Locked Together (In Chains) (4 page)

CHAPTER FIVE

Simon

“You’ve been staring at your sea bass for the past ten minutes.” Christina reaches across the table and rests her hand on mine. Her diamond engagement ring sparkles under the candlelight.

I lay down my fork. “She’s been there for over a month and she hasn’t contacted me, she hates me.”

Her brow creases. “Of course she doesn’t hate you.” She rubs her thumb over the back of my hand.

“I should never have interfered; it’s my fault she’s in there.”

“That’s not true.” She squeezes my hand. “Let’s go home.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. She’s been so understanding, I’ve been like a wet blanket to be around yet she’s still here. I pick up my fork and take a mouthful of the now cold fish, and grimace. “No, let’s stay and enjoy our meal.” I take a large sip of my Sauvignon Blanc.

She places her hand over the top of my glass. “You’ll enjoy the evening much more if you feel like you’re doing something. You must still have the number of the slavery lawyer you hired for Savannah. Give him a call, maybe he can set up a visit for you.”

Putting down my fork I push my plate away from me. I really can’t stomach cold fish. “That’s a good idea.” Taking my cell-phone out of my jacket pocket I scroll through my contacts till I find the lawyer. Checking my watch I see it’s 7:30 PM, outside office hours, I hope he takes my call.

The phone is answered after a few rings and I’m pleased to hear a real voice, not an answering machine. After exchanging the usual pleasantries I get down to business. “I need to know that my sister is okay, I’ve got no way of contacting her. Could you liaise with the slave Compound and perhaps arrange a visit?”

“I will try but I can’t promise any degree of success.”

I take a sip of my wine. “I appreciate that but I’m not asking them to construct a visiting room. It must be within their capabilities to allow us to use a spare office; they can fill it with armed guards if it makes them feel more comfortable”

I hear the lawyer sigh. “I understand your concern Mr Morrison and I promise I will do what I can. At the very least I will set up some way for her to contact you. Leave it with me and I’ll be in touch as soon as I have some news.”

I pick up the dessert menu and glance across at Christina. She looks stunning; I haven’t been paying her enough attention recently. “Let’s have dessert and then we can go home and spend the rest of the evening making love.” We order peach cheesecake and polish off the remainder of the bottle of wine. She’s right; I feel more at ease now that I’m doing something.

I’m woken by the sound of my phone ringing. Bleary eyed I fumble around on my nightstand, knocking a glass onto the floor. I eventually locate my phone and hit ‘answer’ to silence the offending noise. “Mr Morrison, it’s Adrian Briggs.” I lean up on one elbow, facing Christina and mouth to her, “It’s the lawyer.” She smiles at me before snuggling back down under the duvet.

“I’ve just got off the phone with the manager of the Compound; you’ll be pleased to hear that I’ve been able to arrange a visit. He graciously agreed to make an exception in your case; however, you will need to be there for 10:00 AM today. Can you make that?”

Rubbing my eyes I glance at the clock, it’s 8:45 AM, I won’t have time to shower or eat breakfast. “I’ll be there, thank you.”

Christina looks up at me. “They agreed to a visit?”

I quickly grab a shirt from the closet and pull on my pants. “Yes, but I’ve got to be there in just over an hour. Would you like to come along? You’ll probably have to wait in the car but we can go out for brunch afterwards. I may need some moral support.”

She scoots out of bed to stand in front of me. “Of course I will sweetheart,” she says as she buttons my shirt.

We’re in the car in five minutes flat and I floor the gas, it’s Sunday morning, the roads are empty. We pull into the Compound parking lot with five minutes to spare. After giving Christina a quick kiss I head towards the reception. There’s someone in front of me and from the sounds of things he’s negotiating the purchase of a slave. I’m suddenly filled with shame. My sister is here, it would turn my stomach to hear someone discussing a price for her as if she were an item, a thing, yet I did the self-same thing when I purchased my slave, the man that my sister fell in love with. She’s a much better person than I am. I wrack my brain, what was his name? Keith? Kevin? Kirk? I tap my foot, this man needs to hurry up, he’s eating into my visiting time.

My turn finally comes and the guard must have been notified about my visit because he doesn’t look surprised. He takes my I.D and then asks me to take a seat while he calls for another guard. Another five minutes go by and then I’m led to an office. A grey haired man rises from his chair and holds out his hand to me. He introduces himself as Basil Porter and puffs out his chest as he explains that he’s the manager of the Compound. I don’t like him, I can’t put my finger on it, he seems smarmy and insincere. He gestures for me to take a seat; there are two empty chairs in front of his desk. He picks up his phone. “Could you send Savannah to my office please, her brother has arrived.” He smiles at me but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “I want to assure you that your sister is fine,” he says as he adjusts his glasses. “We are well aware she is not a slave.” He stops to clear his throat. “Between you and me, she is receiving preferential treatment.”

Someone knocks on his door, he smiles. “That will be your sister.” As he turns the handle to open the door, an alarm sounds; I cringe and cover my ears. “It’s the fire alarm. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’ll escort you out,” he says.

I stare at him. “These things are usually false alarms. I’ll wait in the parking lot.”

He opens his office door. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible Mr Morrison. Health and safety rules you see, only slaves and staff are allowed to remain on the premises.”

I follow him out of his office; Savannah is nowhere to be seen. “I want to see my sister.”

“She’s been taken to a place of safety.” He strides towards the Compound entrance. “Right now I must deal with a potential fire.” He opens the main door. “I’ll accompany you to your car; someone will be in touch to rearrange your visit.”

CHAPTER SIX

Savannah

I didn’t think it was possible to feel any more depressed or alone, but today has proven me wrong, I was moments away from seeing Simon when that stupid alarm went off. It’s been raining all day, my wet clothes are clinging to my skin and everyone has been ignoring me. Amy is washing the dinner dishes and I’m drying them. I’ll be glad to get to sleep and put today behind me. I line up with Amy to be taken to the dorm but the guard tells me to wait here, she and Amy leave the kitchen. I wonder what I’ve done wrong. A few minutes later she returns, her face looks grim. She holds my arm. “Come with me.” She leads me out into the courtyard and past the field; we’re heading towards a large grey building. “Permission to speak please, ma’am.”

“Go ahead,” she replies.

“Where are you taking me?”

“You’ve been making waves,” she says, “the boss doesn’t like troublemakers.”

She stops at the entrance to the building and presses her thumb against the pad. I’m trembling and I feel light headed, I think I’m going to vomit. The door opens into a small lobby and ahead is another door with a thick glass panel. I jump at the sound of the door slamming shut behind me. Again, she presses her thumb against a pad and the glass panelled door opens. A male guard is sitting behind a desk, enclosed in a cubicle, surrounded by re-enforced glass. He’s balding and overweight. He heaves himself out of his chair and exits his little prison. He’s red in the face and he looks unfit. My heart is pounding, I consider making a run for it, I could out run him, then I remember the locked steel door. “I’ve brought you a new resident, number F51199GH” the female guard tells him. Is this some kind of segregation unit?

He stares at me with his small, piggy eyes, then he goes back into his little cubicle and comes out holding some metal bands. He hands one to the female guard and she orders me to hold still as she places it around my neck and locks it. My mouth goes dry and I swallow hard. She places her fingers between the metal band and my neck. “It’s too big,” she says to the male guard. “Have you got a smaller one?”

He shakes his head. “They are all the same size.” He reaches for a fob attached to the loop of his belt, points it at me and presses a button. My muscles twitch a little as I get a mild electric shock. The two guards look at me, and then at each other. My stomach is churning; it’s obviously a shock collar. I hang my head; I’m feeling more like an animal every day. They order me to hold out my hands and they remove my metal cuff and snap on two new ones. The new ones are heavier and thicker. I drop my hands to my sides and there’s a clatter as the cuffs fall from my wrists and hit the floor, I look down at them with morbid fascination. “Take her collar off,” the male guard says. “We’ll tell the manager we don’t have any to fit her.”

I’m shoved into a room. My mouth falls open as I see Kayden sitting on the floor; he looks as shocked as I feel. As he scrambles to his feet, the guard plonks a bundle of grey cloth into my hands. “Put those on,” he says, leaning against the door frame. I glance down at the clothing; it’s the same shade of grey that Kayden is wearing. I catch movement out of the corner of my eye, the guard is lunging at me, he’s scowling and red in the face. I gasp as Kayden steps between me and the guard and pushes me into the corner of the room. He surrounds my body with his, shielding me, his arms either side of me, his palms flat against the wall.

“Put the scrubs on,” Kayden says to me, “before he blows his stack.”

“Get away from her,” the guard yells. I quickly yank off my t-shirt and pull the scrubs over my head. It’s at least two sizes too big and comes down to my knees; it’s more like a dress. As I’m tugging off my jeans Kayden cries out and his hands shoot to his neck, his body stiffens and he falls to the floor, convulsing. I scream. In a blur I see the guard’s hand coming towards my face, then I feel a burning pain on my cheek and a ringing sound in my ear. “I told you to put them on,” the guard says, pointing to the grey pants in my hand. Kayden slowly gets to his feet; he’s glaring at the guard, his fists clenched. I pull on the grey pants. “Pick those up.” The guard points to my clothes that are now on the floor. I bend to retrieve them and he snatches them from my hands. “You won’t need these anymore.” He stomps out of the room and the door slams behind him.

Kayden, pulls me close, his arms encircle me. “What you doing here? Why have they put you in level three?”

I throw my arms around him and bury my face in his neck. “Are you okay?” I ask him.

He rubs his cheek against mine. “Yeah.”

I burst out laughing, I can’t stop. “This is so funny.” I’m laughing so hard I’m shaking. “They think they’re punishing me but I’m right where I want to be, I’m finally with you.”

I feel him shaking his head and feel his warm breath on my neck as he lets out a sigh. “Baby, you’re crazy but I’m glad you’re here where I can take care of you, I’ve missed you.”

I reach up and hold his face between my palms. “I’ve missed you too.”

He gives me a beaming smile. “I love you, I love you so much.”

“Can you love each other with a bit less noise,” comes a male voice from across the room, “I’m trying to sleep.”

For the first time I notice there are two other guys in the room. The one who spoke looks about Kayden’s age, the other much younger, just out of his teens; they’re both lying on the cement floor. I glance around the room. There are no bunks, mattresses, pillows or blankets. The room is empty. There are two bright fluorescent lights but no windows. “You guys don’t have beds?” I ask.

Kayden shakes his head. “No, but you can lie on me baby, I’m not as comfortable as a mattress but more comfortable than the floor.” He takes my hand and leads me over to a corner of the room, then he lies down on his back. I climb on top of him, my legs resting on his, my head on his chest.

“I’m not crushing you am I?” I know I’ve lost weight but having a body on top of him when he’s lying on a hard floor can’t be very pleasant.

“I’ve got your gorgeous body pressed against mine, there’s only one part of me that’s uncomfortable right now.” He grins at me and we both bust up laughing. The guy across the room yells at us to shut up, which makes us laugh even more. Kayden doesn’t know it but he’s way more comfortable than my lumpy mattress, he’s warm, he smells safe and familiar and his heartbeat soothes me. He wraps his arms around me and I fall asleep within minutes.

I wake with a start. It’s dark and it takes me a moment to remember where I am. My heart is racing; I can’t breathe and I want to get out of here, I’ve got to get out of here. I quickly climb off Kayden. “Baby, are you okay?” he asks. I stumble in the dark, trying to find the door. I run my hands along the wall until I feel steel under my palms. I form a fist and raise it to bang on the door. A hand closes around my wrist and someone moves in front of me, arms slide around my waist and I’m crushed against someone’s chest, Kayden’s chest. “It’s okay baby, it’s okay,” he says as he rests his cheek against mine. I relax into his chest, I can hear his heartbeat, he’s gently rocking me back and forth.