Chapter 54


    We arrive under the window ledge. James inches up, looks in and then immediately drops down again,


    shaking his head and swearing under his breath. “Jeez… She’s a fucking lunatic sometimes.”


    Michael huffs. “What’s she doing?”


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


    “You fucking bastards!” shrieks the voice. “You think you can do me? Let’s see if you’re up to it….”


    Michael’s eyes meet mine and together we slide up, looking inside.


    The room isrge, Klempner and his men gathered in a group…. And there’s Elizabeth.


    My gut tightens. My beautiful Elizabeth. On the floor, hunched in on herself, arms wrapped around her


    knees she rocks herself. Her eyes are swollen with weeping, fiercely red against her pale face.


    She’s terrified….


    …. and Charlotte will keep her that way….


    Keep up the pretence….


    But the fear on her face is being nudged over by disbelief at what she sees. And at least for now, she’s


    safe. Everyone is ignoring her.


    Charlotte is on her knees. She’s naked and what remains of her clothes are on the floor around her in


    tattered shreds. She’s facing us, but not looking at the window. Her eyes are fixed on Klempner,


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    looming above her.


    She’s not remotely fearful and she’s screeching like a demon at the men who, supposedly, are in


    control. Her eyes are ck saucers rimmed by green. Head tossing, her hair billows and swings


    around her with the movement and her face is twisted as she screams defiance at her captors.


    Klempner and the men with him are all watching her….


    Not us….


    …. with expressions of utter incredulity.


    Michael hisses to James, “You’re not seriously suggesting that she’s getting off on this?”


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


    He’s right….


    If Old Nick incarnate came winging up from below, he couldn’t look much wilder than this.


    And I can’t help myself. She’s not mine. She’s not Elizabeth, but….


    What a woman….


    And she’s James’ sub?


    Michael nudges up again, and as his blond hair catches the light, for the briefest of instants, her eyes


    sh to him and then immediately away.


    She stands, naked, clothed only in the long red hair which swirls and sways around her, pacing like a


    caged animal, snarling. For all her fury and the violence writ across her face, she’s not out of control.


    She’s graceful and agile as, mesmerising her audience, she raves at them, jabbing fingers at one after


    another.


    “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,” I say.


    And that’s not an insult….


    James, angled to peer around the room, clicks his tongue. “That’s our Charlotte.”


    *****


    James


    She’s eye-balling Klempner, almost crowding him, jabbing a finger into his chest. “You think you scare


    me? I’m long past being scared of you. It’s easy isn’t it, when it’s kids, but….”


    Klempner back-hands her in a blow that sends her flying. She hits the floor panting, wiping blood from


    her mouth, but stares up at him, the whites of her eyes showing all around, not remotely cowed.


    Christ….


    Even through the window, I hear it. The smack of flesh against hard tiles as shends sends a shudder


    running through me.


    Richard leans in close. “What’s her pain tolerance like?”


    Good question….


    I’ve never found out….


    …. The times it’s gone too far, it’s been emotional, not physical….


    “In that mood,” I say, through gritted teeth, “sky-fuckin-high.”


    Is she a pain-junkie?


    Have I turned her into one…?


    Perhaps….


    Richard blinks. “She doesn’t scare at all?”


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


    Michael is restless, his voice impatient. “We need to get in there now.”


    I take a deep breath. “Yes, but let’s take the time to do this right. There’s more of them than us and


    they’re armed.”


    He turns on me. “You cold-blooded bastard. Are you going to let them just get away with that?”


    Cool it….


    I look inside again at what’s happening….


    Christ!


    “She’s ying 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….”


    Michael’s head tilts back, his nostrils ring as he takes on my words….


    “…. She’s spent her life being hunted, abused. This ends here, tonight.”


    I look to Richard, who nods.


    In a calmer voice, Michael continues, “What do we do? One’s ounted for. It’s seven against three.”


    “Five against three.”


    “Five? Why five?”


    I nod them through the window to the docu-drama that is our Charlotte. “She’s got her hands around


    the balls of one, and another’s about to shove his cock between her teeth. What d’you think will happen


    to them when we burst in?”


    Richard screws his eyes and turns away.


    Michael looks, recoils and swallows. “You have a point.”


    I look inside again, watching Charlotte’s performance….


    Ah, Jeez… they’re stripping…


    …. She’s going to have them all on her soon….


    They’ve put their guns down….


    Trapped between terror and admiration, I measure the room in my head, what I can see of it….


    That exit to the rear….


    “Stay there a minute. I’m going to see if there’s a rear entrance. Klempner’s got his back to a door


    there. If I can get behind him….”


    Slipping away, I make my way around the farmhouse, ducking under another brightly lit window,


    walking past others tightly boarded up.


    And I find just what I’m hoping for. The door I see on the inside leads to the outside and as I ever-so-


    gently turn the handle, it nudges open. Carefully I click it closed again, then spot another small


    outbuilding, the door only a few feet away.


    In a spirit of experimentation, I try the lock, which clicks co-operatively open.


    Careless….


    …. But handy….


    It’s a tool-shed.


    Bingo!


    A minuteter I return to the other two with my rifled goods. I offer arge wrench and a hammer to


    Michael and Richard, holding on to the crowbar. “Yes, there’s a side entrance. I can get behind him.


    You want these?”


    “They were in a shed to the rear,” I continue. “Can I suggest that you two go for the pair over by Beth,


    keep them from taking her hostage. I’ll take Klempner….”


    Michael hefts the wrench in his hand. “And I think we can rely on Charlotte to do as much damage as


    possible….”


    Oh, yes….


    I take ast look through the window, checking the position of everyone inside.


    Klempner is facing away from that door….


    …. But Charlotte should see it open….


    Perfect…


    “As soon as you see me appear behind Klempner, get in there, and we’ll take out as many as possible


    while we have surprise on our side.”


    They nod, heading for the front entrance as I make my way to the rear once more.


    My stomach is making a good attempt at a fight-or-flee response, tight and nauseated. I resist down the


    sensation….


    Be angry….


    …. Be angry for her….


    And it’s not difficult. As I ease the door open, crowbar raised, she’s there, restrained and kneeling. The


    men gathered around her are grinning and cheering on one would-be rapist as he pushes his cock into


    her mouth. Another drags her hand to let her feel him up….


    Morons….


    Grimly, I smile to myself….


    You’ve got iting….


    Opening the door, I step through, weapon raised ….


    Charlotte’s eyes flick to mine, glinting like twin demons….


    The man next to her drops like a felled ox, screaming and clutching his groin. The one face-fucking her


    has more trouble, shrieking as he tries to pull away from her teeth. She leaps to her feet, hand and face


    dripping blood, looking like some warrior goddess from Hell.


    The others freeze, goggling at her and in that frozen moment, I swing my crowbar to bring it across the


    back of Klempner’s skull.


    A split-second before it contacts, he senses me, moves, and the blow’s not quite true. The bar nces


    then skids free as he screams and turns, knocking it from my hand.


    The door bursts open, Richard and Michael aiming for different marks.


    I have a bare moment to see a single blow from Michael felling one. Richard tackles another who


    makes for Beth, mming him back against the wall as Beth, swinging her legs, sweeps his feet from


    under him.


    But Klempner ising back at me, face disfigured with raw fury. Neither of us is armed now but he


    lurches at me with a snarl, arms outstretched, reaching for my throat.


    He’s tall, about my height and weight. Grappling, we struggle. Gasping and heaving, I try to take him


    down….


    The man who hurt her. Enved her.


    As a child….


    As a woman….


    Who keeps hurting her….


    But we’re too evenly matched. I can’t get a hold on him. He can’t get a hold on me. Dimly I’m aware of


    the struggle elsewhere in the room, of Michael and Richard, of Klempner’s henchmen, but my whole


    world is the bastard in front of me….


    Who I am going to stop.