Gaia's Champion Ch. 06

"Hmm. I hope that Brad doesn't find out about any of this," Karla worried. "You know he'd react badly if this were to get out."

"Don't worry. I let those men know to make it seem like the young man was getting fired, while we came up with a workaround to this... problem," Carlotta told her niece.

"It still stumps me how he could get his hands on such damning evidence of your past! Papa and his friends were very thorough in erasing every trace that existed. Even the physical copies, which were difficult to find, were destroyed," Karla groused.

"Not all of them. There must have been someone who was obsessed enough with me, to want to keep everything I ever made. But Hans assured me he found every collector, and either offered them a tidy sum, or broke in and took everything related to me," Carlotta huffed.

"Are you even sure he has legitimate copies of those days?" Karla asked. In answer, Carlotta pulled out her smartphone and tapped on it several times, before handing it to the young woman. She looked at the image on the screen and paled, before handing it back to hear aunt.

"That is... compelling evidence. He must have found a copy somewhere, but where??" Karla fumed.

"That is a question I have been searching for an answer to, but have so far, come up empty," Carlotta sighed.

"You've been discreet about it? Because if Brad ever found out you've been sniffing around..." Karla started.

"Don't forget who you are speaking to, young lady! I have been very careful and discreet. I contacted some of your father's old friends with the JGK. They have been like shadows only monitoring them in public places. But I dare not ask them with looking into Brad and Dustin just yet, nor going for their home, in case they spot them. Though the option is tempting, I would rather have it as a last resort," Carlotta snapped.

"Ja, auntie. Though if they have items like this, one would assume that they have failsafes then?" Karla mused.

"It's likely to think so. So, for now, we play their sick and twisted game. What we need is more intelligence on these men. When we have it, then we will decide on the best way to proceed," Carlotta finished.

"I can't believe that these scum are kin to us!" Karla grumbled.

'Whoa! These two women are relatives? To those two fuckheads?' Things now made sense in the pull they had, but now these men were blackmailing Carlotta? It defied the imagination that both Brad and his piece of work father, Dustin, were that smart or capable. This was something Jason would have to look into and fast. His Gaian sense could tell that these two women were good souls and he would not have them ruined. Not on his watch.

His anger and surprise must have filtered over to the bird, as it began chirping, startling both women. They peered over and saw the bird who was hopping around, almost like they agitated it. Jason could tell she was eager to be back in her nest with her eggs, and she flapped up to the stand and bounced around some.

The little bird enchanted both Karla and Carlotta, wondering how it had found its way in there. They looked at it for a moment, before Karla stood, intending to let the Chickadee go free. Before she did so, she approached cautiously, with her hand extended carefully. The bird ruffled its feathers and considered taking flight, but Jason calmed her, assuring it that all Karla wanted was to pet it.

Trusting in the druid, the bird stayed put and allowed Karla to get close. Using the pads of her fingertips, Karla stroked the bird from its crown to its tail feathers, which she found nice. After this, Karla then opened the window, allowing the bird to take flight, which it did, happily. Smiling at seeing the bird head off to its home, Karla closed the window and put the bird out of her mind.

Jason was already in motion, thanking the bird for its help and the others that had maintained their watch. He dismissed them, letting them go back about their daily business, before heading off to the bus stop. The gears in his head were already turning, processing the new information he had learned.

Carlotta Van DerBrandt was being blackmailed by both Brad and Dustin, which was not surprising, given that both men were assholes. Even as a boy in high school, Jason could tell something was off about both men but couldn't pin down what exactly. At least he had a lead, on both what they might have and what his Gaian sense told him.

He always suspected that Brad was a just an asshole, but the feelings of corruption and darkness rolled off him like rot. There was no other way to describe the blackness he felt coming from the man. He figured that his father would likely be no better, having heard that his mom skipped town when the boy was six. Thinking about what he would do, he knew he had to get into Brad's house and find out what exactly he had. He did the only thing he could think of doing and gave Luke a call.

"Hey Jay! What's up, man?" Luke answered, sounding slightly distracted.

"Hey Luke! Did I catch you at a bad time man?" Jason inquired, as it sounded like he was busy with a game.

"Just finishing up this fight against the Lich King! My guild pulled an old raid marathon, starting from Burning Crusade to Cataclysm. We're doing the hardest versions of all of them. Hang on a sec!" Luke informed him. Jason waited, as he knew that Luke loved his games, especially World of Warcraft.

"Got him!! Now we're just dividing up the loot... YES!! I GOT INVINCIBLE!" Luke crowed in triumph. Jason smirked and couldn't help but be happy for his friend, who had picked up one of the hardest mounts in the game to gain.

"Gaming aside man, are you busy?" Jason asked, letting his friend bask in the glory of his loot, before tabling him questions.

"Not really. Business has been slow the last bit. What's up? You got something for me?" Luke asked.

"In a manner of speaking. How does some revenge sound?" Jason asked.

"Revenge? On who?" Luke inquired.

"Brad and his asshole father, Dustin. For all the torment he put us through and the way his dad refused to address it, calling us pussies," Jason told him.

"Let me tell my guild, so they can find a replacement heals," Luke told him hurriedly. After some keyboard clacking and some yammering to his guild mates, Luke got back on the phone with his friend.

"So where are you right now?"

Jason told him and he replied to him, letting him know that he'd be along in around forty minutes. This had Jason chuckling, as he knew that Luke was aching for a chance to get back Brad for the bullshit pranks he'd pulled on his friend. He couldn't help but smile himself, as he wanted to get even with bastard himself, with all the times he'd tried to pull Sheena away from him. Thankfully, she wasn't fooled by his narcissistic bravado and sent the guy packing every time. Jason pulled out his phone, loaded up one of the freemium games he liked and waited.

******************************

Eva Marston sat on the lounger in the living room, enjoying herself a cup of coffee and one of her favorite erotic novels. She was more than halfway through it when she noticed Amy walk out of the kitchen with a cup in her hand. She smiled at her daughter as she remembered the fun night they had. She could hardly believe the lusty hussy she was last night had been her!

Amy sat down on the loveseat next to her, taking a few sips of the hot brew, while smiling to herself. She supposed that her daughter had every right to smile that way, considering how loudly she had screamed. Eva had been around the block more than once and she knew look of a woman who had been well fucked. In fact, it appeared that Amy had been taken to Mount Everest and enjoyed every second of that ride.

"So, I suppose that you had fun last night?" Amy queried.

"Young lady, you have no idea!" Eva purred as she put down her book.

"Well, being invited into an encounter like we had last night, to have our hostess suddenly have her head between your legs, I think I would have some idea how that went," Amy teased. Giggling and blushing, Eva buried her face in her coffee cup.

"Mom, I don't think I've ever seen you this happy in like... ever!" Amy stated.

"I haven't felt like this... in forever. Not since before your father and I got married," Eva admitted.

"What happened mom? I know you and dad never really saw eye to eye on a lot of things, but I always thought you worked things out," Amy replied.

"The truth is Amy; I only married your father because I was in a bad spot in my life. I had nothing and no one and Bruce, he appeared to be a good soul and good man. If only I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have stayed as long as I did," Eva said, her voice full of shame and regret.

"Why? Was it really as bad as I think it was?" Amy wondered, more curious than angry.

"Worse. I often tried to get your father into the swing of things. Tried to get him to do more, as a husband, both in and out of the bedroom. It wasn't long after you and Darren were born, that his interest in me started to wane. I know it may be rude to say this with him not here, but I was only being used to give him children," Eva cried.

"What? That's all he wanted you for??" Amy asked, incredulous that her mother could be treated so callously.

"Yes. It was after the difficulties of delivering Darren that I learned that trying to have a third child might kill me. Bruce was adamant that the doctor was wrong, but after seeing several others, who said the same thing, he refused to listen to them. He said that having another child was what God made me for and tried for so long to get me pregnant again," Eva sobbed.

"He kept trying and nearly succeeded several times, despite my protests. Though, each time, I miscarried, which was a relief to me, but it only made him angrier and angrier. Eventually, he just stopped, calling me 'damaged goods' and with enough time, I started to believe him. He threw himself into being a man of the church and we drifted apart to where he would barely even touch me, much less make love to me."

"Mom..." Amy mumbled, drawing her mother into a proper hug. Eva snuffled into Amy, blubbering as she let out the pain she'd been keeping bottled up for years. She held onto Amy for dear life, finally relieved that she could speak to someone about this.

"How did you find the strength, to keep going like you have? What kept you together these years?" Amy asked, feeling for mother.

"You."

"Me? How? Why? When?"

"It was when you were in grade ten, when you father forbade you from going to the school dance. I was at home while he was off with Darren on their first retreat. You were crying in your room, while I was down here in the kitchen, contemplating suicide," Eva told her. The look of horror told Eva all she needed to know about Amy's stance on it.

"I know that it's wrong, but I just wanted out of the hell that my life had become! I had a husband who hated me, a son who was becoming his mini me and you were transforming into what he wanted you to be! It wasn't until you came into the kitchen, bawling your eyes out about how life wasn't fair, that changed my mind," Eva blubbered.

"I did that? How?"

"When you walked in, screaming about how you wanted to run away, to leave what we had, was what gave me hope. That you weren't as far gone as I had feared. You didn't want this life any more than I did. Remember what we did that night?" Eva asked, as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

"We had a long and serious girl talk, about boys, about what they expected of me and what we could do for ourselves when dad and Darren weren't here. I remember that was the night; you started to teach me about how things really were in the world. How they weren't as dad portrayed them," Amy said, memory flooding back to her.

"Remember how I said that this would our little rebellion against them? Something between just us girls? The secret bank account, being ready to leave at a moment's notice, having stuff ready to go? All of it was to prepare you for this," Eva said to her.

"I wanted us to be free, but to walk away with at least something, so we could get a good start. I did a lot of digging and kept track of everyone that was a part of the church. Why do you think I started being more of a dutiful wife?" Eva asked her daughter.

"To execute our exit, with no one being able to find us!" Amy snapped as she put the pieces together.

"Though I will say, the situation has turned out far better than I had hoped! Staying here, rent free, with the ability to find jobs where they won't find us? On top of which, being able to scratch a massive itch that has been left untended for years. That in itself is a huge bonus!" Eva said with her voice going back to it joyous tones.

"I never knew! Thank you, mom!" Amy said as she tearfully hugged her mother. She did not understand the hell that her mother had endured for her sake. Now that she knew, she had even more respect and love for her than she thought possible.

"We are never going back!' Amy stated vehemently.

"Never going back!" Eva agreed, the two of them sharing a tender moment, before starting to discuss what they would do, now that they're free.

******************************

Jason was in the driver's seat of Luke's van, following the Google Maps directions to Brad's house. Though it was previously unknown to them, Luke had little trouble tracking down the address. The house was located in a middle class neighbourhood, which was well looked after. The house in question was in fact, a townhouse. It was two stories tall, with a basement, from what Luke could dig up on the architecture.

"I just finished my search on Carlotta Van DerBrandt and I have found something very odd about her. There is no real mention of her before two thousand and one, which is weird. It's almost like someone wanted all trace of who she was before scrubbed from the net and did it," Luke said, bewildered.

"What about the last name Dressler? I'm betting that's her maiden name?"

"What makes you say that?" Luke wondered.

"While I was eavesdropping, I heard Karla refer to her as 'Auntie' and refer to her father, which Carlotta acknowledged as her brother," Jason filled in.

"That changes everything! I know what secret she was trying to hide!" Luke said, his mind clicking with hidden puzzle pieces.

"What secret is that?" Jason asked.

"She was the famous porn star, Lillith Black!"

"Who?" Jason wondered.

"You've never heard of Lillith Black? I thought you'd seen your fair share of porn Jay!" Luke shot at him.

"I may have, but it was a long time ago. She looked vaguely familiar, but I can't seem to bring up the memory," Jason shrugged. "How do you know who she is?"

"You remember Fat Tommy from high school?' Luke queried.

"Yeah. He was an obsessed porn nut if I ever saw one!" Jason said, remembering the over enthusiastic man.

"He's actually a half decent guy, when you can get him away from porn. Which I'll admit is a task. Anyway, I stayed in touch with him over the years and saw him a little over two months ago. He was busy showing off his porn collection to me, which he was very proud of. He showed me the films he had of Lillith Black, which he claimed to be the last copies of her films in existence," Luke said.

"Naturally, this being the digital age, I told him he was a bald-faced liar, that I could find clips of Lillith Black anywhere online. He made me a fifty dollar bet that I would find nothing. So, I took the bet and went hunting, figuring I'd beat him easily. After a whole week of searching, I could find nothing on her. No clips, no pictures, no film copies, nothing. Hell, even the original negatives were bought up or destroyed. All I could find was some older dudes talking on the forums about her. All that's left of the porn star Lillith Black is memory."

"I will take a stab in the dark and say that her brother Hans was the one who had a hand in that. Possibly at the behest of her husband?" Jason guessed.

"Late husband. Mikkel Van DerBrandt passed away at fifty-nine, two years ago. Inoperable brain tumor that slowly took his brain apart. Horrible way to go. From what I could find out, she really loved the man. She shut herself up in her home in Amsterdam for several months before she even let family in to see her," Luke informed his friend.

"You think Brad found out about Fat Tommy's collection?" Jason asked.

"I'd be willing to bet money on it. A few weeks ago, Fat Tommy called me, telling me someone had robbed him. A few small items had been taken, but it was mostly his porn collection that was hit. They had stolen some vintage films, along with every film that Carlotta ever made as Lillith Black," Luke said.

"Figures that scum like Brad would find some way to leverage someone as prominent as her. Did some digging and since her husband's death, she's been taking his name and making it known worldwide. The world has associated dozens of projects and charities with her name," Jason told him.

"Yeah. I keep forgetting that I taught you how to do your homework with looking into people. But that kind of leverage, if it were to go public, would destroy the image she has worked so hard to build," Luke groused.

"The bastard would probably do it anyway, when she would either refuse to his demands, or when he had no further use for her," Jason said. "We're here."

Luke came out of the back for a moment, his turning this way and that, making sure they were in the right spot. The info he dug up on Brad and Dustin was solid, the address being correct.

"I'm not sure why she didn't have anyone handle this shit! A woman that's well known and wealthy as she is? She has to have people who clean up any messes or handle shit like this," Luke said, thinking out loud.

"She mentioned some of her brother's old friends but wanted to use them as a last resort. She mentioned that they were former JGK and that they have been shadowing the guys, but have orders to only observe," Jason informed his friend.

"JGK?!? You sure you hear that right?" Luke asked his friend, his eyes wide as saucers.

"Yeah. What's the big deal with JGK?"

"JGK is the Jaeger Corps! Danish Special Forces!" Luke blurted out.

"Damn! Why not use them then?" Jason muttered.

"Maybe she doesn't want to risk any failsafes or booby traps going off? In case those guys have files ready to release?" Luke wondered. "But wouldn't former spec ops soldiers see through any traps and find a way in?"

"They probably could, but she said that they have orders to only observe, not interfere," Jason told him.

"Fair point. If you get to special forces level, following orders is a must. Do you see anyone here?" Luke asked.

Jason got out of the seat and looked out back, scanning the area for anyone he could see. He also reached out with his Gaian senses and the only people he could detect, were those who were at home, going about their daily routine. He sensed no one watching them or the house they were parked close to.

"I don't see anyone, or any cars nearby that look out of place," Jason said. "If they are here, then they must be watching Brad and Dustin, rather than the house."

"All right man, I trust your judgement. You said something about failsafes?" Luke wondered.

"I heard Karla mention that. If they have sensitive materials like that, then they must at least have some kind of security system in place. Think you can find a way in?" Jason asked.

"Dude, just sit back and relax. The Doctor is about to operate!" Luke chuckled, flexing his fingers before tapping on his laptop. He was at it for maybe twenty minutes when Luke called out to him.

"These guys are total amateurs! The security system they had was a run-of-the-mill DIY home setup. Nothing flashy or fancy, so it was easy to crack in! You should be able to go inside and have a look around."