Allure (Mercenaries Book 1)

by Tony Lavely

  “… records indicate that the first girl recorded arrived at the villa about two years ago. As for the other, you will remember Dominique, who you, Mr. Jamse, recommended to me? She once worked with the manufacturer of the particular safe and knew the security backdoor which they always leave in to avoid having to ruin the safe should the combination be lost or misplaced.”

  “I’ll have to be more careful who I buy safes from.”

  “Surely. The safe contained paper documents, videos and computer disks. The documents are all we have been able to examine, except to ascertain that the videos are of girls. So far, the videos seem to be advertising, if you understand my meaning?”

  “I do. Will you be able to copy that material in a few hours and return it to the safe as if it had not been disturbed? I assume that the backdoor did not damage the safe, or leave any record?”

  “Dominique told me that the manufacturer would be able to tell, but no one else. I can make copies of everything, but it will probably take most of a day, since with over forty girls, there is a lot of data. And, we will not want to use just anyone for the copying, especially the videos.”

  “Well said,” Jamse replied. “Get it done as quickly as possible within discreet bounds. Will you be able to control the villa until the originals are returned?”

  “Si. The only one about whom I have concern is the woman, called Cäcilie. She claimed to be Werner’s second-in-command when she first asked about him. Now, she refuses to speak. She is held in one of the bedrooms, out of the way.”

  “Still, she knows that you are still holding the villa and will be concerned about things of value, including the safe.”

  “True, but we continue to make noise in the upper levels, sufficient to hide the work in the basement.” He paused. “The investigation has turned up other things that may be of interest; I will forward copies of those as well.”

  “Good. Will you be able to get the material out to us, or shall I send a plane back to pick it up?”

  “I believe that, given the nature of the material, it should be allowed no opportunity to fall into anyone else’s hands. Therefore, I ask that you send a plane back for it. We will handle it as we did before.”

  “Very well. The plane will leave in the next hour or so and wait at Ciampino until you are ready.”

  “I will be there as quickly as possible.”

  “Ah, Miguel,” deVeel began, “what are the chances you’ve already found the videos and any other surveillance recordings from the past day?”

  “We did. It was the discovery of the recording devices without an equivalent, biblioteca?”

  “Library?” deVeel said.

  “Si, without a library, that encouraged the search that uncovered the safe.”

  “I do not suppose that another repository of information might still be hidden, which the discovery of the safe may have obscured?”

  “I don’t believe so; however, several of my men are still examining the building, to ensure that no space is overlooked. If we uncover anything, I will either include copies, or advise you.”

  “Very well. An excellent job. Thank you.”

  “Wow,” Susan said.

  Beckie took the release of tension at the end of the call as a chance to whisper to Melissa, “Hey. You okay, now?” A firm nod and a much stronger look answered her question. Again, she missed what deVeel was saying.

  “… I go with the plane, Ian?”

  “Yes, I agree that that would be warranted. Take care.”

  “You won’t do anything while I’m gone, will you?”

  “Nothing that will wait. Call the crew and hurry back.”

  DeVeel left, tapping his phone as he walked out of the door.

  “That does paint a rather different picture of Werner than we had,” Jamse told them, “although I must say that it does not completely surprise me. I am especially gratified that we were able to recover Carina from him, and once again, I thank you, Rebecca and Melissa.”

  Beckie’s grin was a little twisted as she recalled Miguel’s information. “Sounds like we owe you some thanks, too, to avoid being sold off, or whatever.”

  “But for me, you would not have been in that position. Thus—”

  “That’s probably enough of the back and forth on this topic,” Susan interjected. “I don’t know what all of you are thinking. But I can guess… For certain, Mr. Jamse’s thinking how best to repay Herr Werner for his activities, both recent and historical. And get paid for the effort. Yes?” At his nod, she continued, “And it’s time for you guys to disappear, back to school like we promised you. Since I can’t think of any acceptable way of using you to continue the fight, although to be honest, I wouldn’t have thought of using you to get this far, either.”

  “You are correct, Susan. While plans could be formed that might profitably use Rebecca and Melissa, I would not even discuss them until we have considered all other alternatives. In any event, as you said, they must return. We have other options, as well.

  “How badly was Rebecca injured?”

  “Pfft. Hardly enough to categorize as an injury. A cut perhaps, slightly more than a scratch. She’ll have a small scar, but will hardly be disfigured by it.”

  “And I told you, it was worth it to help get Cari back and get us out of there,” Beckie volunteered, speaking to the concern she saw in his eyes.

  “Will you discuss it with your parents?”

  “Probably not,” she replied, after a moment’s consideration. “Way too much explanation, you know, since they’re enjoying the theater just across town while we’re at church camp. Yeah, explaining it happening at camp, that’d be a problem.” She turned back to Jamse. “What will you do? What were you going to do before Miguel’s call?”

  “At the risk of doing something for which Mr. deVeel would wish to be present, I will share at least part of our now flawed plan.” He returned to sit alongside her. “As I said earlier, we had thought to take Werner to Australia, dropping him off at a sufficiently remote location that he would not be discovered until just before his water ran out. We anticipated that this would be some six or seven days, during which time we would be investigating and damaging his financial interests.

  “Now we are faced with the disturbing news that other girls have been trapped, much as Carina was, through no fault of their own. This puts a different complexion on the matter. I would like to cause Mr. Werner significant pain in addition to financial reverses.”

  “I don’t understand, Mr. Jamse.” Melissa said. Beckie turned, happy that Melissa was acting her old self again.

  “I undertook to recover Ms Betheler at the behest of Doctor Stone. While no such request has been made on behalf of these other girls, I find it distasteful to ignore the cause of their potential pain.”

  “Oh.”

  Into the following silence, Beckie asked, “And we can’t help?”

  Jamse frowned, which was not the expression Beckie’d hoped for. “Both of you have already done far more than anyone could ask.” He stood and walked to the window, staring out at the night. “In addition, we must remember that your parents are returning home Sunday afternoon; I do not wish them to find an empty house.” He turned back to look at Susan and then the girls. “Finally, we have an amazing lack of hard information, without which it will be impossible to make a plan for redressing this wrong. Thus, it is safe to say that, at present, you will be unable to assist.”

  “Since we don’t have to leave this minute, how about we stay until the stuff from Rome gets here and we can help you go over it, sorting it, like,” Beckie said.

  “Besides, if there are any videos of us, I think we want to know for sure they’ve been destroyed, if you don’t mind.” Beckie nodded her agreement.

  “Absolutely, Melissa. You and Rebecca can view the tapes from the active recording devices, to make sure that you are not shown. If you are, we will destroy that portion. Will this be satisfactory?” Beckie nodded. “You can speak for Carina, as wel
l, if you do not mind?

  “Now, I believe that we all should rest, before Mr. deVeel returns with his package.”

  They dispersed, headed toward their respective rooms, quick goodnights filling the hall.

  Both morning and afternoon went by before deVeel returned with two large cases. Jamse greeted him and announced his arrival.

  DeVeel updated him while they waited for the others. “A little while before I arrived, the woman, Cäcilie, overpowered her guard and escaped. Miguel believes she successfully reached Werner’s personal plane and left Italy.”

  “That is unfortunate. When the time comes, we must recall that she is no less guilty than Werner.”

  Beckie trailed the others into the room just as Jamse gave deVeel the floor. She hurried to the sofa, this time squeezing between Melissa and the overstuffed arm. She gave deVeel her full attention.

  “I’ve brought two cases here, as you can see. The first has the paper documents, the copied disks and the videos that came out of the machines, so should be of your arrivals…” He nodded at Beckie and Melissa. “… and our raid. Miguel removed them, but he didn’t copy those tapes, as we agreed that Werner would expect to find them gone.”

  “Thank you very much,” said Melissa. Beckie echoed her, with a glance at Jamse. He was still, but he smiled his faint smile as deVeel continued.

  “Not a problem, it seemed like little enough reward for the fun we had recovering you. The second case has copies of the videos that were more recent. We could only fit so many into the case; the others are locked into the plane with Willie watching until I get back. I thought that we probably had little interest in the earlier ones, anyway, except that Miguel says some of them are pretty graphic and might make evidence should any of the disappearances come to trial. If a proper provenance can be shown.”

  “Huh?” Mike asked.

  “If it can be shown for the court that the videos were actually from the villa. By removing them, we damage the chain of evidence that ties Werner to the tapes, and while Miguel says Werner is seen on some of them, it would be better if the ones from the villa were found, when needed. However, the police would be quite satisfied to work with these copies, at least until they file charges.”

  “What’s on them that would be evidence?” Susan asked.

  “He didn’t turn off the videos when some of the girls were… disposed of. According to Miguel, anyway.”

  “Oh.”

  After a few seconds, Jamse spoke. “I assume that you left those tapes on the plane?”

  “Yeah. I didn’t think they’d be needed yet.”

  “I agree.” He began clearing the desk. “I will go through the papers while Ms Jinet begins with the computer disks. The girls may examine the video tapes to erase those sections in which they appear. Perhaps you would watch them also, to see if there is anything of value, or if we should just destroy those tapes completely.”

  “Okay, if you don’t mind?” he asked the girls.

  “I don’t care,” replied Beckie. “You’ve seen everything already.”

  “Yeah,” agreed Melissa. “That goes for you, too, Mike, I think.”

  “And,” Beckie continued, “not to speak for Lissa, but if anything on the tape will help get rid of him, then don’t worry about my being on it.”

  “Thank you,” Jamse responded, “but we shall wait to see what is actually on the tapes. It is my frequent experience that tapes from surveillance cameras are first, of horrible quality, and second, filled with nothing of interest.”

  “Yeah,” agreed deVeel. “Generally, you’ve just dozed off when the interesting fifteen seconds flashes by and someone else gets the credit for noticing whatever it was you missed.”

  “Well, Kevin,” Susan retorted, “if your attention span wasn’t so short—”

  “I told you I was ADD when you joined us and you needed to watch out for me,” he rejoined with a big grin.

  “I think that will do,” Jamse said as he handed Susan her laptop. “Werner will be conscious and we need to act within the next few hours. Also, Rebecca, Melissa and Michael must be on the plane tomorrow afternoon. I will accompany them. Anything that requires their assistance must therefore be done in the next few hours.”

  DeVeel nodded as he opened the first case. He handed folders of papers to Jamse, the disks to Susan and picked up four video tapes, moving toward the tape player under the TV. He fed the first of the tapes to the player as the others gathered around, sitting on the floor, as if being closer to the machine would somehow blunt the impact. Or dissemination. Or content.

  They immediately saw that Jamse’s comments about surveillance tapes were not accurate; the picture on the screen was quite watchable, even though it did give the impression of a home video.

  “Well, it’s not as bad as it could be, but a far cry from digital,” deVeel commented as the tape continued.

  “Too bad,” replied Melissa.

  Beckie smiled, agreeing with the sarcasm in her friend’s voice.

  Four hours later, they had viewed all four tapes, mostly in high speed scan, slowing only when something interesting appeared. The end of the last tape showed not only Beckie and Melissa being rubbed down, but their rescue. DeVeel pointed out Cari, who appeared as she and a large man entered the villa, and then again as she followed a woman up the stairs and into the bedroom, where nothing of interest occurred until Jamse and Susan entered.

  Once they finished watching the massage and rescue, deVeel pronounced these tapes of no interest to them and promised to destroy them, “Unless you want to take them home?”

  Beckie was second to attack, but only because Melissa was closer. She shouted “No!” along with her friend, and began beating on deVeel’s back while Melissa pounded on his arms and chest. The mêlée was sufficient to bring Jamse from his desk to join in the laughter.

  “It looks like we’ll be able to get rid of these, Ian. Neither Beckie nor Melissa want Mike to keep them,” he teased, crouching to avoid the small fists.

  “Excellent.” Jamse did not take the bait, but instead, took the tapes and as Beckie watched, inserted them, one at a time, into a small machine, handing them back to deVeel after removing them.

  “A bulk eraser,” deVeel explained as he slid the returned tape back into the player and started it. The screen remained blue. “This means that the tape has no information on it, any more.”

  “Well, that’s a relief,” Beckie said, as the last tape showed the results of being erased. “I’m glad it’s over.”

  “As are we,” Jamse agreed. “Since Ms Saunders recovered the cameras the kidnappers used in the club, there is nothing else that attaches either your name or likeness to Werner’s exploitation.”

  “However,” deVeel mused, “I think I’ll record some of SkyNews, just to add the suspenders.”

  “Huh?” Beckie silently thanked Mike for asking.

  “Joke about being overly prepared. Man worried about his pants falling off wears both a belt and suspenders.” He set the machine to the appropriate channel and pushed Record. “In this case, I’ll take the blank tapes and record something of no interest on them.”

  “Thanks,” said Beckie, reaching up to give him a kiss.

  “Well, that makes it all worthwhile,” he replied, pleasure lighting his face.

  “Kevin, you are such a goof,” Susan laughed.

  “I believe that it is time for you all to retire. The time is midnight, and past. I will telephone at eight again.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Mike and Melissa

  IN HIS ROOM, MIKE STOOD at the dresser, looking into the mirror at the no longer a boy looking back at him. The door between the rooms was still ajar, and Melissa came through it, knocking gently at the frame, bringing him out of his reverie to greet her.

  “Mike, I wanted to… to talk just for a minute.”

  “Sure, Lissa,” approaching her, but not too closely. When she didn’t speak, he did: “I was standing here thinking ‘bout
everything that’s happened this week. Sure has been a trip. I don’t think even Timothy Leary could have had a more exciting one. You know?”

  She didn’t respond, just came close and laid her head against his shoulder. With all the sensitivity of his gender, it took him some seconds to realize she was crying. Once he did, he held her more closely, murmuring into her ear.

  Eventually, Melissa loosened her hug a little, and following her lead, Mike did likewise as he kissed some of the tears from her cheek.

  “I don’t know why I did that. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be silly. Nothing to be sorry for.”

  “Still. Anyway, I wanted to ask, when we get back, you know?”

  He thought for just a second. “No. Or yes. Oh, damn! I don’t know what I know, anymore. Just that a lot has happened to both of us this past week, and it’s gonna take some getting used to…”

  “But—”

  “Wait a second, let me finish. I was gonna say, one of the things I’ve learned is that I can help you, and Beckie too, and you can help me. And I need to respect you if I love you. And I do. Respect you. Love you.” He looked into her eyes again. “While I liked being with you here…” He stopped for a second, then took a deep breath and blurted out, “It won’t make any difference in how I act with you back home.”

  Her eyes filled again. “I think I love you, Mike.” She stopped, looking up at him. “I can’t ask that, ‘cause I can’t imagine how you’d do it, but it is what I’d like, at least for now. Thank you.” She reached up and kissed him.

  “Thanks.” His pleasure was evident. “Now get out of here before I forget my promise.” She hugged him almost painfully close; they shared another kiss, this one long and feeling filled. Once it ended, Mike felt the temperature in the room drop about fifteen degrees as Melissa walked back through the door, pulling it to behind her. He stood there a few more minutes, knowing that while he might not have wanted to take that path, it was the only one available.