“Melissa,” she said through choking sobs.
“Melissa, my name is Riley. And I'm scared too. But listen, you're just calling attention to all of us – not just yourself. And you don't want the attention of these creeps. Believe me. Did you see them take Nicole away? That could be us if you're not careful. Think about your family and stay strong.”
“I have no family,” she cried out. “No one is going to miss me.”
A chill went down my spine. Her story sounded all too familiar to me. “No family? Why's that, Melissa?”
“I ran away from home when I was fifteen. My mom died, my dad was an abusive drunk. I've been on my own ever since.”
I also didn't have a family and I began to wonder – was that the common link here? Were we all women with no one who would be looking for us if we disappeared? No one who'd miss us? As soon as I calmed Melissa down, I went around the cell.
“Anya. Family lives in Russia, we hardly speak since I moved to the US.”
“Tasha. Raised by a single mom who died last year. No siblings.”
“Chloe. Family disowned me when I came out as a lesbian. Been on my own ever since.”
And it went on and on. Women from all over the world – some didn't speak English so I couldn't get their story, but there was enough of us that did. And as I rolled it all around in my mind, the pieces started to fall into place and the entire picture started to come together in my mind.
The one thing that tied us together and made them choose us?
We were all women who wouldn't be missed.
Chapter Four
Tarkonil
As I flew back to Optorio, I racked my brain for any and all of my contacts – people who could help me. One man came to mind, a diplomat and old family friend. It had been several years since we'd last spoken, but we'd parted on good terms. He'd been friends with my father and I thought if anyone could help us – or would be willing to help us – it might very well be him.
Upon landing, I secured my ship and decided that there was no time like the present. Though I was tired and wanted to rest after such a long trip, it was the first place I went. When I arrived after a short walk, I knocked upon the door, prepared to greet my friend. But instead, someone else came to the door – his son, Jendrish.
“Yes?” he asked, his expression was one of confusion and I felt like I was back at Baz's place all over again.
“Greetings,” I said. “My name is Tarkonil. I'm a friend of your father's. Is he home?”
Jendrish and I looked like we were around the same age, though if I remembered correctly, he was actually slightly younger. He was also a former member of the Royal Guard and an avid supporter of Baz's before he'd abdicated the throne. With the Royal Guard having been disbanded in the wake of no longer having a royal family, I had no idea what he was up to. But it couldn't hurt to ask, if the conversation ever came up.
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Jendrish said. “Did you not hear the news? Dad's currently ill. And to be honest, the doctors don't expect him to make it very much longer at all,” he said. “But I remember you, Regent Tarkonil. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“I'm very sorry to hear that, Jendrish,” I said with all sincerity.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
After a long, awkward moment between us, Jendrish invited me inside. Only, I wasn't sure how to approach the subject with him. I didn't really know him. I knew where he stood regarding Baz – he'd been on the “right” side of things. And knowing his father, I also knew there was no way they'd be involved with such things.
The house was just as I remembered it to be – beautiful, tastefully decorated, but there was obvious money in the family. Though their home was not ostentatious, nor did they seek to rub your nose in the fact that they were well off. Jendrish lived a lavish life thanks to his father's career, and later his own. And in many ways, he reminded me of his father. Albeit, a much younger version.
Jendrish was tall, with a strong build. His bluish black hair tumbled down to his shoulders. Whenever I saw him, his hair was usually pulled back. But he was at home today and appeared to be relaxed. I suppressed a smile. In all the time I'd seen him over the years, I realized that this was the first time I had actually seen him at home, relaxed and casual.
“Would you care for something to drink, sir?” he asked me as he sat me down in a formal sitting room with carved furniture built into the house itself. All of it was very white, pristine and perfect.
“No, but thank you,” I said, sitting across from him in a chair large enough for two more of me to share. “I appreciate your willingness to speak with me. I honestly don't know where to start – ”
“How about the beginning?” Jendrish asked with a laugh. “I'm taking over much of dad's work these days and I'm pretty up to speed on most things. But, if for some reason, I don't have the answer for you, I can get it.”
“What I'm about to talk to you about isn't something you can mention to anyone within the government – or to anybody else for that matter. Is that perfectly clear? It's for your ears only,” I said, trying to read his face to decide if I could trust him or not. “I trust your father, and I know you're a good man, so I'm going to trust you too, Jendrish, but I swear to you, if this gets out, my life – and the lives of others – will be forfeit.”
He raised an eyebrow, his interest obviously piqued. “Go on, Regent Tarkonil. You have my word that this stays between us.”
I decided to test the waters a little first, asking if he'd heard rumors about strange shipments coming in from offworld. He said he had not. I'd watched his expressions closely, looking for any sign of deception or anything that was a red flag that he couldn't be trusted. I saw nothing.
Like his father, I believed I could trust Jendrish.
I took a deep breath and laid out the entire story for him. When he asked what was in these shipments, I told him straight forward that I suspected they were humans from Earth and some of the planets surrounding Optorio.
“What would they want them for?” he asked.
“Well, I suspect they're selling them into sex slavery from the looks of it.”
Jendrish looked absolutely disgusted by this, and in that moment, I knew I could trust him implicitly. “What do you want me to do about it, Regent Tarkonil?”
“I want your help in shutting it down,” I said. “I'm going to be honest with you and tell you that I have no one else to turn to since you're father isn't well, and I'm running out of time, I can feel it.”
“You have my support,” Jendrish said. “My father would find this despicable, and I have to agree. If you have proof that this is going on, I'll do whatever I can to shut everything down.”
“Oh trust me, I have proof. I have enough proof that it very well could get me killed, I'm afraid,” I said. “Which is exactly why I need you – just in case something were to happen to me.”
Chapter Five
Tarkonil
After leaving Jendrish's home, I felt a little better. A little more at ease. Having an ally made all the difference – especially if something were to happen to me. As I walked home, I noticed there was a man not too far behind me. Call me paranoid, but I felt like he was following me – just a little too closely. I kept an eye on him, and when he turned and went into a nearby shop, I breathed a sigh of relief.
I was almost home, and kept watching for him, but thankfully he never reappeared. Taking one last look up and down the street, I unlocked my front door, rushed inside, closing and locking it behind me, feeling safe once more.
A light flickered in my security system, alerting me that it was about to go off. But that flicker had been caused by me coming in. I just needed to verify it was me by placing my palm on the system – a small electronic chirp sounded and then it went dark, accepting my identification.
My entire place was dark now, in fact. I punched a code into the keypad on the wall, and then tried adjust the
settings for the lights, trying to get some illumination in my place. But it was all to no avail. Something was wrong with my settings – I had a feeling Soran had messed with something. But after all my traveling, I just wanted to go to bed and sleep the next three days away.
I walked through my house, heading toward my bedroom, stripping down as I went. I grabbed my night clothes, figuring I was going to take a quick shower before falling into my bed. And that was when I noticed that not only were the lights in my place not working, neither were any of my other electrical components. I picked up my communicator and tried to make a call, but had no luck. I tried to send a message but got the same result.
As tired as I was, this was an issue that needed to be investigated. Now. Something was amiss. I walked from my bedroom and down the stairs into the small control room. I opened up the box and saw that everything had been shut off. It wasn't an error – someone had manually turned everything off. And I knew it wasn't me.
I felt the presence of another person before I could turn around and see him. Their breathing was light, as were their footsteps. But they were quick on their feet. As I turned, ready to fight, I realized that it was going to have to be hand-to-hand. All my weapons were upstairs, removed from me when I got dressed for bed.
And this man – someone wearing a black mask to obscure their identity – had a knife. It was a unique piece long, serrated blade that glowed blue. I was familiar with that kind of weapon and knew that it would slice through the skin, burning the flesh as it went – and I was determined to avoid it.
As I dodged the first attempt to stab me, I ended up near the stairs. Climbing them without looking, I tried to rush up from the bottom floor and up to the first floor, figuring if I could get outside, all would be well.
But as quickly as I moved, the man was behind me. And then he was on me, pulling at my legs. I kicked at him, but missed. And it got me off balance enough that the man in the mask gave my leg a good yank and dragged me back down the stairs
As I fell, I hit my face on a stair on the way down and immediately began to see stars. I was lightheaded and felt my world fading to black – but I wasn't completely out. I fought to stay awake and coherent, knowing that passing out would be a death sentence. I was still wide awake. Not out enough to miss it as the man raised the knife to my neck, pushing the blue fire into my flesh until I screamed in pain.
But as he pressed down harder, the pain went away. And then the darkness consumed me.
Chapter Six
Jendrish
The call was sent out to everyone who worked for the Regents, so the message wasn't just intended for me. Tarkonil was dead. Only moments after leaving my house – not even a full hour afterward – and he was gone. Wiped from the face of this planet by who knows, and I was the last person who'd spoken to him.
The cause of death wasn't disclosed, but I had a few ideas.
I'd walked the streets, I saw the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. Being part of the elite meant I was safe in my ivory tower, protected from the crimes of the common people. But it didn't mean I wasn't a witness to the horrors of my world.
And with this new information, I knew there was no way I could stay sheltered forever. Nor was there any way for me to stay silent forever.
As Tarkonil showed me the images he'd taken – of women tied up and naked, bruised and bloody and thrown into cages – I was literally sick to my stomach. There were no words to describe the horror captured there.
And I'd meant it when I told him that if there was anything I could do, I'd be willing to do it. Because this was my world, a world I signed up to protect and serve until everything went to hell.
I wanted to play a part in bringing it back to glory. I wanted a role in creating a world I was proud to call home. Because after everything I saw, there was really nothing left to feel good about. I was sitting comfortably in my home, away from all of this madness, while the poor huddled in the streets, worried about where their next meal was coming from.
And these women were suffering horrible degradations and being sold like property to the highest bidder.
I had feared for Tarkonil – as I did for myself. He knew too much and there was no way the Regents wouldn't be on to him. I knew them well. I could tell that Tarkonil was a good, but was he good enough to play this game of intrigue and not capture the attention of the enemy? A high-tech enemy who was literally watching everything we did? I doubted it and had told him as much.
And unfortunately, I'd been proven right.
Which meant I was also in danger – but that didn't concern me all that much. I'd signed up for the Royal Guard knowing I could die for my planet and my king, and that had been fine with me. Because as long as I was making a difference and doing what was right, it was worth it to me.
And the same went for this. If I was killed trying to save these women, so be it.
But this wasn't the Optorio I was born into, and this wouldn't be the Optorio I'd die in either. I was going to see to it.
“Thank you, Tarkonil, I'll see what I can do,” were the last words I'd said to him. I'd watched as he walked away, afraid for him. And I'd had every right to be. He had been on borrowed time, and that's why he was desperate for help.
And there was no way I could let him – or those women – down. Not now. Not after everything he'd gone through.
Chapter Seven
Jendrish
Tarkonil had told me where to go and what to say. I could pass as one of them, especially since I had the money to flaunt. I also had the power. I could slip right in amongst the others, people who I'd worked beside day in and day out, oblivious to their secret life. But no more.
In the center of the room was a large stage. Men of all ages stood around it, shouting and calling out their demands, “Any with red hair?” and “You need to bring out women with some boobs!”
It was like they were placing an order at a restaurant, just listing off the things they wanted in their product. It was disgusting, but I had to play along. I couldn't give myself away.
I stood near the back, and once they brought in the first woman – a scared, curvy woman with big breasts and a small waist, something we didn't see on our planet – the crowd went wild. But I wasn't there to bid on her.
“Her name is Jasmine,” the announcer said. “Not that it matters, of course. You can call her whatever you like once she's yours.”
The room broke out in laughter as the bidding got underway.
I was more interested in where they were coming from, because that's likely where the women were being kept. Once I saw the doorway from which they came, I made my way to the back of the room, pushing and shoving past men of all kinds. I slipped down the hallway, hopeful that perhaps I could pass as someone working there.
Tarkonil had told me how to dress, how to act and even a name to give if it came to that. The doors flew open and another woman was being dragged out. This one was tiny, absolutely skinny and looked to be starved to death. Her eyes were sunken in and she looked at me with such pain in her eyes that it broke my heart.
“Should offer a discount for this one,” I overheard somebody say. “Damaged goods and all.”
“She refused to eat, what could we do?”
“They don't like 'em skinny, I'm afraid. Not this skinny, anyway. Looks sickly”
“If she doesn't sell, just dispose of her,” somebody else said. “What a waste. But hey, we can't keep 'em – ”
Their voices trailed off and I fought the urge to go back, to fight and save the girl. But I took a moment to get control of myself. I had to master my emotions if I wanted to survive this whole ordeal. As I stood there breathing, I heard the announcer talking over the loudspeakers once more.
“And here we have Tasha, but as you can see, she's damaged – which means one of you lucky gentlemen will be getting a discount for her! Let's start the bidding – ”
I blocked the rest of it ou
t as my anger surged through me. Part of me hoped the woman sold, so she wouldn't be disposed of. But what would the men do to her after they paid for her? Maybe death was a better alternative to that.
I came to the end of the hallway just as someone else opened the large metal doors. Adrenaline coursing through me, I flashed my fake badge at him and he held the door open for me. Breathing a small sigh of relief, I walked inside and down another long hallway. Another door, another guard.
“I came to get the next girl,” I said, flashing my badge.
The guard opened the door with a yawn. “Do you know which one? I can tell you where to find her,” he said.
“Uhhh,” I stammered.
“Never mind then, just grab one and go. I don't care.”
I rushed down the hallway, and on both sides of me were women in cages. Just like in the photos Tarkonil had showed me. They looked sick and scared, some of them even appeared dead. The ones who were awake stared at me with fear in their eyes and terror upon their faces.
“Please, God. No, Please,” a woman muttered to herself, her eyes closed, as she rocked back and forth on her feet.
I stopped at a random cell and stared inside. All of the women inside appeared to be sleeping except for one. A woman with dark hair, nearly black and larger than life doe eyes. She stared back at me with a look of pure hatred as she held one of the other girls close. Another woman had her head in her lap and she stroked her hair.
I stared for too long, mainly because I couldn't believe my eyes. There were cells of women, all scared and crying. Yet, there she sat not only tear-free, but glaring at me. And she was comforting others while she was at it, almost protecting them. She looked at me as if she dared me to step inside the cell and take one of the women away.
I looked both ways, to make sure I was alone in the hallway before I whispered to her. “I'm going to get you out of here, all of you,” I said. I fumbled with an old tool of my trade as the Royal Guard – an electrical device that would open any lock. We needed to use it in the Guard fairly often when rescuing our people from other planets. But I never imagined I'd be rescuing slaves from my own people.
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