Exploring further, another opening led to a private study. Looking in, she saw a large desk with a computer and a printer situated very neatly on it. Even pens, pencils a notepad and a blotter covered the desk. A bookshelf contained classics as well as modern business references.
Going back into the living room, fresh flowers rose from a vase on the coffee table. In the bedroom, a freshly made oversized bed with covers that had just been washed looked inviting. Chocolate mints adorned the pillow. Another television hung on the wall. In the bathroom, an Italian Marble bathtub stood against the wall. Various luxurious toiletries, a make up mirror, hair dryer arranged themselves
“Wow, this is nice. Looks like nice place to entertain a gentleman.” Walking to the bar, she helped herself to some of the champagne. Bubbles tickled as the golden liquid went down her throat. Samantha’s date was supposed to arrive at 8 p.m. Ten minutes remained before the gentleman arrived, so Samantha picked up the remote, and changed the channel on the television to a show about a hospital in Chicago.
Eight o’clock finally rolled around, and a knock on the door diverted her eyes towards the door to the room. Her heart pounded at the mystery of the unknown. Samantha walked to the door, and an older gentleman, probably in his forties, stood at the entrance.
“Are you Samantha?” he asked.
“Yes. Come in.” Poisonous didn’t miss the look of disappointment on her charge’s face. “What were you expecting, honey? Prince Charming? You have no say in this matter, dearest. You are at our whim and command, and now it’s time you earned your keep.”
The man introduced himself to Samantha. “My name is Pete. Glad to meet you.” He took a look around the suite, admiring the view. “Yep. It’s just what they promised.”
“It is nice,” Samantha commented.
“Well, for fifteen hundred bucks a night, it better be.” He perused all the amenities as she had earlier. “Say, would you like some Champagne?” he asked.
“Sure. That would be nice.” They enjoyed a drink or two, and engaged in some meaningless small talk.
“What do you do during the day,” Samantha asked.
“I’m an accountant at Ernst and Young on McKinney Street; been there for about ten years; finally moved up to Senior Management.” Pete paused, looked her over as if taking inventory of her body and then grinned. “I say we get down to the business at hand.”
“What business is that?” she asked.
“Exactly what I payed good money for: a roll in the hay.”
“Sex? Are you serious? I didn’t know that was part of our date. I’ve only just met you, and don’t know you that well…”
“Honey, I didn’t pay to be your boyfriend. I paid for good sex. And now I expect you to deliver.”
“But…but…”
He had already started removing his clothes. Done, he moved up to her, grabbed her by the shoulders and started removing her expensive dress and jewelry.
“No, Pete. I don’t want to do this…”
“Oh, you will, or I’ll take this up with your boss. Trust me, honey: you’ll be sorry.”
He grabbed her by the hand and dragged her to the large bed in the master bedroom. “Now, let’s get down to some serious horizontal mambo, what do you say?”
“No…please…don’t do this…no…NO…”
Poisonous smiled, approving what she saw, then flew away.
* * *
Friday, July 4th
Tap-Tap-Tap. A knock sounded on the door at precisely eight-thirty. As promised, Roger had come to pick her up this Friday evening, when all the young and the restless usually congregated at clubs or at parties. She quivered with excitement, anticipating the events to come. The night promised to follow the pattern to a “T.”
Poisonous ran to the door. “I’ll get it. It’s for me.” She opened the door, her smile filled with eagerness for things to come. “Hi Roger. You’re very punctual. Come on in.”
Evie walked up, and looked Roger directly in his eyes, then held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Evie. I don’t believe I’ve met you before.”
Roger stood up, and shook her hand. “I’m Roger.” He looked at Evie curiously for a few moments. “Say: do you know Shane Logan?”
“Yes. Why?” Suspicious eyes bore into Roger, and her arms crossed.
“I think I saw your sister at one of his parties a few months back.”
“Yes. She went to one of his parties. But she and Shane have since broken up.”
“Oh. Sorry to hear that.”
Poisonous walked over to Evie and put her hand on her shoulder. “Aren’t you going to see Carlo soon? You should probably finish getting ready.”
“You’re right.” Evie turned to Roger. “Nice to meet you Roger.”
“The pleasure’s all mine,” he said.
Evie walked away, staring at him. As soon as Evie was out of sight, she led him to the couch. Whew! That was close! “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” His eyes bore into her as she moved towards her bedroom. Before she went in the door, she smiled back at him.
She took inventory. Perfectly sharp, pointed nails painted a blood red, to match her lipstick. A skimpy new outfit of which the hem of the skirt soared a very long distance above her knees, and a top with a ‘V’ cut neckline. In her closet hung a few more outfits that were in essence, the same look, just in different styles and textures. She laughed. “Oh, I can’t wait for the stares of men as I pass by. But my main concern right now is Roger.”
Tonight, she would have her way with Roger, one way or the other, and the game was underway in earnest.
* * *
Music pounded and young people crowded the dance floor. The patrons of The Capital Scene had started the weekend’s sybaritic mating ritual making no bones about where their hands wandered, while the drugs and the alcohol flowed freely. Poisonous soaked in the atmosphere. She and Roger danced—during which she made sure her eyes never left his. She smelled his aura, seeing if there was anything interesting about his personality. He seemed to have questionable business practices, which she found very intriguing. Must ask him about this.
The music broke for a few minutes, so they sat at their table.
“Would you like something to drink?” Roger asked.
“Oh, no. Alcohol feels good, to be sure, but tonight I’ll need to be in full control of my faculties. It works better that way.”
He didn’t answer. He took her hand in his, and pulled her to his lips, where they kissed passionately for several moments. This piqued her interest in him even more. “May we leave? I would like to talk to you in private.”
Roger took her to his apartment, and they settled in.
“May I offer you anything?” he asked.
“No, thank you. I’m fine.
“So, I’m curious, Perri: what do you do with your time when you’re not spending time with guys like me?”
Sensing the real thing she was interested in coming to light, she answered, “I’m an entrepreneur. I like to dabble in international trade. You?”
“I do pretty much the same thing. I buy and sell all sorts of commodities.”
“I hear there is a lucrative market on the Dark Web. All sorts of things can be bought and sold there. Have you heard of this?”
“Ye-e-e-s-s,” he answered, eyeing her with suspicion. “Why do you ask?”
“Because. I’d be interested in doing some business there. All I need to do is find out how to get to the online market places.”
“You act as if I knew about such things.”
“Oh, trust me, sweetie. You do, and I’m sure you do a lot of business there. I just need to know how to access it, and get in on the action myself.”
Several moments of silence passed with Roger’s face showing no emotion. Finally, he said, “If you’re serious about the Dark Web, I can get you there; but what you do there is strictly your business. You’d be on you own.”
“I’m a big girl. I think I can handle it.”
“Okay, First, you need to install and use Tor. Go to The Tor Project and download the Tor Browser Bundle, which contains all the required tools. Run the downloaded file, choose an extraction location, then open the folder and click Start Tor Browser.”
“Thanks, Roger. You’re a dear. I really appreciate a man who is successful, and takes command of every situation he’s in. ”
“Thank you. So what do you do when you’re not running deals on the Dark Web?”
“Come here and I’ll show you…”
She gave him a sated smile, and held him close.
“Be careful, or we’ll have to get back on the ride,” he quipped.
“Patience, my gallant lover; all in good time.” She looked at the clock. Glowing red numbers showed ‘12:17 AM’. If she hurried, she could catch the Metro train before the station closed at three a.m. She decided it best to go now, leaving him wanting more. Getting up and not resisting the urge to tease him, she said, “Well, I’d better go.”
He looked pained. “Do you really have to go now?”
“Yes, Roger. I can’t spoil you right away, now can I?”
“Oh, you’re too late. I’m already spoiled.”
“Good. You’ll have to call me soon, so we can... take up where we left off.” Her eyes bore into his with unmitigated suggestion. The clothes went back on with her shawl. The purse went back in her hands. As she walked towards the front door, she turned, her lips parted, followed with, “Mmm. We’ll have to revisit this real soon.” Then she walked out the door.
* * *
“Is that you, Poisonous?”
Grievousness! Does this woman never sleep? “Evie! What are you doing up at this hour? You really didn’t have to wait up for me.”
“I know, but I worry about you.”
“I appreciate that, but I’m a big girl. I can handle myself... honestly.”
“Aren’t you getting home a little late?”
She felt her temper start to rise, but fought it back. Remember. Be nice. “Oh. Well, we enjoyed ourselves so much, we sort of lost track of time.”
“Poisonous... there’s not much you can do at this hour of the night except hang out at bars, or get breakfast at some twenty-four hour diner.” She grinned wryly. “Or find other things to do.”
Poisonous grinned. “How would you know of such things?”
“Hmmm. It seems some demons were guiding the misadventures of my sister once upon a time.”
“Touché. I promise you, all we did was dance the night away, and then stop by that all night diner in Adams Morgan. Anyhow, he just dropped me off downstairs. I assure you, he was the perfect gentleman.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Evie’s judgment bore into her, but she shrugged it off with a too-sweet smile. “Good night, honey. I’ll see you in the morning.” After a pause, she added, “well... later this morning. Don’t wait on me getting up. I think I’ll sleep in.”
“G’night, Poisonous,” Evie said, as she walked towards her bedroom, while blue-green eyes stared keenly at her. Any thoughts of worrying about Evie’s intentions evaporated. This humanity suddenly appealed to her even more. All sorts of delicious mischief came to mind, and it felt so good.
* * *
Sunday, July 6th
The big, sandy-brown J. Edgar Hoover FBI building on Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th Street, NW, and 10th Street NW was practically empty. As it was a hot, sultry day in the middle of the Summer, and this was the weekend, Agent Dan Hightower dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Notes piled up from lots of research sat on his desk, a stack of paper almost an inch thick. He scanned through the stack, and compared the contents of each page with information in the FBI’s database on known cases and perpetrators. Perusing the contents, something caught his eye.
“This is interesting. I see a lot of cases of disappearing women. And, as is typically the case, they are usually young teenagers, abducted without their permission. They are almost always lied to, and promised some glamorous job, and when they find out the truth, they can’t escape the clutches of the pimps or owners of the brothel that controls them.”
His head shook in disgust, and he pored over many cases. A recent case of a disappearance caught his eye.
He dialed the number to his chief. “Hey, Fred. I’ve found a case of human trafficking right here in the D.C. area.”
“Meet me in my office in about a half an hour. Let’s brainstorm.”
“Sure thing, Fred.”
A half an hour later, Fred poked his head in Dan’s office. “Come on down, and bring your notes with you.”
He followed Fred Choudhary down the hallway to Fred’s office. After sitting down, he put his notes on Fred’s desk.
“Fred, a young girl of sixteen from Gaithersburg, Maryland named Samantha Boyle disappeared from sight a little over two weeks ago. Last known to be on the Red Line Metro Rail, as verified by Security Personnel for Metro, sometime between the start and end of the ride, she completely disappeared. I’ll have to talk to her family, and see if I can get any clues to her disappearance.”
“Quite honestly, this is only the tip of the iceberg, Dan,” said Fred. “There are literally thousands of young people—mostly girls—that get abducted every day around the world. But follow up on your Intel, and let me know the outcome. Perhaps we can ‘get a foot in the door’ and find clues to more of the brothels and nightclubs where these poor girls work.”
“On it, Fred.” He got up and headed towards the door, stopped, and turned around. “By the way, the guys in Cybercrimes are researching the Dark Web for possible criminal activity.”
“Just about anything on the Dark Web is criminal activity,” Fred said.
“Yup.” Then he headed back to his office to set up a meeting with Samantha Boyle’s parents, hoping perhaps, to get a lead.
Five
Monday, July 7th
The darkness of the second heavens pervaded all that was there. Creatures roamed about, discussing ways to deceive and torment human flesh. VD, still reeling from her partner leaving her, walked into Politically Correct’s office. “This is a total travesty!” VD slammed her fist on the conference table, and kicked a chair across the room. “Why has my partner left me behind and taken on human form as a daughter of Eve?” She stormed over to Politically Correct. “Did you suggest this ridiculous idea to her? Who in the name of all that is immoral would suggest such an enormously stupid thing?”
Politically Correct sighed. “Look VD; I didn’t tell her to do anything: she did it all of her own accord. Moreover, Lord Yehovah seems to be involved in this, so like it or not, there’s nothing we can do about it. You’ll have to take this up with the Trinity. Now leave me be!”
Fury made her impervious to safety and better judgment. She headed straight for The Throne Room in the Third Heavens, ignored the surprised stares of the angels, and marched right up to the Lamb, eyes cold and focused. “Lamb of God, I must speak with you!”
The Lamb of God gestured her to approach. “Speak your mind.”
The realization hit her that she stood in front of a Holy One; the edge left her fury and she trembled. Nevertheless, having gone this far, she determined to see it through.
“I don’t know why you let my sister in evil become human, but I’d like a chance to talk with her. I know no demons may approach her, but I don’t want to torment her, or suggest any mischief to her; I just want to talk with her. Besides, she’d recognize whatever I tried. I want to be there for her while she is adjusting to …to indwelling a human body.” Her heart ached inside her: she missed her old partner.
“You may visit her any time you like, any way you like, if you, as you said, do not encourage her to do evil. If you ever do try such a thing, I will banish you from her presence permanently and you will meet your final reward: eternal fire. Am I understood?”
“Yes!” VD squealed with delight, then immediately stood still and affected a serious look, not wanting to appear undignified, especially before the Holy on
es. “Yes, Lamb of God. I understand.” Saying no more, nor waiting for The Lamb to respond, she turned abruptly, and left.
* * *
At a magnificently decorated desk in the middle of the Second Heavens, Lucifer, known as the great Satan, or Adversary of those in The Light, pored over the reports of the status quo. Lucifer moaned with exasperation. “First she goes to earth and completely breaks protocol. Then, to make matters worse, the Light surrounds her. And Lord Yehovah makes sure of it.” His hands pounded on the desk at which he sat. “I tell you, if she was alone, she would learn of what I do to insubordination.” A sigh pushed from his lungs. “I really hate being put in my place as though I was a child. I rule one third of Heavens former angels, but it is to no avail.” His dark eyes glared at Washington, D.C. as his fury grew. Finally, he could only sigh from pure frustration. “We’ll just see how this turns out. They may surround her with creatures of the Light, but that doesn’t stop my subordinates from inflicting damage on her human body.” A wicked smile curled his lips, and he re-focused his attention on the work before him.
* * *
Dan walked to the garage from his office, and climbed into the company car. He had called the Boyles late Sunday afternoon, and had made arrangements to see them at their home this morning. He pulled up to their residence, parked the car, walked up to their front door and knocked.
Mrs. Boyle opened the door and looked him over, assessing him. Her countenance remained apprehensive and timid; she continued to watch him with wary eyes.
To put her at ease, he said, “Hi, Mrs. Boyle. I’m Dan Hightower from the FBI.”
“Oh yes,” she answered. “Please. Come on in.”
As he walked towards the family room behind Mrs. Boyle, a man in his early forties greeted him. “Hello,” he said, reaching for Dan’s hand. “I’m Steve Boyle, and you’ve met my wife, Sarah.”
Poisonous: A Visit To Earth (DC Angels Book 2) Page 6