The People Traders (9 page)

He stood up, shrugging. "Okay, have it your way. I came to help; the risks are enormous, but if you're just on the take and giving nothing in return, so to speak, I'm out of here."

As he moved away she sat there, panic setting in. This man was the only chance she had of escape and she'd thrown it away. Then an idea began to form in her mind, with a little effort she might turn things her way.

"What do you expect of me?" she called.

He turned and looked back. "I'd expected you'd be grateful I want to help. Grateful enough to the point that you'd want to cement the deal, so to speak?"

Karen laughed. "Oh, I see; the truth is, it’s fuck me and my problems, just screw me and go."

He looked away and began kicking at the bottom of one of the packing cases. "That's a bit harsh, you asked for the help, not me. There are a couple of other girls knocking around but I've no chance with them, they're booked up solid. I've been on this bloody ship for ages and I feel horny, so take it or leave it," he laughed, expecting her to say yes.

Karen looked interested. "Who are these other girls then?"

Barry wasn't inclined to change the subject, so he scowled at her. "They're just a couple of hookers that's all. So are you prepared to take your knickers off or not?"

She remained silent for a moment, keeping him guessing. She now had a plan but would it work? "Tell you what, come and sit down on the chair and I'll make you a proposition," she finally said.

Barry's eyes lit up; the girl was desperate and he could see a fun hour or so coming up. Sitting on the chair as she'd asked, he waited for her proposal.

"Here's the deal," she said shyly.

"Go on," he urged.

"Get me help and I promise you can have me for the night. That means, Barry, from dusk to dawn. I'll do anything for you, no matter what. Think about it, Barry, I'm seventeen and never been with a man. You'd be getting a virgin and a very grateful girl prepared to play and experiment. How's that for an offer?"

His eyes opened so wide she thought they'd fall out. "You mean it, Karen? You'd really spend the night with me and play out all my fantasies?"

She moved closer and kissed him on the lips gently. "Every word, Barry, besides your fantasies, I've a few myself I'd like to try. I promise it'll be a night to remember."

He sat there for some time without replying. He'd never had an offer like that and it'd be quite easy to telephone home. The ship had satellite communication and he'd already phoned home twice.

"Okay let's do it, get your clothes off," he demanded.

Karen laughed. "Not now, silly, when you've called home for me. Like you say, you've only a couple of hours now, I'm offering a night."

He looked despondent but Karen wasn't finished with him yet. "While you think about my offer, I'm going to give you a taste of just what I can do. We've got Sky at home and when my mum and dad went out once I tuned into a sex channel. My dad watched them when we go to bed, my mum didn't know but my sister and I did."

"What sort of taster?" Barry asked with interest.

She grinned. "I think I can copy what was on telly; you know what a lap dance is? You have to sit on your hands and promise you won't touch. I'm really scared though, so if you don't keep your promise not to touch me, I'm finished and the deal's off."

Barry quickly sat on his hands as she'd asked. "Okay, Karen, I agree, but it had better be good."

She frowned. "I'll do my best, Barry; I'm not a dancer you know, so all I ask is that you call home for me."

"Stop talking and get on. It's the all-night one I'm really looking forward to," Barry replied quickly.

"Okay, but close your eyes till I'm ready then," she said.

Karen went to the bed and got out of the clothes Assam had given her. Stripping quickly, she pulled the tiny knickers on, followed by the shorts and fastened the blouse. With the high-heeled shoes he'd also left, she knew Barry would be stunned. Taking a look at him with his eyes closed, as she clipped her hair back, a smile came across her face. She'd no intention of keeping her promise as the thought of making out with him made her retch, but someone needed to know she was still alive and, if it meant doing a stupid dance, as opposed to him screwing her, so be it.

"Okay, open your eyes."

He opened them and stared at her in astonishment. "Where did you get the clothes from?" he asked.

She tried to shrug it off. "They were in a box in the hold with other clothes. I think they've used this hold before for girls and they'd just been left. Anyway, let's get on with the dance shall we? Don't move your hands though, that's our deal, otherwise I stop and it's all off. I'm scared enough as it is," she lied.

Careful to turn the television picture right down and only the sound up, Karen pressed the play button on the video. She'd decided, with luck, he'd think it was a record. When the music began, Karen stood in front of him for a moment, her eyes locked on his never wavering. Then she began to sway to the music, rubbing her hands gently over her body, before slowly unfastening the loose knot on the blouse. Allowing it to fall to the floor, she carried on moving her hands slowly up her body, exaggerating the movements, moving her hips provocatively as she raised her hands above her head, clasping them together. Then her hands broke apart, slipping slowly back down, pausing over her breasts and pushing them forward, before moving down to the top of her shorts. Barry could only sit there mesmerised, his mouth dropping open. Slowly, but deliberately, she unfastened the side buttons of the shorts, before turning her back on him while she wriggled the shorts free from her hips, allowing them to drop to her feet. Barry couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She turned round and could see him becoming more excited by the second. Then she moved closer to him, sitting on his lap and pulling his head forward against her chest, allowing him to kiss her breasts. She pushed him back and stood, before sitting back down facing him, this time her legs astride his, pushing herself close, moving back and forth, pretending intercourse, before finally kissing him hard. She could feel the hardness in his jeans and smiled to herself. He was hooked. Suddenly she stopped as the music finished and moved away, replacing her blouse and shorts.

Then, with a little girl look and soft voice, she whispered. "Was it alright, I was so nervous that you were going to laugh? You turned me on so much, I want you, Barry, believe me, I want you."

He was shaking. "God, Karen, that was fantastic. Please, I'll do anything, but you can't stop now, you've really turned me on as well," he begged.

She smiled. "That's it, Barry. Like you, I want to do more, but a promise is a promise. So get me out and I'll do that dance as your opener; but when I finish then, not like now with my knickers on, I’ll be naked and ready to make love."

"I will, Karen, you can be sure of that," he stuttered, still overawed with this girl's actions.

He stood and she moved closer, kissing him gently on the lips. "Don't let me down, will you?"

He held her tight, moving his hands down her back, slipping inside her knickers and grasping her bottom. Karen let him, for her it was like sealing the deal, but after a few moments she pushed him away gently. "No more please, or I won't be able to stop. Remember your promise and I'll look forward to keeping mine," she whispered softly in his ear.

But Barry didn't want to go, grasping her again, releasing her shorts and pushing them down, with her knickers clear of her bottom. This time Karen was beginning to panic. If she didn't do something now, she'd have no option but to allow Barry to take her.

"I'm really turned on, Karen; you can't leave me like this. Why don't you get these knickers off and let's do it now?"

She pushed him away, pulling her knickers back up, but allowing the shorts to drop to the floor and stared at him, hurt in her eyes. "I will if you want but I've offered everything I have, Barry. I've never been with a man and wanted my first time to be perfect. Shatter it if you want with five minutes on the bed, or give me a night I'll never forget."

She began fiddling with her blouse buttons, at the same time holding her breath, hoping the lie had hit the right spot.

He stood there for a moment, suddenly feeling sorry for this girl standing in front of him. "You're right. I'll keep my side of the bargain. Besides a night with you against ten minutes now is a bad deal in anybody's book."

She smiled. "Thank you, Barry, you won't regret it, believe me. But when you ring, please tell them you've met Karen Marshall and give them the name of the ship and when it docks."

"I will, Karen," and, giving her one last kiss on the lips, he disappeared behind some packing cases and went out. Moments later the watertight door creaked shut.

Karen sat on the bed, relieved that he'd gone for the all-night option. Time was moving on and she'd become convinced that without Barry's call to the authorities, she'd be off the ship in a strange land with no chance of help. The dance had been a risk, leaving her vulnerable when she was down to her knickers, that he might demand to go all the way and she'd have to accept it. As it was, she'd done just enough, leaving her offer dangling. Barry would have the incentive to call. She was also pleased with her performance. Now she could stand in front of Assam with confidence. Before she'd have been scared and embarrassed but now she realised that it wasn't that bad. If she kept her eyes fixed to the man's eyes, she could lose herself in the dance, and not worry about the reality that she would end up dancing naked in front of him.

She lay back on the bed and began to think of home. Grant had seen to it she couldn't actually go home, but forming in her mind was a list of people who would pay for what she was going through. With Frank Whittle dead and Grant's address imprinted on her mind, he would be a start. Susan would be next, along with her family. Then there was the ship's crew. Just how many girls had taken this route into slavery and prostitution? Her list was growing and she'd no doubt it would become longer. Sitting up, she sighed, and getting rid of the dancing clothes, she replaced her t-shirt.

After the first night of feeling sorry for herself she'd decided to keep herself fit, to help her in any escape she might try, and her once fifteen minutes of hard exercise was now an hour and a half. Desperate to stay as fit as possible, every night she pushed herself that little bit more. Astounded at her progress, she'd moved from literally collapsing at six push-ups to an easy fifty and from five lifts on the side of a packing crate, to thirty. Then, running round the narrow passage of the hold, she found even after twenty circuits she wasn't out of breath. Also, if the truth was known, besides keeping her figure, the exercise took her mind off the initial depression of being taken from her home. She'd simply collapse shattered in her bed, falling asleep in minutes, rather than pondering her position for hours on end. Assam and Grant, for that matter, had also helped her self-confidence in facing an uncertain future. She no longer wanted to see her family, really because she couldn't face them anyway. So all that she had left was a desperate urge to be free, an urge to seek revenge and then live how she wanted. Would Barry really make the call or would he just say he did, expecting payment? She could only take the chance that he'd keep to his word, but it didn't mean she intended to keep to hers.

CHAPTER 7

The next night when Garrett collected her from the kitchen, they didn't go back to the hold, but instead he took her to Assam's cabin. Assam was sat at his desk, deep in thought. He didn't acknowledge her when she entered and Garrett pulled the other chair out, telling her to sit down. Karen sat there nervously; the atmosphere in the room was oppressive.

Eventually Assam looked her directly in the eyes. "Tell me about Barry?"

Her heart skipped a beat, had he been caught? Had he told Assam what she'd asked? She'd no way of knowing, so decided to act dumb. "What about him?"

Assam shook his head slowly. "Karen, Karen, have you not listened to anything I've said? A ship's like a tiny village. Nothing happens here without me knowing. We have cameras in holds, even telephone calls are recorded. So, I ask again, what went on between you and Barry and just what did you want him to do?"

She sighed; what was the use of lying, he probably knew already? "He was in the hold and told me it was all round the ship that I pose in the nude and was a good screw. Told me there were other girls onboard but he couldn't get a look in, so he wanted me. If I agreed, he said in return, he'd tell my parents where I was."

"And did you let him? Screw you, I mean?"

She shook her head, "No I didn't. I did ask him to call home though; you can't blame me for that."

"You danced for him, why was that?"

Karen was beginning to panic; Assam knew everything, she was sure now. "I wanted him to call, but he was still demanding I paid in advance by going to bed with him. I knew if I let him have me, he'd never call home, so I came up with the promise of him spending the night with me rather than ten minutes. After all," she said cockily, "if he'd succeeded, how could he take me up on the promise when you'd all have been arrested at the dock? But to show my word was good, I gave him the dance for a taster. Besides, it allowed me to practise my dance in front of someone, just to see if it was okay. I stopped at removing my knickers. I'm not that stupid."