Darren found them before Brian arrived. He stormed up to Marta, knowing she would be the leader of this little expedition. “What do you think you are doing so far from your area?”
“I had a call from a client…”
“A client!” He calmed down, a bit. “So, where’s your payment?”
“He’s not here yet…”
“So you’re just walking across town on the hope of getting a client. And dragging Jeana with you.” He advanced, obviously ready to punish them for their disobedience…
And a car pulled up behind Marta. Brian stepped out. “Hi Marta. Is this your friend you were talking about? And who is this?”
In front of a potential customer, Darren backed down, slightly. He turned to the newcomer. “You know Marta?”
“Yes, she and I had an evening together about a year ago; I asked if I could contact her again if I was ever in town again. She was gracious enough to give me a contact number, and I asked if I could get her and a friend to accompany me tonight. She said she was free, has this changed?” The question was to Marta.
“No, it hasn’t changed. Me and Jeana are ready to accompany you.”
“Good. Ladies?” He opened car doors.
Marta hurried Jeana and herself into the car. The less time they spent here the better.
Brian walked around to his door calmly, and drove away. It wasn’t until Darren was out of sight that he spoke again. “I assume that was your ‘problem’, Marta?”
Marta just nodded.
Brian turned to Jeana, putting out one hand while driving with the other. “Hi. Jeana, right? My name is Brian. Did Marta tell you about me?”
Jeana took his hand, shook, and coughed. “No. She left you a mystery.” She was in automatic seduce the client mode already.
Brian, in contrast, had taken a good look at her after the cough. “Are you ok?”
“I’m fine.” She breezed it off, trying not to worry her client.
Brian wasn’t taking any of that. “No, you are sick. Maybe not seriously, but… Marta, is this why you asked if she could come along?”
Marta slumped back into her seat. “Yeah. Darren wasn’t going to let her off the street until she was dying, and… She’s my friend. We’ve been working together ever since I arrived.”
Brian just nodded, and concentrated on traffic. Jeana turned to Marta, realizing this was not their normal client. “Marta, how do you know this guy?”
Marta sighed. “You remember that guy last year? The one who paid two thousand for a dinner, and had that crazy offer? That’s him.”
“You called <em>that guy?</em> Marta, you were the one who called him a nut!”
“Yeah, but he’s a relatively harmless nut. Darren was either going to beat us to death, or work us to death. And he had gotten a good start on the latter with you.”
“And this is better?”
“I…” Marta started, but Brian cut her off. “Jeana: I’m not kidnapping you. I’m not even taking you home tonight: I have family in town, and I don’t want to explain what you are doing there. Take a couple nights off, talk it over calmly, and then you can decide. If you want to go back, fine. If you want to do something else, I’ll at least help make sure Darren can’t track you down. Otherwise… Marta at least felt that I am better than Darren, and I have to agree. I am interested in <em>you.</em> Maybe not in the normal way, but still. From what I’ve heard of Darren, he seemed only interested in what he could get from you: you yourself were nothing but a way to get what he wanted.”
“Yeah, that’s probably right. We were just pieces of ass to him.” Jeana went silent for a moment. “Wait: if you aren’t taking us to your place, where are you taking us? And didn’t you say you were just visiting town?”
“I did say I was just visiting. I thought it would be the best way to handle that nitwit on the sidewalk. I actually live here in town. As for where I’m taking you…” He turned off, into the parking lot of a hotel. “We’re here.”
Jeana got out and looked up at it. This wasn’t a motel, like they often spent time in with clients, this was a real hotel. A nice one, with a doorman and everything. “You are honestly putting us up in this?”
“Yeah, well, don’t be too impressed. I wanted a place where you would be safe from whatever trouble Marta had mentioned for a few days, and this was just the first I thought of. Come on, I’ll get you checked in.” He grabbed a bag out of the trunk.
“You sure they’ll let us in to this place?” Their wardrobe had taken a turn for the worse since Darren had taken over: Last year when Brian had picked her up Marta had looked a little odd, but now they just looked cheap.
“Act like there is no reason you can think of that they shouldn’t. As long as you aren’t attracting attention, they won’t care.” He strode through the door, passing the bag to Marta to carry.
Marta and Jeana tried to look like they belonged, and followed. Evidently they succeeded, as Brian soon had them checked in with plastic ‘roomkeys’ in their hands. He led the way down the halls to their room.
It was basic: Two queen-size beds, a table, a couple of chairs, a TV and mini-bar. Phone, end table, and the rest.
Walking in, Marta realized just how poor she had been these last few years, that this looked like luxury.
Brian took a chair, and let them look around a moment before speaking. “I can’t stay long; family expects me back. Marta still has my number, if you need anything. I’ll be back for you in a couple of days, in the meantime you can stay here. Room service or the restaurants downstairs can be charged to the room, but please don’t overdo it. I’ll be stretching my finances as it is. There are some t-shirts and stuff in the bag, so you have something. Here,” He pulled some cash out of his wallet and tossed it to Marta, “that should be able to handle tips and let you buy a few things. Pretend you’ve lost your luggage; it happens all the time. Any questions?”
“What’s to stop us from taking the money and running?” Jeana asked.
Brian shrugged. “Nothing. If you don’t want me, I’m not going to hold you. Not at this point. But a few good meals and a warm bed should do wonders for you at this point, so I’d advise you to take advantage of that at least. Beyond that… What do you remember of what Marta told you about me last year?”
“Just that you seemed harmless, and that you had some offer to turn us into your brainwashed sex-slaves, or something like that.”
“Something like that. ‘Brainwashed’ isn’t really the best term, but it is probably fairly close. I do want to take you in and train you to trust, serve, and obey me completely. In return I will take care of you, making sure you have anything you need. Probably not that much different from the offer Darren gave you, really. I do promise I will see you as valuable in and of yourselves, and that I will not treat you carelessly. Also… I make my terms clear up front, and I keep my promises.”
“So what do you promise?”
“I promise I will not terrorize you, or abuse you. I promise you will have food, shelter, and clothing. I promise I will care for you, and think about the effects of anything I ask you to do, or do to you. Beyond that… I promise that I will attempt to make sure that you enjoy your life with me.”
“And your terms?”
“You obey me. Completely. Body and mind. I don’t expect that to be immediate, and I will help with the ‘mind’ part.” He sat back. “Just, think about it. I am offering a comfortable life, at the very least. More comfortable than the one I just pulled you out of. But, I have no claim on you yet. If you say no; fine. I will help you go, no repercussions, and no hard feelings. As for Marta…” He turned to her. “You have agreed, but I won’t hold you to it until I come back to pick you up. Consider this a preview of sorts.” He smiled. “I will give two instructions, if you want to follow them: Help your friend get better, and try to talk her into joining me.” A pause, and a full grin. “I figure those are safe enough to give.”
He stood up from the chair he had been in. “Well, I’ve got to go. Any last questions?” He looked between them. “No? Good. Marta has my number if you need anything.” And with that he walked out the door.
The girls were silent for a moment, then Marta turned to Jeana. “See? He’s not so bad.”
“He’s <em>nuts.</em>” She paused a moment, and grinned. “And you’re just defending him so you can ‘talk her into joining me’.”
“Am not!” She swatted at her friend. “I’m just saying: This is better than the street, or Darren. And, well, he’s not nuts. He knows that most people would turn him down, and isn’t going to force us.”
“Because we are desperate. He thinks.”
Marta started to reply, but was interrupted by a bought of coughing from Jeana. “Here. You go take a warm bath, and I’ll order room service. We may not be desperate, but you are sick.”
Jeana didn’t complain.
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