasn't.
* * *
"Mr. Ferguson is busy. I'd suggest you contact his secretary for an appointment," said a middle-aged man in the typical black suit of a butler.
"I'd suggest Mr. Ferguson come talk to me or I'll be forced to send in a squad of marines to fetch him." I nodded over my shoulder, where my security stood as well as another eight marines Guzman assigned to accompany me today. The butler must have decided I looked serious, since he invited me and my security into a large room to wait while he informed Mr. Ferguson of my presence. Five minutes later, a short man with receding brown hair, a chubby face, and thirty kilograms overweight came walking into the room. He wore a white silk shirt, gray slacks, and black shoes. He gave me a condescending look.
"Commissioner, what is the meaning of this barbaric interruption? And who is this girl?" He waved dismissively in my direction. Red hissed in reply.
"Mr. Ferguson, you're ordered to produce any women you have on the premises under my P1A authority." I held up my placard face high. "Or Colonel Pannell will immediately take you into custody and you will subsequently be delivered to Stonewall, where you will stay for the rest of your life. You have sixty seconds to comply." I opened my tablet and clicked on my stopwatch, placing it on the closest table facing Ferguson.
"I want my lawyer!" he said and produced a defiant smile.
"Forty-nine seconds."
"I'll have you and these men court-martialed."
"Forty-one seconds."
"Commissioner!" he demanded in a harsh tone.
"The girl is an UAS agent with P1A authority." Bailey just shrugged, barely able to suppress a grin. "Way above my pay grade."
"Thirty seconds," I announced, watching Pannell pointing to Sergeant Plaite, who immediately pointed to two of his men.
"I'm a member of the Black Water senate!" he shouted.
"And a citizen of the UAS and subject to its laws. Right now, the only crime you are being considered for is refusing to comply with an order from an agent of the UAS. Twenty-one seconds," I said, wondering if he was stupid enough to refuse to comply. Paying for sex hardly seemed more than a slight embarrassment, and the fine for a man of his wealth was little more than pocket change. Unless something else I didn't understand was going on… I looked down at my tablet. "Nine…eight…sev—"
"All right. Gerald, have all the women assemble here," he said and sat. His face was red with rage but his eyes registered fear.
"Colonel Pannell, please have some of your troops help Gerald round up the women. Wouldn't want any women to go missing," I said, knowing something wasn't right. Red agreed—or he just didn't like the man—as he hissed softly, his head pointing in Ferguson's direction. Pannell actually smiled as he nodded to Sergeant Plaite, who followed Gerald with four marines.
The room was silent as we waited. I hoped Susan was still here, since my information was several days old. Five minutes later, the women began coming in. First was a pudgy middle-aged woman and a slim young girl. They were dressed in white, wearing aprons, and their hair was covered with wraps. They looked like kitchen help. A couple of minutes later, four women in their twenties wandered in wearing short black dresses with low-cut blouses. They looked like maids or general help despite the sexy outfits. For Ferguson's amusement, I assumed. Ten minutes later, Sergeant Plaite returned and motioned to Pannell and me.
"Ma'am, I found four women. I've put them in the room down the hall…" He jerked his head back in the direction behind him. He looked pale and angry.
When I entered the room, I understood why. Two of the women had sheets around them. I walked over to them and gently opened each woman's sheet. They were naked and covered with bruises, black and blue marks, burns, and their backs a mess a welts and cuts made from a whip of some kind. I barely kept from gagging. I recognized Susan Guzman. She was dressed in a flimsy see-through negligee and bruises were visible on her arms and legs. The fourth girl was younger and her face black and blue from a recent beating.
"Sergeant, go get Commissioner Bailey."
"You can't free Clare and me," Susan said, and I could feel her fear of the threats to her and her family and resignation that she had to stay to protect them. When Bailey entered, I showed him the women.
"There has got to be a civilian crime here. I'd like to send him to Stonewall but can't since he did comply. I'd be glad to come back and testify," I said, watching Bailey's horror and disgust.
"I'll file charges and make sure it's widely publicized." He produced an evil grin. "For an important man like Ferguson, the consequences of that may be worse than prison."
I kept Susan and Clare. The commissioner left with the other two girls.
"Paul, leave me for a minute." He nodded and left with the male marines but left the two women marines.
"I understand why you think you need to stay and why you are somewhat reluctant to see your families–"
"No, you don't!" Susan shouted.
"Sit!" I pointed to the couch. "I have a story to tell…" An hour later, I had explained my ordeal and the protection they and their families would be getting while I destroyed the kidnapping ring. "If I can survive, so can you. You're brave women, and what happened to you and me wasn't our faults. Don't take the blame or let anyone give you any shit. Susan, I talked to your father—"
She laughed. "Bet that was interesting."
"I think it will help. I compared you to a soldier returning from a bad war."
She laughed again. "That he may understand. I love him but he's a man's man."
* * *
"I wasn't fond of the idea of keeping the missing women on board the Taranis, but Doctor Renata tells
me it has been very therapeutic for the women. It's their own grief counseling group, and the marines are conducting self-defense classes for them, which also appears therapeutic," Martz said to start my staff meeting the next morning.
"I should join that class. I'm probably going to upset a lot of people," I said, mostly as a note to myself. I heard several chokes and side comments.
"Where to now?" Martz asked. "You should call this Project Wrecking Ball."
"Abbott, did you look at those locked files you found?" I asked.
"Yes, ma'am. The password you gave me worked when I substituted the system's name." He stopped to fiddle with his tablet. After a minute, the monitors in the conference room lit with pictures and then five vids one after another, and finally several pages of statistics on each woman. "I suspect they feed this information into a database they can use to search, retrieve, and compare data."
"Just like a regular business," Martz observed. "Each system prepares a catalog of its products and sends it to their client, who reviews the catalog and orders the products they like. The system then packages the product and sends it to the client, who puts it in service." She put her hands to her face. "That's an image I'm going to have trouble forgetting."
"Banner, any messages from the NIA stations?"
"Yes, ma'am, a message from Stone Ring. A woman fitting the Magic Act criteria named Cecelia Moore went missing thirty-six hours ago. The Dolphin Two left eight hours prior to the woman being reported missing."
"That's your answer, Captain. Holy Star," I said. "We are about to shut down their only other indoctrination site."
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Star System: Undisclosed – Rage
"That little snake bitch is destroying our operation using her P1A authority," Micah said, looking at his message board. "Shit. They are even pressing charges against Ferguson. Our special clients aren't going to like that. I'm already seeing a slow down in demand from them."