Chapter 18: Rachel's Readiness

I got back from Wales the following day and went to meet with Rachel, my script writer, at the Prep Centre.

She was no longer wearing her evening gown; now she just wore a simple short black skirt and matching, low cut, sleeveless top. One strap of her top was hanging off her shoulder. She also had on the stiff leather collar and the identity tag that marked out all of those that were going through preparation. Her face looked gaunt; dark bags under her eyes testified to nights without sleep. She stared past me with an empty look in her eyes.

She'd been brought to one of the interview rooms. "Hello Rachel," I said, pointing to a chair. "Sit down."

She looked at me, puzzled. "I have to stand or kneel," she said in a flat voice. "I'm not allowed to sit. The rules say I'm not allowed to sit. They punish me if I sit."

"I know," I replied, gently. "But it's all right if I say so. You can sit down." She did so, keeping her legs side by side, her feet flat to the floor, her knees slightly parted. She was wearing shackles around her wrists but her hands were chained in front of her. She put her hands in her lap and sat quite motionless. I could see that her wrists were bruised from the shackles. Her face was bruised too. She had a cut over one eye, and a puffy lip. They hadn't been gentle with her. She could see I was looking at her.

"They raped me."

"I know," I answered.

"The men and the women."

"I know. I can make it stop. If you do as I ask then I can make it stop."

"That's what they said. If I do as I'm told all will be well. I'm trying to do as I'm told. Can you make it stop?"

"If you write for me. If you do as you are told."

"I'd like you to make it stop."

"Good. I'll send you some papers. They'll explain what I want. You'll be given a computer to write with. You'll give the files to your guard. He will give them to me. As long as you do as I ask it will stop."

"No more rape?"

"No. Not if you do as I ask."

"It was so many times. I've lost count. Both in front and behind. And in my mouth."

"I know."

"Sometimes they tie my wrists before they rape me. Sometimes they spread my legs out with a bar. Sometimes they gag me. Sometimes they let me scream."

"I know."

"And you can make it stop?"

"If you do as I ask."

"Are you going to rape me?"

"No, not now."

"Not now?"

"No, because I think you are going to do as I ask. At least at the moment I think you will do as I ask. If I find that doesn't happen I may change my mind."

"Thank you," Rachel said. "I want you to make it stop. I don't want you to rape me. I don't want them to rape me." I pressed the button.

A guard appeared. "She's to have a computer in her cell," I said, "No network of course. And some papers I'll send. She'll provide files each day. She's not to be raped. As long as she behaves, and provides the files, she's not to be raped."

"Understood," said the guard. "I'll pass the word."

I saw her later, watching her through the panel of one way glass. She was seated at a table. A chain ran from her ankle to a ring in the wall. She had been given a computer and the file of papers. She was reading the file. She put her head in her hands. I could see she was sobbing. She stopped after a few moments and looked back at the door of her cell and then back at the file. She turned on the computer. It seemed like I was going to get my script.

I went off to speak to Harry. Sarah in his outer office doing the PA thing just as she had been before Freddie had thrown his little spanner in the works. She greeted me with a smile and buzzed through to Harry without being asked. "Mr Ross for you, Sir," she said into the intercom. Harry told her to send me in and she ushered me through the door into his office.

"How are things now Sarah's back in her seat?" I asked.

"Fine," said Harry. "Thanks for your help with that. I don't know why Brian wouldn't take her for that sale. She'd have helped his numbers no end. Freddie was furious."

"Was he? He didn't say anything."

"No, that's the worst time. Freddie when he's quiet is a worrying prospect."

"Well, I guess that's Brian's problem," I said. I wasn't feeling terribly sympathetic. "Still, what I wanted to see you for was this video stuff I'm doing. I ought to include Sarah, because I told Freddie that was why we were hanging on to her. It's only some prototype stuff at the moment but I'll need her for a few days. Is that OK?"

"Sure," said Harry, "I can hardly complain can I? She wouldn't be here at all if you hadn't put your ideas up. I'll set it up now." He buzzed on the intercom. "Sarah, come in please."

"Yes at once," she said and was through the door almost before the click of the intercom had died away.

"Sarah," Harry said. "Larry wants to make a video an example of the stuff we're going to use to help sell girls on the web site. He's asked that you take part in it."

"Well if you can do without me. I mean I don't want to let you down."

"That's all right, Sarah. Please do all you can to help Larry."

"Oh, of course, if you say so."

I turned to Sarah. "Let me explain a bit about this. I need a short sequence of a slave selling herself. You'll be interviewed on camera, asked to show some of your dancing skills, that sort of thing. You needn't worry about it too much, we'll steer you through it." I didn't wait for her response. "We'll start right now." Harry put in a call from his phone. A few moments later a guard appeared. I asked him to take Sarah over to the room I'd had set up. "They'll sort you out there," I said to Sarah. The guard gripped her by the arm and almost pulled her through the door.

Two days later with Sarah returned to her cell I took the video up to show Harry. "I thought you might like a preview," I said, slipping the disk into his DVD player. The video opened with a close up shot of Sarah's face, her mouth distended by a bright red ball gag. Behind her head, out of sight, the strap was loosened and the gag pulled clear. She worked her jaws to relieve the stiffness, licked her lips and swallowed. "Thank you," she said.