Occupational Hazzards
CHAPTER 14
The following day, I told Dana I wanted the twins sent
down to the training center in Wheeling for three
months to serve as practice victims for the trainees.
Hopefully, by being on the receiving end of
maltreatment, they'd learn to control themselves.
Susan was another story. I told Dana that Susan really
didn't feel responsible for Julie's death as the cause
was obviously equipment malfunction. Besides, with
Jana and Sadie temporarily out of commission, I needed
her here to work with Sara. Dana agreed and the twins
were shipped out immediately. Dana issued another
apology to me for her agreeing to Julie's atonement
suggestion. I really didn't blame her as she was
caught in the middle trying to help Julie and placate
Philip Johnson, an apparent top-ranking member of the
Cooper Organization. I, however, solely blamed Phil
and wondered how I'd react the next time I saw him.
I didn't have to wait long. Phil was in the lounge the
next weekend speaking with some of his comrades. I had
just finished a relatively easy session with a new
member and her boyfriend and was entering the lounge
to meet my clients. They were already sitting at a
round table comparing marks on their wrists from the
suspension cuffs. They had been hung, back-to-back,
and no more than tickled by a single-strand leather
whip. The session was over in 20 minutes. I picked by
a scotch and soda from the bar and joined my people at
the table. We discussed various scenes we could move
into later and I instructed them on after-action skin
care to eliminate any scarring. Phil yelled out from
the bar,
"Travis, I hear you have some job openings...do you
have a blank on the application reading male, female,
dyke?"
I ignored him basically because I was too shocked at
his remark.
Phil added, "I can't believe you got rid of the black
bitches too...they were your best people!"
Several of Phil's acquaintance moved close to him
hoping to distract him and keep from making a fool out
of himself.
I stood and approached Phil. He pushed his way through
two men to meet me.
"Look Phil," I began. "Julie was certainly gay but
always had the utmost respect for
everybody--especially the members. Yvette was one of
her favorite people as she was to all of us. It was an
accident Phil. Yvette is gone. Did you think agreeing
to torturing Julie to death would bring her back?"
I was getting madder by the second as Phil stood
before me with no expression.
"Are you so damn stupid did you think killing Julie
would make a damn bit of difference," I shouted.
"You can't talk to me like that you fucking house
boy!" Phil yelled. "That damn queer cunt asked to be
hurt...she practically begged me! She loved the pain
that's why she kept it up on Yvette...wanted to see
her roast in that fucking chair! I'm glad the bitch is
dead...too bad it happened so quick...she owed me
another session...I'd have conducted it myself..."
I cut Phil off with an uppercut to the mouth and
followed it with a flurry of blows that rammed him
backwards into, and then over, the bar.
Phil came up from the bar screaming,
"Look at that! That goddamn servant hit a member...he
hit me, I'm bleeding...I want that sonofabitch...Give
me his ass..."
"Nobody's holding you back Phil," I stated. "C'mon you
goddamn murderer."
Several members were quick to grab us both. I was
harder to hold as my body oil enabled me to shrug
restraining hands off. But my rage had ebbed watching
Phil bleed over his expensive suit.
"Dana," Phil bellowed. "I want this sonofabitch or I'm
leaving this organization! I'll withdraw all finances
and this place will be closed in a month."
Several members tried to calm Phil down but his rage
only grew.
"Give him to me...I want him on the cross...he'll
never hit me or another member again. Is that what you
people want here? Servants hitting you? We can't be
free from violence in our own club?"
I decided I'd better apologize for hitting Phil.
Kissing his butt publicly really wouldn't hurt.
Anyway, the little humiliation I'd suffer wouldn't
negate the pleasure I got from smashing his mouth.
"Phil, I'm sorry," I offered. " Julie was my friend as
well as my responsibility as her boss--you know I
share the burden of her death as well as Yvette's."
"Bullshit," Phil yelled back. "Don't patronize me...I
want your ass!"
I saw it would be impossible to reason with Phil at
that point so I decided to make a full-scale retreat.
"Phil, ladies and gentlemen," I began. "I apologize to
you all for striking a member. It will never happen
again. At the board's recommendation, I will take a
leave of absence or quit as you desire."
"No good," yelled Phil. We won't let you quit--you
signed the contract. You quit and our lawyers will tie
you up knots! You'll never get another job other than
hauling shit in stables. Our people will make sure of
that...I want your ass on the Cross..right fucking
now!"
The cross was the centerpiece of punishment room ten.
Very few people wanted to spend anytime mounted to it.
In fact, I'd only been in the room twice in five years
and then just to check the mechanisms.
"Phil, Didn't you learn from Julie's death?" I asked.
My fury was completely gone and replaced by fear as I
realized where Phil was going with this.
Dana touched my shoulder and looked me hard in the
face.
"Travis, we have to go along with Johnson on this. You
embarrassed him in front of his peers. He's enraged.
He's right also about the money. Pulling his stake out
of here would close us down. You and I would never
find another decent job. The membership has its hands
in so many companies, law firms and civil
organizations...we'd be broke. We live well Travis.
Other than this mess with Phil, we have a sweet deal.
Get on that Cross and shove it up Phil's ass. I've
been on it and came out of it with no damage. You can
do it. The members will see Phil is a complete shit.
Maybe I can convince them to throw him out. Don't
worry, I'll take care of you."
My pride was on the line. I wasn't going to let this
slime win--simple as that. I had been wrong to hit
Phil; however, a rational person would have understood
and accepted my apology. Phil was truly an asshole.
"Very well Phil," I said. "If this is what it takes to
make this whole screwed-up situation right, I'll
agree."
"Agree shit, you have no choice," growled Phil. "Get
him on the Cross! I want him on that Cross for two
hours!"
On to Chapter 15
