Page 80 of Sadistic Retribution

“Seven hundred thousand?”

One man drops, leaving two. Suddenly, the woman shouts out, “One million dollars!”

The remaining man drops out. The voice says, “Sold, for one million dollars to the lovely lady!”

We watch the next two children sell. Two girls. Now, there’s two left. A boy and a girl, both somewhere between four and six. The boy is next.

“Bidding starts at one million!”

Mav shoots up his paddle, as does another woman.

“Can I get two million?”

They both stay.

“Raise to three million?”

Mav drops, and the woman wins.

Purge and I glance uneasily at each other.

“It’s time for a short intermission, folks. Please say hello to the gentlemen in the tall seats. Franco, Aslanov, Barbieri, Petrov, Marino, and Volkov. They are also your proud hosts.”

A polite round of applause sounds around the room. Purge's face reddens, and he clenches and unclenches his fists. We have proof now. He looks like he wants to kill them all. I completely feel the same way.

As the fathers sit again, the last child is pushed to the middle of the stage. A skinny girl, barely out of the toddler stage. She's got brown hair, and tears and snot dripping down her face.

“This one is prime. Fresh and as tender as they come! Bidding starts at two million!”

Mav holds up his paddle immediately. Five more men do the same.

“Can I get two-point-five?”

Everyone stays.

“Three million?”

One man folds. Then an old man in his seventies at least yells out, “Five million dollars!”

A few gasps are heard. The others all drop out, leaving the old man and Mav. Mav's face looks determined. “Ten million dollars!” he yells. The old man shakes his head to indicate he can’t top it.

“We have a bid of ten million dollars! Going once... twice... sold to the handsome gentleman in the black suit!”

I am relieved that one, at least, will be on her way back to her family. The poor thing is terrified, ugly sobs bursting though herlittle chest. The guards hold on to the sold people as the winners stand and file out to pay for their “prizes”.

I whisper to Purge. “Once the screen goes blank, we’re free to talk, but it will have to be quick.”

“Okay,” he says, averting his eyes. The pain on his face tugs at my heart.

The winners walk back out, collecting the trafficked people they bought. When Mav reaches the scared little girl, he puts an arm around her shoulders. He says something in her ear, so softly we almost don’t hear it. I think he said to not be scared, she’s going home, or something to that effect.

The screen darkens. Purge leans in to shut off the screen recording. “Wait for Mav to speak first,” I explain, whispering the words.

After a few minutes, Mav’s voice comes through our comms. “It’s all done. No one suspected anything. The girl is being brought back with me, and we’ll find her family. Please cut all communications now.”

We both remove the comms from our ears, making sure they’re turned off. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

Purge gets up, opening his door. “Guys,” he calls, and the others file in, with the exception of Trikk, who’s holding onto Pretty Girl.