12-10-2014, 04:17 PM
Ricky was upset to the point that Jacinda was worried he was going to blow their cover. These guys were 'professional' people readers. Ricky's disgust and anger was gonna get noticed.
He took her hand and attempted to seem more couple like. She squeezed back, trying to will him to relax. One thing at a time. He was young, led as much by his emotions as by his head. She remembered being that way once upon a time. She was human after all, and seeing girls abused like that touched a nerve with her too. But they had a job to do.
She breathed in deeply and took all her emotion and compassion and anger and placed it in a box and sealed that box tight. Regan had taught it to her, years ago, the ability to go dead inside and focus on what needed doing instead of the myriad things demanding your attention, your energy, your emotion. Boxing it all up, sealing it up, squeezing and squeezing until it seemed to be an infinite point.
And then, when the time was right, releasing it all in one beautiful, sensual, cathartic explosion of emotion and power and life and blood. It was ecstasy. The point was deep this time. This would be good.
She smiled at his attempts to play the role. He was doing good, given the circumstances.
She lifted their entwined hands and touched it with the other. She feigned predatory joy. "I get to choose."
she said softly as her eyes ran over the girls.
She noted the one Ricky pointed out but kept looking. It was something specific, something almost hard to put into words. She'd know it when she saw it. Spark of intelligence, desperation, and the flicker of hope. A newer girl, most likely, one that hadn't been broken yet, one that still watched everything, listened to everything, remembered everything.
There. The girl was maybe 11. Not broken yet. She stepped forward and the girl flinched but didn't step back. Brave. The smile on her lips was genuine. She allowed herself just the sliver of an emotion- delight. This girl would be perfect.
She gently lifted the girl's chin. "What's your name, sweety?"
Fear swam in the girl's eyes and she answered with a whisper.
"Marta" She smiled kindly at the girl. It was not out of character for a client to feign kindness to the child, though in Jacinda's and Ricky's case, it was truth.
Without looking away she raised her voice to Ricky. "Marta will do."
Then she looked at Ricky with a feigned smile. "This one. Pay the man, hon, so we can go."
Ricky nodded and turned to the man in charge. She took note of him too. Very likely he would do just fine for when they were near the caves. When they were paid up for the girl and a room- taking them off premises was much more expensive and required a security deposit to guarantee return in relatively good condition- they headed out the door.
The girl was scared. Jacinda put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be ok, sweety,"
she said softly. She was sure customers said that all the time. This time, though, it happened to be true.
He took her hand and attempted to seem more couple like. She squeezed back, trying to will him to relax. One thing at a time. He was young, led as much by his emotions as by his head. She remembered being that way once upon a time. She was human after all, and seeing girls abused like that touched a nerve with her too. But they had a job to do.
She breathed in deeply and took all her emotion and compassion and anger and placed it in a box and sealed that box tight. Regan had taught it to her, years ago, the ability to go dead inside and focus on what needed doing instead of the myriad things demanding your attention, your energy, your emotion. Boxing it all up, sealing it up, squeezing and squeezing until it seemed to be an infinite point.
And then, when the time was right, releasing it all in one beautiful, sensual, cathartic explosion of emotion and power and life and blood. It was ecstasy. The point was deep this time. This would be good.
She smiled at his attempts to play the role. He was doing good, given the circumstances.
She lifted their entwined hands and touched it with the other. She feigned predatory joy. "I get to choose."
she said softly as her eyes ran over the girls.
She noted the one Ricky pointed out but kept looking. It was something specific, something almost hard to put into words. She'd know it when she saw it. Spark of intelligence, desperation, and the flicker of hope. A newer girl, most likely, one that hadn't been broken yet, one that still watched everything, listened to everything, remembered everything.
There. The girl was maybe 11. Not broken yet. She stepped forward and the girl flinched but didn't step back. Brave. The smile on her lips was genuine. She allowed herself just the sliver of an emotion- delight. This girl would be perfect.
She gently lifted the girl's chin. "What's your name, sweety?"
Fear swam in the girl's eyes and she answered with a whisper.
"Marta" She smiled kindly at the girl. It was not out of character for a client to feign kindness to the child, though in Jacinda's and Ricky's case, it was truth.
Without looking away she raised her voice to Ricky. "Marta will do."
Then she looked at Ricky with a feigned smile. "This one. Pay the man, hon, so we can go."
Ricky nodded and turned to the man in charge. She took note of him too. Very likely he would do just fine for when they were near the caves. When they were paid up for the girl and a room- taking them off premises was much more expensive and required a security deposit to guarantee return in relatively good condition- they headed out the door.
The girl was scared. Jacinda put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be ok, sweety,"
she said softly. She was sure customers said that all the time. This time, though, it happened to be true.