When she reached the town of Scottsville, Tori paused. Circling it on the map, her mind returned to the few days they had spent holed up in a house there and the old couple that had paid for their untimely return with their lives. Debra could see the pain on her drawn features, even though she did not go into any great detail about why the couple died. Tori placed a pair of X's inside the circle for the small community. Total body count for Texas—18.
At this point, Warren La Buff stopped her, scoffing at her allegations. “You mean to tell us, you guys rode across four or five thousand miles, on motorcycles, through a half dozen countries, killing forty-four people, and no one even gave you a second glance?”
Tori stared at him angrily for a moment, then replied curtly, “No. It wasn't forty-four people. These are the forty-four people I can remember, and I’m giving you details about. If you don't believe me, which obviously you don't, why don't you go check on some of the body dumps and see if they were later located to verify my story.”
Snatching up the page that contained the Scottsville information, she wadded it up and threw it at him across the table. Everyone else watched in silence as La Buff reached for the page and unfolded it. He glared down at it for a moment, considering her words, and then stormed out of the room.
Tori continued across Louisiana, on into Mississippi. As she moved, the body count continued to decline per area, which proved interesting to Godfry. Taking a deep breath to calm herself at again being interrupted, she explained that as she became more proficient at killing, Eddie saw less need for lessons and practice, so random victim numbers dropped dramatically.
She further explained that by the time they reached Florida, the number for training all but ended and they began taking jobs, which became a whole different reason and type of killing. The only people who were killed at random after the meeting in Florida were those who got in the way or posed some kind of threat to the group.
“As a side note here, one of our points of contact for The Organization was located in Miami, Florida.” Tori threw out this extra piece of information at the moment, and others like it as she worked her way through the time line of events.
Keeping things in chronological order helped her to be organized and would hopefully give the Feds more to go on when they got more into their investigation. “Of course, I was not privy to his location or actual identity; I only know that we picked up work for them several times when we were there over the years.”
The conference room door opened, and Warren La Buff entered with a small stack of papers in his hand, along with the crinkled yellow page lying on top. “Wanda and Earl Blanchard,” he began reading off of the police report as he rejoined the group, “Murdered at their home in Scottsville, Texas, dated almost five years ago, just after stepping out of their vehicle when returning from a short vacation to their daughter's house in Waco.”
His voice tight, he rolled on, “Their bodies were found two days later lying next to their car by a neighbor who had been called by their daughter when they did not answer the phone, and she got worried. The house was a shambles, 'with every stick of furniture inside busted' and large amounts of blood found in the couple's bedroom that did not belong to anyone who could be identified. No prints or any other identifiable markings were found; no other bodies were found.”
Tori dropped her head for a moment and then asked if she could use the bathroom. Debra led her down the hall and waited for her outside.
When they returned, an argument had erupted inside the conference room. Walking back up to the table, Tori could see that everyone had been disturbed by what she was telling them, and were even more distraught by the report that La Buff had pulled, verifying her story, at least about one of the locations of violence. Casting a stony gaze around the gathering, Tori felt disgusted by their bickering, and called loudly for them to stop.
“This is what you wanted,” she said in a booming voice, articulating each and every word succinctly. “You wanted to know where the bodies were buried. That is exactly what I am giving you, for as many as I can remember. What you do with that information is up to you. I have my paper in my pocket, and when I’m done, I am out of here. So tell me when you have heard enough and I will stop, but until then, shut the fuck up!”
“This is not fun for me. This is a detail of the five years I rode with these guys, being raped and beaten on a daily basis, on top of being made to commit such horrible and violent acts against other people. I don't want to listen to any more of your whiney ass bullshit while I am describing to you the hell from which I have escaped. Otherwise, I will just go now, thank you very much, and you all have a real nice day.”
Everyone stood, jaws dropped in stunned silence, staring at her in disbelief. They were beginning to see that Tori ran hot and cold, and no small amount of scary when she was pissed.
Looking down at the map, they realized sadly that she had only reached the midpoint of the first year in marking, and already the body count had reached near seventy-five. This would take a great deal of leg work and investigation to sort out after they had all the details they could get from her.
The group continued to listen on in relative quiet, only asking for clarification if it became absolutely necessary. They had lunch delivered after a couple of hours and moved to one of the empty tables for a full break while they ate. Warren La Buff made no more interruptions while they were at the map, but as soon as they sat down to eat, he started picking at her again.
Tori did not bite this time, only giving him icy stares as she pulled the meat and vegetables off her sandwich, leaving the bread on the paper. Eli watched her silently, and wished they had asked before ordering the meal for her, knowing it wouldn't amount to much without the parts she didn't like.
Walk Softly
After finishing the meal, the group moved back to the map and surveyed their progress. So far, they were up to year three, as they had been checking details periodically through police records in order to maintain some dates for their information.
Tori wished she could help them in that department, but for her, time and dates had little importance until recently. The only two times that mattered were sun rise and sun set, and the only date, the day Henry died.
Eli felt a stab of pain in his heart as he wanted to console her at that moment, but he had to walk softly and did not dare break his role as Special Agent Eli Founder in front of the group.
When evening came, they decided to order in a second meal and try to push through to the end, which they did manage at about 8:00 pm that night. Relieved, Tori wanted to go home with Eli, eager to snuggle with him until the morning.
However, not allowed to leave with him, she was told she would not be going back to the hospital, and she realized the committee as a whole did not know she had stayed at Eli's apartment the night before.
“We have a place for you here,” Godfry explained. “We will reconvene in the morning to iron out the final details regarding The Organization and your release.”
Leaving the conference room, Tori walked obediently next to Debra, who led her to the room that would be her lodgings until she was freed. A small space, with a bed and chair, she saw no other furniture in sight. A bathroom, part of the accommodations, ran along the far wall, with the shower and toilet tucked into small individual closets, one in each corner next to the sink. When she saw it, Tori thought it might be what a cell would look like.
While Tori took in the cubicle, Debra tried to sound understanding. “I know this is difficult for you. I’ll be here in the morning, and we’ll get started early, so get a good night's sleep.” With a friendly smile, she stepped outside and closed the door.
Tori heard the sound of the lock; so it is a cell.
With another look around the room, she decided to forgo the shower and stretched out across the bed. Inside, she felt like she had been beaten. Eli was gone; she was almost sure of it. The haven she had found in the hospital was gone. She sighed deeply. After several
minutes, she stood and moved to the wall next to the shower, behind the chair, and squatted down. Putting her right shoulder into the corner, she rested her forehead against the rough paint and fell asleep.
The following morning, Debra Paisley entered Tori's room, ready to get to work. She had gone by Eli's apartment the night before to retrieve all of the items they had purchased for her. When she entered the small space, she did not see any sign of the girl.
“Tori, are you in here?” Panic crept into her voice as she stepped over and tapped on the door that hid the toilet—no response. Turning, her eyes darted wildly, looking for any sign of her; panic rose inside her throat.
Behind the chair, she noticed a shadow, slumped in the corner and exhaled a sigh of relief. As she moved towards the girl, Tori stood slowly, making her way to sit on the end of the bed.
Debra walked around so that she could look her over after having found her in such an odd place. “I have your things for you,” she stated, trying to sound upbeat. However, judging by the slump of her shoulders and her dark features, and the girl was in no mood to get ready to meet with the committee, or ready for anything for that matter.
Sitting on the bed beside her, Debra draped her arm around her new friend's shoulders, and Tori leaned against her, wanting to cry. Trying not to rush her, the older woman moved her hand up and down her charge’s arm as she held the embrace, whispering that everything would work out.
Eventually, Tori looked up, her makeup from the day before smeared heavily. “Jump in the shower,” Debra instructed her. “Put on some fresh clothes while I go down and bring up some breakfast. Then I’ll help you put on your makeup before the meeting.”
Tori did as instructed, and while she sat on her bed waiting for the older woman to return, she sifted through her things, as they were, that had been brought over from Eli's house.
Debra returned shortly, and they ate in silence, Tori only feeling marginally better. After Debra's expert hands made quick work of the makeup, they headed down the long corridor towards the conference room for day two.
The Last Straw
Entering the conference room, Tori saw Eli sitting at the table, with the rest of the committee moving about, discussing events of the previous day and what would need to be done next. She made her way over to where he sat and took a chair on the opposite side of the same corner, so that she sat beside him, but not directly beside him. She asked in French if anyone else spoke the language or were they in private if they used it.
He gave a quick look around and informed her that French would probably not work for that purpose there. Then he laughed out loud, telling her he had missed her and could not wait for this to be over so he could take her home. His voice quiet, not to draw attention, his words lifted her spirits ten-fold. Tori gave him a small smile in return and hoped that it was true. The others made their way over to them, signaling the time to begin.
Godfry led the meeting, as he usually did, and opened it by giving a brief recap of the previous day. “Thank you for the extensive list of information. We have already put people to work on files for each of the locations you named, and I think what we are going to do is have the tape transcript made to work from as well.”
“The map was a brilliant idea and using both, we should be able to piece together a large portion of the data with ease. That way, we will not have to keep you any longer than necessary, but bear in mind we may have to contact you or bring you in at some point in the future for confirmation or for more information on any or all of the instances you described.”
Tori nodded her understanding, and released a small sigh of relief that she had given enough.
Continuing, Godfry made a checkmark on his list of topics to address, “Now we need to discuss the specifics on The Organization. We do have Agent Founder's report on the structure, but we were hoping you would not mind giving us a recap or retelling of this flower story of yours so that we can all visualize and make the most of it.”
Compliantly, Tori went through the whole story again, explaining how The Organization worked, why it worked, and what occurred with Bradley Wells.
Warren La Buff was indignant when he heard what had happened to his fellow agent in detail, and Tori deduced that Eli had shortened his report in some effort to protect her. Her expression held deep regret while she addressed La Buff and explained her feelings about the incident. “I’m truly sorry about your friend. If I had been able to help him, I would have, but at that time, I simply could not do so.”
Outraged, La Buff gasped as he spoke, “How could you not save him, but then you were able to kill the Dragons—all of them! I find what you say very hard to believe,” he finished in an accusatory voice.
Tori sat for a moment, and then quietly asked if they wanted to hear about the night the Dragons died. “No one has asked me about that, and I guess we have reached the point it is the part you need to hear and understand most.”
Everyone looked around for objections, and seeing none, they decided she should share it. Tori took a deep breath. She had told Eli that she did not want to tell her story in front of a room full of strangers, and yet she had just volunteered to do so.
Giving it a few moments of thought, Tori decided to tell them a few key pieces of information first, starting with Henry. She explained that Henry had been her best friend and that after he had been forbidden to touch her, they were seldom in a position to even speak to one another. When they were, those times were golden to her. The fact that he was alive, and watching over her helped her to endure, even when things seemed their darkest.
About six or seven months before the farmhouse event, Tori and Henry had just such a period of time where they were able to speak. They had stopped at a diner, and Tori and Henry had taken seats along the window, with the others a short distance away and a bit spread out. They were traveling late at night and had the place to themselves, as they were working on a job that needed some planning, but it paid well and Eddie was eager to take care of it.
While the rest of the group worked on the details, Henry and Tori, who were part of the action but hardly ever part of the planning stage, sat back to back waiting.
At some point, Henry turned towards the window and asked if she could hear him. Tori was surprised, but leaned forward onto her hand with her elbow on the table as if she were overly tired. In this way, she could face the glass as well, and replied that she could.
Henry seemed very pleased and said, “I’ve been working on getting you away from the Dragons, and we need this chance to talk where no one will know that the conversation has ever taken place. You understand, baby girl?” Tori only nodded slightly to agree.
Quietly, he explained to her that he was going to arrange for another group to kill the Dragons and send her to live with someone who would look after her. Not understanding what he meant, she interrupted, “Why would I have to go with someone else? If the Dragons are dead, why can’t I just go with you?”
He refused to explain, and simply stated, “You’re gonna have a different life, baby girl. A life I cannot give you. You must be strong and willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Promise me you will do this.”
Reluctantly, Tori swore to him she would do as he asked when the time came, and the conversation ended. Henry got up to go to the bathroom, dropping a crumpled napkin on her table. She picked it up and put it in her pocket, and when she unwrapped it later, she found a small silver key. She put the key in the lining of her jacket, assuming she would need it when the time came for her new life to begin.
Less than a month later, Eddie and Henry got into a fight. Eddie cursed at him, calling Henry a disloyal son of a bitch he should have killed years ago. They were trading blows as they fought, and as it got ugly, Tori became tempted to jump in on Henry's behalf.
As if he could read her thoughts, Red stepped up behind her and looped his arm around her waist. “You can't help him now,” he spoke into the back of her head as he held her firmly, and a f
ew minutes later, as Tori watched, Henry was dead.
They emptied his pockets and dragged his body back away from the road before riding away. They made Tori ride his bike along with them, and that night they stripped it, leaving it where it stood the next morning. She felt like they had been looking for something specific, and thought about the key. Saying nothing, she kept it hidden and waited.
In the weeks and months that followed, Tori began to feel more and more forlorn about her life with the Dragons. She grew exceedingly tired of being dragged around all of the time; tired of the road, of the jobs and of the men themselves.
All they ever wanted from her was dirty sex. The only thing they allowed her to do was to hurt and kill people. Tori missed Henry terribly and with no hope of ever having him as her friend again, she began to lose her restraint.
Eddie warned her often not to forget her place, beating her regularly in the last few months. But a strange thing had happened; she no longer felt the need to bow down to him and the others.
Tori began to have altercations with them, and hand to hand sparing became a daily occurrence. The guys did not seem to heed its warning or take it seriously, but Tori fully intended to hurt them if she could, raw hatred now brewing inside of her. They would fight as if they were still training her, but she had learned enough and had become strong enough to win.
On one particular occasion, just a day before the farmhouse, Marcus Sanchez decided he had heard enough of Tori's backtalk and intended to do something about it. They had stopped at a secluded spot, and he intended to put her back in her place. He grabbed her by the hair, throwing her down to the ground where he would strip her and give her an attitude adjustment, like they had in the old days. Only this time, Tori was ready for him and not going down without a fight.
She made a quick dodge when he moved to grab her, knocking his hands away, rolling quickly onto her feet; she kicked him in the face and knocked him onto the ground with a savage blow to the back of his neck. The fight was short, and Marcus lay flat out afterwards, blood pouring from his nose and gums due to a missing tooth.
A New Life Series - Starter Kit Page 14