Girl Seven

I had an idea where this was going but I was prepared to sit quietly and listen. I snuggled Boo in a little tighter. I was beginning to like the feel of her body next to mine very much.

"We assumed the studio was empty as it was so late but as we got to the main office door, we heard a voice. I opened the door quietly and sitting in the big swivel seat in front of the desk was a young girl. We had never seen her before. She had her booted feet up on the desk and she was on the phone. Whoever she was had balls - she was even smoking one of Marcel's cigars!"

Boo grimaced. "Guess who? Fucking horrible it was, but it got their attention!"

Marcel laughed. "Someseeng about a girl smoking a cigar - so sexy!"

Boo waved an admonishing finger at him. "Fucking old perv!"

She sat up and put her arm around me. "So, I'd been waitin' for them to arrive for ages - I'm a bloody good hacker and I was trackin' their phones. Once I knew they were in the building, I picked up the phone - no-one on the other end of course - and started braggin' about putting a trojan in their finance system and skimmin' off a few cents and pennies here and there into my own bank account. Said I'd made over six thousand quid so far and they hadn't a fuckin' clue."

Marcel took up the story. "All the while we watched her admitting her guilt, puffing on her big cigar and generally laughing at us for being an easy touch. She said putting the trojan in had been a 'piece of piss'. She could hack into almost anything, but that was 'just too fuckin' easy!'"

Boo laughed at his attempt to mimic her accent and I sat transfixed by the tale.

Amelie took another drink and continued. "We were shocked, but something intrigued us. We waited until she finished her call and confronted her. She was chillingly calm. She just sat pulling on the cigar smiling at us when we said we would call the police."

Boo interrupted. "So I tells them there's no need for that - we could come to some arrangement. I told them I would pay it all back and they could take it out of me arse." She laughed. "Trouble was, just my luck - it was the wrong time o'the month, so it was meant literally. Good job I like it up me shitter!" She pointed at Marcel. "Fucking thing that size up yer backway - fuck me, I was screaming blue murder sucking on Madame here! I took his load like a porn star, kneeling with me mouth open. Then me and Amelie snowballed until there was nuffink left."

She paused for a drink. "So, Madame then demands an explanation. 'Nothing to explain,' I sez. 'I've hacked your systems; I've seen what lurks beneath the respectable veneer. I want in. Take all the time you want to make me pay it back in kind. When we're done, if you fink I'm worth it, I want a contract for in front of the cameras. I've seen what you do and it's fuckin' amazing. I had to get your attention somehow, and now I've got it I'm gonna show you what I can do, coz that's fuckin' amazing too.'"

I had sat in total silence until now, barely believing what I was hearing. "Boo, did you really steal the money?"

"Course I did but I paid it all back once we were sorted. Could have bankrupted them if I'd had a mind to! I'm bloody good, me. I could'a put those naughty phone shots of you on your Instagram, Linked-in, Facebook accounts in seconds!"

Amelie shook her head. "Talented girl as I say. We just looked at her in amazement. Neither of us knew what to say or do. Finally, Marcel merely said, 'What is your name, girl?'"

Boo's face lit up with her wide, gamine grin. "I sez to Amelie, 'Girl'? Who's he fuckin' 'girling'. Then I thought about it a minute and sez, ok, that'll do until I've earned me contract. Just call me Girl!"

Amelie looked at me, pointing to Boo. "So, it all falls into place, oui? This cheeky little waif sowed the seeds of an idea. We made sure we gave her a torrid time and she took everything we threw at her. She has now been in eighteen productions, done dozens of live shows and is very talented at story boarding and she is already getting into production. At first, we called her 'Girl'. Now she is universally known in the company as 'Girl One.' In the wider world, she is known as Boo, as you now know. Others followed, including the lovely Ljupka and now you have joined our ranks!"

It was a hell of a tale, and I could envisage Boo's part in it as if I had been there. Now all was clear to me and sheer euphoria washed over me that this was to be my new life.

An hour later, another bottle of the Dom had been turned upside down and Boo's tub of Caribs was almost empty. Amelie yawned copiously and stretched herself. "Been a hell of a few days. Not to put too fine a point on it, I am fucked and I mean totally in the wrong way. Shall we head back to dry land for a while?"

Marcel helped her up and they walked towards the stairway.

Boo stood, a little unsteadily after a lot of beer in a short time. "Fink this little tub could do with a bit of TLC after the effects of Storm Jade, Amelie. Needs the touch of a good First Mate to get it all sorted out. Fing is, she'll need some help. Any volunteers?"

I held up a hand. "More used to aircraft, but I'm sure I could become a decent deckhand given time!"

She sounded a little tipsy. "Whassyer name, Girl?"

I stood and saluted her. "Girl Seven, First Mate."

She nodded. "Good girl, Seven - you can start termorrer." She then hugged me once more. "I said you'd never get to know me real name. It's Boudicca, like the old bloody Queen from way back when people wore helmets with horns on. Horrible, innit? I only tell that to people I like." She kissed me. "Fink Boo must like ya coz Boo told ya!"

I kissed her back. "Fink I must like First Mate Boo too!"

Amelie grinned across at us. "How long do you think the clean-up will take, First Mate?"

Boo looked around. "Right fuckin' mess. What's today, Tuesday? Reckon Saturday, earliest."

"Can we send anything across that might help?"

"Yeah - might be able to make use of Sven and Reuben." I felt a small hand grip mine. "But not till Friday yeah?" She picked up what remained of the beer in her other hand. "Oh and send Chelsee for good measure. That squeak when she comes is so fuckin' adorable!"

She dragged me towards the stairs. "Come on Girl Seven - first fings first - we need ter check Engine Room Two's still intact!"

Epilogue

It was quiet in First Class. The only other two passengers had been flat out for hours. Boo glanced across at me and winked. She got up from her pod and slid into my bed. "Need to be quiet, like!"

I'd seen couples at it on airplanes countless times and I had joined the Mile-High club many years before. Despite trying to be as discreet as we could, it was obvious to the Stewardess that passed us - trying to be discreet herself - what had just taken place. Her name badge identified her as Taggie.

As Boo extricated herself after a fairly disastrous attempt at subtlety, Taggie gave her a sly little grin and whispered, "Please return to your seat madam, it would appear there has been a little bit of local turbulence." She had shiny ash-blonde hair piled on top of her head and sounded very posh.

Boo smiled and nodded knowingly, running a hand across the woman's bottom as she got back to her pod. Taggie followed her. "Was that as nice as it sounded and looked, madam?"

Boo dug in her shoulder bag and pulled out a business card. "Call me some time and ya might just find out..."

The stewardess took it and looked Boo up and down appraisingly. She raised one well-manicured eyebrow. "Got some leave coming - may well do. Like a bit of rough." She pocketed it and as she reached the dividing curtains, she glanced back at me. "And redheads..."

Before I lay down to sleep, I opened my own shoulder bag and took out the contract that was carefully folded with my passport. My first meeting with Angela DeVries had gone well and my subsequent liaison with a very nice young gentleman called Matthew had gone a long way towards ensuring an offer would be made. It was secured when half-way through our session, the door opened and an elegantly dressed young woman walked into the room and joined us.

She had casually removed her deep blue silk dress and smiled down at our entwined bodies. It was a smile that lit up the room. "Hello, I'm Caitlin Price. I believe my great friend Bonita recommended you. Any friend of Bonnie's is destined to become a very good friend of mine."

It was a wonderful, languid afternoon and Caitlin was a very accomplished lover. Angela DeVries watched us on CCTV and the contract was on her desk waiting for me on my return. I told her there were a few things I needed to discuss with people and took it away with me.

Boo and Amelie were absolutely fine with it. Amelie didn't mind me 'moonlighting' as the women who owned the Agency were good friends of hers, and Boo said as long as I came home to her, still with something to give, she was happy.

I signed it, took a scan of it on my phone and sent it to Angela, promising the original would be in the post when I landed.

I took out the second envelope and opened it. I had almost cried when Amelie handed it to me. It was an invitation to a birthday party in Miami in a few weeks - Bonnie Rodriguez' forty-fifth birthday. Under the printed part, was a neatly written personal message.

Said I'd see you down the line, sweet girl, didn't I? Welcome to our world, Jade. Look forward to seeing you, Loops and Boo again. Love, Bonnie.

Barely believing my good fortune, I tucked both envelopes safely away. I fingered the narrow choker around my neck and held the little adornment that I felt now defined me. It was the key from the chain that had hung from my collar in my prison. It sat at my throat, engraved with the number seven.

I felt my upper arm just below the shoulder. It still tingled a little, the tattoo being new. Boo had a similar one and I was hoping to persuade Ljupka to have one done as well. They were more than just our 'Girl' numbers - they were who we had become in order to evolve into our new lives.

I fell into a contented sleep knowing that I had made it, and the girl I now knew I loved was on the other side of the compartment to me.

Two weeks later, I stood by the rail of the upper deck of Arcadia as the last vestiges of the sun played on the still waters. Behind me, the party was in full swing. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned. Expecting to see Boo, I did a double take when I saw a tall, black girl grinning at me.

"Hey Jade, how's tings? Not seen Sven anywhere, me suppose?"

I took a moment to realise it was Shakira the barmaid. She had been a looker at seventeen, but now she was old enough to attend the bashes on the Arcadia, she was utterly stunning. She was naked, apart from a captain's cap, worn at a rakish angle. Her ebony skin shone in the moonlight and her long braids flowed almost to her waist.

I heard a quiet voice from behind us. "Never mind Sven, darlin'. Howzabout an hour in the lifeboat wiff me an' Jade?"

Shak clicked her teeth. "Sorry, Boo - can't have me dessert if I've not had me main course. Maybe later, huh?" She winked at us and loped off across the deck like a predatory cat, her lilting voice carrying over the beats. "Hey Sven - come out, come out wherever you are. Been waitin' a looong time for dis!"

A slim arm wound around my waist and I gazed down into Boo's lovely bright eyes. I tousled her dreadlocks and gave her a little kiss on the nose. We had become very close indeed and I couldn't wait for her to direct me, Ljupka and the others in the scenario we had come out to the Caribbean to record.

But first there was something else to attend to.

Boo stiffened in my embrace as a tall, willowy figure in a flowing gauzy dress sashayed down the gangplank and walked onto Arcadia like she owned the damned thing. There was a smile in Boo's voice. "'Ere she comes, knew she'd not be able to resist!"

The woman took a long pull on her cigarette and flicked it into the ocean as she walked up to Reuben. She began to engage him in conversation, though the din of the music made it impossible to discern what was said. As he laughed and shook his head, I recalled my own first entrance onto the yacht. I had a fair idea what had passed between them.

I was about to go down and invite her on board when Boo held me back. "Just got a feelin' here, Jady-baby. Let's see how this plays out, eh?"

We stood and watched in amused silence as Taggie closed the distance between them. She put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. His wide grin told us all we needed to know and within seconds, Taggie was on her knees in front of him. His head rocked back and he slid his big hands into her long, ash-blonde hair.

"Fucking hell, she's a bloody sword-swallower!"

We watched in awed silence as she gave the bouncer five minutes of bliss. At last there was a cry of ecstasy and she stood and patted him on the cheek. She glanced up and saw us at the rail and flicked her hair back as she strode purposefully up the stairs.

She wiped her mouth ostentatiously with the back of her hand. "Evening, ladies. Nice place you've got here!" I longed to hear that cut-glass accent talking dirty.

Boo nodded down to Reuben, now staring up at us with a big grin on his face. "We'd 'ave let you in fer free, you know?"

Taggie raised an eyebrow. "Of course, but where's the fun in that darling?" She was already staring over our heads into the assembled throng, her long, elegant neck craning. "Not necessarily looking for the biggest, you understand."

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "Fuck it, who am I trying to kid? Of course I am!"

With that, she pushed between us with a wicked grin on her face, slim fingers waving goodbye. "Later, ladies!"

Boo watched her retreating back and sighed. "Fucking dead cert, Girl Seven."

I nodded my agreement. "Sure thing, Girl One." I followed Boo's gaze and whispered after her. "Welcome to the Arcadia, Taggie. Or should I say, Girl Nine?"

It was one hell of a night and the woman took the place by storm.

Twelve hours later, I stood with Boo's arm around my waist once more. This time we were looking at a bank of video screens showing a naked woman lying shackled hand and foot to a bare metal bed. She tugged violently at her bonds, screaming what were most likely obscenities and banged her fists as best she could on the bed frame. She was yelling so loud I was surprised we couldn't hear her from where we were, three decks above her small prison.

I flicked a switch and spoke into the microphone. "Good morning, Girl Nine. I hope you slept well. You certainly deserved a good night's kip after your stellar performance last night."

I turned down the volume until her ranting stopped. When I did, her voice was deadly calm. "Who the fuck is Girl Nine?"

Boo smiled as she leaned towards the mic. "You are o'course!"

"What the fuck? Girl Nine? What the hell is going on - I'm going to fucking well-"

Before she had time to enlighten us as to what she was fucking well going to do to us, I interjected. "Just so you know what will happen if you do not comply with each and every instruction we give you..."

I had to turn the volume down again as the screaming and torrent of obscenities resumed. As the sprinklers did their work, I put her into darkness and turned to Boo.

"Think we've got another winner here, Girl One!"

"Have we ever?" She hugged me and took me by the hand. "Right, you get the towel, I'll get the mattress." She pulled me towards the door and gave me her best gamine grin. "Cor, Amelie's gonna love this kid."

"Come on, let's get her ready for action. Girl Seven thinks Girl Nine's gonna be fun, Girl One!"

Author's Note

As I often do, I have recalled some characters from earlier works of mine. Amelie leClerc appears in the later parts of my seven part series from 2018, 'Goodbye to the Past' and I felt a lady as good as she deserved a larger canvas on which to display her talents. The 'star' of that series is Caitlin Price, who blossoms from a shy, repressed young girl into a beautiful, uninhibited woman thanks to Bonnie Rodriguez and her friends, of which Amelie is one.

Much as I regret it now, I cut that series short as I felt it had nowhere left to go. I had comments that I left the situation between Amelie and Caitlin hanging. Having seen what Amelie does to Jade, you should get the idea of how their liaison would have played out.

Marcel, Frank and Caitlin's fiancée Anji also feature in the series.