Chapter 16

It would be nice and simple to think that everything had been done in an honest and kindly way, to bring an evil man to justice. But, upon reflection, it just was not so.

There was an old saying that 'money is power and power corrupts', or something like that.

These people were playing with people as though they were just pieces in a game of chess. In all honesty, to an outside observer, Satan was playing against Lucifer: 'winner takes all'.

I listened to what the old Cossack had said. I also saw the look on his face. Something was in his eyes that made me think he was either lying, or not telling the whole truth.

It was not something normal. Why would a lot of rich people ... Princesses, even, a Mafia Don and his daughter, Saudi Royals and an assortment of the rich and famous I had not yet met, be involved in all this? The only conclusions were either money and power; or just what he has said, to rid society of the unjust.

Although Max and Maria had really gotten to me, it was Kristina that I wanted to live my life with; damn, that was not true. I loved all these girls, even Tatiana who seemed to have lived a very interesting life. Maybe a harem was not such a bad idea. The idea of merely calling out "Slave, I want you, now!" was a nice dream. The idea that all of them might have children was a bit scary.

'I might get used to that however, ' I thought.

We all went back to the Castle. Several Hind helicopters took us from the airport to a clearing in the back of the castle keep. Russian guards met us, but the Castle itself had mostly Cossack guards, now. I noticed several others waited inside. I saw Turks, Arabs, French Foreign Legion Kepis, and some Blue Berets standing out in the hall. I was waiting for the Swiss Guards to show up. When we turned the corner I saw the Swiss Guard, plus some men in dark serge suits in front of the doors to the Ballroom.

I guessed that the 'New UN' was being called to order.

As we approached the ballroom, another thought entered my mind; more a question actually.

'Why the girls?" What possible motive would such people have with them? Was it Sex? Where they their Masters now? Why were there so many secrets being kept from me?

Even more mysterious: Why was I now being invited to the party?

I actually just wanted to leave. There could be nothing good for me behind those doors! Yet the girls were quite calm, joyous, in fact. They marched, in lock step, ahead.

I had left my old life behind me. I had never asked for wealth or power. I did not even want it.

The doors opened.

The girls entered.

I stood almost frozen. To flee was my first choice. Kristina came back into view and motioned for me to come. I feared my girls would have become more slaves to whoever was inside. In many ways my heart would stop for I truly had loved them and did not wish to lose them, especially this way.

When I reached the doorway, I just stood and stared.

I could not understand why, what I saw, was happening.

As soon as I entered the Grand Ballroom I stopped and stared towards an open wall with stairs leading down. Below, one could see a great amount of activity going on. I got closer to Kristina and went with her to the open doorway. Several guards approached us. She showed her badge to one of the men. He left then returned to hand her another badge which she then clipped onto me.

The men stood aside and we proceeded down to the lower level.

"Just follow me for a while, we are going elsewhere and this area is merely a viewing room where staff can relax and still check various status screens. We have a long way to go then many of your questions should be answered, my love."

I was more in a daze than really paying, what I saw, much attention.

I should have though, but even with my lady next to me, things did not look right.

I had thought the ones known as Cossack only survived as memory. I know they were on again, off again tools of the Tsar and he, before the Revolution; had them hunted and killed like wild dogs; paying a bounty for each head. I guess that was why the Russians tolerated them, still, these were not just old men, the old ones had suffered from the Tsar.

The Ukraine was just now separate from the USSR, but in most Russian minds 'Rodina' was still in the hearts and minds of the older populace. Perhaps it was like that with the Cossack, 'White Russians' or Gypsy legends still might be told. I had to ask Tatiana more.

Kristina had been almost dragging me along. We came to a doorway, it was opened and she led me inside. My ladies were all kneeling, even Tatiana. They had tears running down their faces, dripping off from lowered heads. If anyone had hurt them, they would die or I would die trying to avenge them.

There was no longer any thought of fleeing. I did not even think of myself, but no one, nothing was so grand or powerful that my ladies should be made to suffer like this. I tried to push Kristina behind me and stepped towards the kneeling girls. Another door opened and in walked three men, the Cossack General, a man wearing what looked like an old WW II German uniform and the 'Dead' Baron.

"You 'Sons of a Bitch' was all I could say as I charged at them. 'Death to traitors', I yelled, as everything soon went dark for me. Waking up, I was not sure I was waking up. Everything sort of hurt. My body tingled, in some ways I was more attuned than I ever had been before, only this time I could only hear in my head, my heart pounding and the blood rushing threw my veins. I fell back asleep.

I did wake up, several times it seems, but I did not want to. If this was death I was willing to accept it, if it was not, then I knew I was in deep shit and was in no hurry for any 'questioning'. I know a real man does not show emotion or, worse 'cry' but I thought again of my ladies, of what might be happening to them. I knew to save them pain I might do anything I was asked.

We had been trained to be able to end our lives by a certain swallowing of our tongues or to stop up the airway. This could be done without use of our hands, feet or any devices. It would not save them directly but it would make them useless as pawns against me. In that way, they could escape being used. I did as we had been instructed. There was this quiet, and peaceful state you had to learn to go into. The human body tries to 'fix' or correct the mistakes we make. By going into this dream, given enough time, the body is unable to overcome the forced dying.