******
Rosa Mendoza sat on the edge of her bed her watery eyes looking with disgust at the short, black dress hanging from the back of the wardrobe door that had been delivered to her that afternoon. Thanos was, if nothing else, a good businessman and knew that his whores needed to look the part. She tried once again to look at herself in the mirror but could not bring herself to do so. Tonight she was frightened and worried. More worried than frightened. She knew what she was in for tonight and that was something, unfortunately, out of her control. It was something she would have to live with but her husband was a different matter. How would he see her after tonight? She was worried about him. He had been missing for hours now. She had no idea where he was and, as he was not answering his mobile phone, no way of contacting him.
She looked at the clock again and knew she should really be getting ready as a car was to pick her up at nine o’clock. With a heavy heart she dragged herself into the bathroom tears streaming down her cheeks.
******
Robert Montgomery looked in the mirror at himself. He liked what he saw. More importantly he was at ease with what he was. He had accepted the fact many years ago that his sexual desires were not like others. He had a particular taste, which made him an outcast with the rest of society, but he could see no wrong in what he done.
He turned sideways on to check that his stomach was still as flat as a board and grinned. Tonight some lucky young girl was going to get the best night of her life.
Chapter 25
Thanos left his house in a hurry and done something he very rarely did these days and drove himself. Tonight it was imperative that as few people as possible should know where he was.
The blue van slowed down and followed the Mercedes as it turned into a residential side road lined end to end with Victorian terraced houses and stopped to watch as the big car squeeze into a parking space. Thanos walked quickly constantly checking nervously over his shoulder as he past by the lighted front windows behind which families were gathered watching the evening television. He turned a corner that led to the back of the parade of shops that ran along the main road walked about a hundred metres and disappeared through an open double wooden gate that had once had a red coat of paint on it.
******
Morton sat outside the club. It was another of Thanos`s enterprises and another front. Behind the flashing lights and loud music was a more sinister reason for the clubs existence. The drug dealers who used the club to pedal their poisons were tolerated as long as they kept in line causing no trouble and paid their dues on time. It was one of the few times Morton and Thanos had really not agreed on something. Thanos saw drugs as another line of income while Morton regarded them as a way of peddling death and saw nothing but trouble in dealing in them. That and Morton was a fitness fanatic believing that it was nothing short of a crime to poison your body more than modern living already did.
But, ironically, he saw no wrong in coercing young, mostly drunk girls into making films that they would probably not remember making the next day.
He knew that Thanos would not be here. He never, unless the premise was closed, ever set foot into one of the clubs preferring to have as little to do with them as possible. Morton just needed somewhere to think. He knew that going after Thanos directly was suicide. His old friend had made some new and powerful acquaintances over the years and Thanos had information on them that they would not like to come out in public. He needed a plan but this was Thanos`s side of the business. It was why their partnership had been so successful.
He jumped as his mobile phone lying on the seat next to him suddenly came to life. Its keypad flashing in time to the ring tone. He answered expecting to hear her voice.
“Morton?” asked a sneering voice that he recognised immediately.
“What do you want?”
“I have something you might want.”
“I doubt it,” he wondered what Thanos was up to now.
“You sure? Perhaps you would like to talk to her before you make up your mind!”
There was a pause as the phone was handed over to someone, “Geoff?” a cold stab went through his heart. He could not understand this. She was just a whore like any other. No, he thought, not like any other. “Geoff, help!”
The phone was snatched away from her. “Got your attention now, old man!” he snarled as he waited for a reaction but when none came carried on gloating. “Seems I do have something you want,” he chuckled, “me and the boys are going to have some fun with the slag `til you get here. Just to pass some time, you know!” he chuckled again enjoying his moment. His tone changed dramatically and became very businesslike, “The launderette. If you want her back!” the phone hung up.
He sat holding the silent phone to his ear. The fact that Thanos had sunk so low to kidnapping Kim did not surprise him but the burning question was how did he know. Me and the boys, he replayed the line in his head. Grimshawe was not that bright. Me and the boys told him that Grimshawe would not be alone when they met. It did not surprise him. Grimshawe never did strike him as being particularly brave. He had a stop to make before his appointment at the launderette.
******
Francesca and Kim held each other tightly squinting down at the floor to protect their eyes as the bright fluorescent light flooded the room temporarily blinding them. Their sight had still not adjusted as the door opened and through the watery haze they could make out the shapes of four men. One of the men placed a chair just in front of the door and another sat on it.
“Well, ladies,” Kim's heart skipped a beat. She could not see him but she knew that voice, “look’s like we're in for a nice night `s cosy chat!” his cheery tone belied the underlying reason for their being there. He wished that he could be holding this meeting under different circumstances. Another time and he would enjoy having sex with both of them but as it was it was better he did not touch them. Modern forensics could do amazing things these days. “Kim, lovely to see you, my darling. You look fantastic! I can see what that old sod Morton sees in you,” he said mockingly.
By now, their eyes were getting accustomed to the light, Francesca and Kim looked at each other for the first time. Kim reached down and taking Francesca's hand squeezed it tightly.
Thanos carried on, “Well, at least me and the lovely Miss Bianchi are going to continue this conversation. You,” he looked at Kim, “my little slut, are going to entertain the boys for a while. Just until your knight in shining armour turns up and then…” he smiled that irritating cocky smile that was as false as he was.
Grimshawe stepped forward right on queue as though this was a well-rehearsed routine between himself and Thanos and grabbed Kim's arm pulling her away from her newfound friend. Both women started screaming but that did not deter Grimshawe as he tried unsuccessfully to separate them. Finally Thanos intervened.
“Grim,” he called out. He liked that. He had just come up with a name for his new pet dog, “Grim,” he nodded his head off to one side indicating that he should leave them alone. “Now, now ladies. Let’s not make this hard. I know that breaking up a friendship is hard, believe me,” he stopped and thought again about Morton, “but there are some things here that do not concern Kim and some things that do not concern Miss Bianchi.” He nodded at Grimshawe who immediately stepped forward and once again started to separate the two women. The two men who, up until now, had stood silently by the door came into the room and helped. Francesca, realising the futility of fighting, gave up struggling almost as soon as they were separated. She looked down helplessly at the tattooed forearms of the thug standing behind her who had his arms tightly wrapped around her virtually crushing her ribs.
Kim was not treated so well, though. The second thug was already groping hold of her as he lifted her off her feet and carried her kicking and screaming out of the door.
Francesca looked from Thanos to Grimshawe unsure as to what was going to happen to her. She had assumed from previous experience that rape was the m
ost likely outcome but now she as not so sure.
“You have something I want,” Thanos stated simply, “let’s make this very easy. You give me the file and you can go. Simple.” He lifted his shoulders at the end of his short sentence as though complying would solve any problems.
So far there had been no introductions but Francesca was under no illusions as to the identity of her abductor. “What file?” she tried to look puzzled as though she had no idea hat he wanted, “and who, exactly, are you?” She could still hear the screaming Kim through the op-en door coming from somewhere else in the building.
Thanos could feel the blood pumping through the veins in temple. He was so close to ending this particular problem that he needed to stay focused but he was also desperate to resolve this tonight. He sighed loudly, “My dear, there is only one outcome here but there are two ways in which we can proceed,” he was forcing himself to smile as he spoke trying his hardest to keep civil, “you can either give me what I want or join your friend for a little while. I assure you that I will get what I want.”
Kim's screams subsided replaced by a low gurgling, choking noise. Francesca closed her eyes as though it would block out the noise. She knew that sound and what they were doing to the girl. She had been in her place before. She had pushed the memories to the back of her mind. Forcibly suppressing them but they were always there lurking in her past. Every day she would relive the horrors of that night knowing that these memories would haunt her forever leaving scars that all the therapy in the world could not heal but she had learned to deal with it, to accept that she could not go back and change events in her past but could only move on. So began her new life in England.
London, a safe town, she thought, at least safer than her home town. That delusion had been shattered by tonight’s events perpetrated by the animals now standing in front of her.
Four years ago, she shuddered at the memory, was that all it was just four years, she thought. She was a freelance investigative reporter with a fearsome reputation as a go-getter. For her doing the job thoroughly and getting the story out there was all that mattered. She had no qualms about who got caught in the fallout as long as she made the headlines and that, she realised now, was the problem. It is all very well getting down to the roots of an investigation but there are consequences. Normally, they do not involve you so you move on to the next story and start again oblivious to the misery you have caused some poor innocent that just happened to get caught up in your wake until you become the victim.
Investigating corruption in New York’s finest was always going to make her life difficult, at least for a while, but she trod on the wrong toes. Not so much trod as stamped on with very large boots and she paid the price.
Abducted off the street, very similar to the start of her ordeal tonight, she was held for five days. Five of the longest and most horrific days of her life that would have repercussions for years to come. She still suffered the nightmares, still felt very unsafe if she was in an enclosed space with a man whether she knew him or not and was still unable to enjoy an intimate moment with anyone. The memories were just too painful.
They were five days of sheer hell. Raped so many times that she lost count. Could not count as her mind just closed down leaving her body to be used like a toy. Not even a whore was ever treated as badly as she was.
But the worse was yet to come. After the gang members were finished with her down and outs and other street vermin were brought in to rape her. Filthy, disgusting men some of whom cannot have been with a woman for years abused her every way possible. She imagined that sometimes she could still smell their stench on her or taste them in her mouth.
She knew that she could never let that happen to her again. She was not sure if she could survive it again. These were desperate men. Desperate enough to abduct her off the street and desperate enough not to conceal their identity.
His voice brought back to her plight, “Come, my dear, sit down. Where are my manners?” Thanos got up and chivalrously waved his hand at the chair indicating that she should take it. He was trying hard to get the information without any unnecessary trouble.
She looked at him unsure as to what to do. One minute he was virtually insinuating that force would be used if necessary the next he was trying to be a gentleman. She walked slowly to the chair on shaking legs keeping watch of the man with the cold eyes. He frightened her the most.
Thanos waited for her to sit and then tried another tack. “Andy. Your brother? Strange we knew each other well and he never mentioned to me he had a sister!” Francesca noted immediately the use of the past tense knew and a cold shiver run through her. “Did he tell you he was Godfather to my little daughter?” he sounded almost proud.
“Where is he?” her voice quivered and, although she could guess the answer wanted to hear it from him.
Thanos carried on deliberately ignoring he question, “You’re a Yank,” he held his hands out palms upwards and raised his shoulders as he asked the question that had been burning into his mind ever since he had found out about her, “I don't get it. Where’s the connection?”
She looked away from Cold Eyes and at Thanos. His eyes, she thought, told a different story. He was as mean as Cold Eyes only he struck her as the type of coward who gave orders rather than do his own dirty work. “Our mother.”
“Ahh, yes. Makes perfect sense now.” Francesca felt a cold, nervous shiver run along her spine as he looked at her undressing her with his small, hard eyes.
She walked nervously to the chair and sat on the edge of it not trusting either man. Her head turned and followed Cold Eyes as he walked behind her and left the room leaving just her and the man she assumed to be Thanos alone.
“Now, why don't you just give me the files and we can all go home?” he asked through a forced smile.
“I don't have any files,” her voice gave away the lie but she knew those files were the only thing keeping her alive. She thought as fast as her terrified mind could work.
Thanos nodded as though he expected her to be uncooperative. He took in a large breathe and sighed loudly, “My dear,” Francesca wished he would stop calling her that, “we both know you have the files,” he hoped his desperate gamble was right and she did have the files, “so why don`t we stop wasting our time. Please!”
Her brain working as fast as it could she suddenly saw a possible way of gaining some time. Maybe enough for Ernie to find her. Funny, she thought, how she felt very comfortable calling him by his first name. “If they’re the files I think you want I gave them to my solicitor.” She looked ahead concentrating at a dirty spot on the wall behind Thanos. She was not a very good liar and hoped by not looking at him he might believe her.
Thanos face gave nothing away as he studied her. “Grim,” he called loudly and then louder when he did not get an instant reply, “Grim!”
Grimshawe heard the call but was watching his two comrades with Kim. Still swearing and screaming she had been forced to her knees in front of one of them with a knife at her throat. Her noisy protestations were quietened down when he pushed his hardened penis none to gently into her mouth while his mate stood behind her grinning like an adolescent schoolboy.
“Grim!” his master’s voice got louder and more insistent. He left them to have their fun with her and returned to Thanos.
“Yeah boss?” he asked as he entered the room.
“Tell her where you were tonight.” Thanos waited until he realised that Grimshawe was not sure what to say. “What if I told you that Miss Bianchi reckons she gave the files to her solicitor? Who do you reckon that solicitor would be?”
Grimshawe`s slow mind managed to put two and two together, “Tyler.” It was part question and part statement.
“Well done, Grim. Now, tell Miss Bianchi where you were tonight.” He nodded encouragement at him.
“Her office!” he stated simply with no elaboration.
Thanos could feel himself starting to get annoyed with his new lieutenant. At lea
st with Morton these things were spontaneous. “And?” Grimshawe looked blankly at him. “Did you find anything of interest to us?”
“No. I searched the place real well.”
Thanos`s eyes had never left her throughout the brief conversation with Grimshawe. Grim, he decided, may make a trusty enforcer but he was going to be hard work. “Where did you go next?”
Grimshawe hesitated remembering his night’s actions, “To her place.”
“Whose place” Thanos sighed.
“The solicitor’s,” then he realised that his boss wanted him to tell her, “There were no files there!”
Finally, Thanos thought, “So, my dear, why don`t you stop wasting my time and just give me what is rightfully mine?”
She noted the change in his tone of voice. He sounded bored and she got the impression that this conversation was coming to its end. “She's not my solicitor.”
Thanos`s hard eyes got even smaller, “You’re not a very good liar! Now, I'll ask you one more time. Where are my fucking files?” He began to reveal his true nature now that he knew she was not going to cooperate.
Francesca's mouth felt dry but she believed she had the upper hand, “You won’t dare touch me while I have those files!”
Thanos stayed calm. Unbelievably calm, “My dear, I have nothing to lose!”
Two incredibly strong arms wrap around her pinning her to the chair. She tried to stand up but both her and the chair were lifted off the ground. Thanos stepped forwards and calmly tied her wrist to the sides of the chair using plastic zip ties. She was dropped back onto the floor with a jarring thump that sent a sharp pain along her spine.
“I`m going to leave you and my friend here alone for two minutes. Maybe, when I come back you will have thought things through and…” he stopped in mid sentence as a loud roar pierced the stillness of the room.
Kim was on her knees in front of him. It was not that she was unused to this position but it was the way she was being treated. She was a whore and she could live with that but last night something in her changed and she realised that her life as a prostitute was coming to an end. She no longer wanted to be at the beck and call of men who had large amounts of cash in their wallets who only used her for their own gratification. Geoff Morton had changed all that. He was the one who was going to take her away from her miserable life and give her, maybe give them both, a new start. The money she earned was good, it was better than good, what else could a back street girl with a very basic education do to earn her kind of money, but she now knew that money was not everything.
The Qadesh Club Page 17