Five - The Waiting Room

The expected knock at the door had the plan set in motion. What plan? The plan! The woman in charge of the workers was named, Market. I found her real name on dad's mainframe cellphone, Elise Dupont.

Elise worked the same streets for longer that she wanted. Forced to the streets after her mother remarried and her new husband took advantage of the child. Fearing Elise would speak the man convinced her mother she was trouble and the streets became her home. Another tragedy that seemed far too common across the world. What a bastard!

Fast forward Elise's life almost thirty years. She impatiently waited for Aja and roll call of her ladies. Another knock and the door opened slowly. "Market." Aja obediently acknowledged her boss. I could hear the conversation from the bottom step.

"What took you so long?" Elise brushed Aja aside. "I hate waiting for you girls. You know I am here for the money!" And to keep the threat of imprisonment in her ladies minds. She dropped a syringe and a tiny bottle into Aja's hand. "The police are watching us." Market headed up to the bedroom where her workers kept their money.

Aja and the other workers did not know local laws and believed that prisons were hell for women who gave their bodies for money. More tragic were the drugs used to keep them reliant on Elise. Aja told me she had only known the apartment, the local corner store and seeing her friends from a distance.

Elise entered Aja's bedroom to see a man asleep in her bed. My father was fucked up. The light dimly lit his face but the woman still knew Jimmy. "Aja!" Aja rushed to the door but I held her back from going in. Shit is going to rain down.

Aja stood in the doorway. I peered in to see this woman. She did not turn even turn around, and spoke again. "Why is this man here? Why is he still alive? He was to be left for the police! Aja! Come here!" She reached back towards the door expecting her worker to heal like a dog.

Aja did not answer and the woman turned slowly, sliding her hand into the large bag she carried. I read that she had a mean streak a mile wide and not afraid to use violence to have total control. I watched her closely.

"You are, Market." I spoke cautiously looking on.

"I am." Elise answered.

I turned the ceiling light on. "It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Understand the difference? It is subtle, but it was in the way I spoke." Face to face with Market, I stared into the woman's eyes. The emptiness was masked by fear and anger.

"Don't bother." Elise tried to dismiss my intimidation. "My men are outside awaiting my return. I do not show and...well, they shoot first and never ask questions." She chortled as if she had out positioned me. Maybe she had, but I am seriously pissed with people using others for profit.

"Hmmm." I raised an eyebrow suggesting that I would not be intimidated by her words.

The expression on the woman's face showed me she knew who I was. "This man. Your father." I continued to stare knowing Elise was just buying time. I knew it wasn't a question. She knew it wouldn't be too much longer. "So he is your father." Again, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out. Same eyebrows, same attitude. Fuck, I am just like him!

"Oh, you want me to speak?" I believed you were just telling me what's what. A question is accompanied by a subtle expression and tone. Like this." I walked closer knowing I would force Elise to show her hidden hand. I could see sweat on her brow.

"Now, this is how a question is asked." I was in full sarcastic mode thanks in part to that rebel, Gembira. "One must be sincere and show interest just as I am doing now."

I could see Elise's nerves twitch with the vain in her neck jumping. I knew I looked like a young cocky teenager, daring her to show her hidden hand with every step. She frowned and her forehead accordioned.

I had to speak. "Your arm is very stiff, your concentration is not on me and time is running out."

She pulled her hand from the bag. "Yes! Time is running out on you. You little bitch. You will watch me kill this meddling man! These are my women and this is my street! I say who lives and who dies!" The scowl on her face was truly masking her fear of me. She bought herself just enough time for her men to do as she suggested.

The shoulder of a bodyguard busted the fragile front door. Splinters of old rotten wood flew through the air like shards of glass leaving two metal hinges on the door frame as a reminder what hung there. With the waiting room dark the bodyguards began to fire, lighting the room with the explosions of each round fired. I guess they believed the idiots would be just inside the door.

I focused on Elise who appeared relieved by the diligence of her men coming to check on her. The large army style knife glistened as she first pointed it at me to hold me at bay before pouncing towards my dad.

I grabbed Elise's large shoulder bag to keep her from making her goal. Elise thrusted wildly back towards me but her bag slipped from her shoulder and the large knife met open air as the bitch hit the floor.

She kicked at me like a wildebeest fending off a lion attack but I caught her hoof with my left hand. As Elise looked up, my black canvas sneaker crashed into her face shutting the lights off for the woman known as Market.

I motioned for Aja, watching from the doorway. She approached then I woke my father. Fuck, he looked weak but when he looked up at me, I spoke. "Can you walk? We need to leave now!" Jimmy nodded. Did he understand what I was saying? Who knew? "Aja, help my father. Tell me you have another way out."

"Yes, but it is the fire escape..." Aja was not certain dad could manage. "But your father!"

"Dad? Up now! Follow Aja!" I had to pull him to a seated position then I pulled him up to his feet. He did not have much energy to offer. "Aja." I motioned for the tall, strong woman to slip under my dad's arm. She did so, easily. Together they would struggle to the rear of the apartment and the fire escape as I headed down the stairs and into something I had never experienced before.

Armed with Elise's knife, I paused before opening the door to the waiting room. Looking at the bullet riddled door I noticed the ceiling light just switched on. Surprise idiots, no one is there. Here goes! I readied the knife and kicked the door. This door was not as rotted as the entrance door as it stayed intact but dangled from the top hinge. The looks on their faces was priceless! My plan? Keep moving!

The first guy wandered around the back of the sofa. I thrusted the heavy knife into his neck relieving the bodyguard of his duty. A single shot was fired from his automatic weapon missing everyone in the room. I reminded myself to keep moving and pulled the weapon from his grip and the knife from his throat.

I jumped over the dying man, ran and reached high to knock out the ceiling light with the assault weapon before landing in darkness. I tumbled along the floor towards one man then stood in the darkened room next to another bodyguard. The fireworks show began. I was already standing beside my next victim who turned to see my face in the strobing of the gunfire. The knife entered his body between two ribs, through a major artery and ripped the heart open. As he fell the blood gushed from his wound. I continued to fire his gun at the source of the fireworks killing the remaining two bodyguards. It was done. The days of protecting Market were over.

The waiting room would no longer be used. Four bodies bloodied and lifeless, the walls were nonexistent but the stench of the room remained. I heard a noise from beyond the room and footsteps on the stairs. "Elise!" I suppressed my voice and quietly made my way through the room and up the stairs.

I could hear someone stumbled. Elise must have seen the train wreck in the waiting room and went to find a weapon of any kind to protect herself. I heard the cutlery rattle and a drawer slammed shut.

I eased my way cautiously to the kitchen knowing how dangerous a wounded animal could be. Down to her last line of defense, herself. The next few minutes would be a showdown of ideals. On one side, the power and control of people versus my side and freedom for the women.

I stood at the doorway with the woman's bloodied knife. I actually felt sorry for this woman. Elise sat at the far side of the table with a French chef's knife clutched tightly. Her hand trembled from fear knowing I just annihilated her safety net. Her face? Bruised from my sneaker impacting it.

My adrenaline ran at an all time high. I had just killed for the first time in my short life. I sat there facing Elise, calmed myself then began the conversation. "The reason you saw my father in your life is the same reason I am here. But do you know the difference between him and I?" I waited. "This is an actual question, damn it and it requires an answer." I needed to know that she understood my presence there.

"This is my street! My girls! This is what I do." Elise vented.

"Those were not answers to my question. Don't get me wrong, I know what this means to you." I explained then asked again. "What...is the difference?"

Elise thought as she looked at me in my dark colored hoodie. "You kill." Those two words fed the fear and the woman knew the market closed for good.

I slid the heavy but well weighted army knife across the kitchen table to Elise who grabbed it. I could see the older woman briefly think about trying to kill me but reconsidered her options and rested it on the table.

"Why do you want me alive?" Elise asked me believing it was going to be for imprisonment or a slow torturous night.

"You are going to pay the way for all the "Ladies of the Sun" to return home safely." She seemed agitated but I continued the short list of demands to be met. "Money to help with their journey and..."

The message seemed clear to Elise. "The Trader." She knew what this was all about for me. "And for me?" She asked.

This was likely the most important part I would ask of her. "You know the life of these women and still you enslaved them. Profited from them. I need you to break that cycle. For as many women as you are able. For as long as you are able." I leaned forward to ask. "Fair?"

"I do not know how to make a living any other way." Elise looked away from me, decided then looked back to answer. "Okay. I will do as you say."

"Now, the Trader." I moved ahead quickly knowing there was little time to hunt the man who traded lives for money. "Where is the trader heading?"

"He travels by train." Elise sold him out. She had to. "He will leave today for Amsterdam."

"Remember, the women get home safely or you will wish I would have killed you tonight." I stood then added. "I believe you are much better than you have shown the world. Prove, I am not wrong." I quickly fled the apartment in search of my father, Aja and the Trader.