by Simone Leigh
Beth cowers in the corner, where she sits on the floor, leaning against the wall, legs outstretched. Klempner stands over her, inserts first one foot between her ankles, and then the other. He does no more, but his implication is obvious as he pushes her legs apart. Staring down at her, he says, “Corby wanted to fuck Jennifer first; show her how annoyed he is at her, but that’s my privilege. He can have you instead. The pair of you look enough alike that he should be happy with that. When he’s finished, the others can take turns with you…. or they might not take turns. That’s up to them.” He waits, enjoying her fear. “Every done that? Had a man at every hole? I know she has.…” and he tosses his head across to me.
Beth says nothing, tears rolling down her cheeks, her breathing short and rapid.
He turns to me. “I’m having you first. Get some pay-off eh? Before I let the others at you? How many can you handle at once d’you reckon? We’ll find out, shall we?”
“What pay-off? What have ever done to you?”
He shows his teeth….
Is that a smile?
…. But he doesn’t reply, just leaves the room, and his goon follows. The door closes behind him, followed by the rattle of keys in the lock and the slam of bolts.
The exit is locked. The two small windows barred. The only way out of this room is to be taken out.
I give it a while, but I can’t wait too long.
How long have we got? Before Corby gets here?
I bang on the door. “Hey, I need the bathroom.”
After a minute or so, and the sound of a struggle with lock and bolts, the door bangs open again, and one of Klempner’s hoods sticks his head in the room. “You only just went.”
“That was hours ago, and…. and I’m nervous. Please, I’ve gotta use the bathroom.”
He rocks his head in an indecisive, “Should I…. Shouldn’t I….” kind of way, then, gun trained on me, points me out of the room into a hallway, and at the next door. “In there. You’ve got two minutes.”
In the five or ten seconds I have, between exited the one room and entering the next, I get a quick glance around the hall; several doorways lead off, and one of them looks like an outer door.
The window is not barred, but the tiny opener at the top would not be nearly large enough for me to squeeze out. Trying my luck anyway, I stand on the WC seat to open it, peering out.
It’s dark outside, but there seems to be a courtyard and…. barns? Outbuildings? Yes, it’s an old farmyard. If I can get outside, there should be plenty of nooks and crannies to lurk in while I get my bearings.
I’ve used at least half of my allotted two minutes.
How to get out?
Break the glass?
Nope - there are cross-bars on the outside, the perfectly normal kind, often used as anti-burglar devices in isolated buildings.
Perhaps….
It’s the oldest trick in the book. Could I be lucky enough that he’d be that stupid?
There is a bang on the door. “C’mon. Time’s up. Out you come.”
Silently, I open the small top-light, leaving it as wide ajar as I can, then stand behind the door.
The banging increases. “Come on. Out of there. Or I’ll come in.”
I remain silent, and after a second or two, there is a crash as the door is kicked in, me standing behind it. I suppress an ‘Ow!’ as the door bounces in my face.
I can’t see the man, but hear, “Fuck!” and he dashes back out, and I hear the bang of another door opening.
Darting out from my hiding place, into the hall where the outside door is swinging open, I dash out into the darkness. I hear other doors opening behind me, and yells and shouts or pursuit from behind as I run….
_______________________
Bolting out into the darkness, I duck into the cover of one of the barns, then halt. There’s no point simply running. I can’t outrun them, and Beth is still in there, so I can’t just leave.
Watching figures dashing around the farmyard, running, searching, bawling and shouting, I back into the shadows, trying to think.
Hands reach out from behind me, one pulling me in tight by the waist, and the other clapped firmly over my mouth.
My blood pounds a single pulse, so hard inside me, that it makes my fingertips tingle. My heart racing, I try to scream, but….
“It’s me. Shhh…”
“Master?”
“Yes, we’re all here.”
“Michael?”
“Yes, and Richard. The police are on their way.”
“Just the three of you? How soon before the police get here?
Richard’s voice from the shadows behind me. “Maybe thirty minutes. They’re coming from the City. That hotel we were staying in; it’s not far. When the police found out where you’d been taken, we were closer than they are.”
I swivel out of my Master’s grasp. “We don’t have thirty minutes. They’ve got Beth in there, and Klempner wants to gang-rape her, and me. And they’re looking for me.” I gesture wildly around the yard where, bit by bit, all the hiding places are being checked. “We can’t all stay here for thirty minutes and not be found. I’ll distract them….”
Michael’s hand whips out, gripping my wrist. “Like Hell you will…”
“If they don’t find me quickly, they’ll keep looking, and they’re bound to find all of you. Better if I distract them, and then you’re free to act…. There’s too many of them for you, without having surprise on your side…”
“How many?” asks Michael.
“I’ve counted eight, including Klempner. “And I think they’re expecting Corby.”
And with that, I twist my hand from my Master’s, and run out into the open, deliberately making enough noise, that the two thugs close by, hear me. As I dash across the courtyard, they yell, raising the alarm, and all of them give chase, following me into the darkness, and away from my would-be-rescuers.
Michael
She slips James’ grip, racing out into the courtyard, and away from us. James curses, reaching to catch her, but she dodges his grip and goes. “Charlotte!” he hisses. But she ignores him and keeps running.
He stands, holding his hands mid-air, in frustration, as though trying to shake her by non-existent shoulders. “When I catch her again, she is not going to sit down for a fucking week!”
I say nothing. I agree with him and can add nothing. After a silent pause, Richard says, “She had a point though.”
James turns on him, finger raised, then halts. “Yes, she did. Let’s….”
There is a yell from the darkness beyond the yard. “We’ve got her.”
Flanked on both sides, pinned at the arms, Charlotte is marched back to the farmhouse.
Klempner leans against the side of the door as she is brought in, picking his teeth. “Back inside with her.” he drawls. “It’s party-time.”
All the gang-members vanish inside, closing the door behind them. When it seems clear that all is quiet, James mutters “How many of them did you count?”
“Five out here chasing, plus I think I saw a couple more moving inside, plus Klempner.”
“Okay, so we’re agreeing with Charlotte’s eight.”
“Hold on, the door’s opening again.” says Richard.
A man exits, wandering over to large, wooden doors, an out-building or garage perhaps. As the doors swing open to a dark interior, dimly, cars can be seen inside.
“Back in a minute.” I mutter, moving quietly through the gloom, to wait just outside the door.
The man opens the boot of one of the cars, searching for something, then re-emerges, some object in his hands.
As he moves past the door, I step out of the darkness, the man’s eyes widening as he sees me at the last moment; far too late to prevent the crack, as my forehead meets with his nose.
Dazed, but not unconscious, he struggles, so I head-butt him again, and he falls.
James appears at my side. “Any rope in the back of that car?”
>
“Better than that.” I say, holding up what the man was carrying. “Tape.”
As we gag and bind the unconscious man, James murmurs, “It’s probably what they used on the women.”
“Or were going to.…” mutters Richard. “You’re a dirty fighter, Michael. That’s not a fighting style from polite circles.”
“I’m not interested in fighting. Just in taking them out.”
He nods, then, “Looks like they’re all safely inside now. Shall we take a look?”
We cross the yard, working our way quietly around, until, standing right outside a brightly lit window, just beside the entrance, we can see in.
Inside, there is a very large room. Klempner and his men are there, with Charlotte and Beth. Beth looks to be almost in a state of collapse, terror-stricken and weeping.
But Charlotte….
Charlotte
Propelled back inside by my captors to the large central room, a gun is trained on me, and my arms gripped at either side, before they release me, to stand in the centre of the room. Klempner nods at one of his hoods. “Get the other one.”
Beth is all but dragged into the room. I don’t think she can stand without support, and released, she drops to her hands and knees, sobbing and shaking.
It’s up to me then….
How much time can I buy?
Klempner glances down at Beth and seems to dismiss her. She’s not doing anything interesting; not entertaining him.
Trying not to be obvious about it, I glance around the windows, but all I see is darkness.
Where are they?
Klempner stands close to me; too close, crowding me. I scent him, his breath, his sweat. His smile is cold; his pupils, wide.
Oh, he’s enjoying this.
And I’m supposed to be intimidated….
Fuck that….
“So, what’s next?” I demand, keeping my voice loud. “You rape me? Gang-bang me? You think I can’t handle that?”
Klempner’s eyes widen, but he says nothing.
“You think I don’t know about men like you? Remember where I grew up. You know a lot about me, so you know that. You don’t scare me.”
“No? Let’s see what we can do about it….” His voice cool, almost indifferent, Klempner glances sideways, either way. “Hold her.”
My arms are seized again, outstretched, pulled taut….
Don’t show fear….
Klempner knots fingers into the front of my blouse, tearing it apart, stripping it off me….
Master, where are you….?
My bra follows, simply tugged apart and ripped away.
“You think I can’t handle you lot?” I scream at them. “Eight of you? Go on. Try me. ‘Cause you don’t fuckin’ frighten me….”
“Strip her.” says Klempner. From behind, my skirt is ripped away, my panties torn apart. “Whores belong on their knees. Down you go….” Reaching out, he backhands me across the face, knocking me to the floor.
“Okay, boys. Show time.” And they close in on me.
Master….
Michael
James peers through the window, then quickly pulls back, cursing quietly. “Jeez… She’s a fucking lunatic sometimes.”
“What’s she doing?” I ask.
“Winding them up, drawing them onto her. I think she’s enjoying it.”
Through the window, there is a shriek of a voice. “You fucking bastards! You think you can do me? Let’s see if you’re up to it….”
I quickly look through, followed by Richard. She’s being held down, kneeling between them, and she’s screeching like a banshee. Klempner, side-on to us, along with most of his men, looks down at her as though she’s mad…. I don’t blame him. Even Beth, who has clearly been crying, is staring, unbelieving, at my red-haired demon-child.
“You’re not seriously suggesting that she’s getting off on this?”
“Look at her.” says James. “At her face, her eyes.”
I look in at her again. He’s right. She’s wild, eyes like saucers, face flushed. But this time, as I flash a look through the window, she sees me, and immediately looks away, drawing all eyes onto her.
She looks utterly insane, running on adrenaline and fear, but she’s not. She’s playing the game, giving us the time, and the opportunity, to do what is needed…..
Standing again, she paces up and down, light-footed, naked, almost dancing, red hair flying, as she points, and gestures, and raves at them. “C’mon…. Big brave men. All of you with guns, on one little girl? You think you can fuck me? Let’s see what you’re really made of....”
“She’s like a fucking wild animal.” mutters Haswell.
James nods, brows raised. “That’s our Charlotte.”
Klempner brings his hand, open-palmed, across her face, hard, and she goes down again, dropping to the floor. But she doesn’t cower, just stays there on all fours, glaring up at him, fire in her eyes, panting.
Richard winces. “What’s her pain tolerance like?”
James tilts his head. “In that mood, sky-fuckin-high.”
“She doesn’t scare at all?”
“Oh, she scares. It just doesn’t stop her.”
“We need to get in there now.” I say.
“Yes, but let’s take the time to do this right. There’s more of them than us and they’re armed.”
“You cold-blooded bastard.” I hiss. “Are you going to let them just get away with that?”
James, with a touch of steel in his eyes, that arrogance that says he will always be in charge, says “She’s playing for time. Let’s not waste her efforts. And no, when we get the women out of there, I’m going to blow the bastard’s head off, and enjoy doing it. She’s spent her life being hunted, abused. This ends here, tonight.” He locks eyes with Haswell, who nods.
He’s right of course. And, he may be my closest friend, but even I know that James has a dangerous side.
Her ‘Dark Angel’ she called him?
Just so.
“What do we do? One’s accounted for. It’s seven against three.”
“Five against three.” murmurs James.
“Five? Why five?”
He nods towards the window again. “She’s got her hands around the balls of one, and another’s about to shove his cock between her teeth. What d’you think will happen to them when we burst in?”
Despite myself, I cringe inside. Richard flinches, staring upwards.
“You have a point.” I concede.
“Stay there a minute.” says James. “I’m going to see if there’s a rear entrance. Klempner’s got his back to a door there. If I can get behind him….”
He vanishes into the darkness. Richard takes another quick look inside and chuckles. “I don’t believe it…. She’s got them, quite literally with their trousers down and they’ve put their guns to one side.”
“Mmmm… yes. James is going to knock her sideways when he gets his hands on her, but she’s done what she set out to do….”
“As always.” murmurs Richard.
James reappears, holding a crowbar, a large spanner and a hammer. “Yes, there’s a side entrance. I can get behind him. You want these?” He keeps the crowbar, but offers over the other tools. “They were in a shed to the rear. Can I suggest that you two go for the pair over by Beth, keep them from taking her hostage. I’ll take Klempner….”
“And I think we can rely on Charlotte to do as much damage as possible….” I say.
James flashes his brows, clicking his tongue, then, “As soon as you see me appear behind Klempner, get in there, and we’ll take out as many as possible while we have surprise on our side.”
Poised by the entrance, I wait. Half a minute later, the door behind Klempner opens and James appears, moving carefully, the crowbar in his hand.
Charlotte, naked, on her knees, but watching, sees him and….
There is a shriek: two shrieks.
The man face-fucking her drops, screaming. His companion d
rops too, curling in on himself, clutching at his groin. Charlotte scrambles up, spitting blood.
For the smallest of moments, the tableau freezes as her would-be rapists, clearly not believing what they have just seen, hesitate. Everyone is staring at her, standing naked, her mouth dripping red.
Then chaos breaks out….
James, swinging the crowbar, brings it squarely across Klempner’s head. Klempner screams, reeling, but turns to grapple with his attacker, knocking the bar from James’ hand, to clang to the ground.
Richard and I burst through the door. Caught off-guard, my mark, a spanner smashing into his temple, shrieks and falls. Richard’s puts up more of a fight, trying to go for a gun, but Beth sweeps her legs past his ankles, and as he falls, Richard, seizing him at the throat, smashes him backwards against the wall, where he drops, unconscious.
James and Klempner are still struggling, hand to hand. Stretching to reach James’ throat, Klempner’s face is contorted, twisted with… what? Hate? Fear? James’ is cold, impassive.
The two are all but evenly matched, but Charlotte breaks in to the fight. Snatching up the crowbar, now she swings it, bringing it down on Klempner’s outstretched arms with the crack of breaking bones. Klempner howls and falls, writhing in agony.
Now, the surprise gone, the remaining three gang-members are scrabbling for their weapons. A gun shot whistles past my face, smacking into the plaster behind me. Another shatters through the window….
…. there is the wail of sirens, many sirens. In the darkness outside there is the flash-flash of blue lights, and the squeal of brakes.
The three remaining gang members pause, looking at each other, then, the first holds up his hands, dropping his gun. The others hesitate, but….
“It’s over.” says Richard. “The police have come armed, and half the City force is here. You can’t win now, and you’ll not escape.”
Two more weapons drop to the floor. Quickly, I kick them to one side.
Charlotte flashes a smile at James, but his gaze is furious. Eyes flashing. “Get some fucking clothes on.”
