Chapter 128: Chapter 128: The Girl Who Was Hunted - Chapter Forty-Four

CHARLOTTE My blood pounds a single pulse, so hard inside me, that it makes my fingertips tingle. My heart racing, I try to scream, but….

“It’s me. Shhh…”

“Master?”

“Yes, we’re all here.”

“Michael?”

“Yes, and Richard. The police are on their way.”

“Just the three of you? How soon before the police get here?

Richard’s voice from the shadows behind me. “Maybe thirty minutes. They’re coming from the City.

That hotel we were staying in; it’s not far. When the police found out where you’d been taken, we were closer than they are.”

I swivel out of my Master’s grasp. “We don’t have thirty minutes. They’ve got Beth in there, and Klempner wants to gang-rape her, and me. And they’re looking for me.” I gesture wildly around the yard where, bit by bit, all the hiding places are being checked. “We can’t all stay here for thirty minutes and not be found. I’ll distract them….”

My Master’s hand whips out, gripping my wrist. “Like Hell you will…”

“If they don’t find me quickly, they’ll keep looking, and they’re bound to find all of you. Better if I distract them, and then you’re free to act…. There’s too many of them for you, without having surprise on your side…”

“How many?” asks Michael.

“I’ve counted eight, including Klempner. “And I think they’re expecting Corby.”

And with that, I twist my hand from my Master’s, and run out into the open, deliberately making enough noise, that the two thugs close by, hear me. As I dash across the courtyard, they yell, raising the alarm, and all of them give chase, following me into the darkness, and away from my would-be-rescuers.

*****

MICHAEL Charlotte slips James’ grip, racing out into the courtyard, and away from us. James curses, reaching to catch her, but she dodges his grip and goes. “Charlotte!” he hisses. But she ignores him and keeps running.

He stands, holding his hands mid-air, in frustration, as though trying to shake her by non-existent shoulders. “When I catch her again, she is not going to sit down for a fucking week!”

I say nothing. I agree with him and can add nothing. After a silent pause, Richard says, “She had a point though.”

James turns on him, finger raised, then halts. “Yes, she did. Let’s….”

There is a yell from the darkness beyond the yard. “We’ve got her.”

Flanked on both sides, pinned at the arms, Charlotte is marched back to the farmhouse.

Klempner leans against the side of the door as she is brought in, picking his teeth. “Back inside with her.” he drawls. “It’s party-time.”

All the gang-members vanish inside, closing the door behind them. When it seems clear that all is quiet, James mutters “How many of them did you count?”

“Five out here chasing, plus I think I saw a couple more moving inside, plus Klempner.”

“Okay, so we’re agreeing with Charlotte’s eight.”

“Hold on, the door’s opening again,” says Richard.

A man exits, wandering over to large, wooden doors, an out-building or garage perhaps. As the doors swing open to a dark interior, dimly, cars can be seen inside.

“Back in a minute,” I mutter, moving quietly through the gloom, to wait just outside the door.

The man opens the boot of one of the cars, searching for something, then re-emerges, some object in his hands.

As he moves past the door, I step out of the darkness, the man’s eyes widening as he sees me at the last moment; far too late to prevent the crack, as my forehead meets with his nose.

Dazed, but not unconscious, he struggles, so I head-butt him again, and he falls.

James appears at my side. “Any rope in the back of that car?”

“Better than that,” I say, holding up what the man was carrying. “Tape.”

As we gag and bind the unconscious man, James murmurs, “It’s probably what they used on the women.”

“Or were going to.…” mutters Richard. “You’re a dirty fighter, Michael. That’s not a fighting style from polite circles.”

“I’m not interested in fighting. Just in taking them out.”

He nods, then, “Looks like they’re all safely inside now. Shall we take a look?”

We cross the yard, working our way quietly around, until, standing right outside a brightly lit window, just beside the entrance, we can see in.

Inside, there is a very large room. Klempner and his men are there, with Charlotte and Beth. Beth looks to be almost in a state of collapse, terror-stricken and weeping.

But Charlotte….

*****

CHARLOTTE Propelled back inside by my captors to the large central room, a gun is trained on me, and my arms gripped at either side, before they release me, to stand in the centre of the room. Klempner nods at one of his hoods. “Get the other one.”

Beth is all but dragged into the room. I don’t think she can stand without support, and released, she drops to her hands and knees, sobbing and shaking.

It’s up to me then….

How much time can I buy?

Klempner glances down at Beth and seems to dismiss her. She’s not doing anything interesting; not entertaining him.

Trying not to be obvious about it, I glance around the windows, but all I see is darkness.

Where are they?

Klempner stands close to me; too close, crowding me. I scent him, his breath, his sweat. His smile is cold; his pupils, wide.

Oh, he’s enjoying this.

And I’m supposed to be intimidated….

Fuck that….

“So, what’s next?” I demand, keeping my voice loud. “You rape me? Gang-bang me? You think I can’t handle that?”

Klempner’s eyes widen, but he says nothing.

“You think I don’t know about men like you? Remember where I grew up. You know a lot about me, so you know that. You don’t scare me.”

“No? Let’s see what we can do about it….” His voice cool, almost indifferent, Klempner glances sideways, either way. “Hold her.”

My arms are seized again, outstretched, pulled taut….

Don’t show fear….

Klempner knots fingers into the front of my blouse, tearing it apart, stripping it off me….

Master, where are you….?

My bra follows, simply tugged apart and ripped away.

“You think I can’t handle you lot?” I scream at them. “Eight of you? Go on. Try me. ‘Cause you don’t fuckin’ frighten me….”

“Strip her,” says Klempner. From behind, my skirt is ripped away, my panties torn apart. “Whores belong on their knees. Down you go…” Reaching out, he backhands me across the face, knocking me to the floor.

“Okay, boys. Showtime.” And they close in on me.

Master….

*****

MICHAEL James peers through the window, then quickly pulls back, cursing quietly. “Jeez… She’s a fucking lunatic sometimes.”

“What’s she doing?” I ask.

“Winding them up, drawing them onto her. I think she’s enjoying it.”

Through the window, there is a shriek of a voice. “You fucking bastards! You think you can do me? Let’s see if you’re up to it….”

I quickly look through, followed by Richard. She’s being held down, kneeling between them, and she’s screeching like a banshee. Klempner, side-on to us, along with most of his men, looks down at her as though she’s mad…. I don’t blame him. Even Beth, who has clearly been crying, is staring, unbelieving, at my red-haired demon-child.

“You’re not seriously suggesting that she’s getting off on this?”

“Look at her,” says James. “At her face, her eyes.”

I look in at her again. He’s right. She’s wild, eyes like saucers, face flushed. But this time, as I flash a look through the window, she sees me, and immediately looks away, drawing all eyes to her.

She looks utterly insane, running on adrenaline and fear, but she’s not. She’s playing the game, giving us the time, and the opportunity, to do what is needed….

Standing again, she paces up and down, light-footed, naked, almost dancing, red hair flying, as she points, and gestures, and raves at them. “C’mon… Big brave men. All of you with guns, on one little girl? You think you can fuck me? Let’s see what you’re really made of....”

“She’s like a fucking wild animal,” mutters Haswell.

James nods, brows raised. “That’s our Charlotte.”

Klempner brings his hand, open-palmed, across her face, hard, and she goes down again, dropping to the floor. But she doesn’t cower, just stays there on all fours, glaring up at him, fire in her eyes, panting.

Richard winces. “What’s her pain tolerance like?”

James tilts his head. “In that mood, sky-fuckin-high.”

“She doesn’t scare at all?”

“Oh, she scares. It just doesn’t stop her.”

“We need to get in there now,” I say.

“Yes, but let’s take the time to do this right. There’s more of them than us and they’re armed.”

“You cold-blooded bastard.” I hiss. “Are you going to let them just get away with that?”

James, with a touch of steel in his eyes, that arrogance that says he will always be in charge, says “She’s playing for time. Let’s not waste her efforts. And no, when we get the women out of there, I’m going to blow the bastard’s head off, and enjoy doing it. She’s spent her life being hunted, abused. This ends here, tonight.”