Chapter 4

Grace's popularity had peaked and plateaued; she now entertained clients less often than most of the other girls due to the high price Mason demanded for her services.

Mason had started dealing with a new slaver and had been acting secretively for several days. He'd intimated for some time that he was in the market for a new girl; one that would set him apart from his few competitors.

Rumours soon abounded about the latest acquisition but no explanation was offered as to why she remained segregated. The club began to attract a different breed of clientele, one that displayed little or no interest in the mainstream offerings. They would show up, enjoy a couple of drinks at the bar then retire to the room reserved exclusively for the new arrival.

Harry delivered food and medication directly to her quarters and even after a week, nobody had caught sight or sound of her. Grace asked Mason when she'd join them in the lounge but he adamantly refused to be drawn in on the issue.

The day that Grace discovered the truth, Harry was out of town on business and Sierra was co-opted to perform his duties. The brunette dragged her urgently into the kitchen.

"It's horrible," she whispered. "I can't believe he's done this thing."

"What is it?"

"He's keeping a young girl in there."

Grace stood speechless for several seconds, unable to contemplate the mentality of anyone that could perpetrate such a hideous act. Child abuse was abhorred throughout the civilized world. In Oceania, the crime was one of the few that still carried the full life tariff for convicted offenders. Even people indirectly associated with such activities were punished with extreme severity.

"If news of this leaks out, we're all going to be locked up forever," Sierra wailed, fear clearly evident in her eyes.

"We have to stop it," Grace replied.

"How can we?"

"You've got the key to the room?"

"Mason will kill me if I tried to interfere."

"Then give it me. I'll do it."

"No. Please Grace. Don't do this."

"Give it to me," Grace repeated sharply, causing Sierra to flinch.

"Now!" she demanded even more forcefully.

Sierra sobbed and handed over the key, her mind filled with conflicting emotions: shock at Grace's anger, her betrayal of Mason, and fear of incarceration.

Heading out of the kitchen and across the lounge, Grace tried her best not to draw attention to herself. Mason sat at the bar with three of his men, laughing and joking. What little respect she'd ever had for him evaporated the instant she'd learned of his sordid little secret. She headed up the stairs and strode along the corridor to the girl's room. Turning around to ensure that she wasn't observed, she slipped the key into the lock and pushed open the door.

The floor was dotted with toys and stuffed animals and the bed draped with a pretty floral duvet. In its centre, playing with two plastic dolls, sat a small teenage girl with dark hair and striking blue eyes. She wore nothing more than a thin t-shirt and skimpy shorts and Grace could not bring herself to imagine what horrors she'd endured.

"Hello," the girl sighed once she caught sight of Grace.

"Hello," Grace croaked, her throat raw with emotion. "My name's Grace. What's yours?"

"I'm Tammy."

"Is it okay if I sit down next to you?" Grace asked.

"Should I take my clothes off?"

Grace felt nauseous. "No. Don't do that."

She placed her arm around the child's waist and pulled her against her body. A tear trickled down her cheek as she tried not to dwell on the sick ways the youngster had been corrupted and forced to satisfy the twisted lusts of her abusers.

As Grace comforted the drugged girl, she heard a sharp metallic click beside her. Looking up, she found herself staring along the barrel of a nine millimetre pistol with a very angry looking Mason standing directly behind it.

"What do you think you're playing at?" he hissed

"I should ask you the same question," Grace replied in disgust.

Tammy reacted to the confrontational tones, hiding behind Grace's body and whimpering with fear.

"Get away from her!" Mason intoned.

"No."

"I said get the fuck away from her!"

"You're going to have to shoot me," Grace snapped back.

Mason looked down at Grace and pressed the muzzle against her temple; her life just a tiny squeeze of his finger away from extinction.

"If you're not going to pull the trigger," Grace told him calmly, "then put the gun away. You're scaring Tammy."

The man waited a few tense seconds before turning away and bellowing in exasperation.

"You're not meant to be in here!" he ranted.

"And who is exactly? Your twisted buddies?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Yeah, right."

"Leave now and I'll say no more about it."

"I already said no."

"Very well. Stay if you must but don't you dare try to interfere."

Mason stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"I don't like that man," Tammy stated petulantly.

"I don't like him either," Grace agreed.

"Will you be my friend?"

"Of course I will." Grace smiled at the youngster reassuringly. "Why don't you show me your favourite toy?"

The girl climbed off the bed and picked up a fluffy kitten from the floor and clutched it protectively to her chest.

"Does she have a name?" Grace asked.

Tammy shook her head.

"Shall we try and think of one?"

The girl smiled for the first time and sat back down on the bed, rocking the imitation kitten in her arms and humming softly to herself. Driven to tears, Grace covered her eyes with her hand.

"Why are you crying?" the girl asked.

"I'm sad."

"Why?"

Grace had no explanation for why she felt as strongly moved as she did. She experienced a wave of intense hatred towards the men that had taken a helpless child, destroyed her innocence and used drugs to reduce her to this state. She knew that she trod a dangerous path by standing up to Mason but something deep inside her refused to accept this utterly wicked transgression.

An hour later, the door opened and Sierra brought in more food. Grace and Tammy had lined up all the stuffed animals and played a simple game that the youngster seemed to enjoy immensely. Grace found it incredibly easy to relate to the child, instinctively knowing what would please her.

"This is Sierra," Grace told Tammy. "She's brought you some food."

Sierra had found dealing with the girl unsettling when she'd fed her earlier and was glad that Grace had managed to bond with her more successfully.

"Come and sit with us," Grace implored but the Sierra shook her head.

"I need to get back to the bar," the brunette mumbled, backing away and retreating through the door.

"I don't think she likes me," Tammy stated.

"I'm sure she does. Sierra's nice. I don't think she's used to dealing with children, that's all."

Grace encouraged Tammy to eat her food then consume a small quantity of the hypnotic. She hoped that whatever the deleterious effect on the child's behaviour, it would help limit long term psychological damage.

Mason reappeared accompanied by two strangers and Tammy fled to the far end of the room, sensing unpleasantness to come. He forcibly ejected Grace from the room leaving just the two men alone with the girl. Grace returned belligerently to the lounge with Mason, not trusting herself to speak lest she further provoke his wrath. As she neared the bar area, an intoxicated client propositioned her.

"Hey baby, you want to sit down and have a drink?"

"Fuck off," she snapped.

Mason reacted and slapped her hard across the face, sending her careening into the bar.

"You're really pissing me off today!" he growled.

"Good."

He pounced on her, wrapping his hand tightly around her slender neck.

"Don't provoke me. You won't like what happens when you do."

Acting instinctively, she spat in his face and he retaliated by driving his fist into her stomach.

"You bitch! You fucking bitch! After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me!"

He kicked her legs out from beneath her, sending her sprawling on the floor at the feet of two shocked punters. Grace saw stars as she struck her head against the floor. She fought to suppress her anger, staying on the ground until Mason instructed her to get up and keep out of his sight for the remainder of the evening.

Grace limped away, observing a distraught Sierra looking on from a nearby table. A little while later, the older woman entered their room, nervous and jittery.

"What are you doing?" Sierra said. "You're just making him mad."

"He's a sick bastard."

"Don't even think that. You don't know what he's capable of."

"I'm not playing this game any longer," Grace retorted. "I'm through with it."

"You can't say that. Please don't say that."

"What's he going to do? Shoot me?"

"He's talking of doping you up like the others," Sierra replied.

"Just let him try."

"He'll do it. He will and then you won't remember anything. You won't even remember us."

"Sierra, I..."

"I couldn't bear not having you with me."

"I'm sorry. I can't help myself. It's Tammy. Something inside me just won't let it go."

Sierra took Grace in her arms and consoled her. "Let's go to bed," she suggested.

"I'm not in the mood and my head is still spinning."

Sierra lay down on the mattress and sobbed morosely. Grace took pity and snuggled quietly beside her until they both finally drifted off to sleep.

Tempers were still frayed the following morning and Grace tactfully stayed out of Mason's sight. The other girls carefully avoided her, scared of guilt by association. Harry handed her a plate of food to feed Tammy and she was grateful for the opportunity to check in on the youngster. The girl had withdrawn into her shell and hardly acknowledged Grace's presence.

"What did they do to you sweetie?" Grace begged.

"They hurt me."

Grace clutched the girl to her breast but the child barely responded, obviously deeply traumatized by whatever had taken place the night before. She observed traces of blood on the duvet and her heart skipped a beat.

"Smoke," Grace gasped as she noticed further staining along the girl's inner thighs. Tammy continued to whimper as Grace examined her more closely.

"We've got to get you some help," Grace told her. She left the room and stormed into Mason's office to discover him talking on the phone.

"Tammy's hurt," Grace exclaimed. "Those bastards tore her up."

"Let me call you back," Mason spoke into the handset before hanging up. He walked up to Grace and slapped her hard, causing her to stagger against the wall.

"Do you never fucking learn?" he snarled. "Who do you think you are, barging in here and telling me my business?"

Grace nursed her smarting cheek but persisted.

"She's bleeding internally. She needs a doctor."

"Are you insane? I can't call a doctor."

"What are going to do then? Let her bleed to death?"

Mason raised his hand to strike her again.

"That's right. Hit me. Solves everything doesn't it?"

"Get out," he snapped. "If you're so concerned, go help her yourself."

"I don't know the first thing about treating this type of thing."

"A good time to learn then," he sneered, marching past her and down the corridor before his anger got the better of him.

Grace returned to Tammy and guided her into the shower. She played the water nozzle over her body, hoping that the bleeding would eventually stop of its own accord. She cringed whenever the girl cried out in pain, wishing there was something more that she could do to alleviate the suffering. Muttering under her breath, she cursed Mason for facilitating such vile abuse.

She treated the girl to the best of her abilities, but her lack of experience left lingering doubts in her mind. Resolving to have one more attempt at getting Tammy proper medical help, she returned downstairs and faced Mason defiantly. The bar was empty except for Mason, two of his men and Sierra. She ignored her friend's pleading look and pressed ahead regardless.

"She needs medicine, antibiotics or something."

"Or else?" Mason replied indifferently.

"She could die," Grace exclaimed.

"What of it? She's made me plenty of money already. If she dies, she dies. I'll just go get myself another."

"You piece of shit."

Mason jumped up and took hold of her by the throat once more.

"I've had all I can stomach of you," he snapped. "Mathias' medication doesn't seem to be working. Perhaps we'll try the Hypnol and see if it can calm you down a bit."

"Mason. No," Sierra wailed. "Please don't!"

"Keep out of this if you know what's good for you," he snapped back.

Mason's men grabbed Grace's arms and dragged her struggling towards the kitchen where they maintained the supplies of drugs.

"Please," Sierra begged. "Let me talk to her. I'm sure I can..."

"Shut up. The time for talking is over. I'm tempted to put a bullet in her but maybe she'll be better off as a brainless bimbo."

"No," Sierra wailed, falling to her knees in torment as the men dragged her friend away.