Chapter 5

“Well, I can saw a woman in two,
But you won’t want to look in the box when I’m through.
I can make love disappear.
For my next trick, I’ll need a volunteer.”
-Warren Zevon, “For My Next Trick, I’ll Need A Volunteer”

David Igazi was sitting in front of three televisions. One was tuned to CNN, one was tuned to the local news in Uongo, and the third was tuned to BBC World News. The two bigger news services, as was often the case, knew four or five facts and were rewording those facts in every conceivable way until more information came in.

They knew that Lady Maria Louisa Francesca de San Finzione’s helicopter had failed to rendezvous with a military supply convoy at a refugee camp two days ago, that the helicopter had been found with three dead and two unaccounted for, including Lady Maria herself. No ransom demand had been made or video released to the media, but the area where her helicopter went down was near the territory of the brutal warlord David Igazi.

Igazi smiled at the mention of his name as they reworded as much as possible the other things they knew: That search parties were underway and that Contessa Helena de San Finzione had been unreachable for comment. The newscaster for the local news had nothing on the story and was instead talking about glorious production outputs for the next quarter. Behind him, the door to the hut opened and the large Englishman escorted Helena into the room. Igazi turned from the TV as reporters were commenting about the recent disappearance of Russian Grandmaster Garry Kasparov.

He pulled two bottles of beer out of a cooler and set one before the empty chair that Helena walked over to while he opened his own with his teeth. She sat down and opened hers against the edge of the poker table.

“The world has learned of your disappearance, Demon.” Igazi told her, lighting a new cigar. Helena produced a pack of cigarettes and lit one herself.

“I prefer MSNBC,” Helena responded, taking a drink. She hadn’t had a Budweiser since she was a teenager. She hadn’t missed much. “That Rachel Maddow, umm, you just KNOW she knows how to eat pussy.”

David Igazi smiled and let out a big laugh. A smile and laugh that made Helena think he was about to extol the virtues of 7-Up over cola-based soft drinks.

“So,” Helen said in English, taking a drag. “You’ve got me here. Maria seems to be ok. Now we should get to WHY you want me.”

“Just so. But first, I require a demonstration of the power that they say you possess.” He nodded to the Englishman, who motioned to someone outside and stepped out of the building. Two more men entered and tossed a scared young woman into the room. She fell to the floor, looking up in horror at Igazi. Igazi walked over to the girl and looked at Helena, the guards keeping their guns on her.

“This,” he said, clapping his hand on the girl’s shoulder. She let out a yelp, but he looked down at her and she cringed back. “is Umiwama. Her village’s tribute was inadequate, so I took her instead. As you can see, she is terrified of what I have in store for her; making money for me. You will use your witchcraft to make her enjoy her new life as my most devoted and profitable whore.”

Helena looked at the girl and looked back up to meet Igazi’s gaze.

“I’d tell you to eat my shit, but I took care of that when I got here.”

“You do not understand, Demon. This girl’s holes are going to bring me money. What is up to you is whether or not they do so freely out on the streets or chained to a bed in a basement. On the street, she may bring in enough to make me forgo collecting her village’s tribute for a few months. In the basement ... well, she has sisters that could join her. Together they may bring in enough.”

Helena put out her cigarette. At any moment, she could simply do her Thing and command Igazi to release Umiwama with her and Maria and order all of his men to drop their weapons and surrender to her, but the guards watching Maria had been ordered to shoot her if Igazi appeared to be “bewitched,” and there was no guarantee that she could stop them in time. She steeled herself and knelt before the girl.

“Umiwama,” she said calmly, laying her hands on the girl’s shoulders more gently than Igazi did. “That name’s Kinyarwanda, isn’t it? Doesn’t it mean ‘Daughter of God’?” She’d asked in that language and the girl nodded. Igazi stepped back and sat in a pappasan chair as he watched them.

“Umiwama, this man,” she pointed at Igazi. “And despite everything that you have heard, he IS only a man, is going to make you do things. Things with strange men that I’m pretty sure you’ve never done before. Are you a virgin?” The girl nodded. Helen sighed before continuing.

“If I find a way to bring you home, I will do it. But for now, for your family’s safety and mine, I must tell you that you will enjoy the tasks he gives you to perform. They will be uncomfortable at first, but you will learn quickly, and you will perform these tasks as happily as you are able. You will look forward to the things that he and the men who pay tell you to do. You will not worry, you will not be afraid. This is your life now, and you will love it.”

Umiwama’s tears stopped and the look of fear on her face turned to a look of contentment as she nodded agreeably with Helen’s words. Helen turned to the man with a look of contempt as she mentally added this moment to the ever-growing list of “Reasons to Kill David Igazi” in her head.

“She’s yours now. Command her as you will.”

“Undress,” he told the girl. Umiwama rose to her feet and slid the simple dress she wore off her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground. Igazi raised his finger and Umiwama started walking toward her. The guards showed some interest, but kept their guns pointed at Helen.

He pointed down, and the girl knelt gracefully. He pointed to the fly of his trousers, and the girl reached for the zipper when Helena spoke up.

“Stop,” she told the girl. Umiwama froze. Igazi turned his head toward her as the two guards flipped off the safeties on their weapons. “Unless you want your friends with the guns to start making out, I think I’ve given you a sufficient demonstration. You can humiliate the girl on your own time. Let’s get back to our business.”

“As you wish, Contessa,” he chuckled and motioned for the guards to take her away. This time, Umiwama went willingly out the door with the two men. “My men can take over her ... training from here.”

Helena got up and returned to her chair, producing another cigarette and taking a large drink of her beer as the Englishman returned. “You have someone else that you want me to do that to, I’m guessing.”

“Not quite the same thing, but yes. The tent my men have been setting up is for an important meeting tomorrow. Warlords from six factions will be coming to my compound to settle a territorial dispute.”

“Is Kony coming,” Helena asked. Igazi nodded in the negative. She took another drag. “Won’t be much of a party if Kony’s not going to be there.”

“Kony will be a thing of the past once you have used your witchcraft to compel the other warlords to pledge their loyalty to me and unite their forces under my banner. After you have done this, the girl will be released unharmed.” Helena mentally accessed her knowledge of the region.

“Hmm ... I suppose with the right six factions behind you, you’d have the strength to take on Kony directly. Or no ... Kony’s forces are too far north from here. He’d be a long-term goal for you. But the capital of Uongo is less than a day’s drive. Kiburi’s army would definitely be overmatched by your New Mongol Horde. The only military force that could lend him aid in time to stop you taking the city would be...”

Igazi grinned and continued the sentence. “The convoys of San Finzione’s troops delivering your country’s aid packages through our blockades around the refugee camps, yes; which will be easily overcome once the six factions’ forces are united with my own.”