by Tony Lavely
“Eight real people, maybe ten if they’re the size of the girls I have waiting.”
“Excellent,” Jamse responded. “We may reach a suitable compromise. We have some of the girls from California plus the two that Karen has taken out. Samuel, is Karen back in the entry?”
“I am, along with Freddie and Dan,” a new voice responded.
“Karen! Happy days,” Kevin was obviously pleased.
“Indeed, deVeel, together again.”
“Okay, Karen,” Kevin continued. “Come further in, you’ll find a door. Behind it is a spiral staircase. Up the stairs to the top; we’ll meet you there. Use great care; the space at the top is wide open. We’ve got some bundles you can move to the helicopter while we collect more girls.”
In several moments, they were all at the top of the staircase. In the faint light of the hooded flashes, Beckie smirked at the newcomers looking askance at the bandages and bare skin of the seasoned campaigners. Dan had picked up a small sling chair; they piled the material from the cabinets on it for the trip to the copter.
“So, Ian,” Kevin said, “3/4, 5/6 and 7/8 are empty, leaving 1/2 and 9/10. Which one first?”
“I have no way to choose. Miss Grove expressed the fear that girls in one of those were ‘working.’ No matter the order, we must take especial care. While I am not particular about their clients, I do not wish the young ladies to come to additional harm at our hands.”
“Numerical order, then,” Derek said.
“Inverse,” Kevin said. “It’s closer.”
Jamse was adamant that Mike should stay in the 7/8 apartment stairwell with Beckie and Melissa. Sue handed her dagger back to Beckie; Short Stack sat meekly in a far corner. The others made their way to the stairs. To Beckie, it seemed like they waited in the dim light for days, but in fact, Kevin and Jamse came back out before Dan and Freddie returned from carrying the evidence to the helicopter. After a look around, Dan took responsibility for Short Stack. Freddie slipped back to the store room to watch their back.
Jamse looked as black as the inside of the apartments coming up the stairs. “Gone,” Sue whispered as she went by. They all trooped over to the 1/2 railing. Beckie followed along. This time, they could hear activity from the top.
Wearing the dark-light imager, Derek again took the lead. Jamse was right behind, Sue and Kevin trailing. Behind the door, the sounds of exercise were louder. Even Beckie, a few steps up, had no difficulty hearing. Derek opened the door slowly.
Beckie could see the flickering of a candle, but not much else. She watched Sue check her pistol and hand it to Derek. He fired it, but there was no noise. However, even she could hear his “Damn!” followed by a scream of pain. He fired the air gun again. “Gotcha!”
He led the team in.
Beckie stood in the doorway looking through. The scene sickened and motivated her. While Kevin left to check the other rooms, Jamse and Derek were trying to pull a large man off the bed. Sue had run around the end of the bed to a girl leaning against the wall holding her arm. The girl was moaning, looking at Sue for help. The arm looked broken. The scream?
Jamse and Derek were still yanking. What are they… Derek looked at Jamse. “Always the type,” he muttered. “Probably a bully, too.” Beckie heard a joint pop as the two men wrenched in concert and the fat man finally rolled to the floor. She looked at the scene. Now I will be sick… On the bed a small blonde girl lay, unmoving, nude, her torso, especially her small breasts, was crisscrossed with weals, apparently from a whip. Blood glistened on her legs.
“I believe your attention is also required here, Susan,” Jamse muttered as he looked at the girl.
“In a second. I’ve given this one a pain killer and a temp splint for her arm. But—” She rose to see the other girl and drew a deep breath, her face contorted in pain and anger. “I was going to say,” she began tightly, “that I’d never seen a whipping like hers, but this one’s as bad.” She checked pulse and respiration. “Shock following the partial asphyxiation, I think. Though she’s got plenty of more reason, if that isn’t it. Before I wake her up, let’s see her back. Hers…” She nodded at the first girl, who was almost standing. “… was worse than on her front.” Such was the case again. “God!” exclaimed Sue, “What was that guy thinking? What kind of people are these?” No one said anything. Jamse turned as the dark-haired girl stood, holding her arm. She kicked a small whip with her foot. He nodded, took the whip, and then dropped it.
“I am truly sorry, miss. I feel I should drive that thing down his throat, or whip him until he has no skin, but I find I cannot.”
Her acknowledgement overlapped Sue’s “Let me try, Ian.”
Beckie almost stepped into the room to take a few swings, but there was really no room. That’s a lousy excuse, you know. Yeah, I know. But Mr. Jamse’d kill me.
“No, he’s not fucking worth it,” the girl said. “Who are you, anyway?”
“My apologies again. We are here to liberate eleven young ladies who were taken from California. Would I be correct in assuming that you and she are part of that group?”
She nodded as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Yeah. That’s Ana,” who was beginning to respond to the stimulant under her nose, “and I’m Rosa.” She laughed. Beckie shivered as she recognized the laugh’s hysterical nature. “He liked her Nordic look more than my Hispanic, so he saved her till last…” She looked at Ana, just coming to. She hugged herself, not looking at Jamse. “Will she be okay?”
“Probably as okay as you or any of the other girls here, Rosa,” Sue answered. “I hope, if we can get you out quickly, we’ll maybe even keep you from scarring.”
“Something else to remember him by, I guess,” and suddenly Rosa broke down, painful, great wracking sobs that no one could stand to hear. Shocked, no one moved until Kevin returned from the hallway. He circled around so she could see him approach, then took her gently in his arms, talking to her in murmurs no one else could understand.
Beckie had been shifting her attention between the two girls, with glances at Jamse to make sure she hadn’t been observed. With Kevin holding Rosa, Beckie’s thoughts turned to Ana, who was shaking her head trying to get away from the acrid odor. She sat up, then caught herself with her hands to keep from falling back over. Beckie could see the pain caused by the involuntary movement, but the girl almost completely stifled the shriek. Through her teeth, she told Sue, “He never let us cry…”
“Well, you can cry now. No one will stop you, just try to calm you. Looks to me like you’d be justified.” She looked over at Kevin, holding Rosa. “Kevin’s busy; I’ve been told next best at holding is Mike. I’ll get him.” Ana’s little bit of comprehension started to collapse.
Sue found Beckie in the doorway and the two women shared a look. Beckie ran to bring Mike back so he could sooth Ana. She and Melissa trailed him. She arrived to see Mike standing just inside the door, looking at Ana. She had curled up in a ball, sobbing as she rocked back and forth. Sue brought Mike to sit next to her, carefully touching his arm to hers. “This is Mike. Please be careful with him; he has broken ribs.”
Ana raised her head enough to look into Mike’s face. Beckie guessed that Ana accepted what she saw; she made a convulsive leap to end sitting in his lap, his arms around her as she clutched his neck. Sue helped him place his hands away from the worst of her injuries. As if Kevin had showed him, Mike started murmuring in Ana’s ear.
“He’s never done that with me,” Melissa said.
Beckie couldn’t tell if the emotion in her friend’s voice was jealousy, or pride, or concern. She caught Melissa’s shoulders and considered the two girls. They were bleeding from their beatings, having been used by not only the… She couldn’t think of the term, but by him, and who knew how many others. Beckie quietly told Melissa, “You’ve never needed him to do that with you, thank the Lord.”
Rosa was crying less frantically; Sue took ointment from her kit and began working it into her wounds. Melissa, desperate
to be with Mike, shook off Beckie’s hold to do the same for Ana, watching Sue to make sure she did it properly.
“Beckie,” Kevin broke off the communion with Rosa, “if you go back up one flight, in the closet, there are clothes… well, not clothes, exactly—”
“Yeah,” she replied dryly as she took his light. “We’ve seen ‘em.”
“Right. Sorry. Anyway, things that will fit them are up there. I don’t think there’s anything for you, but look. Don’t, don’t go anywhere else. When you’ve got something for them, come right back.”
Even though he was using the radio, Beckie could see that Jamse had understood everything and his look reaffirmed Kevin’s admonition in spades. She ran out the door.
In the closet, she found a skirt which almost fit, made up of short strips of cloth a couple of inches wide. It gave the illusion of being covered as long as she didn’t move. There were jumpers for the girls, similarly illusory in their cut and length, but which paid homage to their injuries—the physical ones.
Coming back down the stair, she ran into Derek. “Going to fetch Karen, Freddie and Dan. We’re goin’ from ‘ere,” he told her in passing.
“Freddie’s at the entrance and Dan’s got Short Stack or whatever he’s called.”
He nodded and hit the stairs.
Both Rosa and Ana had recovered from their respective breakdowns. “Stress relief,” Sue said. Jamse nodded. Both Sue and Melissa had finished the backs they were treating; Kevin raised Rosa’s head, kissed her forehead and gently turned her so Sue could apply the salve to her breasts and belly. Mike followed suit.
Beckie watched as Melissa began rubbing the cream into Ana’s wounds. Mike looks a little uncomfortable, she thought. Oh… Yeah. All that bare skin, and they’re both pretty good looking. I’ll bet he’s…
Ana turned to Mike with a smile that Beckie had smiled herself, a tentative, shy grin. “Mike, thank you for being so nice.” The injured girl twisted toward Melissa, salving a cut across Ana’s chest. “I think she’d be happier if you weren’t quite so good at it.”
“That’s Lissa, and we’re together,” he said. His grin filled the room. “And over there is my sister, Beckie. She’s got some clothes for you guys, I guess.” He gave her a sheepish grin that made both Ana and Melissa laugh. God, I’m glad he’s my brother! I love him! “Lissa’s a lot better nurse than me, ‘cause I get so involved with the patient.” That’s a good look, Lissa. Relaxed and comfortable.
In a few more minutes, Sue and Melissa had helped Ana and Rosa into the jumpers. They all gathered awaiting direction.
When asked if the man on the floor would waken soon, Sue looked at him, and then at the whip, lying on the floor. It had fallen by Beckie’s foot. I need to do this, she thought. She picked the whip up. Then, to everyone’s surprise, she laid several stripes across him. When he twitched, Sue said “Mmm,” and shot him with a second dart. “He’ll be okay longer than we’ll be here.”
Jamse turned to the girls. “With you two, we have recovered eight of the eleven originally abducted. The occupants of the unit marked 9/10 have been moved, and no one we have spoken with has seen the eleventh since you arrived.”
“Try the Playpen,” Rosa said quietly.
“The Playpen?”
“It’s the bottom floor of the main entertainment section, down below the hospital.”
“But what—”
“Don’t ask.”
Wow, I hope I never do anything that makes him look that way. Really stern… no, dangerous.
“Very well.” Jamse said. “Kevin, you must trust me to recoup our losses if the information we have already obtained is insufficient. You will take Michael, Rebecca, Melissa, Ana and Rosa to the helicopter now. Karen will accompany you. Susan, a word, then—”
“Wait a second, Ian,” Kevin started.
“No, Kevin. Take the children and go!” He turned toward Sue. Beckie knew no argument that would change his mind.
“Mr. Jamse,” Sue said, “listen for a second. Looking at those two girls, I need to stay if we’re going to find others; I must! And we need to ask Jean-Luc to talk to Millie, make sure she’s got one or two of the top shrinks available. I want to take everyone we bring out of here back to the Nest for recovery.” She shook her head, a note of melancholy to the motion. “I can’t imagine how any of these girls are feeling, how they’ve been able to convince themselves it’s worth it to survive.
“The taboo against sex at their age is learned, sure, but no less strong. In addition, kidnapping, pseudo-isolation, torture, and maybe worst of all, being given to others—as a thing, not a person—for them to use without regard. I’m amazed they are in as good condition as they are.” She smiled, faintly. “Strong women they grow out there, I guess.”
Great job, Sue!
“Very well, Susan. You have swayed me. While we move, call M. Fereré; ask him to relay your message to Doctor Ardan, and arrange transport to the Nest. Kevin—”
“I would like him off the leg. The arm won’t be a problem, but the thigh needs rest to heal. I didn’t say anything before, but with Karen, Dan and Freddie—”
“Surely you wouldn’t suggest the three of them are needed to replace Kevin?”
“Of course not, Ian. But we do have Derek and Sam, and Willie, too.”
Several of the team laughed with her.
“Karen, Kevin, are you ready?”
They nodded. Derek led the group out; as they moved, Derek suggested that Sue radio Jean-Luc before they began to fill his aircraft.
Beckie whispered to Mike. “The Nest… Kevin mentioned it last night, when we were talking. It’s a clinic or something. I wonder if she means us, too.”
“I hope so,” he whispered back. “My back really hurts, like, all the time. Especially when I breathe.” He looked at Ana and Rosa, just ahead. “But it’s nothing to what happened to them, is it?”
Beckie nodded in perfect agreement. “I was sure proud of you back there; Lissa was too, I think.”
He made a rueful sort of sound which tried to be a small laugh. “Don’ know about that. I think she was surprised that Sue wanted me to hold Ana. I hope I helped, at least.”
“Yeah, you did. Jus’ like Kevin did. You both were great.”
Anything else she had planned to say was lost in their arrival at the storage room. The group had been split, Kevin and Karen, Mike and the four girls. Beckie watched Jamse thread his way to Kevin; as he passed, she caught his arm. “Mr. Jamse, our horses, they’re here too, somewhere.” She stopped, gave him a sheepish look. “I guess that’s not the most important thing, is it?”
He tipped his head in agreement. “Still, it would be no service to leave them unaccounted for. Thank you for the reminder.”
“Sam, is it still quiet out there?” Kevin asked.
“Yeah, nothing for nearly ten minutes. Willie thought something was happening about five meters on from him, but that stopped, too. I’m not sure there’s anyone still watching. And Jean-Luc is getting nervous.”
“Keeps his mind on the problem,” Kevin joked. “I think we’ll test the water with Karen before sending the girls. Unlike Karen, their skins’ll show up like they were on stage with Gypsy Rose. If Karen gets over, then we’ll send two girls, Mike, two girls and I’ll bring up the rear. Karen should cover from there, help out as needed. Ian will cover us from this end. And you and Willie, too.”
“And if Karen draws attention?”
“I guess we’ll do the same while paying more attention to the cover. Doesn’t look like the clouds will make much difference anytime soon. Karen, what do you think?”
“Agreed. I’ll go first. You two go next.” The black woman tapped Beckie first, and then Melissa. “Mike. Then, you follow him,” she said to Ana and Rosa, “and last, Kevin.”
Jamse stepped up to amend the plan: “Karen will keep low as she runs, then she and Samuel will cover for those who follow. Rebecca, I would ask you to pair with Rosa; Melissa, with Ana, please,
so you can assist if needed. Melissa, follow Karen; Rebecca, follow Michael. Melissa, that will expose you first, since Karen will have gone to ground when you start. Will you—”
“No, Mr. Jamse. We’re not okay with it. But we’ll do it. Jus’, you gotta tell us when to start.”
“Thank you, Melissa. I apologize to all of you, but especially to you two…” He touched Beckie’s shoulder and nodded to Melissa, “for the disorganization you see. But—”
That’s really nice of him. But—
“It’s okay, Mr. Jamse,” Mike said. “We all understand jerry-rigged, and we’re largely grateful to be getting out. Mostly.”
Yeah!
Jamse acknowledged both his gratitude and the feeling of being left out with a nod of the head. “You,” speaking again to the girls. “You will almost glow as you cross the open area to the helicopter. You are barefoot, the terrain is all rock and sand, most uncomfortable to run on. However, you must get across as quickly as you possibly are able.
“As Karen runs, watch her. There is a small stream to cross. If you see her stumble or fall—”
“Mr. Jamse, I’d never—”
“Yes, Karen. If she happens to stumble or fall, be especially careful when you reach the same place. Melissa, Karen has a green light which she will direct at you as you run. Run to it. All the rest of you, the same. Keep your attention on the ground.
“Michael, M. Fereré should be between Samuel and the helicopter. When you arrive, assist Melissa and Ana to him if necessary. then return and likewise aid Rebecca and Rosa.
“When you are across, Kevin, continue to the helicopter and leave. M. Fereré should return without delay, unless something arises. Karen, please make your way back. Samuel, until you know that no opponents remain, hold this position to keep our way out open.”
Beckie ran as hard as she could, helping Rosa when she stumbled. Although the ground was painful to run on, it seemed less so when she considered the alternatives. No shots were fired.
Jean-Luc had the copter off the ground as Kevin fell into his seat—helped by the seat rising to meet him.