Читать книгу The Legacy Enslaved - William Speir - Страница 12

The faces of the Grand Priors from across the globe filled the video monitors on the wall of the Grand Magistry’s conference room. Each had received a copy of the human trafficking report and proposals, and Tom and Alasdair outlined the new initiative and how it would work.

“This is a huge undertaking, your Excellency,” the Grand Prior from Taiwan said. “It’s unfortunate that we don’t have any members of the Order in mainland China. So many of the young girls sold into slavery around the world come from there. There’s hardly a cargo ship afloat that doesn’t have at least one container filled with exploited young girls being sent to a life of slavery in brothels or sweatshops. I’ve often wondered if Chinese officials don’t turn a blind eye to the problem because it helps reduce their excess population.”

“I agree,” the Grand Prior from Japan stated. “But it’s not just China that we have to worry about. Here in Japan, young singers and models are tricked into coming here, but once here they find that they can’t leave until they’ve worked off the debts incurred for the flight over here, housing, clothing, food, booking gigs, and so forth. These girls are paid so little that they find it’s impossible to pay off the debt without prostituting themselves. It’s been going on since at least the 1970’s, and in spite of the warnings, young girls flock here every year – duped by false promises of fame and wealth.”

“It’s a global problem,” Tom admitted, “and it’s compounded by the fact that slavery is still practiced openly in several places around the world. Many of the situations like the one described in Japan aren’t technically illegal as long as the girls aren’t forced into sex slavery. When the girls are given a choice of a way to pay off their debt quickly, even if there’s really no other choice, it’s their decision and therefore falls outside of the legal definition of slavery. It doesn’t make it right, but it does make it harder to prosecute, compounding the difficulty of what types of interventions we can mount against it.”

“We need to raise the awareness of potential victims so they won’t get suckered into these schemes,” the Grand Prior from the Philippines suggested.

“I agree,” Tom responded. “But I’d hate it if our principal approach to curtailing human trafficking is by sowing fear, when what we’re trying to do is help people stop being afraid by ending what they’re already afraid of. We may have no choice in the short term, but as part of our long-term strategy, I want to concentrate on eliminating the need for people to fear the threat of human trafficking.”

“Just how long do you think it will take to achieve that?” the Grand Prior from Egypt asked.

“It could take decades,” Tom answered. “Friends, this isn’t a short-term initiative. It’s possible that this initiative will become part of our permanent activities, both in terms of interventions and in terms of intelligence gathering. It’s the largest criminal enterprise on earth, and until its back is broken, we’ll never be finished working against it.”

Tom saw heads nodding across the video monitors. After a little more discussion, the Grand Priors agreed to meet with their Commanderies and start formulating plans to begin working on the initiative.

Tom, Alasdair, Max, and Patrick left the Commandery an hour later. As Tom drove home, the early morning fog mirrored his spirits.

Am I doing the right thing? Is this too big for us? Can we really make a difference in a year? In ten years? In twenty?

Tom turned left at the traffic light and headed away from downtown.

What’s the alternative? Let it continue unchecked? They’re operating in our own city! We know that these monsters have already butchered four women. How many other victims have there been that we don’t know about? What about my daughter? What kind of a world am I leaving her if we do nothing to stop this? What kind of a world are we leaving for all daughters, and sons, if we do nothing? What’s the use of the Order if we can’t intervene against traffickers who are sowing death, slavery, and terror in every corner of the world? It may never be over, but if we don’t start, if we don’t try, then we condemn thousands of people each year. I can’t do that.

Tom turned onto the parkway that led to the community where his house was located.

We’ll put the initiative into motion, and then we’ll monitor it closely. If, after six months or so, we haven’t made any progress, we’ll re-evaluate things. It’s possible that we’re just not equipped to take on human trafficking. But we’ll never know unless we try.

He pulled into his driveway and parked in the garage. When he entered the house, Emily was waiting for him in the kitchen. As he walked over and kissed her, he thought about how he’d feel if he lost Emily or Jamie to human traffickers. It made his blood boil.

What choice do we have?

Later that same day, Jamie sat at her desk in SignalCorps’ marketing department when her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she recognized the number immediately.

“Hi, Lori!” she said when she answered the call.

“It’s Thursday, Jamie! Girls’ night!”

Jamie laughed softly. “What do you have in mind?”

“You, me, Susan, and Lynn getting together for dinner and drinks at that new place on 25^th, Griglia Rustica. Seven o’clock?

“I’ll meet you there!”

“Okay! ’Bye, Jamie.”

“’Bye, Lori.”

Jamie hung up the phone, smiling. Lori Vargas was her best friend from business school, and they tried to get together as often as possible. Susan Chambliss was also a friend from business school. Lynn Simmons was a friend of Lori’s from college, and while she was frequently part of their group, Jamie was closer to the other two girls.

At 5:30, Jamie left the office and raced home to change clothes before heading downtown. She loved getting together with this particular group of friends. They were about the only female friends she had who weren’t members of the Order, and she cherished having “normal” friends to hang out with.

Lori was a petite brunette with smoldering, hypnotic eyes. She wore her hair short, but when Jamie had first met her, Lori’s hair was much longer and fuller. The short hair framed her face perfectly, making her look even more striking. She was sweet, driven, and wicked smart. Her undergraduate focus had been in marketing and journalism, and now she worked as an assistant news producer at one of the local television stations. She had been dating a guy named Dwight for a month or two, but Jamie didn’t think that it was serious.

Susan was a blonde who wanted to be a professional dancer and musician, but whose parents insisted that she finish college and get an MBA so she’d be able to support herself. Susan went through boyfriends like most people went through boxes of cereal, and lately she had started going after other people’s boyfriends, making her somewhat unpopular. She had been dating a choreographer for several months, but Jamie wondered how much longer that would last.

Lynn was the most different member of the group. Outwardly, she was a blonde pixie of a girl with blue eyes and a beautiful smile. Inwardly, she was a Romani gypsy through-and-through from her mother’s side. She was adventurous, which is why she fit into the group as well as she did, but she had a problem with the idea of monogamy and fidelity. As a result, she was constantly moving in and out of her boyfriends’ homes because she’d cheat, get caught, and have to find a new place to live. Jamie had already begun to distance herself from Lynn; as much fun as Lynn could be, Jamie just couldn’t understand that lifestyle.

Jamie drove past the entrance to the alley where, four years earlier, she had helped uncover an underground casino engaged in counterfeiting as a way to destabilize the U.S. economy. A few blocks later, she arrived at the restaurant. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was five minutes before 7:00. She parked her car and walked up to the entrance.

Jamie wore a short, dark-green dress that showed off her red hair, and above-the-knee brown suede boots. Once inside, she saw Lori waving to her from a table near the bar on the left. She waved back and walked over to the table.

“Been here long?” she asked, sitting next to her friend, who was wearing a similar outfit with a blue print dress and dark red boots.

“A minute or two,” Lori said, giving Jamie a hug. “Susan just texted me; her cab’s stuck at the light on 24^th. Lynn should be arriving any minute.”

Jamie looked around the restaurant. “Have you been here before?”

“Nope. I’ve been waiting for the next ladies night to suggest it. I hear it’s great!”

“How’s Dwight?” Jamie asked.

Before Lori could answer, Susan and Lynn bounded up to the table. “Hi, girls!”

The four girls hugged each other. The waiter appeared immediately and took their drink orders. Jamie ordered her usual scotch.

“Of all the drinks on the menu,” Susan said after the waiter had left, “you always order scotch. Live a little! Drink something tropical for a change.”

“What can I say?” Jamie smiled. “I love scotch. Once you’ve found the best, why look for something else?”

“Same answer as always,” Lynn quipped. “Give it a rest, Susan. She’s never going to order something different unless it’s wine with her meal.”

“A girl can try, can’t she?” Susan laughed.

Jamie turned back to Lori. “So, what’s going on with Dwight?”

“Yeah, are the rumors true?” Lynn asked.

“What rumors?” Jamie asked.

Lori looked guilty. “I’m not dating Dwight anymore.”

“Oh,” Jamie said, looking at the other girls. “So? I never thought it was that serious.”

“Tell her,” Lynn said to Lori.

“I’m dating Brad now,” Lori confessed.

“Dwight’s roommate?” Jamie was shocked.

“Former roommate.” Lori blushed furiously.

“He moved out?” Jamie asked.

“Dwight threw him out,” Lori replied softly. “It was terrible.”

“No surprise there,” Lynn said. “He violated the ‘bro code’ and got what he deserved.”

“Bro code?” Jamie asked.

“You know,” Susan interjected. “Bros before hos. It means guys who are friends aren’t supposed to let a girl come between them, and you never scam on another guy’s girl.”

Lori shook her head. “Brad didn’t scam on me. It was the other way around. Dwight was in that basketball league, and I used to go watch him play. Brad was always there, too, and since we were both watching Dwight, we sat together. We’d talk, and after a while, I realized that I had a lot more in common with Brad than I did with Dwight. Brad felt the same way, but we didn’t want to hurt Dwight, so we never acted on it until we could find a way to tell Dwight.”

“And he blew up when you told him?” Jamie asked.

Lori shook her head. “We never got to tell him. He found out from someone else in the league who saw Brad kissing me goodnight when he walked me to my car after one of Dwight’s games.”

“So, you have a new boyfriend, and he has a new place to live?” Susan smiled broadly.

Lori nodded. “Personally, I’d rather spend time with someone who thinks I’m more important than a bunch of other guys. That ‘bro code’ nonsense is a load of crap. Brad’s intelligent enough to know better, and I think intelligence like that should be rewarded. It shows good judgment. I’m sorry I hurt Dwight, and I’m sorry that Dwight and Brad will probably never speak again, but I’m not sorry that I’m with Brad now. He makes me feel loved!”

“Well, good luck,” Jamie said.

Susan laughed. “Yes, I hope you’re happy.” Looking around, she added, “I broke up with my boyfriend, too, and I’ve moved back in with Beth for a while.”

“The choreographer?” Lynn asked.

Susan nodded. “I’m moving in with Peter next month.”

Jamie was shocked. “Wait, Peter? Professor Donaldson?”

Susan beamed.

“You’re moving in with your former finance teacher?” Lori asked. “Isn’t he married?”

“Was,” Susan corrected her. “He’s getting a divorce.”

“Why?” Jamie asked. “I thought he and his wife really loved each other.”

“It was inevitable after she caught us together,” Susan admitted. “I guess some things you can’t forgive.”

The waiter brought over their drinks.

Susan took a sip and looked at Lynn. “Anything you have to tell us?”

“You said you wouldn’t bring it up,” Lynn hissed.

Susan grinned. “It’s a night for confessions, girlfriend. Come on. Spill.”

Okay. I’m moving out of the apartment that Bob has been paying for, and I’m moving in with some guys from work.”

“Some guys?” Lori asked.

“Four guys. They have a place, and they say they have room for me.”

Lori shook her head. “And you’re doing this… why?”

“I don’t like feeling like I owe Bob anything.”

“But you asked him to rent you that apartment,” Susan said, downing her drink and motioning for the waiter to bring her another one. “Are you sleeping with the four guys?”

“Only two of them,” Lynn admitted. “The other two are gay.”

“That’s going to make for a fun house,” Jamie commented.

Lynn looked at Jamie. “And what about you? Anything new in the man department? It’s been months since you and Steve broke up.”

“Steve’s getting married next month,” Jamie said, finishing her scotch. “Apart from that, nothing much.” She didn’t want to mention Hunter and have to answer all of their questions about him.

The waiter brought another round of drinks and took their food orders. As the four of them ate, drank, and talked, Jamie couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. She glanced around from time to time, scanning the faces in the crowd. She couldn’t see anyone who might be observing them, but the feeling persisted. Finally, she got up, pretending to go to the restroom so she could look around.

Lori heard her cell phone chime and reached for it. She had a text from Brad. She read it and then texted him back.

A minute after Jamie left the table, a woman who looked like she could be a lingerie model walked up.

“Good evening, ladies,” she purred has she handed Lori, Susan, and Lynn a postcard advertisement. “Have you heard of Club Mingles? It’s the newest nightclub in the city, and it’s already the number one destination for people looking to have fun. This card waives the cover charge, and your first drink is free. Just tell the doorman that you want to see Muni.”

“Thanks,” Lori said absently, sending another text to Brad. She took the card, but didn’t look at it. Another text from Brad arrived.

“Can we get one more card?” Lynn asked. “Our friend went to the restroom and will be right back.”

“The hot redhead?” the woman asked. “Sure. Here’s one more.” She placed another card on the table.

“Thanks,” Lynn said as the woman walked away to talk to another table of young women nearby.

Lori was barely aware that the woman had left the table. Another text from Brad arrived, and Lori smiled as she sent a quick reply.

Jamie returned a few minutes later. She had seen the woman stop at the table and then move to other tables where there were young women sitting together. When Jamie sat down, Lori sent one last text to Brad and put away her phone.

Lynn reached for the card on the table and handed it to Jamie. “Someone came around handing these out. She said to ask for someone named Muni to get the cover charge waived and get the first drink for free.”

Jamie glanced at the card before putting it in her purse. She hadn’t noticed any one person watching the table while she was walking around the restaurant, but she still felt like she was being watched.

The waiter brought over the check, and each of the girls settled up with him for her share of the bill. As they walked outside, Susan said, “Anyone want to check out that new club with me?”

Jamie shook her head. “I have a meeting first thing in the morning, so I’m out.”

“Me, too,” Lori said, sending Brad a text.

Lynn shook her head. “Maybe another time.”

Susan pouted. “Well I’m not ready to call it a night. I’ll talk to you girls later.”

Susan hailed a cab, got inside, and headed off toward Club Mingles.

Jamie watched the cab disappear and said “goodnight” to Lori and Lynn.

Susan slid into the seat of a high-top table for two just off the dance floor. From her vantage point, she had a clear view of the hunky guys dancing to the DJ’s pulsating music. So many to choose from!

She motioned for the waitress. When Rachael approached to take her order, Susan twirled the free drink card in her fingers.

“I was told to ask for Muni,” Susan said over the noise of the crowd.

Rachael nodded. “I’ll take care of that. What can I bring you to drink?”

“Rum with a Rum chaser,” Susan replied, smiling.

Rachael entered that into her tablet. “Right. Double rum coming up.”

In the private office above the dance floor, the technician zoomed in on Rachael’s customer. “She has one of the cards,” he said.

“Put her up on The Exchange,” the voice from the shadows said. “Make it a five-minute auction. Highest bid when the time runs out wins.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The technician loaded Susan’s picture to The Exchange, a dark-web site used for auctioning boys and girls to buyers around the world. The Exchange notified buyers via smartphone apps about new auctions that met their criteria.

A moment later, the first bids arrived. The bids increased rapidly as more bidders joined the auction. The bids continued coming in at a frenzied pace until the action ended.

“We have a winner,” the technician commented.

“Good price,” the voice from the shadows noted. “Alert George, Rachael, and the team.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the technician acknowledged.

Susan downed her drink as soon as Rachael brought it to her table. A few minutes later, she felt strange and decided to head for the restroom. She never made it.