The Cleansing

by Shane Crosby

  FLORIDA

  Trevor

  Even though my idea was still met with a lot of resistance, they gave eventually gave into the idea of us splitting us. I truly believed it was the only way to cover more ground. Myself, Mase and Don would go to the states. Scott and Dub were going to handle the meeting with little brother Jared hovering overhead in the event they needed something extra.

  We landed in the states with our hearts in our throats. We couldn’t fly the traditional way, but we were still a little nervous thinking about returning. The last time we stuck our heads out, they were waiting and we suffered.

  Since we’ve been off the radar for several months now, we were all hoping they’d forgotten about us and redirected their focus on killing someone else.

  The first thing we did when we landed was check into our hotel and start looking for the Buchanan residence. We knew the information was long since dated, but we all agreed it was worth a shot.

  “Trevor, are you thinking what I am?”

  “We’re lost?”

  “Exactly.”

  “The information is outdated. They could’ve changed the names, how it’s listed anything in the past one hundred years.”

  “We need to pull over and ask someone.”

  “Police sitting right there.”

  “What we got to lose?”

  “Other than our lives?”

  “Always with the pessimism.”

  “Truthism, is more like it.”

  “Hello officers.”

  “Hello, can we help you?”

  “Would you know a Buchanan family here in town?”

  “Why yes, they don’t live too far from here. Why you asking?”

  “Missing person’s case hope they can shed some light on it.”

  “They can be difficult to get a handle on. Worked some of those myself.”

  “Take it easy.”

  “You too, officers.”

  “Let’s get going to the address.”

  “Right behind you.”

  We walked back to the car and the police started to pull off. Suddenly, the ground started to rumble. It was so intense J almost lost his balance. The sound was so loud windows shattered and car alarms started going off. The driveway we were standing in started to crack. I looked up and all we could see were flames shooting up into the sky; dark back smoke followed. After we composed ourselves, we got in the car and drove toward the blast. The closer we got to the location the thicker the smoke. The debris lined streets were difficult to navigate through. We drove around for what I believe was several minutes and then Mase pointed out the condition of a few houses on one particular street, this had to be it. We turned left and slowly drove through the neighborhood. By the time we found the blast sight, there were police and emergency personnel already onsite.

  “How did they get here so fast?”

  “I was thinking the same thing.”

  “Oh shoot! Look!”

  I turned to see what Don was so excited about. There it was. A car was on top of the house and there was a family inside. The hood had been blown off, two tires were missing, glass blown out and I would assume his wife hanging outside of the passenger side window. The missing door revealed two kids in the back seat. With the rhythm of his heartbeat, blood pumped out of one of the children’s upper body. In an attempt to try and save someone inside of the car, we pulled over got out and ran towards the house. I climbed on top of the roof and hurried to the car. I reached in for the child closest to me. When I picked him up, his head fell backward dangling from a piece of tissue and nothing more. We focused our attention on the child with the severed arm. If we could stop the bleeding maybe he could be saved. I grabbed him and tied my belt around his arm, then lifted him down to Don and he took him to awaiting emergency personnel. While he was doing that, I checked the vitals of the parents. The mother was barely hanging on and the dad wasn’t any better. We didn’t think either one of them would make it. Don returned to tell us he delivered the boy to safety.

  “How are the parents?”

  “Not so good.”

  “Hand them down.”

  “You ready?”

  “Yeah.”

  One by one, I lowered both parents down to Don who by then was receiving assistance from one of the officers we encountered earlier. They took them to another waiting ambulance and they were transported to a nearby hospital.

  We stayed and helped pull people to safety the remainder of the day into the evening. The National Guard arrived to lend a hand, but by then everyone on site had it handled.

  Since, they had plenty of people to assist with rescues we decided it was time to leave, being exposed like this wasn’t a good idea.

  As we were leaving the scene, an officer approached us.

  “Hey boys. Not so fast, don’t you dare leave without letting me say thank you.”

  “No problem Officer.”

  “I beg to differ. Not a lot of people would’ve put themselves on the line like you boys did today.”

  More officers came towards us and extended their hands in an effort to thank us.

  “On behalf of the Martindale Police Department we want to take this opportunity to say thank you again for all of your help.”

  “You’re welcome, sir any time.”

  We turned and started towards our rental.

  “Okay, did either of you notice the addresses?”

  “As soon as we pulled into the neighborhood.”

  “Yeah, that’s our house and whomever was in it blown all over Florida.”

  “They’re always five steps ahead.”

  “We need to figure this out and fast.”

  “We’re never fast enough, that’s the problem.”

  “Damn man. Who are these people?”

  “You’re guess is as good as mine.”

  “It’s obvious they know our next move before we do.”

  “Hey, screw the hotel. We need to just go back to the airport and take our butts home.”

  “I agree. The only reason we’re not dead is because the police and military were there.”

  “Too many witnesses to kill us today.”

  “But, there’s always another day, little brother.”

  “And, that’s what worries me.”

  UPDATE

  WEN

  BREAKING NEWS

  Thank you for tuning in. As you well know, today Hispanic communities all over the nation planned to protest the new immigration policy. Cuban Americans in Miami planned to shut down the government today in opposition to the cancellation of wet foot dry foot. The new administration has been praised for the economy rebounding and for some of its policies. However, Immigration reform has been a source of conflict for the nation. Some being for how the President is handling it and as you can see behind me, plenty being against. However, this new tactic may be the one that ends the momentum the President has been able to achieve very early into his Presidency. The Republicans in Washington are starting to worry that his policies will alienate voters in the upcoming election.

  As you can see behind me, the military interaction with the protestors is more than just hostile. It’s downright brutal.

  In an effort to maintain his campaign promises and he take no prisoners attitude, The White House took this opportunity to further implement its immigration stance by using the military, all branches, to check the identification of those in attendance. If they’re found to be in this country illegally, they’re being taken to detention centers and returned to their own countries.

  To make certain they don’t miss any illegal aliens in attendance, the crowd has been blocked from dispersing into the cities. If caught trying to leave, as reported from bystanders, warning shots are being fired.

  When we attempted to enter the locations of the protests, we were stopped at a check point and turned around.

  If possible, we will provide you with an update, back to you Mitch.

  CHAPTER FORTY -SEVEN

&nb
sp; THE MEETING

  COME INSIDE

  Dub

  Today is the big day. Now, all I have to do is stay alive long enough to tell this story. Walking into this joint, it makes me wish Popovich wasn’t a homicidal maniac. I could see why you’d want to hang out with this guy. Every event he throws you’ll have to wear sunglasses at night because they’re all blinged out.

  Allow me to paint a picture for you. Close your eyes and go with me to a beautiful place. A place filled with beautiful people and so much jewelry it lights up the city. Picture a room as large as the field where your favorite NFL team plays. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling that had to cost tens of thousands of dollars. They shine so brightly any one of them could provide light to a small country. Flowers placed on each table, pretty place settings, complimented with genuine gold embossed place cards, with silver wear that’s been polished to the point that beams of light reflect off them so bright you could use them to land planes. Exquisite crystal champagne glasses; the top and bottom of the glasses are trimmed with genuine twenty-four karat gold, filled with only the best and most expensive champagne. Everyone is seated at a table that glimmers because it has a diamond dust inlay.

  The scene is like the night before except a step up. Only the wealthiest and most elite members of society are invited to attend. It’s a night anyone and everyone would hope to be a part of. When you get inside, it’s a typical event activity, people are standing around engaged in their own separate conversations. It’s comical to watch everyone try and find a person who speaks their own language. I see the interpreters he told me about molded to the sides of their guest. Let’s face it, I’m never going to be invited to anything remotely like this again in life so I might as well soak it all in. I walk around to get a good picture of everyone, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. I stop to converse with my fellow players, about the stock market, that I’ve never invested in, the million dollar deals I’ve never closed and the multiple mansions in St. Tropez, the Greek Isle and Antiqua that I’ve never purchased. If this night didn’t end soon, I’ll never find my way back to being me. Let’s face it why would I want to?

  After we were plied with more food and drink, the host comes out and places programs on each table. True to his word, each program was in that person’s native language, mine was in Arabic and it was sealed. We were informed that if needed, we could read more information on the products we’d like to purchase.

  Several minutes pass and a well maintained gentlemen walks onto a stage. He instructs everyone to get ready for the auction to begin. His accent is as thick as Popovich’s. As he Spoke, there was a board that displayed every word. And, if you don’t speak Russian, there’s a screen on your table that displays what’s being said in your own language. Darn! I know some fortune five hundred companies that could learn a few things from these guys. It was long before the announcer stepped to the stage and made let us know to expect the first product. Product, I thought. I thought this was an invitation to alleviate stress from your hectic life or add excitement to replace a mundane existence. Boy, was I wrong and had I actually paid a million dollars, I’d be robbed, too. No product they’re offering could do all of the things Popvich touted while I was in his office. What a waste of time. The great master mind at work selling million dollar scams. Since I’m here, I don’t have any other choice except stay. Are we ever going to get off square one with this case?

  INTRODUCTION

  THE FIRST PRODUCT

  “The first product is ready to bid on. Please have your money ready if you win the bid. All payments will be made in cash or bank transfer.”

  “Gentlemen and a few ladies, we have here standing before you product A. The characteristics of product A are as follows:”

  “Product A is a natural blonde with blue eyes. She has breast implants. We know the breasts aren’t natural. The price will reflect a reduction, please try not to worry.”

  The audience nods to show they understand.

  “She is 167.64 centimeters, 123 lbs. Sadly, she is not a virgin, this will reflect another slight reduction in price; do not worry. Fellatio she has average skills, but you can work with her to teach her better technique. Does not want to do anal sex or girl on girl but will comply if forced.”

  He says with a wide grin to the delight of the audience.

  “Sexual performance was good. The teeth have been whitened, this should signal she cared about her appearance. However, they are not straight and there’s a gap between the two front teeth. This can be fixed for a small price and you can make her work the rest off; either for you or your clients. She wears a size 9 shoe. No worries. She will not be wearing shoes much, no?” The audience erupts into laughter.

  “Before bidding begins, we want to point out a catalog on each table. Notice when you open it you’ll see each piece of merchandise and their descriptions, their corresponding item number and the price to keep it out of the auction. You can bid from your tables if you see a product that you particularly like by pressing the button at the top right corner of your table. We’ll bring the product out and allow you to inspect it before you bid.”

  A woman came out from behind the curtains and started walking towards the back. They gave the ok and the drapes started to slowly rise revealing what was behind them. There were women in product display cases. They were all dressed in expensive evening wear and their makeup was done so artistically it looked like Picasso woke up out of his slumber and did it himself. They knew we were impressed and smiled coyly. After revealing their inventory, the host started to provide further instructions. As he talked, the women would demonstrate his instructions.

  “If you’d like to take a closer look, please look to your left and right at our display cases. In between auctions, you’re more than welcome to browse our inventory and make your selection from this product offering. If you’d like to buy, you simply input your ID, located on your program and at the top right corner of your table. When you input your number, the price displayed will be charged to your card or bank account. The glass case will open and you will be able to take possession of your purchase.”

  “Anything that you see can be tried out first. However, if you’d like to try it out, there will be a seventy-five thousand dollar fee. After you try it out, it’s hard to sell used, I’m sure you understand.”

  “Now the bidding will begin at seventy-five thousand.”

  I sat there is disbelief. These bastards have put together an elaborate system to sell women. I’ve never seen such attention to detail and meticulous planning. terrorist groups are probably calling them to get some pointers on their organizational skills and how to break the law without getting caught. As I sat there completely flabbergasted by what I was witnessing, it dawned on me, this is exactly why and how they’ve been able to successfully by pass the radar of every human rights, law enforcement, intelligence organization in the world. The suspicions of one man will be the sole reason why they will be brought down and ultimately face justice. Wow. No one is going to believe this. I’m sitting here in the midst of it and I’m questioning my own lucidity.

  Before the night was over, per my projection, they had collected almost fifty million dollars on just the auction. Looking around this room, everyone paid a million dollars to attend. It must be forty people in attendance. I started to do the math. If he had locations like this throughout the nation, he probably collects close to two hundred million dollars in one night. I understand now how he got the palatial estate. The expensive art and gold trimmed faucets in his bathroom. And, see everyone was thinking he sold his soul to obtain his wealth. When truth is, it is someone else’s soul he’s selling.

  Making my rounds through the room, I was able to learn there was another meeting being held in Dubai this very night and this meeting had cream of the crop product. From the information I gathered, it wasn’t as aged. I didn’t know what that meant and from the Ms. America type smiles on their faces I was afraid to ask. I sat through probab
ly fifty auctions or more that night. By the time it was all over the sun was rising high up into the sky when we boarded the yacht to return us to our perspective hotels. Anyone who made a purchase would take delivery of their product in one week. The product had to be packaged just right to prevent any interference from the authorities.

  I hate to say it, this operation is beyond the comprehension of any law enforcement agency in existence and despite the embarrassment, it should be studied throughout this world’s history.

  MY MIND WILL NEVER BE CLEAN

  BACK AT THE Hotel

  Dub

  Back in my hotel room, the first thing I did was take a long hot shower. I called down to the front desk to bring me some more soap, my bathroom didn’t have enough to cleanse my body of the filth and disgust that covered it.

  As I was sitting there, I had to keep from screaming. I could not believe the product they were going on about were actually women, human beings sold to the highest bidder. While I was attending my meeting, the room was all a buzz with anticipation of the next one. That one was going to auction off a tenderer product. God, I can’t even allow my mind to think about what’s going to happen with those women one week from now. Hell, what happened to them up to this point is probably unfathomable. We have to put a stop to this. The question is how? I know the big guy is tired of hearing our problems, but we need Him. There’s no way we can put an end to the turmoil and screams of those women and women to come without His help. I know He’s watching. I just hope He’s listening.

  “Dub, what happened?”

  “We thought something happened to you.”

  “What was the meeting about?”

  “Couldn’t you see it?”

  “No, once you went into that place it was a wrap.”

  “Darn it! You’re going to have to sit down for this. Are you ready? The products they were referring to, you’ll never guess in a million years what they meant.”

  “Did you buy something?

  “Hell no!”

  “What’s the deal, spill it already?”