Chapter 27

Tuesday Morning

David was not in a patient mood this morning. The Imam had not shown up yet at ten o'clock and Hafie had pointed out six of the twenty clients for today as being underage. David had called him Sunday morning, and Monday. He had finally gotten through to the Imam's wife on Monday afternoon and had been assured that the Imam would see him on Tuesday morning. Instead it was a no show so far and six underage women to do something with.

Helen, Margaret and Carol were in an argument over termination methods. This had started as a discussion and then escalated into an emotional argument on Sunday. All David did was bring up the idea of shortening the wait time at the door, and things fed on themselves. Carol and Helen were in one camp, arguing that the time frame at the door for some people would be seen as too long. Elizabeth and Nancy stayed out of it, with the argument that dying was dying, and as long as it was quick and painless, who cared? Margaret felt a need to console the woman during the last minutes of life. Candy and Cindy felt that it could go either way. While they cared about the people they were working on they also didn't want any suffering either.

"If I don't have any conversation beyond the door that is not a bad thing." Candy said.

Kim's husband had bailed on her for the weekend, and had been cold to David Monday when David was looking over the build out at H&S. David was going to take Kim with him today after his meeting with the Imam to make sure that she was able to add her knowledge to the planning. Margaret had a lot of ideas, but Kim's training was in industrial engineering. And it gave her a chance to get to Phil. David was not happy having broken women hanging around. Dragged everyone else down.

The pairings over the weekend had been interesting too. Kim and Hafie had bonded. Evidently there was enough of a similar experience between them that they found a common ground. During a break in the festivities Saturday night, David had wandered around and found them playing with the Sybian, with Kim running the controls and Hafie moaning and constantly verbalizing, "Oh god." David had made sure that the kill key was not in the controller.

Abby and Cathy had shared medical experience and both were sharing a lot of different things. David had seen both of them in a torrid sixty-nine that Tim eventually joined to make a threesome.

Carol and Elizabeth were similarly bonded. David had been tag teamed between the two of them on Saturday night and damn near died.

Helen had bonded with Carl. Most evenings the two of them were sitting talking, or in her room. It was almost a joke that he had to start to bring detergent and get his laundry done here. Uniforms were provided but not underwear. All of which made Mark's detachment much more palatable to Helen.

Margaret was ambivalent over the Mark situation. Helen was her best friend, and her best friend was happy. All of which made her happy. Mark had not been over to David and Margaret's place for a couple of weeks, which was understood, as he worked on his new relationship.

David shook his head. Margaret was always an amazing woman to him. She had embraced the business in a way that David never expected. Sexually she was constantly hungry. She and Cindy were probably the most active of the women in the hen house. And her evolution from avoidance to primary killer at the slaughterhouse had been a real shock to David, as well as those who knew her.

Margaret had gained some notoriety among her friends for her attention to follow up detail. Margaret had checked after the dinner that the Chamber of Commerce had hosted and verified that Carla's cousin had been processed at Findlay. She contacted Carla directly and asked if there was anything else that they could do for the family. Carla asked who killed her cousin, and Margaret replied that it would not really be proper to give out that information, other than to say that it was handled with the greatest of dignity and respect. Margaret later confessed that she thought that she was the one who slit the girl's throat, but she couldn't be sure. "My Spanish is not too good."

Monday had been a banner day for production. An actual one hundred twenty eight women, all ages and types, four at a time had been processed. Reporting that to the MAB had finally caused them to send mail to Merle Hill to tell him to shut up. David was sure that he had not heard the last of that man, but at least the man would have to find something else and not fight with anyone over numbers.

"So, boss." Kim said from the doorway. "What time are we going over to H&S? I want to look at a couple of things when we get there."

Looking at the clock, David saw it was already ten fifteen, and that the day was wasting. "We can leave in about ten or so minutes. Everything quiet?"

"Yes. Hafie did escort duty with one group and now she is back up front with the underage ones. All the others are hanging in the cooler. Candy said to tell you we have about a dozen late stragglers coming in after lunch and we have full house on intakes. I am afraid that if we don't leave quickly, she is going to put me to work on interviews."

"How is Hafie working out? I noticed you two were together yesterday," David said.

"We did interviews and intakes with Carol, Nancy and Elizabeth all morning. Not too much escort until the afternoon. With the five of us, things went pretty well. I didn't know how much running everyone did until yesterday. Chris says we have to get the Hill's Market trailer moved out, it is full."

"Ok. We can take care of that when we get to H&S. When are those cutters supposed to get here?"

"The mounts should be here today. I have two for H&S and one for us. A plumber is coming on Thursday to run the airlines from the compressor, and he should be at H&S today."

"Good. Grab a coat, it is cold outside, we will leave in a few." David said heading toward the door.

After leaving another message for the Imam, David shook his head. I am not terming the six under age, he thought to himself. And I am not going to put up with this shit much longer. I wonder if I could work with the MAB and get this straightened out. Maybe the threat will do.

Almost bumping into Candy as David left his office, she teased him for frowning. "Boss, we have to do something to get your mood up. Want a blow job?"

"Not right now, dear. I would if I wasn't late to get to H&S. how is production?"

"The religious experience is complete for today." She said with a snicker. "We are doing intakes, a few stragglers and about a half a dozen specials today. When do I get to look at the new place?"

"Soon. But you probably will be in charge here with Margaret at the other place. You have to be nice to the other hens, but I expect you to keep the ball rolling when we are not here."

"Really" Candy squeaked. "Me?"

"Yes you. The others follow your lead well and you look cutest running down the halls." David said with a smile. "I'll take you over next trip. Going to take Kim over there to see what is going on, and to let her catch up with Phil."

"He is a real goatherd. She deserves better." Candy said quietly. "What do I do with the six kidlets? We aren't converting them, and we are running out of room to store them."

"Take them upstairs and keep them quiet in the recreation room next door. And work with the electrician on the Sybian. What are you going to call the room for that?"

"How about the Saddle Shop Longue? Our slogan is that you come here for the ride of your life?" Candy said with a smile.

"You do have a way with words. You could say, "Your last ride is our specialty." David replied.

"I like that boss. Can I put it on the Web page?" Candy asked.

"Yes." David replied. Candy and Nancy had redone the web pages for the entire industry in Chicago. As soon as the rebuild was finished, she intended to show the entire new layout of H&S as well. Only the process areas were kept private, per David's instructions.

"We have four chops and three drops for this afternoon. Soon as the Saddle goes on line we will probably have a lot of those. Can I use the BMOs for testing and training on that?" Candy asked.

BMO meant Black Moving Object, her slang for the Imam's women from Saturday and today.

"The Imam might not like you popping cherries with the Sybian. Aren't these girls supposed to be killed pure?" David asked.

"Hafie didn't mind loosing it Saturday night. These girls may not have had a cock, but none of them are pure." Candy replied. "Most of them are just healthy hormonal like me. Besides we need to know how to operate this if we are going to do it right for the paying public. Otherwise we are gypping the does out of their hard earned money."

"We'll see. What did you call the clients? Does? Like in Deer?"

"Sure. They are gentle and delicate and graceful and taste good." Candy said with a grin.

"How do you know how they taste?" David asked.

"We all remember Jennifer. And we have been thinking about asking if we could keep some samples around. Just to keep in touch with the product." Candy asked. "Besides we could cut down on the food bill."

"We can look into that. Just don't let your appetite get in the way of how you treat the client while they are alive. Might make them nervous to think you are looking at them like a steak." David replied.

"No different from how men look at single women in a bar." Candy replied with a snicker.

"Ok. Check with the electrician and see if he is finished at lunch and see if you can get someone today or tomorrow to test with." David said as he was going toward the door. "I'll be back later today."

Kim was waiting under a raincoat at the door next to the receiving office. She had a copy of the movement permission order from the MAB with her so that she was not in any trouble should they be stopped. Carol had started to get those processed with the movement letter of understanding that had come from the MAB.

Conversation was pretty quiet for the trip to H&S. Kim's mind was in turmoil. David was quiet out of respect for Kim's feelings. Phil's car was parked in front, immediately next to the door. Seeing this, David looked at Kim and said, "You should probably keep the raincoat on inside. I doubt that anyone is here that would cause a problem. We can always say that the heat is off and that is why we have to keep you warm."

"Thank you, David. I appreciate that. Well, let's go see what my new home is going to look like." Kim said with a brave smile.

Phil was in the back of the process area supervising the running of the trolley lines along the spaces outlined on the floor. He had wondered why they were passed along at an eight-foot height over the open chutes in the floor and at the reason for the turn left and right immediately beyond the turnstile door. He was not paying any attention at all when he was tapped on the shoulder, and heard his wife's voice in his ear saying "Hello stranger."

Turning around, he was astounded to be confronted by his wife, standing there in a black raincoat. "Surprised to see me?" She asked.

"Very. I had thought you were chained to that horrible place. Seeing you here like this, I don't know what to say." Phil replied.

"How about just saying you love me?" She asked.

"I do. I just don't know what to do about this." Phil said, with his voice shaking. "I don't know how I can be with you condemned like this."

"I'm not dead yet, Phil." Kim said, with tears starting in her eyes.

"You might as well be. Susan told me about this travesty of the goats, and I can't imagine being a part of that. It is shameful and disgusting.' Phil said with increasing emotion. "I don't know how you can do this."

Kim was shocked and quite taken by this. "Don't you care that I am alive, standing in front of you?"

"I care. But you aren't free. You won't be free again. We are forced to give you up and you go on." Phil said.

Starting to cry, Kim reached out, only to see Phil step back from her. Dropping her arms she began to sob. "Phil, I don't have much time and I don't want to spend the end like this. Please, don't do this to me."

"Kim, I don't have anything to give you. I don't have control over this and I can't help. I don't have anything to give you."

Coming in from the new medical area to the processing area, David was shocked to see Kim standing alone, crying while her husband was obviously angry. "Is anything wrong?" David asked.

Turning on David, Phil began to shout in an increasingly loud voice "You bastard. Keeping her around like some kind of treat, dangling it over our head day by day like some bait. This is killing us and you get a sick sense of joy out of it."

Having had enough for one day, David reacted. "Phil, you are no longer wanted on this premise. Get out of here and don't come back. Send me an invoice for your services to date and have the sub contractors contact me directly for work performed. There are plenty of contractors in this town and I don't need you."

Shaking his head angrily, Phil stalked off, leaving his wife standing there with David.

David's personality was unlike Margaret's. He was very slow to anger. And there were few things that he was easily aroused about. Having someone challenge him like this at during a day like this was enough. "Kim, I am afraid your husband just got onto my last nerve." David said with a laugh.

Stopping her sobbing to laugh, Kim replied, "Don't worry. He got on mine too. David, what am I going to do?"

Reaching around the woman, David drew her into a hug and whispered in her ear "We do what we always do. Take it one day at a time. Let's get something to drink and order in food. I am hungry. How about you?"

"I'm hungry too. And I want a drink." Kim sobbed into David's shoulder.

"Let's see what we can order in." David said, patting Kim's shoulder.

You can get real Italian food delivered, if you order it early. If you can prove you are over 21, you can even get a bottle of Chianti to go with it. Lasagna and garlic bread, with a bottle and plastic cups was a great idea and David's day and humor were significantly improved. Jack and Susan arrived as Kim and David were eating and drinking, and David had them pull up a chair.

"Jug wine among friends. Reminds me of college." Kim said.

Toasting her, Susan replied "and those are the memories we want."

"So, David, now that you fired Phil, what are you going to do to get this place finished?" Jack asked.

"Someone has to oversee this place from a vision perspective. I can have Margaret do some of that, but she isn't a project manager. Kim, how about you?" David asked.

Giggling into her third glass of wine, Kim replied, "You want the sheep to design the slaughter house? That is awfully kind of you. Am I supposed to be the first successful customer?"

"No. Just plan and do it like you would want it done to you. That's all." David replied.

"You already have a pretty successful model to work from." Susan replied.

"That's true. Is Margaret going to take offense of me being the project manager?" Kim asked.

"You just remind her you are working for me." David said with a smile.

Remembering the conversations of the weekend, Kim smiled in return. Helen had told her about the issue with Cindy, and figured that she had a lot more security then she had before. "Ok. What are you paying a PM for this job?" She asked with a smile.

"Well, it won't be slave labor. Look at the initial estimates, and figure it out for yourself. I know that Phil was doing a lift on his billing to us for his services."

"What do we do about the other contract?" Jack asked.

"Tell the lawyer he offended an employee and acted improperly on our property. Let him deal with that for a while." David replied.

Suddenly, David's phone began to ring. When he answered, Candy's voice came over the line. "Boss, we have a disturbance. The Imam came here and saw Hafie sitting in the reception. He went ballistic. Started to grab her and hit her. Helen shot him with the ESD and he is a little upset. We had to have a couple of the guys drag him into your office where he is strapped to a chair at the moment. I have an ESD on him right now."

"Anyone hurt?" David asked.

"No. Hafie was talking to the BMOs we had kept when he came in storming. He saw her and went off. Hafie is a little shook up, but she is ok. The others are kind of quiet. Helen is pissed, and Carol wants to castrate him. I figured I should wait for you before I let her do that."

"Where is Margaret?"

"Out getting pizza. We have a bunch of the guys here as monitors. And Carl said he was management, sort of."

"Ok. First, don't call the police. We don't need them there if Margaret or I are not there. I have to formalize a management agreement for Carl. Remind me to do that today. I am on my way back."

Hanging up the phone, David looked at Kim and said. "Looks like we got to go. I hate to lose a day here though."

"David, we can stay here with Kim if you like. I do own this place you know."