by Mel LeBrun
“Let me get this straight,” Michael started. “You want to use my wife as bait for a man who traffics women, selling them into slavery and a life of horror beyond imagination?”
“When you put it like that, it sounds horrible,” Corvo retorted.
Michael glared at him. “How would you put it?”
“I'll do it.” All four men turned to Jessica. “Let's get this scumbag,” she said.
“Jess, I'm not putting you anywhere near that man,” Michael protested.
“It's not up to you,” she replied.
“It is. You're my wife!”
She looked directly at Corvo. “What do you want me to do?”
The fierce look Corvo received from Michael made it clear it wasn't going to happen unless he was on board. Corvo asked Martin to back him up. Martin reluctantly admitted he agreed with Corvo. The quickest and safest way to get close to Pierce was to use Jessica to lure him into a compromised position. Josh also knew it, but refused to say it. His lack of opinion on the matter though told Michael he too agreed.
Clearly outnumbered and without other options Michael acquiesced. “What did you have in mind?”
MICHAEL SAT on the edge of a tub in a hotel bathroom, nervously tapping his heel on the floor. Dressed only in her underwear, Jessica curled her hair in the mirror in front of him. A cute black cocktail dress, that was much too revealing for Michael's comfort, hung on the back of the door.
Jessica put the curling iron down and turned to him. “Michael, you don't need to hover around me while I get ready. You're agitated and it's not exactly calming.”
Michael continued to stare at the floor, as if he didn't hear her.
“Michael.”
He finally looked at her. “Jess. This doesn't feel right. It's too dangerous. We'll find another way. I don't want you to do this.”
“Michael. You're going to be right there. All I have to do is get him alone.”
Michael closed his eyes and shook his head. “His hands are going to be all over you. He's gonna be trying to ...” He stood up suddenly and anxiously ran his hands through his hair. He leaned on the wall and hung his head as he tried to calm himself. He was having a hard time dealing with what she was about to do.
He felt her hand on his back. “You're going to be right there, Michael. It's going to be fine.”
He stood straight and turned to her. She couldn't remember the last time she saw him that worried. He stroked her hair and gave her a weak smile. “I'll wait for you outside.” He kissed her lips and then left her alone to continue getting ready.
MARTIN, JOSH and Corvo stared in awe as Jessica emerged from the bathroom. The short, low-cut dress perfectly hugged her curves, leaving little to the imagination. Black spiked heels made her the vision of every man's fantasy.
Michael quickly handed her a matching black wrap while warning the men to stop staring. He didn't know how he was going to handle Pierce looking at her when he didn't even want his friends looking at her.
“Let's go over the plan one more time,” Michael said. “Martin is going ahead of us to the bar and will be inside when you get there. He'll be keeping an eye on you and the guards. Josh, Lance and I will be outside in the truck listening. Once you've separated him from his guards, we'll do the rest.”
Corvo stepped forward, handing her a tiny black clutch purse. “It's fitted with a bug so we'll be able to hear what's going on. You can put it on the bar or the table between you.”
Michael continued, “If you get a bad feeling or you don't feel safe, walk away. Your safety comes first. Do you understand?”
“I'll be fine, Michael.”
“Cab is here,” Corvo announced. “Just got a text. Pierce is back at the hotel.”
Martin took that as his cue and left in the car to take his position ahead of Jessica. Michael wished she would change her mind. She gave him a warm smile, determined to go forward with the plan. He sighed and held his hand out to her. He walked her to the cab and helped her in the backseat. “We'll be right behind you.”
She looked in his eyes. “I love you.”
He reached out and caressed her face as he gazed back at her. “I love you too, Jess.”
She tenderly kissed his hand before he tore himself away. He shut the door and she directed the driver to take her to the Four Seasons hotel. As the cab neared the hotel, she got a call from Michael telling her that Pierce was in the lounge. Her hands shook as she put the phone back in her purse. The reality of what she was about to do was beginning to set in. She began to second-guess her decision.
The cab stopped in front of the hotel and Jessica stepped out. She saw Corvo, Josh and Michael park up the street. She nervously continued into the hotel, making her way to the lounge. Martin was sitting at the end of the bar. He motioned with his eyes to Pierce, who was a few feet away also sitting at the bar.
Pierce was attractive with brown hair and brown eyes. Average height, clean shaven with a strong jawline, he was dressed casually in black slacks and a peach button up shirt, the last few buttons undone.
She took a seat a few stools away from him and ordered a drink. The guys had coached her on how to act. Though she should make herself known, she should not make the first move nor should she seem too eager.
She could see Pierce looking at her out of the corner of her eye. She pretended not to notice at first, but then turned to him and smiled briefly before turning her attention away again. The bait worked. Pierce moved closer to her.
“You look nervous,” he stated.
She did look nervous. Her hands were shaking and she felt like she might throw up. Michael and Corvo exchanged uneasy glances as they listened in to the conversation.
“Blind date,” she replied with a timid smile.
“Ah.” Pierce nodded understandingly. “Is he here yet?”
She made a show of looking around the lounge. “No. I'm a little early.”
“Oh good. So we have some time to chat?” He smiled warmly.
She forced herself to smile back at him. “I suppose. And you are?”
“Ray.” He held his hand out to her.
She shook it. “Melanie.”
“Nice to meet you, Melanie. I have a question for you.” He took a sip of his drink while eyeing her up and down. “What is a gorgeous lady, like yourself, doing going on blind dates?”
She rolled her eyes grinning and stared down at her drink. “I got talked into it.” She looked back at him. “To be honest, I really feel like just bailing.” She sighed. “But I'm all dressed up, so I might as well go through with it. Right?”
There was no hiding the desire in his eyes as he gazed at her. He was falling for it, hook, line and sinker. He took a moment before responding. His lustful stare began to unnerve her as she struggled to conceal her true feelings.
“Do you want to know what I think?” he asked.
She looked at him playfully. “What do you think?”
“I think you should bail.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I do.” He placed his hand on her thigh and gently squeezed.
Her heart began pounding in her chest and she felt light-headed. “And what do you propose I do instead? Since I'm all dressed up, with nowhere to go?”
“You should come with me to my suite where we can continue this conversation in private,” he said with a sly grin. “I'll order us some room service, a bottle of wine. We can enjoy the view and get to know each other better.” He slid his hand further up her thigh.
She swallowed hard, now unable to hide her anxiety. “Hmm. I'm not sure that's such a good idea.” She put her hand on his and tried to slide it off her leg.
In defiance of her obvious intent, he slid his hand even further up her thigh so that it was now under her dress. She closed her eyes, resisting the urge to punch him and run. He used his other hand to caress her face and neck, then trailed down to her chest.
“Okay,” she finally blurted. “Let's go to your room.”
/> Pierce grinned with satisfaction over his victory. Grabbing her hand, he led her away from the bar.
MICHAEL WAS nearly coming out of his skin listening to the conversation. It was a good thing he couldn't see what was happening. It was bad enough he had to hear it. It would have been impossible for him to restrain himself which is why it was Martin inside and not him.
Martin informed them that Jessica and Pierce were heading to the elevator. As expected, the guards remained in the lounge. Corvo's phone rang just as they were getting ready to go inside. He listened for a minute and then bolted from the truck as if it was on fire. He ran frantically down the sidewalk towards the hotel with Josh and Michael right behind him, not knowing what was happening. Corvo disappeared into the stairwell. They found him on the second landing. He was on the floor writhing in pain. His bulletproof vest had again saved his life, but left him in agony. The pain was compounded by his existing bruise and broken ribs.
Michael ran past him to get to Jessica, sure that she was in danger. Josh stopped to ask Corvo what happened.
“They were able to get Eric Loukas' number from the phone we retrieved at the cabin,” Corvo explained through the debilitating pain. “They pulled the records for it and discovered he sent Pierce a picture. It was a picture of Jessica. He knows it's her.”
Josh cursed. “He's heading right into a trap!” He left Corvo and continued up the stairs.
He pulled his gun when he reached Pierce's floor. He quietly opened the door and slipped into the empty hall. The lack of sound was unsettling. He cautiously approached the door to Pierce's suite which was wide open. He peeked around the corner. The entry and living area were empty. It wasn't until he got to the bedroom that he knew why it was so quiet. There Michael and Jessica were being held by two men at gunpoint. Three others had their weapons trained on him. Michael had encountered the same situation except it was only Jessica being held hostage. His worst fear was being realized.
Josh had no choice but to surrender his weapon. When he did, Pierce cheerfully emerged from the bathroom.
“You didn't really think I would be so stupid as to keep using my phone, did you?” Pierce said mockingly. He turned to Michael. “You used your own wife as bait?”
Michael gritted his teeth but didn't reply. Pierce walked over to Jessica, standing within inches of her. She recoiled as he touched her face and slowly ran his hand down her neck and further over her chest. A quick jab from her heel into his foot stopped him dead in his tracks. He cried out in pain and backhanded her across her face. Michael swore he would kill him.
Pierce gave her a ferocious look. “It's a good thing for you we don't have much time. Or else you and me would be having a good time right now,” he spat through clenched teeth. He turned to his men. “Let's go. I don't think the others are coming.”
The man next to Jessica traded his gun for a knife. He held the knife against her back.
Pierce looked at Michael and Josh. “You cowboys decide to try anything and he'll sever her spinal cord. We'll go on ahead. You boys behave.”
Pierce left with Jessica and one other guard. The rest of the men held back for a minute and then herded Josh and Michael out of the room.
AFTER JOSH left, Corvo called Martin as he had no idea that anything was wrong. Corvo explained that the guards in the lounge were just a distraction. He urged Martin to get out of there before he was made. Martin met up with him in the stairwell on Pierce's floor. Despite being in excruciating pain, Corvo accompanied Martin to the suite. There was no sign of Jessica or Michael. Not even of a struggle.
Within seconds, Corvo was on the phone with the agent who had been watching Pierce. Corvo paced a bit while he spoke and then hung up. “They got into two black SUV's. My guy is following, but he's afraid they know he's there and will try to lose him. We need to hurry and assist him.”
Martin didn't need to be asked twice. They hurried back to the truck and tried to catch up to Pierce. They were closing in when the agent called with bad news. He lost them. Corvo called Gatti to apprise him of the situation and request additional assistance. It was a worst-case scenario.
Chapter 12
Michael woke. His arms were sore from being tied behind his back, and he soon realized his ankles were bound as well. As he took stock of his surroundings, he became aware he was on a small plane. The only light filtered through cracks in a makeshift wall that separated them from the rest of the plane. Jessica lay unconscious in front of him. She had been relieved of her shoes, which the men considered weapons rather than footwear. Beyond her, Josh was sitting up, already awake.
“What did I miss?” Michael asked.
“No idea. I woke a few minutes before you.”
Once inside the trucks, Michael, Josh, and Jessica had been restrained and drugged. With Jessica in the other vehicle, Michael and Josh didn't have any other option than to go along. The only way to know where they were taking her was to go with them and hope an opportunity to escape would arise.
Michael sat up and stretched his neck. He nudged Jessica with his feet and called her name. After a few times, she started to stir.
“What's going on?” she asked groggily.
“We're on a plane,” he answered. “Did they hurt you?”
She struggled to sit up. “No. I don't think so.” She scooted to his side and leaned her head against his chest, still feeling groggy from the drugs.
He closed his eyes and kissed the top of her head. “I'm sorry, Jess.”
“Don't.” She looked up at him. “Don't blame yourself.”
“There is no one else to blame. It's my job to protect you.”
She frowned, knowing she wouldn't be able to change his mind. She rested her head back on his chest. The lingering effects of the drugs helped her remain calm. As the effects continued to wear off, however, she became increasingly anxious and fearful. Michael and Josh kept talking to her, trying to comfort her and also prepare her for what might lie ahead.
Michael tried to separate himself from his emotions. Fear over what might happen to Jessica would only cloud his judgment. He needed to separate himself from those feelings, which was proving difficult. She was in the hands of human traffickers. He and Josh faced death at their hands, but what could happen to her was far worse.
THE PLANE ride seemed to go on forever. They didn't know how long they were unconscious nor how much time had passed since they woke. They could be halfway across the globe for all they knew.
The plane started to descend and the three prepared for the landing. It was much bumpier than anyone had expected.
“This is not tarmac!” Josh concluded as they were being bounced around.
They breathed a sigh of relief when the plane finally came to a stop. The engines wound down and they could hear men talking. The next part of their journey was about to begin.
The wall divider moved, revealing two of the men who took them from the hotel. They cut the restraints around Michael and Josh's ankles and ordered them out of the plane. Two more men waited for them outside. Jessica was carried out for a couple reasons. One, she didn't have any shoes, and two, with her legs still tied she wasn't going to run anywhere and thus Michael and Josh weren't going anywhere.
The plane landed in a small strip of land carved out of the forest. There wasn't anything in sight but trees. As far as they could tell, they were in the middle of the wilderness. No sign of civilization. There was also no sign of Pierce.
Looking up at the sky, Michael could tell it was late afternoon. The climate was cooler than Massachusetts. He figured they were further north. Based on the trees he saw he knew he was still in North America. His best guess was that they were somewhere in Canada. He looked back at the plane to try and get the tail number but it had none. It was a smuggler's plane.
Their captors herded them into the woods onto a lightly treaded pathway. One man took the lead, while the rest separated Michael and Josh. The last man was carrying Jessica.
They were wal
king for a while through the dense woods when the man carrying Jessica cried out in pain and threw her to the ground. Everyone turned to see what was happening. The guards had to remind Josh and Michael of their place as they wanted to run back to protect her.
“She bit me!” the man yelled.
“Feel me up again and see what I do!” she yelled back.
He swore at her then stepped closer to grab her again. She took the opportunity to kick her legs into his groin. He swore fiercely again. The man leading them rushed over to take control of the situation. Michael closed his eyes and tried not to react. He wanted to kill all of them but was in no position to do anything. If things escalated, he would have to do something, though he didn't know what.
The man in charge grabbed Jessica and threw her over his shoulder. He looked at his coworker with disgust before resuming his place in front now carrying Jessica. They walked another few miles before they stopped. Michael could barely make out a dirt road a few feet away. The man leading put Jessica down and turned to the others. Michael saw one of the guards stick a needle in Josh's neck just as he felt one in his own. He lost consciousness a few seconds later.
When he came to, he was in the back of a cargo van on a bumpy road. Josh was still unconscious. Jessica was awake. Her face swollen and eyes red, he could tell she had been crying for a while. Her dress was dirty, her hair was disheveled and one side of her face was bright red. He grew sick imagining what may have happened to her.
“Jess.” He sat up and moved closer to her. She looked at him as tears streamed her face. “What happened?”
She shook her head and looked away as more tears flooded her face.
“Jess?” Michael hoped it was something other than what he was thinking.
“Our ride came before they could do what they wanted,” she replied tearfully. “I guess we're in some sort of hurry. I don't think I'll be so lucky next time.” She broke down sobbing.
