“Because it is the right thing to do,” Eli said flatly. “And because you will get your freedom. You tell us everything you know, good or bad, your fault, Eddie's fault, whatever it is, and you get your new life. I know you suffered and did not choose the life you had, but this is your chance to walk away clean, and start fresh. You can be anyone you want to be.” His voice held promise, and he spread his hands as if to offer her the world. “It's like going to church to visit the priest. All you have to do is confess everything, and all will be forgiven.”
Tori eyed him warily, not really believing him, but not really having a choice, either. Accustomed to doing what she had to do, and not seeing another way out, she agreed, “But I want it in writing,” she stipulated.
“You can have it in writing,” he promised.
Having abruptly come to an agreement, Eli realized they had to work quickly, and pulled out his phone to make a call. It was almost ten, but with the two days deadline, they had no time to waste. Reaching Debra Paisley, he filled her in with a hurried manner, and then asked if she could meet with him at the office in the morning. He knew he might catch some flack over his actions in the end, but he wanted Tori to walk into the federal office looking and feeling her best. He also knew Debra would know what to do to help her. He left her with a quick peck on the cheek and headed off to plan their next move.
When Eli entered Tori's room the next morning, he found her stretched between the chairs next to the window, enjoying a book and the morning sun. She looked up as he came in, but no smile of greeting crossed her lips. One might have taken that to mean she was displeased to have him there, but in reality, the girl had become quite practiced at hiding behind her placid expressions, her feelings buried safely below.
Tori had grown quite fond of Eli, and in the last few days had begun thinking he could be considered a friend. Closing the book, she pulled her feet out of the other chair so that he could sit down and share what surely must be good news from his excited smile.
“How are you feeling?” Eli asked breathlessly. A small nod her positive response, he adjusted himself into the chair more comfortably. “Well, talkative as ever.” He laughed at his own joke, and then continued. “I met with Debra this morning. She’s going to help us put our plan in motion.”
The dark haired girl raised an eyebrow at him, not sure exactly what his plan entailed. Realizing he had not shared it with her yet, he corrected, “Let's go have breakfast, and I will explain everything.”
They moved in unison through the halls towards the cafeteria, and Eli began to outline the course of action that he and Debra had decided to follow. Agent Paisley would bring a surprise for Tori—a way to cover her scar so that no one would even know it existed when they saw it. “Then she will take you shopping,” Eli explained. “That way you can choose clothes you will be comfortable in when I take you to meet the committee.”
Apprehension quickly shot through her, and Tori felt very nervous about her choice to help him. “And what exactly is it they want to know? I mean, I really don't want to share everything with them that I have been telling you or the doctor.” Tori felt very vulnerable at the idea of describing how she had been abused to a room full of strangers.
In response, Eli shifted nervously, realizing she might not be happy when she found out what he had done. “You won't have to share those things,” he admitted his guilt in a submissive tone, “I have typed up your 'story' and submitted it with my report thus far. They already know what happened to you. What they need to hear from you is details on The Organization, the Dragons, and basically where the bodies are buried.”
Tori kept walking, eyes straight ahead, and replied, “Well then, we’re gonna need a map.” Eli gave her a sideways glance, and wondered if she had just made a joke.
They ate in a relatively comfortable silence, Tori stealing glances at him and thinking about what lay ahead. She wanted Eli to be her friend. She needed to know she was more than just part of the job to him and that he believed in her.
Once they had eaten, Eli walked Tori back to her room, where a large brown paper bag awaited on her bed. She eyed the bag suspiciously, so Eli waved a hand towards it and told her to open it with a mysterious grin, it being for her. Peering down into the dark sack, she couldn't discern the contents, so she turned the bag upside down to dump them onto her bed.
A set of clothes came tumbling out; a plain white tee shirt, jeans and sneakers. Eli stepped into the hall and closed the door so she could change. When she joined him outside, he led her down the passage and out to the parking lot, to his late model sedan.
Climbing inside the front seat, she looked back at the hospital and wondered if she were ever coming back. “They don't care if you take me out like this?” she asked vacantly.
“Not really,” Eli replied, “You have more or less been in federal custody the whole time, so no, they really didn't care if I take you out,” which is mostly true, he rationalized.
They arrived at his apartment a short time later and climbed into the elevator. Eli explained about the two day deadline and that they only had one day to effectively prepare for her appearance before the committee.
When they stepped through his front door, Debra stood in the kitchen, arranging her kit across the table. Eli introduced them to one another, and then excused himself as he needed to head into the office to do some paperwork. “I will meet you back here this evening,” he told Tori with a smile and a quick embrace.
Out on the Town
Debra had Tori sit in a chair in the kitchen and walked around so that she could look her over as she gave her the run down on what they were going to be doing to prepare. “I have some good things for you,” she stated, trying to sound upbeat. However, she suspected from her posture that the girl wasn’t in the mood to be social or hear any kind of news, good or bad.
Debra stood in front her, and moved her hand to lift Tori's chin and have a look at her face more closely. Tori swung in reaction, knocking her hand away and glared up at her.
“I don't like to be touched,” she stated angrily. Then, blinking a few times, she continued, “You may be the first woman to ever speak to me that wasn't a cashier or a waitress.” Debra grabbed another chair and pulled it over directly facing her charge so she could look her in the eye and sat down.
Tori exhaled an exaggerated sigh, and sat staring at the older woman. What’s the point in resisting? At that moment, she longed for a bottle of Denaka, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. She had agreed to go along with what Eli wanted her to do, but she didn't feel at all good about it.
“Well,” Debra began, “We have to get you ready for your big day. You want to face the committee with confidence; show them you are a mature young lady who can handle herself.” Her smile small, but genuine, she offered, “So let's set some goals, ok?”
She waited for Tori to give her a signal she understood, but the other woman sat motionless, not making a sound. Taking the silence to be a form of agreement, she continued. “First off, I have found something to help you feel more comfortable when dealing with people. It’s a special makeup that will cover your scar. No one will know it’s there, unless you tell them or show them. We want to improve your self-confidence, and this will help.”
“I don't wear makeup,” Tori's tone flat, the truth was, she had never had any to put on or try, even if she had wanted to. “I don't really know anything about 'girl stuff' like that.”
“That's ok,” Debra felt her heart warm a bit, suspecting she had discovered why Eli had become so attached to the simple way the girl spoke.
The group had met a few times over the course of her internment to share details about their portion of the job at hand, and he had warned them that Tori's past was heartbreaking, but her spirit, solid like a rock. Debra felt very glad to be a part of setting her off on this journey, one that would change everything for her and give her a future to look forward to.
Over the next two hours, Debra showed Tori
how to apply the makeup and made small talk, trying to learn more about her life from the girl’s own mouth. In the end, she found that the she said very little without purpose and decided that practicing social interaction would be a necessary challenge.
Finally ready, the pair set out to gather what Tori would need in the way of clothing and personal items. Exiting the building, she felt frightened, and yet unexplainably excited to be going on the first truly female activity of her life—shopping. She had never spent time in the company of another woman, and grew faintly curious how her own gender lived from day to day.
They made their way down to the local shopping strip in relative quiet. As the day progressed, Tori began to relax, allowing Debra to make suggestions about types of clothing without protest. She had always worn what she was given and could not recall ever picking out her own wardrobe.
Now that she had the chance, Tori entertained the idea of choosing things that were very different from what she had worn before. She tried on many tops and pants and even a dress, which she had never worn in her life.
Debra smiled encouragingly, “See, now you can be anyone you want to be. No one will know where you came from unless you tell them, and your differences will become much smaller.”
After it was all said and done, however, Tori chose clothes that were very similar to those familiar to her: jeans, boots, long sleeved tees, and a new leather jacket that made her truly excited to be getting new clothes. I could really use a bike to go riding around on, now that I can dress for it.
Debra even let her choose jewelry and sunglasses, and appeared a little surprised at how old the girl looked after her transformation. Back in her element, Tori appeared cool, confident, and ready for anything.
At the end of their spree, they stopped at an outdoor café for a late lunch. As they sat at the table, surrounded by shopping bags, Tori could not hold back her feelings of excitement.
Debra smiled from ear to ear at the sight of her project, “Have you felt like people were staring at you today?”
With a quick glance around, she realized that people actually had not been gawking at her at all, and for an instant looked as if she were going to smile. “I do like the makeup,” she admitted with a small nod while peering down at her food shyly. “I haven't noticed anyone staring at me the way they have for so long. Thank you. And for the clothes,” she added in a light tone, “I will enjoy them, I think.”
Debra smiled broadly, nodding her head in agreement, “So, have you thought about what you would like to do when you’re released?”
Tori considered the question for a moment, then asked quietly, “Do you think they are really going let me go if I tell them what they want to know? I mean, I’ve done a lot of pretty bad things. I can't imagine them just cutting me loose. And there is the thing Eli said about my only being fifteen. How do we get that taken care of? I know I’m older than that, but I have no idea how to prove it.”
Debra had to agree; she did not look that young at the moment. But then again, she wouldn’t dare cross Godfry by revealing his plan for the girl, so she remained silent as her charge continued.
“Other than that, I have no idea what I’m going to do. I never really had to do anything for myself, with everything more or less always provided for me. I have never had a job, and I don't really know much about work that’s legal. I do know about motorcycles, like how to repair them and stuff like that so I could work on those. And I love music. Henry taught me to play the guitar, but I doubt you can actually make a living at that.” Running out of breath, Tori shrugged and let her shoulders drop, looking slightly depressed. “I have no idea what I’m going to do.”
Debra laughed out loud. “That’s the most I have heard you say yet! You’re right; there are a lot of things that will have to be decided in the immediate future. But think of it this way; now you can dream about your prospects. Somewhere down the line, you may meet that special guy and have a family of your own. Who knows?” The color drained from the girl’s face, and Debra stopped her train of thought, “What’s the matter?”
Tori didn't reply. She sat for a moment, rubbing her lips with her fingers, thinking about what her new friend had said. Quietly, she considered if she should share the truth with her. Finally, she decided to take the risk, “Do you mind if I tell you something personal?”
Debra quickly replied, “Of course not, tell me anything you like,” and sat forward in her chair so she could listen better.
Tori began by explaining how the Dragons had lived in a camp in South America until she was old enough to travel with them cross country on their motorcycles. Debra nodded and explained that she had read Eli's report and had become familiar with her story up to the point of leaving the 'bush camp.'
Tori leaned back in her chair for a moment, unsure if she liked the idea of so many people being “familiar with her story,” but decided to continue.
Once the group had left their camp in Brazil, it took them six weeks to make their way into Texas. They crossed over in El Paso, and then headed east, making their way to Florida. Just before crossing from Texas into Louisiana, Eddie purchased a kit from a drug store and put it in the saddle bag on his bike for later, saying he needed to check some things. At dusk, they stopped as usual, and Tori prepared for the nights events, as she was becoming accustomed to being the entertainment after dark.
She had slowly been learning what to do to please each of the guys, and had already come to realize that they hurt her less when she did things for them that they liked. After being forbidden to touch her, Henry had also adjusted to their new roles, and would sleep away from the group, since he did not like to see her with the other men. Things had fallen into a routine of sorts, and seemed to be going better for her in a manner of speaking.
The following morning, Eddie pulled a small tube out of the box and handed it to her while she dressed. Studying it, she could see a small window in the side with a pink line, and a cap on the end that covered a white stick.
When she looked up in bewilderment, he growled, “Just go pee on the stick and bring it back.” Tori found a more private location, and did as he instructed, returning the plastic tube to him a few minutes later.
Taking it from her, he looked down at the small device, shaking his head for a moment. Calling Red over, he informed him they were going to need some supplies and a place to crash for a day or two. Word spread quickly through the small group, and although Tori wasn't sure what was going on, she could tell by everyone's mood it couldn't be good.
Red made a disgusted noise at the news, but Eddie remained calm, “No worries, man; we’re gonna take care of it.”
When it got close to dark, the guys started looking for a house that appeared abandoned or otherwise unoccupied. Soon finding the latter in a secluded area, they broke in and made themselves at home. Gathering an odd mix of items in the largest bedroom, Eddie told Tori to take a hot shower. Handing her a large bathrobe, he insisted that she wear only that when she came out.
The girl took her time, having discovered showers since they hit the road. She had only had a few, but already regarded them as almost sacred time to herself and the chance to be clean as she never had been before. Stepping out of the stall, she dried herself and put on the bulky cover. Once she left the bathroom and saw the small gathering around the bed, she had a bad feeling about what might happen next.
Eddie was being very kind to her, kinder than she ever remembered him being, talking to her sweetly while leading her over to the bed. His bizarre behavior only made her more nervous. He lifted the robe off of her, leaving her standing naked in front of the small group that hovered around the bed, which made her even more uncomfortable.
Eddie instructed her to lie down, and she complied, but felt like her heart would leap out of her chest, it beat so wildly. Not understanding the circumstances, Tori lay back, looking at the pile of towels and other odd items that had been gathered on the dresser to the right of her.
Two of
the guys sat next to her chest, one on each side, stretching her arms out and laying across them, thoroughly pinning her to the mattress. Two others sat next to her hips, bending her legs at the knee, and pulling her ankles up until her heels touched her rear end. They then wrapped their arms around her legs to hold them in the awkward position.
Tori could see Eddie holding a wire hanger that had been unfolded and bent strangely, and suddenly she had to know what in the hell was going on, so she began to cry out as she panted from the uncomfortable contortion they held her in.
David, who lay across her right arm, stroked her hair and leaned closer to her face to whisper, “Just relax, baby girl.”
Tori stopped struggling as she stared into David's green eyes. “Tell me what’s going on,” her tone pleading.
“It doesn't matter,” he replied, “It has to be done.”
She could feel fingers touching her and the coldness of the gel they used on her rear, but they were putting it into her folds of flesh and hollow. Is that the metal hanger I can feel down there?
“Don't move,” David warned her. “Lie still and focus on me.” He continued to stroke her hair, scooting down so he still held her, but could nuzzle her face with his nose. She could feel his breath on her skin and for a moment, she relaxed into the comfort he provided.
Suddenly, a sharp stabbing pain shot up inside her, and Tori screamed out in agony. “We should have let her have a drink for the pain,” someone said. “She can't,” came the reply, “We don't want her to bleed to death.” The voices were jumbled, several of the guys talking at once.
The pain continued to spike and subside for several minutes, David doing his best to console her. Tori began to fight them, but with no way to push them off from the way they held her, she soon realized the hopelessness of a struggle. After what seemed like an eternity, she could feel warm fluid dripping out of her aching orifice, like her menstrual blood, only heavier.
A New Life Series - Starter Kit Page 11
