Page 50 of Fear and Desire

Laura:

Master 2 appeared at the cell door after all the women had finished getting ready and were sitting silently with their arms around each other. He motioned to Laura and Claire, who separated themselves from the group and walked over to the door.

“Follow me,” he said without explanation. He led them outside and across the dirt corral to the barn. It had been transformed. Set up in the large center space were dozens of plush red chairs that faced a stage at the back. Each of the former horse stalls that ran along the side were carpeted and held more plush chairs and tables with beverages. Dangling from the ceiling in the back of each stall was a set of manacles. Laura’s stomach twisted strangely as she stared at the metal, designed for securing a newly purchased slave. It should bother her more than it did.

Josh led them past all the stalls, around the back of the stage, and to a small room in the back. It was empty save for two bottles of water on the floor and a pile of fabric. There was one window high up and barred, and another door on the opposite wall. He shut the door they’d come through and turned to them.

“We can talk quietly,” he said. “This room doesn’t have any surveillance equipment in it. Claire, DeLeo pulled you out of the auction. He says he’s sold you to a friend of his. He wants you to wait with Laura until the auction is over and then he plans to take both of you with him. That’s not going to happen, okay?”

Claire’s face paled, but she nodded.

“I’m sorry we had to remove you both so early from the group, but I can only imagine how unbelievably hard it is for you to not say anything to them, and we can’t let that happen, so we’re keeping you away from temptation. The raid is supposed to happen before the auction even starts. When it happens,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “there will be a lot of commotion and shouting. I hope to God there’s no gunfire. This door will be locked. Just wait, and an agent or one of us will come get you. You’ll be safe here until then.” He took Claire’s hand and they shared a long look. Then he pointed to the fabric on the floor. “I thought you might appreciate something to wear.” He pivoted and left. A key turned in the lock.

Claire picked up the fabric and discovered two sets of scrubs. With squeals of delight, they both donned the shapeless top and bottoms.

“This feels really, really strange,” she observed.

Laura nodded. They made themselves comfortable on the bare floor and reached for the bottles of water. Laura’s stomach was in a tight knot, and she was sure Claire felt the same.

28

Dan:

“Situationreport!”Pearson’svoicecrackled loudly in Dan’s ear, causing him to mutter a curse under his breath. One guest he was making polite conversation with gave him a strange look. He made his excuses and walked outside.

“DeLeo isn’t here yet.” All the other expected guests were in place and eager to begin the auction, which was now fifteen minutes late. “We have to delay.”

“Negative. We can’t risk it. Start the auction.”

Dan stifled the urge to scream. “Sir,” he whispered urgently, “that will traumatize the women even further, and it also mixes them in among the bad guys. It’s too risky!”

“If we delay any more, it’ll make them twitch. We have to catch them when they’re relaxed. If it takes getting their hands on some pussy to do that, then that’s what we have to do.”

Dan took a deep breath before he spoke. “You are a god-damned bastard and my resignation from the Agency will be on your desk tomorrow morning.” He cut the connection. It took a moment before he could turn around and walk back inside.

He found Josh leaning against the stage, observing the activity.

“Go get them,” he said.Goddammit!They were going to have to do the worst thing they’d done to these women since they’d arrived. Josh raised an eyebrow, but nodded and disappeared.

Josh:

The women were sitting together on their beds, arms around each other, talking quietly. Anxiety was deadening the effect of the sedative, and without Laura and Claire they had a sense of foreboding that none of them could shake. Master 5 was standing across from them.

When Master 2 appeared at the door, a wave of fear pierced their calm.

“Up, ladies. Let’s get this done.”

They stood slowly. Soft crying was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. He called out their names and they lined up obediently. Master 2 locked a chain to the right wrist cuff of the first woman, and then passed it through the rings on the wrist of each woman behind her until the last, where he locked the end. He took the arm of the woman at the front, as gently as he could, and tugged. Her feet were rooted to the floor and she wouldn’t move.

The fear among them was rapidly becoming so thick it was choking the very oxygen out of the air. Josh’s resolve to keep silent was wavering.

“Harry!” he called. “Go on ahead and let Master 1 know we’re coming!”

Master 5 looked skeptically at him. “You gonna handle twelve women all by yourself?”

Josh pulled back his suit jacket to reveal a gun tucked into his waistband. The women gasped and pulled back. Harry just laughed.

“Okay, boss. See you in a minute.” He ambled down the hall and out the door.

---