Page 18 of Hostile Extraction

Dusty strode toward the SUV, and the driver moved to open the rear door for him. “Good evening, sir.”

“Good evening.” Dusty slid across the leather seat and the door closed behind him. A few minutes later, they headed into the hills toward the estate. Dusty took in the armed guards who waited at the gates. They waved them through, and the car continued up a hill, coming to a stop before a dimly lit structure. A man came forward and opened the door for him.

“Mr. Rideout?”

“Yes.”

“We’ve been expecting you. All the players have now arrived. If you’ll follow me, please.” The man led him inside a huge foyer, where he was scanned for electronics by another man with a hand-held wand. Chris was right; he’d never have made it through trying to sneak a device inside.

“Your phone and any electronics, sir.” The man indicated a plastic bin. “They’ll be kept safe until after the event.”

Dusty slipped his phone from his inside jacket pocket and dropped it into the container.

The gentleman who met him at the car motioned him forward.

“This way, Mr. Rideout.”

Dusty followed him down a hall to an elevator. When the doors slid closed behind them, he was surprised to feel the elevator descending. They were going underground. That could make things exponentially worse.

When the doors opened again, he followed his host down a dimly lit room hall. It was curved, with doors on the left side. He counted six that he could see, each painted a different color. He tried to see any other exits, but none were visible. His host stopped at a purple door and unlocked it with a keycard.

“You’ll be in here. A waitress will be around to serve you shortly.” The man stepped back, and Dusty walked inside. The door behind him closed, and Dusty took in his surroundings. He was in a small room, not much larger than a walk-in closet. A leather chair faced a glass window that took up most of the wall opposite the door. There was a small table with a phone. A gold embossed card lay beside it.

To place a bid, lift the receiver

He sat in the chair. The window faced an empty round stage with a spotlight. Dusty saw a dozen other windows, all tinted to where he couldn’t see much but shadowy movement beyond the dark glass. He thought he caught the brief movement of a long white robe and guessed it must be the Saudi Sheik. The glow of a cigar briefly lit another window.

A woman came in the door behind him and set a brochure on the table next to the phone. “Tonight’s selections,” she said. “May I get you a drink, Mr. Rideout? We’re showcasing an excellent twelve-year-old scotch tonight.”

She was scantily dressed in black satin shorts and a bikini top made of rhinestones.

“That will be fine. Thank you.”

“Would you like a cigar as well?”

“No, thank you.”

“As you wish. I’ll be back in a moment.”

After she exited, Dusty picked up the pamphlet. It was similar to the kind one might get at a theater production. He flipped through the pages. A photo of a pretty blonde girl was on the first page along with a brief bio, giving her measurements, age, height, and weight. There were several more pages of photos of her in various outfits consisting of bathing suits and sheer lingerie. The next section showcased a redhead. The next, an Asian girl with long dark hair to her waist. Dusty flipped to the last section. There was Asia, standing almost self-consciously in a bikini, and another of her in a sheer white gown over the same red bikini. His stomach twisted as he scanned the almost impersonal details about her, as if she were livestock for sale.

The waitress returned with his drink on a silver tray. She set the crystal glass on a coaster.

“When will they begin?” Dusty asked.

“Any moment, sir.”

She withdrew again.

A few minutes later, a middle-aged woman with a short silver bob came on stage with a microphone.

“Good evening, gentlemen, and welcome. Before we begin, I’ll go over the rules. All bids are final. If an offering catches your interest, lift the receiver and make your bid. The current highest bid will display on the digital sign up on the wall.” She gestured behind her. “Once your bid is called as the final bid and the buzzer rings, the funds will instantly be transferred from the account you provided. There are no refunds. You will be escorted to the rear loading dock where your purchase will be waiting in a car. Your driver and an escort will return you both to your plane or yacht, whatever be the case. You will immediately depart the island. And now, let us begin.”

Dusty watched as the blonde from the first page was brought out by a strong man who could have worked as a bouncer in any club in Vegas. He held the girl by her upper arms, pushing her in front of him. She stumbled along in a pair of high heels and a sheer wrap. Her eyes were glazed, and she appeared drugged.

The older woman lifted her microphone, her short silver hair shining in the spotlight. “Jeanette comes to us from Lincoln, Nebraska. A real beauty with a lush, curvy body. Don’t you agree?”

The man behind the girl pulled the wrap down her shoulders until she stood naked. She fought to cover herself with her hands, but he pinned them at her back.

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