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MORRISON
In the fall Brian had gone to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. It was only a couple hours away so he either came home for the weekend or Gwen went to visit him. She took a fast food job to earn money for the bus under the condition that she would work no weekends. It was better when she went to Lincoln because they could be by themselves virtually anytime. That was when Brian had created the webpage. She sat watching over his shoulder as he copied the pictures and downloaded the videos. There was no text so it was virtually impossible to hit on the site accidentally, but the potential of getting caught left her euphoric. She was standing naked in the road for anyone to come along and find her.
The next winter she worked for his father again and lived on the farm. Toward the end of that summer was when things began going downhill. It was the first week in August and sweltering. Brian would be heading back to school in less than two weeks. They had just finished supper and the evening chores. Both had showered to go “to the movies”. Brian leaned on one of the stalls in the old barn watching Gwen do a striptease and dance in the nude. Her clothes were in a pile at his feet. As the song ended he approached her smiling and she came into his arms.
“I’m going to Clark’s house.”
“I’d go with you, but I imagine I won’t be getting my clothes back quite so easily.”
“You know me too well.” He picked up her clothes and called out over his shoulder. “It won’t take more than twenty-five minutes. Keep dancing.”
Brian bought weed from Clark. They had used it half a dozen times that summer and she enjoyed it more now that she had gotten used to it.
She followed him out of the barn and walked partway down the drive to the road until she saw another car in the distance. The fields on either side of the drive were in corn. It was dusk and would be dark before he got back. She decided to take a walk first and wandered across the property enjoying the evening. A breeze kicked up and cooled her skin. She walked back to the road just after dark and paced back and forth retreating twenty-five yards each time a car drove by. She was dark as an Indian by then. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to notice her. The road was still busy though, so she returned to the barn and turned the music back on and lit the lantern. She knew it had been longer than twenty-five minutes, but Clark liked to talk. She knew Brian thought it was funny when she became worried that he might not come back. She began to dance and when she heard the truck pull in she decided to give him a show. She turned her back to the door and moved her hips back and forth to the music with her arms twining overhead. Every now and then she would turn far enough that he could glimpse a nipple, but not far enough to see him. She smiled knowing he was leaning against the doorway admiring her.
When the song ended he spoke, “Now that was one of the best shows I’ve seen, I do declare.” It wasn’t Brian’s voice though, and Gwen turned quickly in shock. He laughed as she ran behind the wall of the new stall and peeked over the railing. It was the same deputy that had checked on them the night they had pulled the truck off the side of the road. Morrison. She cast in her mind, but the blanket they kept was in a box in the loft.
“Go away.”
“I don’t think so.” He stepped just inside the door where he couldn’t be seen from the vehicle.
She cringed, thinking about how she had danced in front of him. “I’m on private property. I’m not breaking any laws.”
“Oh, but you were about to. And your boyfriend already has. That’s how I knew how to find you. He’s the one who told me where to look. Why don’t you come on out from behind there so we can talk?”
Gwen shook her head.
“See I know most of your other haunts in the county. The river. The wayside. The walking bridge. But this one I didn’t know about. I wonder if his daddy knows you come here. I wonder if your momma knows.” Gwen gasped. “You sure you don’t want to come out from behind there?”
“Where are my clothes?”
“Your clothes? Well, they’re right where your boyfriend left them on the seat of his truck.” Morrison gestured over his shoulder with his thumb. “It’s about three miles up the road. But you like being out on the road naked in the dark, don’t you? Maybe you’d like to start walking, or I could give you a ride.”
“Where’s Brian?”
“He’s in the back of my unit in handcuffs. See, he was in a little bit of a hurry and so I stopped him for speeding. He was acting a little hinky though. You know what I mean? Anyway I saw your clothes and asked him whose they were. I already knew, but that’s what a cop does… asks questions he knows the answer to. I asked him if he bought any weed off Clark Mason, but I knew the answer to that too. See, we busted Clark a couple weeks ago and let him go on the condition that he cooperate with us. In fact, I told Clark to call Brian and tell him he had some real good stuff if he was interested and then Clark called me to tell me Brian just left. That doesn’t sound too fair now, does it?”
Gwen shook her head in disbelief. “I want to see him.”
“Oh, you will. In fact, if you and Brian are willing to cooperate like Clark, then no one even has to know that I detained him for questioning.”
“Cooperate?”
Morrison smiled, “You just do what you two planned to do tonight, not smoking the pot of course, and I’ll have a front row seat. It won’t be the first time I’ve seen you two at it, you know. That night you tied yourself up on the pedestrian bridge… that was something, but I was on the upside watching with binoculars…” She was silent for a moment remembering. Brian had the mag light that night.
“He can’t have that much pot. Only a couple joints.”
“Oh, but I think he said something about bringing some back for the guys at school. There was a whole Ziploc full of joints behind his seat. It’s enough with Clark’s testimony to put him away for a couple of years. That would really put a kink in his college plans now, wouldn’t it?” He smiled at her. “Now why don’t you come on out from behind that wall?”
Gwen heaved a sigh in resignation and slowly stepped out from behind the wall covering herself. She had never felt so humiliated and started to cry.
Morrison didn’t care. He smiled in satisfaction. Put your hands down at your sides and let me see the flip side. I already got a great view of the backside.
Gwen moved her hands to cover her eyes and wipe away her tears and then put her hands down at her sides. Slowly Morrison approached her and walked a full circle around her. She had never felt so filthy. She brushed at her tears again.
“Can I see Brian? I want to see him.”
“I can do that.” Morrison left and returned with Brian in handcuffs. He had his head down in shame and was crying as well. She went to him and hid herself against him. He positioned himself to block Morrison’s view.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” She buried her face in his chest and nodded. Morrison had walked away from them studying the weights and ropes in the stall. “Don’t do anything for him. You don’t have to do anything for him.”
“You’ll go to jail if I don’t. Did you really buy that much?”
“No. He must have gotten it from Clark before. It’s his word against mine though and they’ll believe him over me, especially if Clark testifies. It doesn’t matter though. You are more important. I don’t want you to do this for me.”
“He said he’s seen us before. On the pedestrian bridge. He was in the upper parking
lot.”
“This is different though. It’s like paying for it. You are mine and I am yours. He is making it dirty. He is just using it to get his rocks off.”
“She’s really into bondage isn’t she?” Morrison was studying the restraints in the stall. “I like this. I think that’s what I want to see. She can tie herself up and you can stand on the stool until you come into her mouth.”
Gwen pleaded with Brian with her eyes. “It’s jail. I couldn’t live with myself if you had to go to jail when I could stop it. It’s just this once. Please, Brian, let’s just get it over with.”
Brian crumpled in tears, sobbing and shaking his head. Finally he nodded agreement and Gwen turned to Morrison and nodded. “If we do this, you don’t charge him for anything and no one will know?”
“It’ll just be our little secret.”
Gwen nodded in agreement and turned to kiss Brian for comfort.
“Take his clothes off first and then kiss him.”
Gwen paused for a moment until Brian nodded. He was not the exhibitionist she was and had always kept his clothes on as long as possible when he was filming or they weren’t in private. His face was burning with shame.
“You’ll have to take the handcuffs off.”
“Just pull the shirt off over his head and pull it down to his wrists.”
Gwen looked at Brian in apology as she followed Morrison’s orders.
“Now the shorts.”
Gwen removed the rest of his clothes.
“Now you can kiss him.”
Gwen put her arms around Brian, but it was only to comfort him. He was trying without success to stop the tears.
“Not much of a man, is he? Has that much woman against his naked flesh and not the least bit of a rise out of him? Mmm mmm.”
Gwen whispered in his ear. “Don’t pay any attention to him. It’s just you and me. Focus on me.” Brian nodded and they kissed again as Gwen played her hands over his torso. She didn’t want to be tied up any longer than she had to.
“I don’t know if I can do this Gwen.”
“The sooner we do, the sooner he’ll leave.”
Brian nodded and allowed Gwen to lead him to the stall. She pushed him back against the wall and turned to Morrison. “Can I take him here? I’d rather be on my knees.”
Morrison smiled and nodded. “Fine with me.”
Gwen knew it would be easier if she had her hands free. She kissed him again and played her hands all over him. When she took hold of his organ it was beginning to swell slightly. She knelt and brought it into her mouth as she reached up and stroked Brian’s chest. He was coming up nicely when Morrison spoke again.
“If that’s all you ever get from him, maybe you should let a real man show you how it is.” Brian died quickly and Gwen turned in anger.
“A real man would be getting some of his own instead of threatening other people with jail just so he could watch!”
Gwen threw her hands up to protect herself as Morrison raised his hand to strike her. Brian shouted, “No!” and Gwen looked at the deputy in defiance. “Go ahead! Is that what a real man does? Beats on a woman?” Morrison barely managed to stay his hand. She stared him down filled with anger until he backed off and smiled. She turned back to Brian and had to start again from scratch.
It took much longer than normal, but he finally managed to come.
Brian had tried to position himself to block Morrison’s view as Gwen began to put on the restraints. That was when Morrison noticed the goggles. He put them on Brian and pushed him aside and then leered at Gwen as she tied her legs and then her hands and pushed the weights off the ledge. She never said a word and she never told Brian later how Morrison had touched her, or how he flashed her massaging himself to erection.
She had to talk to Brian to let him know where she was. He tried to kiss her, but Morrison pushed him to his knees while he played with Gwen’s breasts.
“Leave enough cum for me to check. I want to know she’s not just faking it.”
She knew he was disappointed at how quickly she managed to come despite what he was doing. When Brian moved away from her Morrison stuck his middle finger inside of her and came to her face as he sucked on it. “Mmm, mmm, mmm.”
Brian left shortly after Morrison did to get the truck and Gwen’s clothes. He and Gwen spent the night in the barn comforting one another. It was the only place they could be together. His father noticed they were upset and asked Gwen about it a few days later. She told him they had a fight, but they were trying to work things out.
It was never the same after that. It was always desperate and forced, never fun. Even in Lincoln Morrison was always watching. He was always touching Gwen. Brian started drinking more and smoking more pot. And then in January she had gotten pregnant. She was taking the pills like always, but she ended up pregnant anyway. They had always talked about getting married when he finished school. He was twenty, she was eighteen, but when she told him about the baby he said he wasn’t ready to have a child.
That’s when he broke it off. She had been stunned. His dad was counting on her to come for the lambing, but when she kept leaving the barn to throw up and when Brian didn’t come home for the weekend he confronted her. She loved Brian’s dad. His parents were more like family than hers. She had been numb when Brian broke up with her and broke down crying, admitting that she was pregnant. He hugged her, but then he told her to tell her mother. That was when she had gone to Nora. Nora held her hand and drove her home from the abortion clinic, but Gwen had gone to a place deep inside herself. Brian’s mom and dad tried to talk to her once or twice after that. Her parents never even called.
Then she began to notice the looks from people around town. Nora admitted telling one of her friends. Gwen heard Brian was seeing a girl at school. Nora checked her email one day and found Brian’s website in her inbox sent to her by Gwen. He knew Gwen’s password and when he found out that she had talked to his dad and that somehow everyone knew, he decided to send the link to everyone in her address book with the caption “Gwen naked”. Not only that, but he had added text to the site that would get a hit on anything from her name to almost any key word. She got a one-word email in response from her mother that said “slut”. Nora said Gwen could stay with her.
Gwen buckled down and ignored the leers from boys and the down the nose looks from their mothers. She worked almost full time and studied until she fell asleep. She saved every dime she could and applied for scholarships and won them and sent a last minute application to Hudson and was accepted. She never talked to anyone there about it. Never talked about home. She just kept to herself and poured herself into her studies and worked two jobs weekends as a waitress to pay the bills. She never called Nora or her parents. Never talked to anyone from home. She never planned to go back there again.
Gwen came back to the present as she heard the door to her cell click. She felt someone enter and could hear them breathing softly. It was probably Joseph again. He had checked on her periodically and spoken to her, but she hadn’t spoken to him or anyone else since she had been dragged out of Julia’s office. The feelings of betrayal were intense. All of the old pain was back. She had promised herself after Brian that she would never trust anyone again. It wasn’t worth the pain. She would never allow herself to be emotionally vulnerable. She would never believe anything anyone told her. It wasn’t until her sophomore year at Hudson that she hesitantly said yes when Cole asked her out. She reaffirmed those promises after Cole when she realized he only wanted sex with her. And now this.
She had lost track of time curled into a ball on the cot, but she knew it had to have been days because her stomach was rumbling with hunger. Still she wouldn’t give in to them. She would just starve to death if they wouldn’t let her go. Only now it was cold. There was no blanket on the cot, but the room had been comfortable before.
“I was thirteen when I came here. I lived in Connecticut. I was delivering papers at five in the morning when a jogger grabbed me off my bike and threw me into a van. Julia showed me the news releases later on the internet. I couldn’t figure out why.”
“I don’t believe you. Go away.”
“Maybe I’ll show you some time.”
“Go away.”
Gwen had a sore throat the next time she woke. Her sleep had been troubled because her muscles were tense. She kept rubbing her arms to warm them, but it didn’t do any good. It wasn’t cold enough to kill her, she knew, but she was growing more and more miserable. Her feet were aching with the cold. The floor and one wall were concrete. The other three walls were cinderblock. The ceiling was suspended acoustical tiles. There was a dome like the ones in stores with a camera in it, she supposed, a fluorescent light and a night light. There were two ceiling vents, presumably one connected to the heat source and one connected to the cooling source. Everything was controlled from outside the room. There were light switches she could control, but they could be overridden. The cot was woven wire on a metal frame with a thin vinyl mattress. There was a commode and a flat of bottled water. There was a keypad to open the door.
She sat up as Joseph entered again. She stared greedily at his sweatshirt and sweatpants. “The hallway is warm. If you are willing to go with me I have something to show you.” He looked at the torn flesh above her navel as she stood hugging her chest. “Where is the stud?”
She shrugged and walked past him. He pulled the door closed and she followed him down the hallway. He took her down a number of hallways. Each time he encountered a closed door he entered a code on a keypad next to it and the door would open. She was lost when he finally lead her down a dead-end hallway lined with several windows. Most of the rooms were dark, but he led her to the one that was lit. It had whips and other items hung on the wall, one wall had rings like the room in the back of the bar. There were two other sawhorse things in the room that could be used to strap people down hand and foot.
There was a naked girl inside who appeared to be waiting. She was jittery and paced the floor. “They promised her drugs if she would cooperate.” There was a tattoo of a skull and crossbones just below her navel. Gwen remembered that the girl who had put the stud in had the same tattoo. Joseph perceived the question and answered before she asked. “It means she has HIV. She came here the same day you did. She sold herself for several years for drugs. Because of the disease her choices are limited, but there are still clients who will use her. Clients who have the virus, clients who are willing to use a condom, clients who use other items to sodomize, clients who like torture, and in the end, clients who like to kill.”
Gwen looked at him in shock. Her attention was only drawn away as a naked male entered the room and the girl crouched in the corner. She couldn’t watch, but Joseph forced her to listen as the girl screamed in terror and then in pain. Joseph made Gwen stay until she dropped to her knees, her stomach heaving. Even her hands over her ears couldn’t block out the screams. Finally Joseph led her back down the hall away from the noise. Her legs could hardly hold her. Again she dropped to her knees and wretched. He stood next to her and watched until she was done. Nothing had come up. She had nothing in her stomach. Joseph took her by the upper arm and helped her to stand. He stood close to her face despite the smell. She tried to back as far away from him as she could, but the wall was impregnable. She was sobbing uncontrollably and trembling violently. She could feel his breath as he whispered.
“She will never see a room that is not concrete. She will have bruises for the rest of her life. Her life will be short. She will be begging for that last client in the end.”
He backed away slightly. His face was impassive as she struck out at him verbally,
“Why do you do this?”
“I don’t. I told you I was brought here as a prisoner when I was young.”
Gwen shook her head. She still didn’t believe him. The girl’s screams echoed in her head as Joseph led her down the hallway. She hugged herself, tears streaming in frozen misery.
“That diamond stud is invaluable protection to you. Along with that stud comes Adam’s recommendation. Every client is influenced by his recommendation. Because you didn’t understand, I will allow you to find it and clean it and tomorrow I will bring you back to Rachel to put it back on. Now that you do know however, you will be expected to cooperate or you will face painful consequences. Do you understand?” Gwen nodded mutely. “There are rewards for cooperation. This first is a grander gesture than others. It is based solely on your decision to speak with me and leave the room at my request. It is symbolic of your change of heart and your desire to be obedient. It also serves our purposes.” He opened a door for her and she entered another room. It was a lavish bathroom with plush dark blue carpeting. The shower was lined with dark grey marble tile. Gwen headed right for it without waiting for permission. There were multiple showerheads and more than ample water pressure. She couldn’t turn it as hot as she wanted at first because she was so cold that the water stung her skin. She wasn’t too surprised when Joseph joined her.
She spoke through her tears without looking at him, “Do I have to be with you to stay?”
“No.”
She nodded and put her head under the stream. Joseph stood near her without touching her. She turned the water warmer as she could tolerate the stinging of her skin. Despite her horror she was filled with a strange sense of gratitude to feel the warm water running across her body. Joseph handed her a bottle of shampoo and she lathered her hair. Her eyes were closed as she spoke, “Lisa is here too?”
“Yes.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.”
“Can I see her?”
“Not for a while. She is in training.”
“Like me?”
“Yes.”
“Will Adam use her?”
Gwen noticed that Joseph paused at her bitterness and her wording.
“If he chooses.”
She nodded and rinsed her hair.
“Are you feeling better?”
She nodded again. She was warm at least, but her stomach was still roiling and she was so frightened. She was cowed though and stood with her head down trying to control her tears. She didn’t want to show her weakness. There was anger. She tried to hang on to that. She wondered if the outside world had even noticed that she was missing. She knew her parents wouldn’t care. Nora might. No one else.
“I want to go back.”
“I’m sorry honey.”
She felt his hand brush hers and flinched away. He backed off as she turned her face to the water so he wouldn’t see her tears. He waited until she managed to get her tears under control before handing her a bottle of body wash. He stood away from her as she lathered and rinsed and handed her a towel from a high shelf when she cut the water off. Most of her tears had been spent over the days in her cell. He dried himself off as she did and ran the towel over his head before throwing it in a bin in the corner of the bathroom. Gwen wrapped the towel around her hair.
“Are you hungry?”
Gwen nodded.
“I’ll order some food.” He opened another door that fed off the bathroom and turned on a switch. A light came on on the other side of the door. “Something else for you to enjoy.” Gwen walked past him and peered around the door. The light came from a tanning bed. There was a basket of eye protectors on a small table to the side and an empty basket that had a sign on it that said, “used”. There was a timer on the wall also. “You tan easily. Twenty minutes should be fine. In the meantime I’ll get the food and come back for you. You won’t be able to leave. The door to the bathroom will be locked.” He waited for Gwen to position herself in the bed and handed her eye protectors and then set the timer and closed the bed.
Gwen welcomed the heat seeping into her knotted muscles. She was asleep when the buzzer sounded and the bed turned off. She didn’t even remember succumbing. Joseph entered the door and opened the bed. He had put the sweat pants back on. He offered his hand and helped her stand. She was dizzy at first, probably from lack of food. He led her into the bathroom where a small table had been set up with two place settings. There were salads and a basket of buttered dark bread. Gwen dug in quickly, but all too soon she was full and her stomach wasn’t happy. Joseph noticed and pushed his own plate away. “We should talk. You can take a bite here and there once this settles.” Gwen nodded.
“How long have I been here?”
“You came in early Thursday morning. We woke you up Thursday afternoon. It is Monday morning now.”
Gwen merely nodded. “That wasn’t me at the bar. I don’t know what happened. I wouldn’t have done that under normal circumstances. I know I was a little drunk, but that just wasn’t me.”
“Dom put Ecstasy in your drink.”
Gwen just looked at him and then sighed in frustration.
“I was watching you when we looked at the website. It was painful for you to see him. How long has it been?”
“Two years.”
Joseph nodded. “You probably don’t trust me now. I wouldn’t blame you.”
“You work with Dom.”
“We brought a lot of that pain back for you.” Gwen pressed her lips together. “I’m sorry.”
“Then let me go.”
Joseph studied her and she met his gaze. “It’s beyond my power.” He waited until she sat back and looked away from him. “I was angry for a long time.”
She waved his comment away dismissively, “How many people are here?”
“Hmm?”
“In this place? What did Julia call it? A brothel? How many prisoners are in this brothel?”
“Three hundred and seventy-two. It can hold five hundred, but the population is based on demand.”
“How many men?”
“Ninety-two men. Two hundred eighty women.”
“And all of them…?”
Joseph smiled, “Most of them. All of them have, but the older ones aren’t requested so much anymore and so to avoid death they have opted to fulfill other necessary functions. They cook or clean or do laundry, work in the infirmary. Some do administrative tasks like scheduling appointments or purchasing. Some run the spa or give massages. Some do phone sex. Some work on the set of the porn films we shoot.”
“But eventually they are all ‘disposed of’?”
It was Joseph’s lips that thinned this time and he nodded.
“What happens to the bodies?”
“We have a crematory.”
“Great. How many clients come through in a day?”
“Average is two hundred and ninety-three. Weekends more, special events more.”
“I don’t think I’m ready to hear about the special events.”
“Probably not.”
“So how many will use me in a day?”
“You’re new and young and beautiful. You will wear the diamond stud. You will be busy. From six to ten a day, I think.”
“What do you do to control STD’s?”
“We vaccinate against herpes. We run tests on new clients as they enter. Blood and urine. They have to wear a condom until they are medically cleared for HIV. We run urine tests on returning clients. If a returning client happens to bring in a disease, we notify them, and we have medication to treat whomever they were with. Those they were with wear a band around their wrist and they are to be ‘used’ with condoms only until they are cleared.”
“How many have bands on?”
“Now? Six, I think.”
“How often does someone get HIV?”
“Only two have contracted it in here in the last five years. Twenty or thirty did in the beginning, but after that all the clients and the males here were made to wear condoms. Now the testing is better. The rest of the people who have the tattoos came in with the disease.”
“How many have tattoos?”
“Twenty-three.”
“What do you do to prevent pregnancy?”
“Female staff members are given Seasonale. It is the new birth control pill where you don’t get your period.”
“What happens if someone gets pregnant anyway?”
“The baby is aborted.” He shrugged as she watched him. “We have a sterile procedure room. We have among our clients doctors of all kinds and dentists and oral surgeons, anesthesiologists, pharmacists…”
“Perverts.” It maddened her that he remained so passive. “How many clients like to kill… what are we called?”
“Once you have passed orientation you are a member of the staff.”
“How many clients like to kill ‘staff members’?”
“More than you would think, but it is a very expensive habit. When one requests it, or the decision is made for them, they are put out to bid.”
“Like on ebay.”
“Pretty much. Even the older ones get a good price.”
“And all of them are tortured first.”
“Pretty much.”
“I suppose you sell tickets to watch.”
“And DVD’s.”
“So the winner wears a Zorro mask?”
“Whatever it takes to hide his or her identity from the outside world in case the DVD should fall into the wrong hands.”
“How many are on the auction block now?”
“No one now. It happens quickly.”
“Where are we?”
“In a warehouse. The complex is six stories tall. There are no windows to the outside that I am aware of.”
“Where is the warehouse?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Joseph shrugged.
“When was the complex built?”
“In the late 60’s.”
“Who owns this… enterprise?”
“A corporation. A number of investors.”
“Mob?”
“Yes.”
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
Joseph pointed to another door.
When Gwen returned she sat and waited and so Joseph spoke.
“So tell me about yourself Gwen.”
“I’m a white female, nineteen, five foot six, one hundred ten pounds, thirty-four, twenty-two, thirty-three, dark hair and eyes, dark complexion, long legs, a cunt.”
“Gwen.” He sounded hurt.
“Dianna. I’m an object to be used. The rest doesn’t matter any more. Don’t worry though. I’m a waitress. I was one anyway. I understand that if you are nice to the customers you’ll get a better tip. Tell me what I need to know.”
“Fine.” Joseph leaned forward and crossed his forearms on the edge of the table. “You will be known as Dianna from now on. You are not to discuss your previous life with clients. You are not to ask them to contact the police or family or friends on your behalf. You are not to pass on personal information of any kind about any of the other staff members to clients. You are free to discuss anything you wish with the others who live here.
“You are expected to keep yourself clean. There is a hair salon, manicure supplies, perfumes, lotions, spa facilities, exercise facilities. There’s even a pool. You are required to perform sex acts with your trainers. You are welcome to participate in sex on a volunteer basis with the others who live here. You are also welcome to refuse to participate in extra-curricular sex.
“You are expected to be pleasant and professional with clients at all times. You will be expected to do as clients ask with them or other members of the staff. As I mentioned before, we also produce movies that are marketed. You will be required to participate in those. Both the movie from the bar and your performance with Adam are already on the market.
“There is an internal email system where your schedule for the day will be posted. You will be sent a profile of each client listing his preferences, likes and dislikes. You will be expected to cater to those. You will also receive email from clients and be expected to respond. All email is read as it comes in and goes out.
“During your training period you will be rotated among designated trainers, both male and female. They will report directly to me. Your attitude will be very important. Your performance is very important.
“You are one of the fortunate ones. You like sex. I know you’re not where you want to be, but you have no choice about that. Since you have to be here, you might as well take enjoyment where it can be found. The harshness of the stone makes the flower more precious.”
Gwen pondered his last statement, “A hot shower.”
Joseph smiled, “Your room will be warm when you return.”
“Is there any other sort of entertainment?”
“A library, a video library, we get a lot of the latest movies. We have a game room, ping pong, pool, cards, board games. Try and eat some more, then I’ll give you a tour. You are scheduled for a physical exam and blood work later, and to have your teeth checked and cleaned.”
Gwen nodded.
Joseph ate more with her and watched her silently. He spoke as they stood, “The towel stays here.” She cringed and then walked to the bin and took the towel off her hair. As they left the room he held the door for her. She found his manners odd for her situation. “Did they teach you your manners?”
“They did. And I am required to use them.”
“How come you can wear clothes and I can’t?”
“Once we pass a certain level of training staff members can wear clothes if they choose.”
“How long before I can reach that level?”
“It depends on the individual. You do have some control over how fast things go. We have discovered that if we press some people it ruins them.”
“I guess you would want to protect your investments.” Joseph didn’t miss her cynicism. “I want clothes.”
Joseph nodded. “I understand.”
He led her to the library first. It was an L-shaped room twenty feet by twelve with another alcove twelve by twelve. It had industrial carpeting and two seating areas. The walls were painted cinderblock covered with plain shelving filled with books. It reminded her of her high school library. A man stood from his reading as they entered. Gwen flushed with embarrassment at her nudity and folded her arms across her breasts as Joseph nodded in greeting and the man approached. “John, this is Dianna. She is new this week. I’m giving her the tour.” He turned to Gwen, “This is John.”
John took note of her self-consciousness. He held out his hand in greeting and looked into her eyes as she shook his hand. “It will get easier after a while. It’s nice to meet you.” Gwen smiled ruefully. He looked to be in his late thirties and had on a loose pair of pajama shorts that rode low on his hips. “You like to read then?” Gwen nodded. “What do you like?”
“I haven’t read much other than text books the last six months.”
“We have some if you like.” She couldn’t help but smile at his teasing tone. He responded in kind. “May I recommend something then?” He looked from Gwen to Joseph and both nodded. Gwen went to look at the shelves as John left her to look for the book he wanted. There were sections marked romances, classics, historical, etc. John returned and handed her a small tattered paperback. It was ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ by Victor Frankl. He noted the scab on her navel as he handed her the book and exchanged a look with Joseph. He spoke as she looked up, “It might help.” Gwen nodded. She gave it to Joseph as he offered to hold it. He slipped it into his back pocket.
Before they left Joseph opened a door to a room off the library in between the two L’s. The room was dark. “This is where the training videos and books are kept.”
Joseph continued the tour taking her through the game room nearby and then on to the salons and spa. He introduced her to whomever they met along the way. Most of the females wore only thongs. None of them were the least bit aware of their lack of modesty. Most took silent note of her navel.
“Do you do anything to watch your figure?”
“Not really. I run and lift, but not for that. I started running a couple years ago.”
“Why?” Gwen shook her head and he understood.
The next stop was the gym. There was a woman on the treadmill in a room off to the side. The weight room was empty. Joseph watched as Gwen walked through looking at the free weights and leg machines.
“You like to lift?”
Gwen nodded. She had started running feverishly after the incident with Morrison. It was a way to get rid of the stress. When she came to Hudson she added lifting. It had given her a small sense of empowerment. Gradually she discovered she loved it and carved a space in her busy schedule for that reason alone.
“I’ll schedule you to come with me if you like.” Gwen shook her head. The thought of lying on her back on a bench with her legs spread was humiliating.
“If I had clothes.”
“After you are trained then.”
“So are you in charge of all the training?”
“I am one of three under Julia’s direction. Christopher trains the males. He trains females also, but neither Robby or I work with the males. I am in charge of you and a young runaway we’ve decided to call Katy. The girl you saw first and a pro that was brought in the same night won’t require much time. Christopher is in charge of them in addition to the male that came in with you. Robby has Lisa and another girl about your age. We write a report for Julia each evening to keep her apprised and we meet with her every few days.”
They entered the room that housed the indoor pool. There were two women making out in the water. They broke apart when Gwen and Joseph entered. Joseph introduced her. Gwen noticed that his voice lacked some of the warmth that she had seen with the others he had introduced her to. “Dianna this is Stacy and Jill. Jill and Stacy, Dianna. They will be assisting with a portion of your training.” As he spoke they both pulled themselves out of the water. They circled her like cats, smiling, as they looked her over.
Gwen couldn’t help but shy away and reached for Joseph’s hand as Jill moved to touch her breasts. He shielded her and a look from him was enough to wipe the smile from Jill’s face. His voice was tight, “Soon enough, Jill.” She smiled again slyly and the girls both dove back into the water as he tightened his grip on her hand and led her from the room. He didn’t speak again until the door swung shut. “Watch yourself around them. They are both predatory. You have to go through that portion of the training, but Julia or I will be with you the whole time. In the halls though, we have problems with them. They rarely speak, except to each other. They are more like animals.”
“Cats.”
“Yes.”
“I could swim without clothes.” Joseph looked at her in confusion. He was still distracted thinking about the girls. He smiled when he understood what she meant.
“We’ll do that then.” Gwen nodded as he heaved a subdued cleansing sigh. It was an unconscious gesture on his part. Gwen thought he must do it frequently. “That’s pretty much it then, other than the infirmary. I’ll show you that tonight when you go for your check up. If you can eat again, I will take you to the dining room and that will end our tour.” He turned as Gwen stopped.
“I haven’t seen the crematory.” Joseph deflated slightly. “I want to see it all, Joseph. Everything.”
He continued to study her for a moment. “It’s going to take a lot longer.” She shrugged and pegged him with her stare. Reluctantly he acquiesced and led her away sighing. He showed her most of the rest of the complex. Some places he didn’t have access to. He showed her the special events rooms and living quarters for the trained staff. He showed her what he called the trick rooms. They were small and held only a bed or a table or a chair like the one she had been so eager to use with Adam.
Some had no furniture, only restraints hanging from the ceiling or mounted to the wall. Some had leather-covered sawhorses with tie downs. There was a hot tub in one and a shower in another. Some were in use. There was a waiting room for the clients with erotic magazines spread on the table and a reception desk. There was a bathroom with a shower at the end of the hall. He showed her the laundry and the studio where movies were filmed. He answered her questions and spoke in short sentences.
He became silent though as he led her into an area similar to the torture room he had shown her first. He grew somber as they approached, and led her through a door into a darkened room. When he didn’t turn the light on she felt for his hand. He stood silently for a moment and she heard him sigh before he opened another door and led her into another room. She let go his hand when he turned on the lights. She had to shield her eyes against the glare. She was inside a pie-shaped room in the corner of two solid walls facing a curved panel of glass that extended floor to ceiling. On the other side of the glass she could see bleachers that would seat thirty or forty people. On the near side in the ceiling tracks were mounted that held cameras. The other two walls were painted cinderblock and the floor was concrete. The cinderblock wall to her right had restraints hanging from metal eyes set in concrete. Immediately to her left was a concrete slab tilted at a seventy-five degree angle facing the center of the glass. There were tie downs on the slab. In front of it was a drain. Between the slab and corner where the glass wall met the cinderblock was the same rack she had seen in the first room mounted on the wall with whips and other instruments of torture. Under the rack was a metal tool cabinet.
“The sacrifice room.” His voice was quiet, but harsh as he continued. “Do you want to see what is in the drawers?”
Gwen shook her head. She hoped she wouldn’t vomit. “You’ve seen someone killed here?” When he didn’t speak she looked at him. He was standing with his head down. His stance was wide and his fists were clenched. He sighed again and nodded. “Then let’s get you out of here.”
He led her into the next room again and turned the lights to the sacrifice room off before pulling the door closed behind them. The room they were in was pitch black. Gwen found his hand again as he backed into the wall. She heard his strangled sob and squeezed his hand in silence. She moved closer standing with her cheek touching his for a moment before he pulled her into his arms and broke down sobbing. She just held him until he quieted and turned the lights on.
He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand without looking at her. She turned to see a large incinerator that covered one wall. “The crematory.”
They went through a series of rooms next. The adjacent room held a smaller incinerator Joseph explained was for burning trash. The next was a dock with a truck ramp leading to an exterior entrance. It smelled of garbage and there was a large bin at the bottom of the ramp on one side. “One truck comes to deliver supplies and one truck comes to pick up trash. Both are driven by the man who brought you here. There are a dozen drivers who know where the complex is located. They all work for the mob.
“There are two garage doors,” he gestured to multiple cameras around the room. “The room is checked and the doors sealed magnetically before the garage door can open.”
The next door led into a large storage room filled with tall industrial shelving and countless supplies. He studied his hand on the next doorknob for a moment. He seemed to be gathering himself and sighed again before he led her through to the back of the kitchen. No trace of sadness showed on his face as he introduced her to the people working there. Two were females in their sixties and two were males in their fifties. They were all fully clothed and happy to see Joseph, though surprised to see him enter through the back door.
He greeted one of the females, named Edith, familiarly and hugged her. Despite her embarrassment Gwen noticed as his façade slipped for an instant and saw that Edith could tell just from the nature of the hug that he was upset. Edith backed him away, holding him by the biceps, but he just smiled again and said they were famished.
He led Gwen quickly toward the front of the kitchen and around a partition into a dining area. It was full of people and Gwen backed quickly behind the partition again. Her nerves were so frayed from the continual shame and the emotional trauma of the last few days that she thought she might break down in tears again. She pled with her eyes not to have to enter the room as Joseph turned and returned to her. He simply nodded, “Maybe Edith won’t mind if we eat in the office.” Gwen nodded gratefully. A flower among the stones.
She sat on a napkin. She ate a little, but not much, Joseph the same, and neither talked. He looked at a clock on the wall and told her it was time for them to head to the infirmary.
Again she followed him through a labyrinth of hallways. He sat with her in a waiting room after checking with an elderly receptionist. There was another man in his fifties reading a magazine next to the door. The look he exchanged with Joseph let her know that his presence was for a purpose. Gwen was taken into the back quickly with Joseph at her side as she submitted to a female in her late forties in a lab coat who weighed her and took her temperature, pulse and blood pressure. She filled a cup with urine at a commode in full view and then the woman took her measurements with a tape measure and took a full-body picture of her front and back with a digital camera. She entered all the information in a computer in relative silence as Gwen filled out medical history forms on a clipboard the woman had handed her. She had no medical history other than the abortion and she left it off the chart. Gwen was the first to speak when the woman took out a rubber tourniquet and set up tubes and a packaged needle for taking her blood.
“What kind of training do you have to be doing this?”
The woman smiled. “Better than a phlebotomist. I am a drug addict.” She pulled back her lab coat from her arm to reveal a line of faded scars in her anicube. “I can hit the tiniest and deepest vein you want.” She took Gwen’s arm and put the tourniquet in place. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle.”
Next Gwen was led to a dental chair and the same woman covered her with a lead apron, took x-rays and cleaned her teeth. When that was done she and Joseph were left in an exam room. He gestured and she took a seat on the table.
“More efficient than any doctor’s office I’ve ever been to.”
Joseph looked up at her. He had been lost in his thoughts. “I guess. I don’t remember.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“You are favored here.”
“I am cooperative. I am responsible. I am trustworthy.”
“Should I trust you?”
“If you want to.”
“Do you like me?”
He thought for a moment. “I think you have spunk. I think you have talent. I think you have courage. I admire those qualities. I appreciated your comfort. I am looking forward to getting to know you better.”
“You said before that I was beautiful. Do you want to have sex with me?”
He didn’t answer and she couldn’t read his face. They both turned as a man in a lab coat entered. He carried a clipboard and had a stethoscope around his neck.
“I’m Jordan. I’m an internist. A general practice medical doctor for adults. When was the last time you had a medical exam?”
“I don’t know. Probably when I was fourteen or so. I feel fine.”
“Have you had a pap smear?”
Gwen lied, “No.”
“Stand up for me.”
Gwen stood.
“Turn around slowly.” He spoke as she complied. “When was your last period?”
“It’s due to start in the next day or two.”
“Do you have any problems with your period?”
“No.”
“You look healthy enough.”
She sat as he gestured. He approached and she had to force herself to sit still as he shown a light in her eyes and then picked up an instrument and looked in her ears and up her nose. He had her open her mouth and checked her throat before palpating her lymph nodes and the back of her neck. He laid her down and did a breast exam and palpated her upper and lower abdomen. He felt the length of her arms and rotated the joints and then did the same to her legs. He looked at Joseph and then back to her as he pulled out stirrups from the bottom of the exam table.
Gwen rolled her eyes and sighed in dismay as he placed her feet in the stirrups. He pulled on her thighs. “I need you to slide your hips toward me.” She gritted her teeth and complied. She felt the speculum enter her vaginal canal and the soft pinch as he took a sample. He entered her with his fingers and palpated her uterus and ovaries and then entered her rectum and did the same. When he was done he sat looking at her with her legs spread until Joseph cleared his throat. The doctor patted her knee and helped her to sit up.
Joseph walked her to her room in silence. When they arrived she was grateful to see that the vinyl mattress had been replaced with a full box spring and mattress with sheets, pillow and blanket.
He pulled the book out of his pocket and handed it to her and then sat on the edge of the bed next to her.
“It is what I would have recommended for you to read also.” Gwen nodded and set it next to her on the bed.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I know.” He leaned back on his hands and shrugged. “I thought about my answer though. I can’t explain it all to you, and I don’t want you to misunderstand, but I don’t want to ‘use’ you.” He shrugged again. “I think you are beautiful. And in case you’re wondering I would choose to be heterosexual if I had a choice. But the next few weeks won’t be easy for you and what I want most of all is for you to not lose your humanity. That smile you gave John in the library was beautiful. The hug you gave me in the crematory. I want you to know that I see more than that nineteen-year-old female you described to me while we were eating in the bathroom. I hope you won’t blame me for the things you will go through. I would understand if you do though. I just want to do whatever I can to help you get through it. I am your friend if you will have me.” Gwen watched him in silence. “Do you believe me?”
“I don’t know.”
Joseph smiled, “At least you’re honest.” He pulled her up as he stood and pulled her covers back for her. She just watched him as he tucked her in and sat down next to her. He leaned over her with his hands on either side of her balancing himself. “Today wasn’t all bad, was it?” Gwen shook her head. “Good then.” He kissed her on the temple and left her.
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