by John Charles
Aaron was overwhelmed with both the compliment and the man sitting next to him. "Listen, I'm bushed. Only got two hours sleep last night. If you don’t need me, I'm going home and, hopefully, I'll be able to sleep a few hours."
He escorted Declan out of the lab, locked the door, and secured it with his key card. On the way out, he stuck his head into Hank's office and told him of his intent to get a few hours rest. He was asleep before his head it the pillow.
Five hours later and feeling more refreshed, Aaron showered, dressed, and made his way back to the office. The tube was on night schedule. It was only five miles from his bedsit to the office, so he decided to walk. During the brisk morning walk, Aaron's mind kept returning to two thoughts. One was Ethan strung up in the video. The other was Declan.
By the time he entered the office, Aaron had made a decision. Even though he was attracted to Declan, he would not risk his position, nor embarrass himself if Declan was straight and simply doing his job. He liked what he did and knew that he would hate himself if he lost the position, at Andrews, for such a stupid reason.
He was smiling when he entered the building. The night dispatcher looked at him and said, "Wow, for the middle of the night, you look cheery." Aaron told her it was due to the sleep he just got and the five-mile walk in the brisk London air. She didn't believe either of his answers. "Okay, if you say so, but I'd like some of those happy pills you are taking."
Aaron unlocked and opened his lab after getting a hot cup of coffee from the lunchroom. He wanted to open Robert's email account and continue to search for any evidence of hate mail or anything that might help the case. There were several new emails in Robert's inbox, but one stood out. It was from [email protected].
Hank answered his mobile on the second ring. He had gone home shortly after Aaron had. To keep his ringing phone from waking his wife, Hank slept with it under his pillow. "What do you have Aaron?" he whispered as he walked out of his bedroom. "Okay, don't open it. We can do that when I get in. Please call Declan, Akerheart and Natalie. I'll call Robert."
Everyone arrived at Andrews about half an hour later. Gabi was clearly hurting. Robert seemed to be in a constant state of fear. Natalie and Akerheart were both thankful for the few hours' sleep they had gotten.
With everyone sitting around the conference table, coffee or tea in hand, and watching the monitor on the wall, Aaron clicked on the email.
Again, the email only contained a link. When Aaron clicked to open the link, everyone gasped in horror. There, secured to a frame that looked like a huge X, was Ethan. His head hung down to his chest. "Oh my God," screamed Gabi as she looked at the video. "What have they done to him?"
Every hair on Ethan's body was gone. His head was clipped so short it looked as if it had been shaved. He was obviously crying and hyperventilating when a hand moved into the frame. It cupped Ethan's chin and lifted his head so he could look into the camera. Ethan's tear stained face, blood shot eyes, bruised lips, and reddened cheeks looked at them in near silence. The only sounds coming from the video were Ethan's heavy breathing and his hiccupped sobbing.
Robert reached to his wife and pulled her to his side, in what looked like an attempt to calm her nerves, but everyone knew it was equally for his own control as well.
The voice said, "So Robert, do you like this picture? Your son is perfect for my plans." Then the voice spoke to Ethan in an almost too soft and gentle manner. "Tell your father about my plans for you, boy." He emphasized the word boy.
Ethan, barely able to speak, could not hold his head up, so the hand held it for him. Suddenly the off camera voice yelled. "Tell you daddy what is going to happen to you!"
Ethan's voice was barely a whisper from apparent screaming. "He says I am being prepared for auction. Dad, he is going to sell me as a sex slave. Please dad, do something!"
The hand let go of Ethan's face and slapped him hard. "Tell him what we have in store for your training."
Ethan visibly shaking said, "They are going to teach me how to be the best sex slave possible. Lots of guys will be using and teaching me, starting this afternoon."
Ethan looked into the camera, clearly frightened. As the hand let go of his face, Ethan screamed in a harsh, raspy voice, "Daddy…"
Before Ethan could say another word, the video went to black.
Chapter 10
"How can they auction him off?" whispered Gabi, tears streaming down her face, hands shaking in fear.
Robert, still holding her, stared at Hank for the answer. "How is this possible?"
Hank looked from the black monitor back to the Tamerons. He chose his words carefully. "You may not realize that this type of crime is more prevalent than you think. There are people who would pay a handsome price for a slave as good looking as your son." His hands went up, palms out to stop Robert from saying anything. "Let me finish. Ethan is a good-looking young man. He is straight and has probably only just started to experiment in the sexual arena. To someone with money, he is perfect. What we have to do now is figure out why this guy," he said pointing to the dark monitor, "has kidnapped your son."
Declan looked at Robert as if thinking how to ask a question. Then he turned to Aaron and said, "Play the video again. This time, I want you, Robert, to listen to the voice of Ethan's keeper. Can you identify him? Does his voice sound familiar to you? We need anything you can give us, here, if you want to get your son back."
Gabi shuddered in Roberts arms. "I don't think I can watch it again," she said to everyone and no one.
Aaron looked to Hank and saw him nod his approval, then started the video again. As everyone watched the screen, Declan started asking questions.
"Who is he, Robert? Listen to his voice and think. Do you know him?" He had Aaron repeat the segments when the off camera voice spoke. Each time he looked to Robert and Gabi for their reactions. He told Robert to close his eyes and just listen. "Try to imagine you are in the room looking at him. Let your brain hear his voice, Robert. Who is he?"
Finally, Robert said, "If I close my eyes and listen, I would think I am back in my Saudi Villa. The children of foreign workers were taught in the American and British schools. If I let my mind go a little, this man sounds like someone from the British school."
Everyone looked at Robert as if he just gave them the winning numbers for the million dollar lottery. Before Hank could ask a question, Natalie asked, "You lived there for three years. During that time, did you live alone or with someone else?"
Robert looked to Gabi as if seeking permission, then said, "I lived alone in a small villa in a town near one of the major oil refineries."
Declan picked up the questioning. You were young man in a foreign land, where 'favors' were often given. Who did you bed, Robert? This is important, we need to know."
"Yes, there were favors and I did enjoy them once in a while. But I was so busy and loved the area so much I didn't have a lot of free time for that."
"Do you speak the language?" asked Natalie.
"No, I had an interpreter and guide. She was fantastic. She could speak several languages and knew the area so well that we didn't need any maps."
"Did you sleep with her?" asked Declan.
"No, I didn't," said Robert in an indignant tone of voice. "What does this have to do with her anyway?" he almost shouted.
Gabi put her hand on Robert's arm and whispered, "They are trying to help. It's okay. That was before you met me. Answer their questions. It might help get our Ethan back."
"Aaron, can you please go to the lab and work on this email. I know you made some strides with the other one, but now we need you to find him. If you don't we may not have another chance."
Aaron left the room feeling overwhelmed now that Hank had put so much of the success of the case on his shoulders.
Hank watched as Declan continued to question Robert. He knew better than to interfere at this point. They had played this strategy game often during his years at MI5. Let one of them play the heavy and
the other the soft, caring touch. Good cop - bad cop, it usually worked.
"Oh come on Robert, you were a young, horny guy in a foreign land. Women and men were offered as favors constantly. You mean to tell me that you never indulged?"
Again, Robert said he had the occasional dalliance with one of the offered favors, but not on a regular basis.
"Okay, so you were a nice guy. I get that, but this interpreter, who was she?"
"Her name was Eliana. She was a couple of years younger than me. She was working for the government as a guide and interpreter. We spent most days together since she spoke for me at meetings and at drilling sites."
"Now we're getting somewhere. Was she married?"
"No, she was single and often said she wanted to find someone who would not be jealous of her continuing to work after they married. Remember women were considered second-class people back then. Many men we interfaced with took offense to her speaking for me, but knew they had no choice. She was so good they overlooked the fact that she was a woman."
"How often did you sleep with her?" asked Declan as he looked directly into Robert's eyes.
"Never," he answered slamming his open hand to the table. "I told you I didn't sleep with her. Why are you insisting I did?"
Hank, knowing it was time to soften the conversation said, "No one is insisting, Robert. We just need to understand why someone would want to kidnap and sell Ethan as a sex slave. And by your own admission, the voice we just heard sounds like it could have been someone who knew you from that Saudi town."
"Let's take a little break. I for one have to go," said Natalie as she looked at Hank then to Gabi. "Want to join me?" she asked continuing to look at Gabi. Both got up and left the conference room. Gabi looking distressed and very uncomfortable, Natalie looking as if she might burst from too much tea.
Hank spoke to Declan, "Give Aaron a hand. Contact someone for assistance if he is not making headway." Declan left the room, leaving Hank, Akerheart and Robert sitting at the table.
Robert looked more stressed from the questioning than from the video. Wringing his hands, running his hands through his hair, and generally showing signs of stress, he didn't look all that good. Hank and Akerheart shared the same expression when they looked at Robert. He was looking like a caged animal.
Finally giving Robert a break, Hank said, "No one is accusing you of wrong doing. I know this is tough, but you need to think of anything that might give us a clue. Who would want to do this Robert? That guy," he said pointing to the dark monitor "is clearly out to get you."
Akerheart stood and asked, "Do you need the rest room? I know I certainly do." Robert agreed and stood on shaky feet, allowing Akerheart to guide him out of the conference room.
Once they had gone, Hank again used the phone on the table to make a call. When the person answered, he sat back, let out a long sigh and said in a soft affectionate voice, "Hi. How is your day going?"
Declan found Aaron in almost as nervous a state as Robert was. He had traced the email and video link through five different relay servers than the previous email, but could not pinpoint the sender's location. Having run the program several times he kept coming up with the same dead end. He looked at Declan with fear in his eyes. He knew Ethan's life depended on his ability to outsmart this guy and he was losing the game.
Declan pulled his mobile out and hit a programmed number. He explained the situation and listened. "Yeah, he is good. In fact, he could teach us a thing or two, but right now, he needs help. Can you put someone on it? Thanks." Declan closed the call after giving Aaron's mobile and land line numbers.
"You are going to get a call from someone who can help you track this guy down. You are good, really good, but right now you can use a hand, am I right?"
Aaron nodded his agreement. "This guy or whoever is helping him is smart. I'm sure I will figure it out, but it might be too late when I do. So yeah, I can use the help."
Just then, Aaron's desk phone rang. When he answered it, he found he was talking to one of MI5's smartest internet gurus. He looked to Declan, smiled, and went on with his business, determined to find who was holding Ethan.
Declan went back to the conference room via the rest and lunchrooms. He normally did not eat sweets, but felt he needed a sugar fix if he was going to continue interviewing Robert. Upon walking into the lunchroom, he spotted Natalie surveying the boxes of donuts. "Anything good in there?" he asked with a smile.
She turned to see him looking at the same donut she had her eyes on. "Yeah, and that's mine, so don't you dare?"
He smiled and said, "I've learned to never cross a woman when she has her sights on something she wants," he left the innuendo open ended as he picked out a glazed donut instead.
Together they walked back to the conference room. "You were pretty hard on him before," said Natalie, between bites.
"It's going to get harder, though. He is the answer, Natalie; he just doesn't know it yet."
Robert and Gabi were sitting in the same seats when Declan and Natalie walked in. Hank and Akerheart were both standing by the window, looking out at the brilliant blue sky.
"Shall we continue?" said Declan, as he sat opposite Robert, leaving seats on both sides free. The room took on a different feeling at that point. Declan's intent was clear. He would be interrogating Robert and Gabi.
"Robert, tell us everything you can about Eliana, and I mean everything."
Robert had met her when he first arrived at the Saudi project. He thought she was just hired to be his interpreter. When she offered to be a tour guide as well, he jumped at the idea. He felt she would be able to show him places that typical tourists would never see, and he was right.
For three years, she acted as his interpreter, tour guide, and companion. "Every night she went home. I never slept with her, even though I wanted to. She was a beautiful woman and, yes, I was a young man with needs. I satisfied those needs with the favors offered to all of us while we worked there, but you have to believe me, I never slept with Eliana."
When the project was nearing completion, Eliana approached him. "She said she was desperate and needed my help. I asked her what was so urgent. She said she was pregnant. I offered to help her leave the country, but she refused. She said this was her home and couldn't leave."
"What happened after she refused? Did she want an abortion?" asked Gabi as she looked at her husband.
"No, she didn’t want an abortion. She wanted me to marry her and say the baby was mine."
"What?" whispered Gabi in surprise? "Why would she want that?"
"You have to understand the times we were living in. Women were second-class citizens; they had no rights at all. If a woman was found to be pregnant out of wedlock, she could be stoned to death. Here was a wonderful, brilliant woman, who got in trouble. She told me she was forced to serve a man who refused to use protection. It was a onetime event, but left her pregnant with his baby."
"Isn't that rape?" asked Gabi.
"Sure in our laws it is, but not theirs. A man had every right to use a woman as he saw fit. Even today, their laws are different. She had only two choices, abortion or to leave the country. The alternative was not very pleasant."
Declan allowed Gabi to ask the questions since Robert was opening up to her better than to him.
"What did you do?" continued Gabi.
"I tried to convince her to leave the country. I even went to the consulate and explained everything. They said they would help Eliana if she simply walked through their gates. But their hands were tied unless she did it voluntarily."
"Obviously she didn't, did she?" asked Declan.
"No she didn't. I never saw her again. She simply disappeared. I thought the worst, but knew better than to voice my questions and fears. I was under their laws and could be in big trouble if I had."
"Declan, can you get some help here? We can do our own research, but your people have more access then we do," asked Hank.
Declan excused himself and made se
veral calls. At one point, he asked Robert for names, dates and more information to relay to his people. Robert complied without argument.
Hank stood and told Robert and Gabi he would have a driver take them home. "I'll keep you updated as soon as we know anything."
Chapter 11
Deep in thought, with his back to the door, Hank didn't hear Declan enter his office. "Don't want to break your concentration, but I have an idea that I'd like to run by you," said Declan standing at the door.
Hank slowly turned from the windows. He looked at Declan for a full minute before he said, "This is crazy. I can't seem to put my finger on it, but I know there is more to this case than we have discovered. You have an idea? I hope it's a good one." He pointed to the chair in front of his desk.
As Declan sat, he noticed that Hank was looking beyond him as if he was still deep in thought. "We all agree that this has something to do with Robert. And frankly I feel it has to do with his tenure in Saudi Arabia. We also agree that this guy is trying to show Robert what is happening to his son. So I want to take advantage of his statement about auctioning off Ethan."
"How? What can you do about the auction?"
Declan appeared somewhat nervous. His normal self-confidence seemed a bit shaky as he said, "I want to use Aaron as a decoy." That got Hank's attention. "We know that Aaron is gay, and he could easily fit into the scene, so I want him to pose as an interested buyer."
Hank smiled, sat back in his chair, and looked at Declan. "Close the door," he said and waited until Declan had taken his seat again. "Yes, Aaron is gay. I knew that when I hired him. In fact, he told me during the interview. He said he didn't want any surprises after he moved and took the job. He has never done anything to make me think he is any different from the others that work here. He is definitely smarter than most. Nevertheless, he is so shy I can't imagine him making this work. Can't you get someone else to act as decoy?"
"I spoke with my supervisor. Right now one of our guys is working with Aaron to bust the email relay problem. My boss said that our man was highly impressed with Aaron's skills. He also said that we don't have anyone who could jump in at this late date. Hank, he and I both felt that Aaron was the right man for the job considering his knowledge of the case and his position within Andrews."
