Chapter 6

Mr Hargreaves, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General to the Bastanian Republic, sadist and big time embezzler, was in a foul temper as he spoke over the telephone to the Prisons Minister.

"I agree, Minister. It was right to bring the girl back. She is a good fighter and we need her. But she mustn't get it easy! Keep her under constant watch and make her life a misery. We can't have her punished to the extent that she can't fight, but make her life very hard. I hate that cow. No one spits in my face and gets way with it. The other one? She's had a rough time and has gone to seed. Another month should see her right again. Then I want her up against Miss Chambers. Not a death fight just yet - we don't want to, lose either of them right now, but a fight to a knockout finish! That cocksure young filly won't have it so easy against the other one! I know they were lovers at the camp, but in the ring they're both out to win. Why! She even killed her best friend - remember? These fighters are animals, Minister! Animals and scum. Women are even worse than men. No sporting instinct. Just born killers.

Remember, Minister! These two are still chain gang women. They get to sleep on the floor and they get no clothes. If that cow Chambers had been taken to that fight naked she wouldn't have got even as far as she did in her escape. No white prisoner is to be taken to the fights clothed in future.

I'm off to tour the work camps today. I like to see those stuck up cows working naked eighteen hours a day. I'm going to talk to the overseer. Those fucking bitches get it too easy. I want the whip used on them a lot more and we are cutting their rations. Obese, overfed under worked cows. I'll show them!"

The Minister phoned the main prison and asked for the chief Jailer.

"Karl. That Miss Chambers. You are to keep a very close watch on her at all times and make sure she is given rough treatment. Keep her fit for the fights but she gets no privileges, no favours and plenty of punishments. When they take her to the market to fight, do not send your assistants. Go yourself. I am trusting you, Karl! Watch her and guard her around the clock. Only use your best men on her and devote as much of your own time as you can. Hargreaves insists. And she and Angelina are to be kept naked at all times, and chained at night in the yard."

Karl put the phone down and smiled. The fools had played right into their hands this time! He ordered Lilly to be given twenty strokes of a slipper on her always bare backside. Ultra hard, ultra tough Lilly would shrug off such a punishment and in any case it would sound a lot worse than it felt! But people would get the message that Lilly was having a rough time.

He sent her to fight a succession of three native women in the market on consecutive days and was delighted to see her win easily each time. What a wonderful girl she was! After the third fight he saw her safely stowed away in the van and went across to speak to the young woman who was always watching, always waiting. He tapped her gently on the shoulder and she looked petrified.

"Miss Green? Can we talk somewhere? Not here and not now. See that tavern over there? Tonight at ten. I will meet you outside."

Then he got into the rear of the van, alone with the two fighters. Lilly, concerned for her opponent now the fight was over, was helping the loser clean herself up. She looked up at Karl and grinned. It always did something to his stomach when she did that. Something nice!

"We are really in luck, Mr Marcilenus. I can still hardly believe it. I have just had a talk with a man called Karl von Verstein. He's about thirty and I think he's South African. He wasn't too keen to talk too much about himself. Didn't really sound like a German somehow, despite the name. He's the number two at the prison. Virtually runs the joint! And he's recently been given instructions to keep Lilly under observation at all times! And, here's the good bit! He's totally but totally in love with the girl. Really besotted! Head over heels! He wouldn't stop going on about how brave, lovely, sweet, and adorable in every conceivable way she was. Embarrassing! Believe me! The sun shines out of Lilly's arsehole as far as our Karl is concerned! After the whipping she was given he's out for blood. Can't look at her back without crying. He'll kill any and everyone who had a hand in his darling Lilly's whipping! And he'll help us get Angelina out of the country. He wants us to take Lilly as well. But I can't see that would be a problem - just one extra girl?"

"No problem, Marina! But first we have to get the girls out. Did Herr von Verstein have any ideas on that one. And what if Lilly returns Karl's affection? Maybe she will want him to come too? It will certainly be hard for him to explain the loss of two prisoners!"

"He's working on it! And he's no fool, Mr Marcilenus. I trust him! And I've no idea if Lilly fancies him. She's a lovely looking girl, but my guess is that she prefers other women to men! I mean, it's not very feminine to love fighting the way she does. Although I liked boxing at school and I'm normal enough!"

"I take it Angelina is also at the prison?"

"Yes. She's not fit to fight as yet. She needs to work hard on her legs. Plenty of skipping and running. But she has been training some of the girls, both white and native. That's how Emma improved so amazingly. I wish she could come too but I doubt it can be arranged."

"How does Lilly come to be back here so soon? I thought they'd give her a year in the chain gang. At least!"

"Angelina agreed to come back and to fight again, but only if Lilly could come with her. That's why it took so long. There was a lot of disagreement apparently about whether Lilly could come back so soon. Finally they decided to give her another whipping in lieu of the months she still had. Angelina said if they touched her again, she'd refuse ever to come back. So Lilly was finally allowed to return with Angelina and her back escaped a second whipping. Angelina's such a lovely good girl. She mustn't stay here for long! We must get her out!"