by John Charles
The undertone in his voice was clear, but Aaron didn't need nor did he want a sex toy at that point, he wanted to find Ethan. Aaron put his hand under the boy's chin, lifted it so he could look into his eyes and said, "I appreciate your offer and I might take you up at some point, but right now my client wants me to find him a slave. You can help me do that, Okay?"
The boy smiled, nodded, and stood taller. "I will help in any way I can," he said.
Aaron left the boy and went back into the café. Grabbing his cold coffee and duffle bag, he said, "We have an appointment with a slave handler at 8 tonight." He walked to the door with Natalie and Declan hurrying to gather their things.
On their way to the office, Declan's mobile rang. After a short conversation, he said, "Looks like they might have an ID on our guy from the video. They are emailing the details to you and Hank right now."
The conference room was standing room only. As Aaron looked around, he saw several people from the clubs and realized how many men were helping him. Sitting next to Hank were Robert and Gabi, both looking more distressed than at prior meetings. Natalie, Declan, Akerheart and Robins stood against the far wall.
When Hank signaled, Aaron brought the picture of the man from the video to the wall monitor. "Do you know this man?" asked Hank as he looked from Robert to Gabi. Both said they did not, so Hank looked to a man sitting opposite them.
"Mr. Tameron, we have reason to believe this man is the son of your former translator Eliana Dehadi." He stopped talking and looked at Robert for reaction. He continued, "He is not in any of the criminal databases, nor in the known gang files. We were able to identify him from his passport picture. His name is Simon Dehadi. Last known address was the same small oil village you worked in over twenty years ago."
"What do you know about him?" asked Robert.
"We know quite a bit now that we have his ID. He lived a very secluded life with his mother after she gave birth. Since you claim she was not your mistress, having a child out of wedlock in that country is punishable by stoning."
Robert and Gabi sat in silence. "Simon and Eliana lived with her sister. We were able to dig up records that show Eliana died around the time Simon was twelve. We lose track of him after that, until he came to our country on a student visa two years ago."
"Robert, I have to ask this again. Are you sure Simon is not your son?"
Robert looked at Gabi, Hank, Aaron, then at the man sitting opposite him. "I am sure. Eliana and I never had sex. Our relationship was strictly business at first, then we became good friends, but no, we never had sex."
"So why does Simon want revenge, Robert?" asked Aaron in a tone that showed his annoyance. "There has to be more to this then you are saying."
While Hank was angry at Aaron's tone of voice, he turned to Robert and said, "All of us are trying to find Ethan. You have to help us if you want him back."
"The only thing I know is that Eliana got pregnant. I've already told you everything I know. What more can I tell you when I don't know anything else?" said Robert in the shaky voice of someone near exhaustion. "I don't know why he wants our Ethan."
After Robert and Gabi left the meeting, Aaron filled everyone in on his conversation with the boy at the coffee shop. "I'll be meeting his master tonight at eight, near the club. He told me he is willing to help. What should I tell him if he suspects there is more to this than my client wanting a slave?"
The man sitting opposite Hank looked at the others in the room, and then said, "You stick to your story. Tell him that your client has means, insists on his anonymity and you can't say more than that. If you need to, offer him a finder's fee for his help."
"I don't want to go clubbing again considering he said everyone knows I'm not really in this community. How do I get this slave handler to meet me outside the clubs?"
Natalie moved toward the table and said, "Aaron, you fit the scene more than you realize. This man is just trying to intimidate you. If he says go to the club, you go. We'll be there to support you." Everyone in the room agreed.
Akerheart turned to Aaron and said, "You need to wrap your arms around this Aaron. You said yourself, that this community is filled with dominating bastards who think they are better than most. From what we've seen so far, you certainly can play that game. I'll be near you the entire time. Meet this guy tonight and find our Ethan."
Chapter 15
Natalie let Aaron off two blocks from where he was supposed to meet Tom, the boy's master. Declan stayed in the van. Akerheart and Robins had already scoped out locations to watch the meeting.
Aaron, dressed in hip casual clothes, approached the corner where they agreed to meet. Just before he reached it, he spotted Tom stepping out of a pub.
Seeing Aaron approach, Tom nodded to him and waited. "My boy said you were not going to the club tonight."
"No, I need a break. Clubbing every night is not my usual thing."
"What is your usual thing? Listen, I said it before and I'm saying it again now. You're new here and you have a lot to learn about our community. We are a close-knit family who looks out for each other. When a newbie walks in and starts asking questions, everyone gets alarmed. So what gives?"
Aaron and Akerheart had rehearsed for this exact situation. He knew how to play his role and was going to do it well. "I haven't had time to eat today. Want to join me for a bite?" said Aaron as he looked toward the pub. "Food any good in there?"
"Yeah, it is. I grab something here most nights. I can steer you away from the leftovers," said Tom as he guided Aaron into the pub.
They sat at a quiet corner table, ordered beers and looked over the menu. Aaron wanted to try something different, but was not sure if it was the right thing to do so he asked Tom for advice. "I've wanted to try the Bangers and Mash. Is it good here?"
Tom put his menu down, looked at Aaron for a minute and said, "Not bad for a local pub. Just how long have you been here that this is the first time trying our most common dish?"
Aaron put his menu on the corner of the table, sat back in his chair, and looking at Tom said, "I've been here for about ten months. Came over between my bachelors and masters programs. I wanted to see what living in the UK was like. So far I like it."
Tom was about to ask another question when the server came to the table. He knew her from all the previous times he ate there. "My friend wants to try Bangers and Mash. Is it fresh or left over from yesterday?"
Knowing how to treat him, she leaned over the table and said, "Tom, we gave you the last of the leftovers at lunch. So your friend gets the fresh made batch." She gave Aaron a killer smile, ignoring Tom. "You look like you could eat a full order. I'll plate it myself." Turning back to Tom, she asked, "You eating, or just drinking tonight?"
"I'm eating, so make it two," he said handing back the menu. "I don't know why I even look at this," he said. "I know the menu by heart."
As the server walked away, Tom said, "Okay let's stop playing this game. What's going on?"
The door opened letting two men enter the pub. As they walked to the bar, one looked at Aaron and smiled. Tom's back was to him, so the signal was not noticed.
"I came over for an off year and found that I really liked living here. I needed money, so I started looking for a job. One night at a club, I came across a guy who said he knew someone. And that's how I got involved with my client. He is paying me to connect with the dom / sub community and help him find a willing, legal slave."
Tom drank some beer as he listened to Aaron. "You are doing his bidding? How do you know he's even legit?"
"Well I guess I don't, but he said he only wants a legal slave. Doesn't want to go to jail for anything stupid. The one thing he did stress was that he wanted someone under twenty." Aaron drank his beer. Knowing this was a critical moment; he kept silent, and waited for Tom to speak.
"Well I think you might be in over your head, but it's not my ass, so I guess I can help you out."
Food now in front of them, the conversation dwindle
d as they ate. Tom asked if Aaron liked the meal, to which Aaron said he did. After two more rounds of beer, Aaron sat back in his seat. "Damn, I can't finish this. Next time I'll take the half order. Do they offer takeaway bags here?"
Tom signaled the server, "My friend is a wimp. He wants to take that home," he said pointing to the half-eaten meal in front of Aaron. The server took the plates away saying she would put Aaron's food in a take away container.
"My boy and I are going to the club tonight. I'll let on that I want info about this so called slave auction that braggart was talking about. If anyone has something, he will let me know. You said you were not going to the club, and I agree you should stay away for a while."
"Why are you doing this for me? You don't even know me," asked Aaron as he finished his third beer.
"For two reasons actually. I like you and you were good to my boy this morning. In fact, I could help you get into the community, if you want. You have a mobile?"
They exchanged numbers, as Tom finished his beer. When the check came, Aaron insisted on paying. They shook hands as they left the pub. Aaron had his takeout and an ally. Things were looking up for the first time in weeks.
Chapter 16
"Damn, I thought all this night stuff was tough, but the waiting is worse," said Aaron, as he entered the Andrews facility with Natalie.
"When I was a field supervisor, we literally had hundreds of days where we just waited for something to happen. It's part of the job description," she said as they parted. "I'll be in my office if you need to talk."
Aaron made his way to the I.T. lab via the lunchroom. He spied the boxes of pastries, and though they looked appetizing, he took his coffee and left. I need to get back into my routine after this is over. On his desk were several folders. Each contained information about a new client. As much as Aaron wanted to spend his time trying to find Ethan, Hank convinced him to let Declan and the MI5 team, run with it for a while. So he opened the first folder, read the set up requirements and proceeded to get everything ready for the installation team.
The MI5 team kept Tom in close surveillance. His daily life was less than interesting, but his nightlife was something else. Aaron was amazed that a man in his mid forties could run a business during the day and play till all hours of the morning almost every night of the week.
They had agreed that Aaron would stay away from the clubs until Tom had a lead. He would text Aaron with the location and expect him to show up as soon as possible. Aaron put a group into his phone that included Declan, Akerheart, Natalie, Hank, and Robins. That way he could send out one text and everyone on the list would receive it.
By the end of the third day after Aaron met Tom in the pub, things looked bleak. The braggart was not spotted, no additional emails were received, and neither MI5 nor Aaron had gotten any further in their efforts to isolate the sender's location. The quiet was deafening.
On the fourth day, Aaron found himself in the gym working harder than he ever did in his life. He was so involved in his workout; he didn't see Akerheart and Robins as they entered the gym. Both men saw the determination in Aaron's posture and knew what he was doing.
Akerheart signaled Robins to be quiet and led him into the locker room. "Looks like our boy is trying to rid himself of his demons. We can either let him continue or intervene. I say we let him continue."
Robins agreed saying, "Okay for today, but if he continues to beat himself up, we have to intervene. He is not the problem, nor has he been defeated. I can afford to skip a workout, so let's sneak out and let him beat the weights alone."
Robins had an assignment so he left the building to meet his client. Akerheart walked into Hank's office with two cups of coffee.
The rest of the day passed in relative calm. A few client issues gave Aaron something to work on, but the absence of news about Ethan continued to gnaw at his gut. He left Andrews at six thirty, went to a local pub and had dinner by himself.
At just after midnight, Aaron's phone sounded that he had received a text message. When he noticed the sender, his heart began to race. The text read My Master said to get down here right now - The Underground Club.
Aaron knew where the club was located and knew that he would have to take a cab to get there quickly. He forwarded the text to his group, brushed his teeth and dressed in tight fitting jeans and equally tight shirt. He didn't need to wear leathers tonight. In less than five minutes he was hailing a cab from the cross street near his bedsit.
Declan arrived at The Underground to find Aaron waiting for him. As they had planned, he also wore jeans and a tight shirt to show off his spectacular body. "You ready?" asked Declan as he approached.
"Yeah, I am. Just not sure how this will turn out, so back me up," replied Aaron as he led Declan down the stairs and into the club. The Underground Club had different events each night of the week to satisfy the clientele. As Aaron and Declan entered, they saw men in various levels of dress. That night's theme was called Pants, during which men would stay dressed only in their underwear.
"I'm not getting into the scene tonight. We're here to meet Tom and his contact," The Underground Club had several rooms around a main floor. Each room had a theme to coincide with the night's event. They spotted Tom near the far corner of the main room. Aaron bought Declan and himself drinks and made his way across the crowded floor. As he approached, he noticed Tom's boy kneeling at his feet, head down, but very attentive.
Aaron smiled at Tom and held his hand out for a shake. Tom had other ideas. He grabbed Aaron in a bear hug, slapped him on the back, and in an outward show of friendship said, "Wow, it's good to see you Aaron. You've stayed away too long."
As Declan took up his position on the floor next to Tom's boy, Tom reached down, picked up Declan's chin, and said, "Be a good boy. Tonight is for your master."
Aaron was introduced to the man who stood near them. "This is my friend Aaron. He and his boy are new to this area so I've taken them under my wing, so to say. Aaron, meet Grant."
Introductions over, the three masters began a lively conversation about clubs, the dom / sub scene and how Aaron was learning his way around town. At one point Grant looked down at the two subs, kneeling on the floor, and said, "Your boy is cute. If he were mine, I'd never let him wear clothes, even out in public."
Aaron laughed at Grant's comment and replied, "Yeah, I agree. He is cute and I normally don't allow him to wear anything, but tonight he is being rewarded for a spectacular day of fun." His answer brought laughter from Grant and Tom.
The conversation was tactfully steered by Tom, to the slave auction that Grant had bragged about the prior week. Grant started telling Aaron about the boy he was going to win at auction. As he spoke, Aaron's stomach knotted and convulsed. He felt sick, but kept himself in control.
"I might be interested in that auction," said Aaron as Grant continued to brag.
Caught off guard, Grant asked, "Why? You already have a cute boy."
"Not for me. I have a friend who asked me to keep an eye open for a boy. In fact, he even used the word slave when we recently spoke. How old is this boy again?"
Grant didn't want the competition from another bidder so he tried to dissuade Aaron's questioning, "I don't remember, but I'm sure your friend wouldn't be interested."
Tom quickly picked up the chat and steered Grant onto another topic. An hour and several rounds later, Grant said he had to get going. "I hope to receive an email about the auction within the next couple of days. It should include details about the good faith deposit and the date of the event."
"Good faith deposit?" questioned Aaron. "I'd want to see the goods before I put any money on the line."
"Yeah, well that's just it. These guys are saying the deposit is the entry ticket to the show."
Tom was more than curious now. He had seen his share of auctions but none was like this one. "What show? Now you have me interested!"
Grant explained, "A deposit is necessary for any bidders to see the pre-auction pres
entation of the slaves. Details regarding a numbered account will be included in the email. They said if I want to see the goods, I need to make a deposit to that account within forty eight hours after receiving it."
"Wow, this is big stuff, said Aaron. I know my friend would be interested. Can you share the information with me?"
Grant looked from Aaron to Tom and back as if he were contemplating a major decision. "Listen, I want this slave for myself and I'm not going to share the information with other bidders."
"Yeah, I got that already," said Aaron. "Do you really think you will be the highest bidder? I bet there will be rich guys from all over the world bidding on this slave."
Grant, looking pissed that someone would challenge him said, "Well that may be so, but I'm not going to increase those odds by giving anyone else the opportunity to outbid me."
"What if I told you I could make it worth your while? My friend is offering a finder's fee to anyone who helps him find a slave."
Tom looked at Aaron with a questioning look on his face then turned to Grant and said, "If I were in your shoes, I'd take the kid up on his offer. You agreed that there might be people who could outbid you, so why not walk away with some extra cash if you don't get the slave?"
Grant didn't seem interested in talking anymore. He turned and walked away without comment.
"Well I guess he didn't like your offer," said Tom as he and Aaron watched Grant leave the club. "Were you serious? Is there a finder's fee or were you playing him?"
Aaron knew that Robert offered a ransom for Ethan, but was not sure how much money that entailed. A very subtle touch to his leg alerted him that Declan wanted his attention. As he looked down, he saw his boy nodding his head, then saw him mouth the words One Hundred Thousand Pounds.
He looked back at Tom, whose attention was now drawn to the commotion on the dance floor. "Yeah Tom, my client is a wealthy man and has given me some liberties. He really wants a boy and is willing to spend the money to get one."