My Descent into Slavery Ch. 02

"Please, God, no!" Miranda said. "Will she be branded as the others were?"

"If we don't get her in time. I'm hoping she can be recovered, but I need every ounce of pressure you can bring to bear on the NSA, NRO and whoever else you know who might be able to find Mahmoud's hideout, if for some reason he can't get her. Even if she dies, I want to know where it is. I will level it to the ground. I'll need a place to train, maybe three or four hundred men, a mock up of his place needs to be built. See if the military can offer a place. All I need is the place. I don't need money. I'll need men, Edgar says a lot more if we're to be successful in launching an attack on his fortified position with any hope of not losing the women, but I want good men, not the usual mercs, people like the ones I already have."

Miranda thought frantically. "It would seem to me, you need to ask the ones you have who'd they'd trust to fight beside them, then who'd those men would want, and so on. Didn't that one submissive of Mistress Layton used to be in the Rangers. Beth said if she ever needed help, he'd come for her. Perhaps he knows others who would help."

"Without Hannah, I need your help contacting them, getting the word out. Put Francesca and Belle on it. I'm going to need help keeping everything organized. Edgar reminded me Lynn's son, Richard, is working as a PA for Bill Thornhill. See if I can borrow him. While you're at it, ask Bill if I can borrow some cash, lots of it. I'm going to offer Mahmoud money to get them back. No one will pay as much as I'm willing to pay."

"I'll get right on everything."

"Edgar said something about getting a plane twenty men can parachute out of, and putting it in Morocco, fairly close to Mahmoud. Contact the Moroccan government and see if they can borrow or lend us one, or know where we can get one. I'll buy one if they don't have it, but until I get Edgar back here, I don't know what's the right one to have."

"Yes, sir."

"And pray. I need you to pray."

"I will, Master."

******

Miranda called William Thornhill first. She had remained in close contact with them ever since Richard and William helped uncover an illegal slave auction in NYC.

"This is Miranda Ward-Greenbriar for William, Richard. Is he in? It's urgent."

"Of course, Congresswoman, I'll put him right on."

"I need you to be privy to the conversation as well. It might involve you."

"As you wish."

Richard stepped into William's home office. "Sir, Congresswoman Ward's on the line, says it's urgent and asked if we could both listen in. Said it might affect me as well."

Bill picked up the phone and put it on speaker. "Bill here. You discover another slave auction in New York. I think we got most of the bad apples from that one."

"No, sir. Worse. Mahmoud has got Beth, Hannah and Jìngyi. Just taken a few hours ago in Algeria. Joshua needs your help."

Bill sat up straighter. "Anything you need, anything at all. Richard, copy this down."

"Money, perhaps lots of it. Joshua is going to offer a lot to ransom her, but his money might be tied up in a rescue attempt. Political influence. I want to put pressure on the appropriate government agencies to help out, and having two billionaires asking for assistance will be better than one. She was taken in Algeria and Mahmoud's headquarters are in Morocco. If you have any clout with either of the two governments, we need you to use it. Edgar says we need to train for an assault on Mahmoud if the women need to be rescued, so if you know a place where armed men can freely train, we need it. Joshua wanted a jump plane in Morocco for a possible parachute rescue, with space for at least twenty paratroopers. Any help getting one would be appreciated."

"We'll be working on those things immediately."

"Perhaps most importantly, Joshua needs Richard, so you'll have to do without him for awhile. Without Hannah, he needs someone who can keep everything organized. It's too much for one person to keep track of. He needs a Personal Assistant, an Aide de Camp, if you will. I'm sorry, you'll probably need him too, to get all of this organized, but Joshua needs him more. If he can't rescue them beforehand, he plans on going to war. People might die if we're not ready."

"Richard, I won't tell you that you have to go, but I'd love for you to volunteer," William said.

"Of course, I'll go, Master William."

"Do you have any recommendations for your replacement?"

"A two headed one, sir. Andre and Marnie."

"Your Master, who's a sex worker, and your wife?"

"Andre knows how to keep a schedule. He has to for his work. He's personable, again, needed for his work. He's smart, although his grades don't show it because he had to fend for himself when he was young. He went into prostitution because he needed a way to support himself and he didn't want to sell drugs and he enjoyed sex and was good at it, but I think he'd love to get out of prostitution. He doesn't feel he has job skills other than prostitution and no one would hire an ex-prostitute.

"Half of rescuing those involuntary slaves, we pulled off because of how Master presented himself as a slave buyer; he was fast on his feet. Marnie is a college graduate herself, and smart, she's just not worked because I didn't want her to, at least to start our marriage. She can be the public face of your PA. Both of them already know of your relationship to Evelyn and Regina, and that won't be an issue for you. Marnie will take orders and she's bright enough to help. They live close and can work whatever hours you need. It will take me a couple days to get them both up to speed, then I can go where Joshua needs me, if the women aren't rescued already."

"I see what you mean, Richard. I think it is doable, for a few months at least, if not longer. Miranda, what the hell was Joshua doing in North Africa? I thought he was avoiding the place like the plague because of Mahmoud."

"We found Fatima's parents. She's the first slave we freed. They were in Algeria looking for her. Joshua didn't think an unplanned stop was all that risky, so he took a chance, and we lost."

"I've got a piece of property in New Mexico you could probably use for training for an assault, but that puts the training even further away from where the rescue will be. Doesn't the Prime Minister of The Bahama's owe Joshua a favor? I know Joshua owns an island down there. It's uninhabited, so he could do anything he wants on it, if the Prime Minister gave him permission to have armed men on it. It's warm enough, hurricane season is over. It might get more rain than Morocco does, but it is the dry season, but I think it's a good choice to train."

"You're right. Thank you, I'll contact him right away."

"Call immediately if you think of anything more you need. Day or night, I don't care," Bill said

"Thank you so much, Master Thornhill."

Bill told Richard to get Marnie and Andre there as fast as possible. There was work to be done. Richard called Marnie and told her to dress professionally and come to the Thornhill's quick. He texted Andre and told him to call as soon as he was free. It was an emergency.

"Is Marnie okay? She's not hurt is she?" Andre asked when he called Richard five minutes later.

"Not that kind of emergency, Master. How would you like my job with Mr. Thornhill? It would be you and Marnie, together, doing my current job."

"Where the hell will you be and why would he want to hire me?" Andre asked.

"I'll tell you when you get here, sir. I need to explain to Marnie as well."

"I can be there in forty minutes."

"Thank you, Master."

Marnie was escorted in by Evelyn when she arrived, kissing Richard when she saw him. "What's happening, Richard. Why did you need to see me?"

"Not just you, Master too. He's on his way. Beth was captured by Mahmoud in North Africa."

"That awful slaver, the one who brands his slaves?"

"The very same. It will all be explained as soon as Master arrives."

Andre kissed Marnie and Richard when he arrived, glancing at Bill.

"Can you tell me what's going on now, Richard, since we all seem to be here?"

"Some friends of ours, good friends, the one who taught Marnie and I about great oral sex, and two other women, have been captured by Mahmoud, the human slaver in North Africa, who captured most of the women we purchased at the slave auction; the virgins who were branded. The man on who's ship they were staying is doing everything he can to rescue them. One of the women who was captured, was his Personal Assistant. He's got no one to help him plan this enormous undertaking, which is to rescue the three women and all the other women he might have enslaved in his headquarters in Morocco.

"I'm going to be working with Joshua as his PA to replace his. I'll be in Europe or Africa or wherever else I might need to go to help rescue them and Bill will need your help as he's going to be helping do as much as he can, for Joshua is his friend too. William already trusts you with the same information he trusts me with. You know how to keep a schedule. You'll be keeping his instead of your own. I'll need to work with you for a couple days to get you up to speed on everything going on now and and what's likely for Bill to help Joshua. Master, you will need to cancel all your appointments for the foreseeable future."

"Will Beth be branded as the others were?" Marnie asked.

"If they're not rescued in time. Then they'll be sold and it could be anywhere in the world and Joshua may not be able to find her and the others again."

"So Bill, now you want to pay me for doing the same thing for you as Richard does?"

"That's right, three hundred thousand a year."

"Richard's coming back when this is over, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"Then you don't need to pay me that much. Make up my average monthly bookings and I'll be happy. I'm already living in his place, which is a freebie for me anyway. When he gets back, I'll go back to my regular job."

Bill smiled. "It's always nice finding someone who's not greedy, Andre, but I'm not offering you a part time job. I'm offering you a permanent position. You don't need your old job for sex. You're getting all the sex you want now. You've got four sex slaves and can fuck all night if you want. Richard thinks you might be good at this kind of work, and I tend to agree with him. You don't have a business degree, but you understand business; you run your own. Marnie's got a degree, she can help you manage what you're not comfortable with. You're discreet, quick on your feet, street smart plus intelligent. Richard said you didn't have a lot of opportunity as a kid, and didn't think you could get hired by anyone who knew your past. I'm willing to overlook your history. Marnie will be the public face of my PA, because she doesn't have your past, but you'll be doing most of the work with her help."

"What will I do when Richard returns and takes his job back?"

"Whatever I want you to. Perhaps he doesn't take his old job back. Maybe I'll have something else for him. Perhaps grooming him for something bigger. We'll figure it out when the time comes."

"I don't care what the neighbors say, Mr. Thornhill. You're a prince of a guy."

Bill laughed. "So, are you willing to take the job?"

"I'd be a fool if I didn't. I'd say my Momma didn't raise no fools, but my Momma had nothing to do with it."

"Marnie, you agree as well? I'll continue paying Richard even though he's gone. It will be your salary. Joshua will also be paying him."

"Yes, I'll help any way I can."

"I thank you both. I suggest you both pay attention to Richard. He's one of the best I've seen at this job. He knows what the fuck he's doing."

"Richard, are you going to be in any danger?" Marnie asked.

"I doubt it. I don't think I'll be part of the actual rescue. I don't know anything about guns. Why?"

"Could you do a favor for me before you go?"

"What favor?" I asked.

"Could you go to a sperm bank and leave a couple sperm deposits with them? If anything happens to you, I'd like the option of having a child with you anyway."

"I suppose I could take the time for that."

******

Miranda called the Prime Minister of The Bahamas next.

"Your Excellency, this is Congresswoman Miranda Ward-Greenbriar calling."

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Greenbriar."

"Are you in the position where you can speak frankly and confidentially?"

"I will be in a moment. Give me a second."

The Prime Minister cleared his office. "What do you need, Congresswoman?"

"You know Joshua said he didn't expect anything for the money he gave you?"

"I remember? Has he changed his mind?"

"Not because he wants to, Your Excellency, but because he needs to, and when you hear why, I'm hoping you'd be willing to help."

"Why, what happened?"

"The young submissive on the American Entrepreneur when you visited, Joshua's Personal Assistant, Hannah, and another young woman have been captured by a human trafficker in Algeria. It's possible that Joshua will need to launch a rescue mission for the women and he needs a place to train the men who will be undertaking the mission. He'd like someplace private and out of the way to train them and he was thinking of the island he owns in The Bahamas. He'd like your permission to bring armed men onto the island for training, and to build a mock up of the fortress where they're being held in Morocco with details we've gotten from other slaves we've managed to free. He'll tear the mockup down when the mission is complete and return the island to its original condition."

"That's not a horrible request. I'll be happy to help in any way I can."

"You know what you need to do better than me. Send me whatever you need from us to make it happen and I'll get it to you."

"How is your submission going, Mrs. Greenbriar?"

"You know?"

"I figured it out as soon as Joshua got married. The woman who had to wear a mask because I might know her and then the marriage to the American political figure I'd met before, though not so naked. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. I remember your visit with a great deal of fondness."

"I'll make sure Master knows. With your help, he might be amenable to a repeat visit."

"It's not necessary to make this happen, but I appreciate the offer. Do you miss him when you're in Washington?"

"More than you know. The other one is my sister slave. I love her as much as he does. Thank you, Your Excellency."

"You're welcome."

******

"Mistress Layton, this is Congresswoman Ward-Greenbriar. I have some bad news about Beth."

"What is it?"

"She's been captured by a human slaver in North Africa along with two other women. Is Ranger there?"

"My God! Ranger was just about to go to work, but he's still here."

"I'd like to speak to him please. It's important."

"Wait a minute." Miranda could hear her calling Ranger and Luke over the phone.

"What is it, Mistress?" Ranger said. "You know I have to leave for work now."

"Congresswoman Ward is on the phone. She's on speaker. Beth's been taken, captured by slavers in North Africa," Mistress Layton said.

"Where do I need to go?" Ranger asked.

"You can go to work for now and see if you can get someone to take your place if you need to take an extended leave of absence," Miranda said. "Edgar is trying to get Beth. He had her swallow a tracker so he's going for her, hopefully before she's taken to the fortress headquarters in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. If gets to her in time, we won't need you anywhere, but if she's not recovered before she goes there, Edgar estimates it might take 300 men to get her out alive. We still don't know where the headquarters are, but we know what it looks like and its approximate location from other slaves we've freed. We want qualified ex-military, people you've served with and wouldn't mind serving with again; responsible, disciplined men who can take orders. There may be up to fifty or sixty other women held there, slaves in training. We want to free as many as we can without taking unnecessary casualties. Any who participate will be well paid salary wise with half a million dollars paid if they're killed to surviving family. We need names, so think of who you'd trust to go in with you to save Beth and a lot of others."

"I'm on it. I'll have a list of names for you in 48 hours, then I'm coming. You tell me where I need to be."

"We'll probably do the training in The Bahamas. I've just spoken to the Prime Minister to get his approval. He's more than willing to help. Joshua owns the island we want to train on, but we wanted permission to bring a bunch of armed men into his country."

"You can count on me to be one of them. I've got maybe twenty names of others I trust, though they all may not be able to do it. The names I give you, they'll have already agreed to go. They may be able to think of others."

"Thank you, Ranger. I appreciate it more than you know. Have a good day at work. I'm going to tell Mistress Layton what we're facing. You can get details from her."

Ranger left and Mistress Layton and Luke listened in horror as Miranda explained how they'd rescued several slaves including many from the same man who held Beth and what had been done to them. "Beth will be branded if she's not rescued in four weeks."

"You're going to kill the bastard if you get the chance, won't you?" Mistress Layton asked.

"Joshua is not in a forgiving mood. Draw your own conclusions."

"Good."

"Francesca will be working on this. She'll probably be the next person to get in touch. I've still got my legislative duties and I'm pushing for alphabet agencies to give us a hand. I'm hoping the King of Morocco will give us free access over his country."

"Let us know if there's anything more we can do to help?"

"Thank you. There's one other thing you might do for me. Get hold of Professor Kline. We might need his professional services before all is said and done. He's met some of the other slaves. He'll know what we're talking about."

"I'll let him know right away."

"Poor Beth," Luke said. "I can't begin to imagine what her life is like right now."

******

"I'm so sorry, Joshua. They found the tracker," Edgar said. Lynn and Angelique were sitting with him, waiting for further word. Sahar and Leo were with Edgar when he delivered the news.

Joshua was numb, barely able to function. Once he got the initial phone call out to Miranda, he'd been practically catatonic. It got worse after Edgar reported they'd failed to get them back.

Lynn said, "I'm so sorry, Joshua, Angelique. I love them too." Joshua nodded weakly.

Sahar slapped Joshua, a sharp slap across the face. "Hey, you fucking big man. You going to let Mahmoud have Beth, turn her into his slave bitch?"

Joshua blinked, shaking his head. "We don't even know where she is. How are we going to get her back?"

"Who does know where Mahmoud is? Someone knows. He sells his slaves all over the fucking world. Someone knows where the hell he is."

"Every time we got close to someone who might know, they got killed. Even sitting in jail, they got killed."

"And who can get to men in jails? You think Mahmoud has prisoners sitting in jails waiting for someone who can give up information on him?"

Edgar and Joshua looked at each other. "We never really followed up that lead," Edgar said. "Sahar isn't wrong. Someone does know. We think someone at Interpol is giving him information. What if they know where he is?"

"Are we going to kidnap random Interpol officers off the street and ask them questions? We don't even know where the leak is, Geraldo, Fritz, or one of their bosses. Geraldo is the one who asked where the Hofflers were going to be flying to, but he could have been asking for someone else."

"Do you have pictures of these men?" Sahar asked. "They questioned all of Mahmoud's slaves but they never asked me a fucking thing? They didn't care about any slave traders but Mahmoud?"