Page 49 of Fear and Desire

Marco:

Marco watched the video feed on the camera as Josh wiped the tears from Claire’s eyes. “Well, goddamn.” This was the last thing he'd expected to witness when he’d broken into Dan’s office. He’d been unbelievably lucky that the simple wad of gum he’d stuck in the door jamb after the latest chewing-out Dan had given him had actually worked and blocked the door from locking. He’d sneaked in to look for any evidence he could bring to his uncle that would finally get Dan tossed out on his ass. He hadn’t expected the gift he was witnessing on the cameras right now. They were talking too quietly for him to hear their conversation, but he didn’t miss when Josh leaned forward and give the bitch a hug, then stood up and headed for the door.

Marco cursed again as he realized Josh would probably come down the hall outside Dan’s door. He pulled the door open, dug the wad of gum out of the recessed hole as he went out into the hall, and shut the door. As Josh turned the corner and came upon him, Marco pounded on the same door he’d just come out of.

“I know you’re in there!” he shouted.

“You’re an idiot,” Josh stated. “He left an hour ago. He told you and everyone else he’d be back this afternoon.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot.” Marco dropped his head and shuffled off. Behind him, he heard Josh test the door, but the knob didn’t budge.

——-

Marco eased the door to his room shut and picked up his phone. He dialed a number and his uncle picked up. It only took a moment to fill the old man in.

“Really?” DeLeo said. “Now that’s unfortunate. Dan doesn’t appear to have as tight a hold on his men as I thought he did. This could cause some complications during the auction. Let me think about this. I’ll be in touch.”

Marco hung up the phone, already planning his first moves after he took over.

27

Laura:

Thenightbeforetheauction, the women slept well, and no nightmares had pierced the silence. The crushing despair felt just a little less. No one questioned why, but Laura, who had only pretended to drink her glass of water at dinner and then again at breakfast, relaxed just a little for the first time in days.

After the usual morning enemas, they were instructed to shower and shave thoroughly. To their surprise, Master 2 dumped a box of hair accessories and makeup onto one of the beds. Though they went about the drying and styling silently, there were small smiles in the mirror at their changed appearances.

Laura fretted that she couldn’t confide in Claire about the sedative, but Dan forbade it. Claire must have suspected, though, because when Laura left most of her water glass full yet again at breakfast, Claire did as well. Neither said anything to the other when they both turned on the tap in the bathroom and drank from their hands afterwards.

The two friends moved among the others, offering support and encouragement when worry broke through the light haze that the women drifted in. The knowledge that they would be free by nightfall chewed at Laura’s stomach, and a little piece of her soul cracked off as she let them think they were about to be sold into lifelong bondage, even if they appeared untroubled by it at the moment.

Dan:

Dan was swamped with auction details. He and Josh were using their phones with earpieces to talk back and forth about details while they were separated. The earpieces were tweaked so that law enforcement could listen in on every conversation, and Dan and Josh could hear them talking back.

It was just after breakfast when Dan’s cell phone rang. It was DeLeo.

“Good morning, sir!” he said with feigned brightness.

“Dan! I’ve just landed and wanted to check up on everything.”

“Everything is going fine, sir. All the pieces are in place. Security is so tight not even God himself could get in.”

“Well, God wouldn’t know what to do with a slave girl, anyway. Say, Dan, there’s one slight change to the plans I’m going to make.”

Dan’s stomach dropped. DeLeo’s ‘small changes’ were usually anything but. “Yes?”

“I have had averylucrative offer from an old and dear friend for that girl who plays the piano—Claire? It’s enough that I’m pulling her out of the auction. Have her wait with Laura, and I’ll pick them both up as soon as the auction is over.”

Dan’s mind raced through all the reasons DeLeo might want Claire out of the auction, and came up with nothing, which didn’t reassure him.

“Dan? Anything wrong?”

“No, sir,” he responded. “Just making sure there isn’t anything we have to rearrange if Claire is out. We’re good. I’ll have her waiting with Laura.”

“Very good. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

Dan hung up with a sense of foreboding.

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