by C. R. Daems
"As you were," Lulltrel said as she took her seat at the head of the table. "Anna, I can now appreciate your concerns about a staff member who resides days away and never shows up for your staff meetings." She wasn't smiling. "Well, I'm listening."
"It's as complicated as I had anticipated. The profile was too specific for it to be simple sex trafficking. I believe the organization has been five or six years in the making." I went on to give a general overview of how it appeared to work—kidnapping, transportation, options, new identification, contract. "There are a lot of holes and assumptions, but I think that is the basic operation."
"You think the women are afraid to say anything because they voluntarily signed the contract?" Hadley asked, sounding skeptical.
"No, I think the contract is more for the criminal's benefit to obscure the more serious crimes, but the women are smart enough to know their kidnappers would be free while the case was investigated and they would be made to look like criminals and their names smeared. I'll bet they've been told the consequences of trying to escape or causing trouble, and that threat is worse than their slavery." I was sure of it, and Becker—alias Cobb—had implied as much.
"So how are you going to nail them, Admiral Paulus?"
* * *
"You look depressed, Daughter," Alexa said after a loving welcome home, a change into comfortable lounging clothes, and a very satisfying meal. I stretched out my leg to touch her foot and sighed. "Even Red looks down." Alexa pointed to him. Currently his head was hanging limply over my shoulder.
"This is the first time I've had a case where it may be impossible to catch the criminals without crucifying the victims," I said. "Think of it this way. Normally the criminal is standing behind his captive. If you are a good shot, you may have an opportunity to kill or wound him and free the captive. In this case, the criminal is standing in front of the captive. You can easily kill the criminal, but since you don't know exactly where the captive is standing, your bullet will penetrate the criminal and could kill or cripple the captive depending on where she is standing."
"Red and you have an interesting problem, Daughter."
* * *
"I got the results from Sudan today, which is the last of the NIA stations," Damon said, looking excited.
"And what does the data tell you?" I asked, interested in her assessment.
"Sixty-one of the ninety kidnapped women have had legal name changes: nine at Oxax, fourteen at Fire Rock, twenty at Oasis, and eighteen at Truth Star. None of the women who went missing this year—and we are short eight from the subsequent years."
"And that tells you what?" I asked.
Damon fidgeted for several minutes before answering. "There is a delay between snatching the women and getting a name change. Probably due to transportation and indoctrination."
"And?"
Damon smiled. "We could recover the women there." Her voice rose in excitement. "And get a lead on the rest of the organization."
"Have you checked the dates of the name changes?"
"No." She pursed her lips in thought. "If we can see whether it's one person delivering each woman or several at one time, that will determine how many women we can free."
"I'm interested, Damon. What would you do if it were your decision?" I asked, not sure how I would answer the question if…when Lulltrel asked me.
"Stake out the four systems and free as many as we can. Then determine where the escort came from and investigate that system," Damon said, staring far off in thought. When she finished, her head snapped back to look at me. I noticed Banner and Stamm also watching me.
"That might work, but worst case, we may only save one woman. And if the gang realizes we are onto their name change gambit and know the sites they use, they may change tactics and locations. They may even stop using contracts and resort to drugs," I said, playing devil's advocate while also voicing my concerns. "It's not a criticism, Damon. That approach may work, but it's not without risk. Although satisfying—and finding and freeing women is important—the goal is to destroy their operation. To do that, we must identify everyone involved and make sure they are brought to justice. Catching one or two, even if they are the leaders, won't preclude others from continuing operations. Cutting off the head of the snake sounds good, but I'm afraid most criminal organizations can easily grow a new head, sometimes one smarter than the old one."
I had gotten everything I asked for and even what I had hoped for. The gang was using only a small number of systems; but what was I going to do with the information? My head felt like all ninety women and their friends and relatives were beating on the inside of it, shouting for action and screaming their unique solutions—not to mention Lulltrel, Webb, and Guzman.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Star System: Eastar – One in the Hand or Two in the Bush
"Mother, how would you like to spend a day with your daughter?" I asked, knowing it wasn't fair giving her no warning so she could make arrangements at work. Actually, I hadn't told anyone I wasn't coming in to work today.
Alexa gave me a long, knowing look. "All right. If you are going to play hooky and want company, I'm up for it. Shopping, show, and dinner out?" she asked. I nodded and gave her a tight hug. That's real love, I mused. She's always available for me, unconditionally. She never requires a reason or requires me to wait.
"I love you, Mother," I said, feeling my pounding headache dissolve.
"Well, love of my life, let's get breakfast and decide how we are going to spend our well-deserved mother-daughter day."
The conversation at breakfast was restricted to what we may want to do or see or buy. I didn't really care, nor did Alexa. I just wanted to be with my mother, friend, and confidant. We had just finished when there was a knock at the door.
"Mother-daughter and security day." I laughed and went to answer the door. "Hi, Paul." I laughed when he realized I wasn't dressed for work. In fact, I was still in pajamas and a robe. "Mother and I are playing hooky. Want to come along?"
He smiled. "Are we going anyplace interesting?"
"With me along, you can never tell."
* * *
"Did that help, Daughter?" Alexa asked as we entered the house after a glorious day of truancy.
"Yes, Mother. Being with you was wonderful and it dissolved all my worries and doubts. The decision was obvious once I was at peace and my mind clear." I gave her a hug. "Thank you, Mother, for everything."
* * *
"Banner, send the following message under my signature to the NIA station chiefs on Oxax, Fire Rock, Oasis and Truth Star. Copy Vice Admiral Lulltrel," I said the next morning when Stamm and Banner entered for my morning briefing.
Commanders O'Brien, Taber, Sauer, and Sydel, you will immediately begin monitoring all court-approved name changes on your station for women with the names in the Magic Act database. If any are found, the woman or women and the man or men accompanying them will be followed and their destination and the ship's names they arrived on sent to Commander Damon for inclusion into the database. Neither the women nor anyone accompanying them are to be detained—that is an order under my P1A authority.
"Ma'am, excuse me for saying, but that is going to be very controversial, isn't it?" Banner asked frowning deep in thought.
"Ma'am, maybe you should discuss it with Admiral Lulltrel before you send it. Banner's right in that it will be controversial," Stamm said, a look of concern on his face and in his voice. "Sorry, ma'am. I'm sure that's why you stayed home yesterday and you've thought it out."
"Thank you both for your concern. It was not a decision I made lightly." I laughed. "I think it may be one of those infrequent rare decisions admirals are paid the big credits to make."
* * *
David and Carl were right. The message had barely been sent before the door burst open and Lulltrel marched in, slamming the door behind her. "Since I have to tell Admiral Webb your decision and I expect he will react like a ruptured fusion bottle, I'd like to understand your re
asoning, and more importantly, why you didn't talk to me first." Lulltrel's face was hard to read. She appeared more upset than angry—maybe a mixture of both.
"Ma'am, the decision won't be popular, and since I felt it was my decision as the project leader of the Magic Act, I should take the heat. This way it will give you and Admiral Webb the opportunity to revoke my order and reprimand me accordingly."
"Anna, I know you well enough to know you don't make decisions on a whim and you don't consider people pawns to be sacrificed like too many officers. I would just like to understand your logic," Lulltrel said.
"Ma'am, I would like to request that you wait until we can have a meeting with Admiral Webb. That way it's clear you didn't know what I intended. Oh, can you include Dr. Renata in the meeting?" I asked with my fingers crossed and a silent prayer to whoever may be listening.
"All right, Anna. We'll do it your way. Don't plan on going anywhere for the next ten minutes. I imagine Webb will cancel any meeting he had scheduled when he gets your message." She gave a snort. "I know I can't wait to hear your reasoning."
"Ma'am, I now understand what you meant when you said any competent lieutenant commander could do ninety-five percent of our job. We were being paid for the other five percent. I take back my statement that we were being overpaid."
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Star System: Undisclosed – Job Training
Susan was led to a large, well-furnished bedroom with two queen-sized beds, two night tables and lamps, two dressers, a walk-in closet, and a large bathroom with a toilet and bidet, glassed-in shower, a tub, and a wash counter with two sinks with matching medicine cabinets. The bathroom was well stocked with soaps, towels, makeup, perfumes, and other female essentials. Susan had no sooner competed her survey of the room when another woman entered. She was a slender blond, about Susan's average height, and had a shapely figure. She was a match for Susan except for the color of her hair and her heart-shaped face, which was in contrast to Susan's more angular shape. They stood appraising each other for several minutes.
"Hi, I'm Susan…from Eastar," Susan eventually said, wondering if the other woman was also from Eastar.
"Hi, I'm Debbie from Stone Ring," the other woman said cautiously. "Were you kidnapped?"
"Yes. Almost a week ago, I think. Maybe longer, depending on what system we're being held on. They had me locked in a room with no windows for what I think was several days."
Their stories were similar: they were attending college on their respective planets, remembered only waking up in a room with no windows, and were given three options by a scary woman. An evil-looking man was also in the room.
"I assume you also selected the let-nature-take-its-course option," Debbie said after an hour getting acquainted and learning facts about each other.
"Not much of a choice. Option two would be a living hell, and option three is always available. In a strange way, that woman was right. Sometimes fate deals us an unexpected problem: a crippling accident, a deadly virus, an incurable disease, the death of a child or loved one. In those cases, we have the three choices the woman in black gave us—survive, drugs, or suicide. I'm a survivor," Susan said, and the other woman nodded agreement.
"As you said, Susan, suicide is always an option."
* * *
Later that day, they were introduced to the rooms available to them: a dining room that served meals three times a day, a living room with windows that looked out onto a lake, an entertainment room, and their bedroom. For now, they were restricted to those rooms and outdoors up to fifty meters from the house. They each had an ankle bracelet to ensure compliance and a warning that they were on probation and that failure to obey the rules would invoke option two.
* * *
On the morning of the fifth day in their new quarters, the little evil man entered their bedroom, his face sporting a smile while his eye gleamed like a shark spying a school of his favorite fish.
"Your training begins today. You may call me Dick." He snorted. "I'll be your instructor. The better you learn, the better your career, and the more you will have to retire on when your contract ends. Or the faster you can buy out your contract. A reasonable escort can earn well over a million credits in her career. An excellent one could easily double that amount. How good you become is up to you, but you don't pass until I believe you enjoy having sex with me." He laughed at the stunned look on the women's faces. "Important men with money will be paying for your services, and we don't like giving refunds. It's doesn't matter whether you enjoy the sex or not. What matters is that the client believes you do. Think of it this way: the faster you can convince me, the fewer sessions with me, and the sooner your life will improve. You will be treated well and paid when you leave here and sign your contract." He scanned both women. "Susan, come with me." He left the room and a minute later Susan followed, not knowing what to expect but knowing it wouldn't be a simple wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Star System: Eastar – The Fourth Option
When I entered Webb's office I stopped, saluted, and then assumed a parade rest position when he didn't say anything or wave for me to sit. He just glared at me. I had to stifle a grin as I sensed—knew—Red was glaring back at Webb, but not only would that have been inappropriate, it would have brought thunder and lightning crashing down on me . I saw out of my peripheral vision that Lulltrel and Dr. Renata where already seated near the wall at a small table with four padded armchairs.
"Sit, Anna. I can understand sacrificing one woman if it leads to discovering the gang's headquarters, or helps in identifying the leaders, or… But refusing to save any of the missing women when we can is unconscionable. Those women are being used as sex slaves and we have an obligation to save them as fast as possible. What will I tell General Guzman when he learns of your decision?"
"Sir, that is why I made the decision unilaterally without consulting you or Admiral Lulltrel. You have the option of overruling me, giving me a medical retirement, or letting me take responsibility for the decision. In the latter option, you can tell General Guzman the same thing you can tell the parents and relatives of the other eighty-nine missing women—that the Magic Act project manager made the decision and you can't change it without removing her for cause. You can just replace me as the project manager or use the medical option. I'm sure Dr. Renata would be willing to certify me mentally unstable. I won't contest it," I said, continuing to remain at parade rest.
"Are you giving me ultimatums?" Webb growled.
"No, sir. I just didn't see any other options. I'll abide whatever you decide."
"You could reverse your decision! That's an option!" This time he did shout. Fortunately, Red didn't rise up or hiss, just continued to stare back.
"No, sir. I couldn't. I would rather be removed," I said, feeling that would make it impossible to catch the kidnappers. As Webb drew in a breath to shout again, Renata stood, interrupting him.
"Anna, I won't certify you mentally incompetent or unfit, because you're not. Admiral Webb, I'm sure could find a hundred qualified psychologists who would cite the various traumas you've encountered over the years. But they would be wrong." She stepped between Webb and me. "Anna, what made you decide what you did? Tell me. I'm interested."
"I know from personal experience—"
"I knew it," Webb shouted. Renata turned and held up a hand to silence him. It was like she had thrown cold water on him. He shook his head and then walked over to the table and sat. Renata turned back to me and nodded for me to continue.
"I know from personal experience what those women are going through and can feel their pain. Talking with Sophia Becker, I know that the women were threatened with worse consequences if they incriminated their captors—"
"What could be worse than being used—" Webb began but Renata silenced him with a finger to her lips.
"It's my turn, Admiral. Please continue, Anna."
"Consequently, they won't cooperate. If they did, the
y would live in fear that their captors will make good on their promises, and that would include those who didn't leave of their own accord." I decided not to mention the humiliation they would endure when the newsies publicized each woman's situation and thrust them into the bright light of the public. "I asked myself, in their position, what would I want the authorities to do? I came to the conclusion I'd want them to let me remain a captive until they could destroy the organization and the threat of retaliation. The damage has already been done; a few more weeks or even months wouldn't matter." When I finished, Renata put her arms around me, ignoring Red, who ignored her, and no one spoke or moved for what seemed minutes. Then Webb cleared his throat and waved for me to sit.
"You left out the fourth option," Webb said with a wry smile. "I can endorse your decision…and do."
CHAPTER THIRTY- THREE
Star System: Undisclosed – Concerns
"Room secure," Jules said as the individuals began entering the operations room.
"How did the police interview with Dora Cobb in Sudan go?" Silas asked as the available members of the core group assembled and the door was closed and locked.
"I talked to Dora and the lawyers. Dora refused to say anything on advice of council except she was innocent and was in the building only to visit a friend. She was released, as the police had nothing except that she was in the building. She happened to be fully dressed when the police raided the house. I talked to Dora. She said the police had placed her in a holding cell with a naval officer. Dora claims she told her nothing except what she had been briefed to say—she worked for an escort service, had a contract she signed voluntarily, and that she didn't need or want the woman's help," Stefan said. "I believed her. She has never caused us any trouble."
