Innocent Girls

by Terence Mitford

  The surgeon grabbed hold of the apron covering Sofia and pulled it away leaving her strapped down and naked on the table.

  Gustav checked his watch, then opened the door to the observation room. ‘The operation doesn’t take long, come back to my office when it’s over and we’ll finalise the deal before you leave with the icebox.’

  ‘Are you not staying?’ Mason asked.

  Gustav shook his head and scrunched up his nose. ‘Not my thing really, I hate needles.’ He turned and left with the guy in the orderly’s jacket.

  Mason thought it ironic that a perfectly healthy girl was about to be butchered right there on the operating table and Gustav’s only concern was the sight of the needle.

  The two security men remained just inside the door, like bodyguards watching over some dignitary.

  The nurse approached Sofia, the syringe held high in her right hand.

  Mason glanced at Natasha. ‘It’s time to act.’

  Natasha nodded. ‘I’ll reduce the odds.’ She opened the door and approached one of the security men. She said something and seemed to flirt with him, then walked out of the room. The security guy followed.

  Mason knew what she was doing. She had just reduced the enemy by one, at least temporarily.

  Mason approached the second guard. ‘Did you see where my friend went?’

  As the man motioned his head towards the door Mason planted his feet in a wide stance and drove his right fist into the man’s jaw. He followed it up with a left hook causing the man’s head to whiplash from side to side. Both blows were delivered within the blink of an eye and with enough force to knock the guy out before he could raise his hands in defence or reach for a weapon. When he collapsed his head hit the hard floor with a sickening thud.

  Mason checked him for weapons. He was clean. Then he turned, drew his pistol, and pointed it at the assistant. ‘If that syringe touches the girl I’ll shoot you dead.’

  The assistant froze but said nothing. The surgeon glared at him. ‘You have no idea what you are doing. You have just signed your own death warrant. You cannot mess with this organisation and get away with it.’

  Mason pointed the gun at him. ‘We’ll see about that. Move away from the girl.’

  As the surgeon and the nurse complied, Natasha returned holding a bloodied scalpel. She dropped it onto the side trolley and ripped off the four cuffs around Sofia's wrists and ankles.

  Sofia jumped off the operating table and covered herself with the white gown. Then she grabbed a scalpel and pointed it at the assistant. ‘Take off your jacket and trousers.’

  The woman complied without argument or hesitation. Sofia dropped the gown and pulled on the nurse’s clothes and the woman pulled on the gown.

  Mason stared at the surgeon and his assistant while trying to decide what to do with them. He glanced over to the room with the window. The door had a small lever below the handle allowing it to be locked from the outside. He guessed it was there from the days when the hospital was operational to ensure no one observing could interrupt the surgery once it had started. But it would serve a different purpose now. He ordered the surgeon and his assistant into the room and locked the door.

  Natasha stared at them through the window. ‘Are we leaving them alive?’

  He could almost feel the hate and anger emanating from her. ‘For now,’ he said.

  As the three of them left the operating theatre they had to step over the body of the security man who Natasha had enticed out to the corridor a couple of minutes earlier. Mason glanced down at him, lying on his back with three small slits in his blood soaked shirt. He bent down and searched him for weapons, but drew a blank. ‘They must be the only two of Gustav’s men who are not armed.’ He stood up and looked at Natasha. ‘You certainly have a way of making men fall for you.’

  Natasha shrugged. ‘My mother used to tell me that when I grew up, men would be dying to go out with me.’

  Mason smirked. ‘I guess she was right.’

  38

  KATERINA

  Katerina waited until the corridor outside the room went quiet, indicating Hugo and the security guy had gone down to a lower floor. Timing was critical. If the floor below was similar to the one they were on, it would take the men a good few minutes to search all the rooms. That should give them the opportunity to sneak down to the ground floor and look for a way out.

  She held Jessica’s hand and moved to the half glazed double doors then paused while she studied the corridor. No sounds, nothing moving, they were alone on the top floor.

  They made their way down the stairs and as they passed the floor below the booming of doors banging shut, amplified by the empty corridors, sent chills through Katerina. She squeezed Jessica’s hand and continued down to what she guessed was the ground floor, then peered left and right along the hallway. Daylight illuminated one end suggesting there were windows and maybe a door there. They headed that way and at the end found a door marked RECEPTION & EXIT.

  With her heart racing, partly from the anticipation of freedom, and partly from fear of being caught, she pulled Jessica through the reception and into a large cobbled courtyard. But as she scanned their surroundings, her heart sank. They were outside the building but trapped inside the high walls, and even worse, they had been seen.

  Two security men approached, grabbed their arms, and yanked them back inside.

  Their bid for freedom was over.

  They were marched to the large room with the stage where the banker was talking to Hugo and Marius.

  The man gripping Katerina’s arm shouted out, ‘Boss, we just found these two outside.’

  Gustav, the man Katerina had nicknamed the banker, turned and glared at them. He stormed over and slapped Katerina hard across the face. Then he turned to Jessica and raised his hand.

  Katerina’s stomach knotted up. She shouted out, ‘Please don’t hit her.’

  Gustav stopped, hand poised, ready to deliver a stinging blow to Jessica’s face. ‘What?’

  Katerina’s throat closed as if gripped by some giant hand, but she forced the words out. ‘It wasn’t her fault, it was mine.’

  Gustav turned away from Jessica and lowered his hand. ‘I told you I would punish you if you tried to escape.’

  Katerina held her burning cheek. ‘I know, but please, punish me, not her.’

  Gustav closed the gap between them with two long strides, grabbed Katerina’s hair, and pulled her to him. ‘If you try anything like this again, I’ll cut out your heart, do you understand?’

  Katerina nodded and fought to hold back the tears. If she was on her own she would have broken down, but she wasn’t. She had to be strong for Jessica’s sake.

  A door in the corner of the room swung open and the woman in the white coat, who had taken the blood samples, strode in.

  Gustav pushed Katerina towards one of his men and told him to hold her while he decided what to do with her.

  The woman headed straight for Gustav. ‘I might have the answer to that,’ she said with a smirk.

  ‘Answer to what?’ Gustav asked.

  She pointed to Katerina. ‘What to do with her.’

  Gustav narrowed his eyes. ‘I’m listening.’

  ‘I’ve just had a call from one of our medical contacts.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘He’s in the market for another heart, and he’s authorised to offer one hundred thousand.’

  ‘Did you say one hundred thousand?’

  ‘Pounds sterling.’

  ‘What’s the catch?’

  ‘He needs a young teenage donor.’

  Gustav glanced at Katerina. ‘She’s only twelve.’

  ‘That’s close enough, and before you ask, I’ve checked our records. She’s a match.’

  ‘Well done, Bridget. Where do we need to deliver it to?’

  ‘London.’

  Gustav studied Katerina for a long moment. Then he pushed her towards Bridget. ‘Take her to the theatre and tell Simmons he has anothe
r procedure to do. Then arrange for the payment to be made. I’ve got just the couriers for this job. They can make the delivery to Paris then carry on to London.’

  As she was led away, Katerina brought her hand up to her face. Her cheek was no longer burning. Now her skin was cold, probably due to the shock from overhearing the change of plan. She wrenched her arm free and turned back to Gustav. ‘You have already sold me at the auction. You can’t sell me again.’

  Gustav laughed. ‘Since when did you take charge? I can do what I want.’

  ‘But what about the man who bought me?’

  ‘I’ll send him a replacement. I’m sure he’ll be happy with your little friend here.’

  Katerina glanced at Hugo. He had watched Gustav punish her without doing or saying a thing, and he must have heard what the woman had just said but there was no reaction. He stayed silent and seemed unconcerned. But she wasn’t surprised. Although he had helped them on the top floor, his loyalties must still lie with Gustav so he wasn’t going to jeopardise his lucrative role within the organisation.

  39

  MASON

  A few minutes earlier...

  Mason, Natasha, and Sofia made their way down the long corridor from the operating theatre to the stairwell. After stepping through the doorway Mason stopped and turned to Natasha. ‘I didn’t get a chance to tell you until now. I’ve seen Katerina and Jessica.’

  Natasha gasped. ‘Where?’

  ‘Two floors down from here, below ground level. They are locked in cubicles in a room that’s also kept locked. We need the keys.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘I accompanied Hugo when he took Sofia there.’

  ‘So you were close to Katerina?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you left her there?’

  ‘I had to find you before I started a war.’

  ‘We came here to rescue her. You should not have left her there. What if she’s gone? What if they sold her and some sick bastard has taken her away?’

  ‘We’ll find her, Natasha.’

  ‘I hope so.’

  Mason felt bad. He was sure he’d made the right decision earlier but understood how distressing it must be for Natasha to know he was close to her sister but left her behind, albeit temporarily. ‘We need to go to the office.’

  ‘Why?

  ‘Gustav is expecting to meet us there and he may have the keys.’

  ‘And if he doesn’t.’

  ‘Then we’ll find out who does. Hugo had them earlier. Don’t worry, Natasha. We will get Katerina out of here.’

  ‘And Jessica?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And wipe these bastards from the face of the earth?’

  ‘Of course.’

  Natasha studied him a moment. ‘Sorry, Mason, I’m just anxious, that’s all.’

  Mason gave Natasha a sympathetic smile. ‘We both are.’

  Sofia nodded. ‘Me too.’

  The corners of Natasha’s mouth curled up with just the hint of a smile.

  Mason said, ‘Be aware. Our cover will be blown as soon as they see Sofia on her feet.’

  Natasha said, ‘Good, I’m sick of pretending with these scum.’

  Sofia grabbed Mason’s arm. ‘You’re right, you must leave me to find my own way out.’

  Mason shook his head. ‘You are staying with us. I told you I’d get you out of here and I meant it. Stay behind me.’

  Mason flung open the office door and rushed in, planning to reach Gustav before he had chance to see Sofia and react. But he stopped dead in the middle of the room. Gustav wasn’t there.

  ‘Now what?’ Natasha asked.

  ‘We go and look for him.’

  As they headed for the stairs, a man’s raised voice echoed down the corridor followed by a noise that Mason recognised. A hand slapping bare skin, hard.

  They headed in the direction of the sounds.

  Sofia grabbed Mason’s arm again. ‘I think it came from the large room where they held the auction.’ She pointed down the corridor.

  Mason led the way to the end of the corridor where he cracked open a door and peered through the gap into a large room. It had a stage-like platform at the far end, two rows of empty chairs in front, and a couple of cheap formica tables over by the windows. He shifted his focus to the centre of the room and froze. Gustav was restraining Katerina by her hair and Jessica was being held by one of four security men.

  A woman, dressed in a white nurse’s coat, entered through a door on the other side of the room and headed for Gustav. Mason opened his door a few inches wider so Natasha could see. They were in a corner of the room and in shadow so it was unlikely they would be spotted.

  Natasha gasped and her expression stiffened when she looked past Mason at Katerina. She became all serious and determined and moved forward towards the door.

  Mason pulled it shut and whispered, ‘Wait. We are out numbered. We don’t want to start a gunfight right now. The girls could be hit in the crossfire or used as human shields.’

  He cracked open the door again and they overheard the conversation between Gustav and the woman he called Bridget about selling Katerina as a donor.

  Natasha drew breath. ‘Did you hear those bastards? They want to cut up Katerina.’

  ‘That’s not going to happen.’

  ‘That bitch just took her away. What’s your plan?’

  ‘I need to deal with Gustav fast. When that woman reaches the operating room with Katerina she’ll find the surgeon and his assistant locked in the side room.’

  Natasha nodded. ‘You deal with him and rescue Jessica. I’ll deal with her.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Are you serious? After the last couple of days, that bitch will be easy.’

  Before Mason could offer any advice she turned and made her away back along the corridor towards the stairwell that leads up to the floor with the operating theatre.

  Mason turned his attention back to Gustav just as the far door burst open again and the surgeon ran in. His assistant followed, still wearing the surgical gown.

  Gustav spoke first. ‘Why aren’t you in surgery and why is she wearing that?’

  ‘We have been compromised.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘The girl’s gone. A man and a woman killed your men and took her.’

  Gustav shook his head. ‘Bridget is taking the twelve year old to your operating theatre. Did you not see them?’

  ‘No, we came down the back stairs. But we can’t do either procedure with those two on the loose.’

  Gustav pulled out a pistol and placed the muzzle against Jessica’s temple. ‘In that case this whole place is compromised. We’ll have to kill the girls and get the hell out of here.’

  Mason reached for his pistol. Now there was no choice. It was time to move. But as he raised his gun to train it on Gustav, Sofia ran past him into the room.

  She shouted out, ‘Wait, don’t kill her, I’m here.’

  Mason’s view of Gustav was obstructed by Sofia but he followed her into the room with his pistol raised.

  Gustav must have been startled by Sofia and either instinctively or deliberately, pointed his gun at her and fired.

  One shot.

  Sofia gasped and clutched her chest.

  She staggered forward and collapsed.

  Face down.

  Mason watched her fall. It all seemed to happen in slow motion on the one hand, yet lightening fast on the other. It was a trick of the brain. When shocking events happen the brain has a way of slowing down the processing. Maybe it was a protective measure built in from our primitive beginnings, giving our minds time to process and respond.

  Sofia lay still. Three meters in front of Mason.

  He moved forward. Raising his eyes. Raising his weapon.

  By the time he reached Sofia he had both fixed on Gustav. But he froze. Unable to shoot. Unable to send this murderer to hell.

  Gustav had responded to Mason�
�s presence by grabbing Jessica by the hair and pulling her in front of him.

  Mason aimed. But even though Gustav stood head and shoulders above the frightened girl, he couldn’t shoot. If Gustav and Jessica had been cardboard cut-outs at the shooting range he would have emptied the magazine confident every round would find its target. One dead kidnapper, one freed hostage. A stray bullet striking the hostage would amount to nothing more than a technical friendly fire violation and a fail verdict for the exercise. Serious if he was going for firearms authorisation but not life and death.

  But this was life and death, and the consequences of one stray bullet could be a dead ten year old girl. So he kept Gustav in his sights as he knelt next to Sofia, reached down, and felt for a neck pulse.

  Nothing.

  He took her wrist.

  Nothing.

  It was as if a hole had opened up inside him. He had promised to protect her. To stop them operating on her, and to get her out of there.

  But he had failed.

  A young life cut short at the hands of this murdering scum.

  He stood up and focused on Gustav, aware there were now five pistols pointing at him. Even Hugo, the man mountain, had his gun drawn and trained on him.

  Gustav sniggered. ‘So, you are not medical couriers?’

  Mason said nothing.

  ‘You may have sabotaged the girl’s operation’—he pointed at Sofia’s lifeless body—‘but what do you expect to achieve? There are plenty more where she came from.’

  Mason stayed silent as he assessed the scene in front of him.

  Five against one. Not good odds.

  Gustav glanced around at his men, then looked back at Mason. ‘Just in case you haven’t noticed, you are out numbered, out gunned, and out of luck.’

  Mason adjusted his grip on the Glock in his right hand. ‘Maybe. But in case you haven’t noticed, my gun is pointed at your head. So whatever happens here, you’ll die first.’