Yasser looks at me, then looks back at the ground. After taking a deep breath to fortify himself he simple says, “100,000 Euros so I can get my sister back?”
Stunned, I could only stare at my childhood friend. Finally I was able to formulate a sentence. “Ok, tell me everything; from the beginning.”
Yasser started ringing his hands. “My sister, Nadeen, and Jamil were married two years ago. Within the first six months he became abusive, both mentally and physically. No matter what, my father, the old camel’s arse, refused to take her away from him, because it would reflect negatively on the family.” Yasser all but growled out the imitation of the man he plainly despised. Yasser had never seen eye to eye with his father, but now all of Yasser’s contempt of the man is boiling at the surface. “Two days ago I received word that my sister had tried to escape. This enraged her husband, and as retribution, he sold her to an Armenian group that is known for sex trafficking. I went to the man in charge of this group, and he said that I could buy back my sister for 100,000 Euros. I had two days while she was kept safe, but after two days she would be sold into a life of depravity. I have to help her, but I don’t have access to that kind of money without my father’s approval, which he will never give. And even if I did it wouldn’t be in Euros. Your brothers said that you could access the necessary funds from the company’s account. Please Prenses, please help me.” By the time he had said this, Yasser’s head was bowed and I could tell how much it cost him to ask for help. The fact that he would do so for his sister proved my childhood friend had grown into a strong and good man. The type of man I had always thought he would become.
Unfortunately, I know that if he shows up with the money, he will just be killed and his sister sold, if she hasn’t been sold already. No, getting Nadeen back wouldn’t be as easy as showing up and handing over the specified amount of money. Honestly I didn’t know if I would be able to get Nadeen back or not, but I knew I had to try. Yasser had always been good to me. Even though his father had not liked Daddy Samee having me spend time with his sons, Yasser had never been cruel or spiteful when I was around, and had in fact stood up to his father regarding me on more than one occasion. “Yasser, if I thought that they would actually uphold their end of the bargain, I would give you the money in a minute, I just don’t think that they will. Tell me where you were supposed to meet and I will go get her. I will do everything in my power to find her. Just be prepared. They may have already sold her, so it may take longer to track her down.”
Yasser had been quiet up until that point. Now he was so agitated he practically hummed with it. “No, Prenses. I cannot let you do that. You do not know these men. They are worse than animals. Your brothers would have me drawn and quartered if I let you go. I will go and get my sister.”
“Yasser, I will go. I don’t mean to be harsh, but I have a better idea of what these men, if you can call them that, are like than you. Murad and Rashid knew this when they sent you to me; they just love me too much to openly put me in danger. Give me the address and set up a meeting with them there in two hours, but meet me there thirty minutes before.”
As I waited for Yasser to put the address information in my phone, I went through what I needed to do. If Nadeen is there I will get her and any other girls out.
I quickly hail a cab and make my way to the house that Seamus, Cian, and I are staying. Since the Cale, Ken, Sunny, Crow and Chip can at times seem to be competing for the title of Man Whore of the Year, I thought it was best for me and the boys be close but not too close. Tonight it also allows me the freedom to do what needs to be done and not have to play fifty questions.
As I jump in the shower to quickly wash off the makeup and smoke, I start making plans and lists of things that I need. The best way to get in undetected is to create a diversion. Yasser will go to the door and ask to speak with the head of the operation. I will tell him to let them know that he isn’t going to do business unless it is with the man in charge; this will cause the strongest of the men to have to act as bodyguards, which should leave the other doors and entrances lightly guarded.
They told him before to not involve the authorities, so my guess is they have some girls at the house waiting to be sold. That means that the strongest of the men not acting as bodyguards will be guarding their payday. Now this is where it could get a little tricky. I will need to get at least two smoke bombs from the warehouse to mess with the guards vision and perception and a mask so the smoke won’t mess with mine.
Planning a mission took my complete attention and focus. That was one of the reasons I took so many dangerous missions after the fallout between Wyatt and I. I had to give my total concentration to the mission, which meant I could not dwell on how hollow and empty Wyatt had made me feel. Finding out I meant nothing to him had destroyed me, and planning missions became my escape.
Once again, Wyatt is the reason that I have to run away from my emotions. I can’t believe that he would approach me with the intent of us reconnecting when he was here in Morocco with someone else! Damn it! If I am going to survive tonight, I have to put him out of my mind.
I lose myself in the motions of getting my Glock 17 and my 11 inch Outback Bowie knife out of the lock box under my bed. I repeat and repeat what is going to happen as I reload my Glock and strap my knife in a leather sheath around my leg. Repetition will become my savior in more than one way tonight; it will save my life and save me from my memories.
I use my Harley to get to the warehouse. It’s quick and it’s agile, and those are two qualities I think I might need tonight. After getting the necessary equipment that I need from the vault, I make my way to the address that Yasser had given me. As directed, Yasser is waiting half a block away in a dark ally.
Walking over to Yasser, I begin without preamble. “Look Yasser, I want you to give me five minutes; then I want you to go to the door and demand to see whoever is in charge. Don’t talk to anyone but him. They will try to deny you, but after they see you won’t budge or be intimidated, they will try to use decoys. I would figure that they would try at least two or three times before the real deal comes out. The only way you can tell who the real one is if you stay alert and pay attention. Watch and see when you see one of the goons discretely leave, the next one in will be him.
To say Yasser was confused showed on his face. The shock that showed on his face would have been highly comical in any other circumstance. “How do you know that Prenses? What is it you have been doing since your engagement that would teach you how to read a situation such as this?” Yasser obvious concern over his sister’s dilemma seems to be temporarily diverted. Too bad it was now all aimed in my direction; oh joy.
“Yasser, when I left Oxford, I went back to the States and worked in the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA. The people who peddle drugs are just as bad as the people who peddle flesh, often times they are peddling both. So I have seen humanity at its worst my friend. Unfortunately, I know how animals like this think. Well, in this case I guess it is fortunately, because it gives us a better chance to get Nadeen back.”
Yasser looked at me with surprising understanding. Clasping my shoulder he said gently, “My friend, I hate that you have had to be close enough to the dregs of society that you understand how they think. Even if it is helping my sister, I wish you could remain innocent to this side of life.” Obviously Yasser had never been told the story of how my mother and I came to live in Yemen when I was seventeen. Thank goodness.
After finalizing our plans, I made my way to the back of the house and slowly climb up to the second story where a window has been left open. When I get to the window I look in and see that it is evidently a holding room where they keep the girls. As I scan the faces that I can see, they all seem completely spaced out. I can tell that they have all been roofied, probably GHB, so that they are more malleable and easier to control. As I climb inside I am completely repulsed by what I see, hear, and smell. I see women in various states of undress, huddled
together for either warmth or protection. I can hear the muffled cries of a young girl, who can be no more than twelve or thirteen years of age, and I can smell the bodily waste in the chamber pots that have not been removed. As I slowly look around, I know that each of these women will be spending their last night here. This hell would end tonight.
“Nadeen? Nadeen, are you in here?” As I scan the faces in the room, looking for some sign or spark of life, I instantly become disheartened. I am too late, Yasser’s sister has already been sold.
“Are you looking for the woman Nadeen that was sold to these dogs by her husband?” The voice is coming from the far corner of the room and as I scan over the huddled masses of bodies over there, I can’t make out who is speaking.
“Yes, yes I am. Do you know where she is? Has she already been sold?”
“No, she is to be sold later today. Right now the dogs have taken her to serve them. Right now she will probably only be serving them drinks, but in a few hours?” The figure slowly shrugs her shoulders. As I can make out more and more of her face, I can see she is beautiful, or would be if there was any life in her eyes. Long blond hair drapes her shoulders, and dark green eyes stare unseeingly at me.
“What is your name? Will you help me?”
“Look, you are no match for these dogs. Just pray that your friend is sold to one of the more diabolical customers who will kill her the first night.”
“No! That is not how this is going to go down. I am going to get Nadeen and each of you out of this hell on Earth.”
“Why? Nadeen has no family. Her husband sold her to these dogs because she dared to run away from his abuse. Many of the girls you see here come from similar circumstances. They enraged their fathers, their husbands, or some other man who controlled their lives. Or they simply needed money. Where would they go? From one whorehouse to another?”
My heart bled for this girl and what she had suffered, but we had no time for that now. “No you will go and live with my family. My father and my brothers will protect you and you will never be forced to do anything you do not want to do ever again.”
I cynical smile twisted the girls lips. “You really think your family will protect whores like us? Please, no man would want us around his family.”
Time is running out and I know it. I have to get her to believe me. “Only a man who makes a girl his daughter because he likes her spirit, and brothers who stand by her even when her world is ripped apart by an ex-boyfriend who tries to sale her to pay off his debt to his drug dealer after taking what he wants from her would see the truth of girls and women who have lived through hell and have become stronger for it.”
The shock in the girl’s eyes causes a small smile to touch my lips. “What? You thought that you girls were the only ones that have been dealt a shitty hand? You haven’t had a choice in what has happened to you up until now. I am giving you a choice now. You can stay here and wallow in the hell and misery, or take a chance and help me offer each of you a chance at the lives that everyone deserves.” I saw her jaw go slack, and then I saw her eyes fill with emotion for the first time. Taking a deep breath, she held out her hand, “What do you want me to do?”
Quickly I clasped her hand. “Ok, I need you to get everyone into that far corner, after we move the chamber pots in front of the door. Then I need each of you to start moaning like you are in pain when I give the signal. Once the man that comes to check on you is neutralized, I will go and take care of anyone else on this floor. Grab the man’s weapons and go get the girls and go to the warehouse at this address. The men there will help you all get to my father’s tribe in Yemen once Nadeen and her brother catch up with you.”
“Her brother, he let her husband do this to her! Surely you aren’t asking me to trust him!”
“No he didn’t, her father did. Yasser is a good man and a loving brother. He came to Morocco to ask for my help.” I could tell the girl immediately understood. For a man to ask a woman for help was huge in this part of the world and Yasser loved his sister enough to do it.
“Ok. You obviously have faith in this man. I will try to do the same.”
“That is all I can ask. Well that, and your name?”
The smile that overtook her face made her exquisite. “Raylan. My name is Raylan.”
Holding out my right hand, I replied. “Nice to meet you Raylan, my name is Kye.”
Raylan looked at my hand for a long moment. Suddenly she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. Needing her to focus I hugged her back then said, “Ok, I have always wanted a sister, and while I think that you are going to be a better sister than anyone could imagine, we have to get out of here first. You ready?”
At Raylan’s nod, we proceeded to moving the chamber pots and getting all the women and girls into the corner. As I was listening to what was going on outside the door, Raylan threw a question at me that I hadn’t been expecting. “Are you going to get the boys too?” Immediately my mind flew to the images of my three boys. My red headed Seamus that looked just like Toby, and my dark haired Cian who at four years of age already had mastered the pout and soulful eyes that made women putty in his hands, and Tiarnan. At twenty years old, Tiarnan shared his dark good looks with his half-brother Cian, but exuded the danger and sex appeal most mean dreamed of having.
Thinking of my boys, and what I would do to anyone that hurt made me even more determined. “Everyone will be leaving here today.”
After making sure that all the girls were in the corner, I hovered at the door listening for anything. Suddenly I could hear a commotion from the first floor, then I heard one man leave while telling the other to stay put and watch both rooms. It sounded like their merchandise was only kept in two rooms, one male and one female. Made sense, I would make sure there were no other rooms but it looked like I only had to worry about two.
After hearing the steps of the man going downstairs reach the bottom floor, I nodded at Raylan. She and the girls started moaning, and wailing. The man outside told them to shut up, but they persisted. When he threatened to come in with the whip, it was hard for me to remain objective. That fucker would get what was coming to him; of that I would make sure. I nodded and Raylan to keep it up, then I went to pick up the rankest chamber pot in the room. When the man outside came in, you could tell that the smell from the buckets was closer to him than what he was used to. Once he was all the way in the door, I dropped the bucket on his head and had him on his knees after one swift kick aimed at the backs of his knees. I quickly hit him on the head with the butt of my Glock.
“Take those sheets and tie him up. I will get the boys and bring them over here to wait with you until I send Yasser up here to help you all leave. You will know it is him because he is dressed in Bedouin attire. Is there only one other room holding the boys, or are there more rooms and more people that need to be gotten out of here?” Raylan shook her head no, so I quickly left.
There were about eight boys, ranging from five to twelve years of age, all appeared malnourished and terrified. I quickly rushed through the languages that I thought that they might know. I was lucky that they all seemed to understand Arabic so when I told them I was getting them out of here they seemed to be hesitantly hopeful. Once I got the boys in the room with Raylan and the other girls, I quickly and quietly made my way down the stairs. I could tell that the men were getting tired of dealing with Yasser. One even muttered in Albanian that he couldn’t wait to gut “this uppity bastard” like a fish. I decided it was time to make my presence known.
I pulled my Bowie from my leg and released the safety on my Glock. Speaking in Albanian I calmly stated, “The only gutting that will be done here will be by me. Too bad that I will be gutting men like you with no balls.” The man roared in outrage and immediately went for his gun, but I managed to shoot his kneecap before he was able to reach it. I gave quick and precise directions to Yasser. “Go upstairs, second door on the right and get everyone in there out the back door. Meet me at the ware
house. I will have Nadeen. Go!” Nodding, Yasser quickly went raced up the stairs.
I soon had my hands full with the dogs as Raylan called them. Their fighting styles could be summed up in one word; dirty. They would do anything to gain the upper hand. I was given no choice but to kill two of them, and I soon incapacitated the other three as well. I pulled my backpack off and got out the mask and the bombs. After I had put on the mask I released one bomb. I made my way to the through the bottom floor of the house. Soon I found came to a room with the door slightly ajar.
As I cautiously walked in, I was immediately able to see a young woman, who I assumed was Nadeen, with a knife held to her neck by a big, dirty man with oily hair and empty black eyes.
“So, her brother had to get the help of a woman to get his sister, did he? Weak, so weak. He doesn’t deserve to live. No bother, I will kill him after I kill you and his slut of a sister.” He threw Nadeen to the ground and came at me. I quickly shot him in the gut and went to go check on Nadeen. In my haste to get to Nadeen and get her out of there I didn’t check him for any other weapons. As I felt the knife lodge itself in my right shoulder, I didn’t really register the pain. I turned around and shot him between the eyes. Then I got to Nadeen who was huddled, sobbing in the floor. After I calmed her down, she and I made our way to the door.
Once outside, we made our way to my Harley. Nadeen gasped as she saw the knife. When I told her to pull it straight out of my shoulder, she looked horrified. Up until that moment she had not said a word to me, but now her eyes filled with tears as she said, “But the pain, how will you be able to stand the pain?”
I let out a low chuckle. “Oh Nadeen, I am no stranger to pain. In fact, we have a long standing relationship.” After assuring her I would be alright, she did as I asked. She held a rag to my shoulder until we got to the warehouse. Only after seeing her brother hug her, and making sure that the others were alive did I quietly fall to the ground in a dead faint.
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