Page 48 of Soros
Running steps on the stairs made me exclaim a scream of fear and frustration. I needed to get out or I would die in that basement like the man Ko’roz had just beaten to death.
Giving it everything I had, I pushed at the panel and forced myself out through the tiny opening. “Run,” I told Star as a hand grabbed for us through the slit.
Star shrieked and pulled me out of reach of the fingers but with the dim light I stumbled over a side table and tripped Star up.
“You girls would never try to run away from me, would you?” Ko’roz’s voice sounded light and joyful and suddenly it felt so silly that we had been spooked like that.
“Didn’t we agree that you aremygirls?”
Getting up from the floor, Star and I exchanged a glance. She seemed as uncertain and confused as me.
“What’s going on?” The deep voice made me turn to see one of the men whom we had passed earlier. He was standing in the exit from the VIP area, holding the curtain aside. Behind him, I could see through the night club to the door that would lead outside. There was a pull in me to run to that door.
“Stanley, open the panel. It’s stuck,” the minion said.
Moving closer, Stanley let the curtain fall and I blinked my eyes, trying to remember what I had felt so stressed about before.
“Just take a seat and wait for me to join you,” Ko’roz told us. Star and I complied without hesitation.
Sitting on the couch we watched Stanley try and fix the sliding door. After a few moments, he managed to get it to open. “We’ll need someone to look at that.” Stanley frowned but then his boxer nose scrunched up when he took in the bloodstains on the minion and Ko’roz.
“What the hell, Carlos? We heard the screams and figured you and the boss were teaching the new one a lesson in respect.” His glance went to Ko’roz. “But he looks unharmed.” Turning his head to the staircase, he asked. “Is the boss alright?”
Ko’roz didn’t answer, but instead gave Carlos an order. “Take the phone and get rid of it.”
“Of course.” Running down the stairs, Carlos returned a minute later with the phone. “Stanley can have one of the boys drive it across town and dump it somewhere.”
“Of course,” Stanley nodded and took the phone before he disappeared.
“Excellent. And you,” pointing to Carlos again, Ko’roz continued. “Take the women downstairs and get them installed. You’ll need to dispose of the body downstairs, and I’ll need payment for the girls.”
Carlos nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Walking to stand in front of us, Ko’roz bent down. “Now, you’ll go with our new friend here and you will behave yourself. He’ll show you to your room and teach you how everything works here.”
My inner self was in conflict because I didn’t like any of these men and I knew Carlos wasn’t our friend. But my need to please Ko’roz was stronger than my free will. Getting up, I took Star’s hand and walked with her down the staircase again. Ko’roz walked behind us and when we got to the gruesome view of the boss trampled to death, Carlos stopped and stared.
“He was disrespectful,” Ko’roz said as if that was a valid reason to beat a man to death. “You would never be disrespectful, Carlos, would you?”
Carlos looked pale but answered quickly. “Never.”
“Good.” Opening the door that the boss had exited, Ko’roz stood for a moment looking at the young woman strung up on the cross. Her mascara was smeared, and she could barely lift her head to look at us. Star whimpered and we exchanged a worried glance when Ko’roz turned and told us. “Now that you’ve seen what happens to disrespectful and disobedient people, I trust you’ll do well here.”
Star nodded with gusto while still clinging to me. Her nails bore into my skin, and I could tell that she was terrified. I was too, but at the same time, I wanted to impress Ko’roz and make him proud.
Closing the door, Ko’roz continued down a small hallway with other doors. Opening one of them, he revealed a room with eight beds. In one of them two women sat curled up together. They looked terrified but the moment they saw Ko’roz, they begged.
“Please, can we go home?”
He scoffed. “But girls, I told you already. This is your new home.” Pushing Star and me inside, he said in a joyful tone, “And now you have new friends.”
CHAPTER 18
Breakthrough
Soros
I felt disgustingly powerless as I sat in a vehicle moving through traffic at a snail’s pace. Nerix was moving around as if his seat was on fire and Lios was quiet and tense.
