Chapter 2
Brody
“Charity, can you try to pull yourself together? We need to get all the information before these assholes come back. I know you have been through so much, but for us to get all of us out of here, we need details. Have you had access to a phone? How many men have you seen inside or outside this house?” I feel bad for this woman being betrayed by her own family. The people that were supposed to have her back. Charity gets her crying under control.
“I haven’t had access to any phones. The bikers have phones, but I wasn’t going to take the chance to try and lift one from them. There was one other man that met us outside when we arrived, but until I was brought upstairs, I was kept in one room except for meals which was cut down to one a day here. These men wanted Faith, but Pop told them I was only seventeen and Faith has asthma. The bikers argued with my pop, saying I was old enough to have been with a man before, but my pop swore I was only seventeen and I was still a virgin. They said if they found out I was older or wasn’t a virgin they would be back, and my entire family would pay. The joke is on the Hell Keeperz MC because if my pop didn’t want them in our community, they would have been shot off their bikes, ten miles before they reached us.” Charity is rambling on. I know she must be in shock.
“Charity, honey, calm down. Take a deep breath and blow it out. Stay on track. We’ll get to the rest.” I try to calm Charity down, so she can focus. “Okay, no phones and only one man that you are aware of.”
“Yes, that girl that came back that one time said they were threatening to video tape that man having sex with an underage girl and send it to his entire family and then put it on social media. He was some sort of politician or something and they wanted to ruin his life if they didn’t get his cooperation. Why would they do that to you two? Are married or in the public eye?” I notice that Charity is only looking at me and not Rebel.
“I am married, and Gracie and my children are my world and I will not hurt her like that. I know she would forgive me or defend my actions by saying I was made to do it, but she has been through enough in her life and it will not be happening, I don’t care what they threaten me with” Rebel states with a conviction that I know he is telling the gods to honest truth. Rebel would give his life up before he betrayed Gracie.
“She’s lucky to have you. I need you both to know that I am twenty years old and not a virgin. I’ve only been with one man and I thought we were in love.” I hear the pain in Charity’s voice. “If this has to happen then I give you permission to have sex with me. I don’t want you to have the thought of raping me on your conscious. I am giving you the go ahead to have sex with me. I want out of here and I will do my part to help.” Something strikes me odd about her being so blunt.
“Why would you give two strangers permission to have sex with you when it is not of your choice?” Rebel asks before I have a chance to.
“Just, please, don’t tell them I am not a virgin. I want to protect Faith. I know she is still innocent and she does have asthma and there is no way I would want her in this situation. I wouldn’t wish this hell on anyone. I have thought about this situation since that girl told me about it. The way I see it this is a control issue and violence. Violence against me and something to hang over the man that was put in your position. I am taking back my control the only way I know how and still make it look like I am cooperating, so Faith will be safe, I don’t want them using me to hurt anyone either” She is almost pleading but she has determination in her voice. Rebel grunts.
“It’s not going to get to that. How did your pop think he could keep your real age from the Hell Keeperz? They’ll get to your birth certificate, school records, or driver’s license.” Charity let’s a little laugh out.
“I was born at home so there are no birth records, only our family Bible. We were home schooled so no school records. No driver’s license or social security number.” I glance at Rebel and he has a raised eyebrow.
“Were you raised in a damn cult?” Rebel asks her.
“No, my pop is part of a militia group, of sorts. They are not religious formed, but we did have a church for those that wanted to attend. We did live in a commune, but it was like a small town without any government to stick their noses in. My pop is anti-government. He says from the day we are born the government starts assigning numbers to us, so they can track us through our life. When the children turn eighteen they each have the decision to make, to either leave the community or stay. We call our home the community. No capital letters. My pop said the place we live is just a place to live with no importance and the important thing is family. I would never leave Faith, ever. The ones who decide to leave cannot return. In our community the older siblings care of the younger ones and I have always protected my sister as if she was my own. Very few choose to leave and that is how they keep growing. We are expected to marry within the community and have children which adds to the numbers.” That took a lot out of Charity telling that part of her life. I have come across a few militia groups during my work as a bounty hunter. They hide their family and friends away. It’s always the laws fault they are out on bail and having to run. I argued with a member of one of groups when I was searching for a bail jumper a year or so ago. I just asked him what about the law the man had broken to get arrested and what about the money the person would be out if he wasn’t found. That man was hard headed and wouldn’t listen. It took me almost two weeks watching the place before the jumper made a trip to town. The man liked his white powder, alcohol, and easy women. A leopard does not change his spots for too long of a time. This time it was money and a vehicle that he had stolen from the militia. I had a sense of justice when I escorted the man to the sheriff’s office. Some militia people are sensible just as in any group of people, but it is the stubborn ones that give them a bad reputation. I don’t agree with some of their beliefs but there are other that I can accept. My job is my job and when I start a job I don’t walk away from it.
“What can you tell us about our surroundings here? Are we close to a town? I haven’t heard any traffic or any noise except for the bikes leaving. How about the windows are there any that are not boarded up? Is this a one story or two-story house?” Rebel is firing off questions at her. I look at Rebel trying to let him know he needs to slow down but then Charity starts answering.
“There is nothing around us except for an old barn and woods. We did not go through any towns after they took the blind fold off me. We were on county farm roads not highways. The last number was 1019. I don’t know how long we traveled with me blind folded, but I know we were close to a train track. We stopped for a few minutes and I heard the train whistle. The drive to this house is long. We are set way back off the road with heavy woods and brush on each side and it was a bumpy ride. This is a two-story house. The windows that I noticed, before I walked in the house, the upstairs are boarded up, but the boards are far apart so the sun shines in like here. At least the one in the hallway that looks outside. The ones downstairs are not boarded up, but I only saw the front part of the house. Right now, we are on the second floor and the third door. I was being kept downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs, you go to the right up the hall and I was being kept in the second room. They let me in the kitchen to fix them sandwiches. In the second cabinet to the right there is all kind of spices but there is also a bottle of Trazodone. I know that drug will put you to sleep. My ma used to have the doctor get it for her. I was afraid to use it on them. I was hesitant because what if they didn’t all eat at the same time or others arrived later. I thought about taking it myself.” Charity’s voice gets lower as she talks, and things go quiet.
“You are doing good Charity, just focus a little longer. Everything you are telling us helps.” I try to give her something positive to think about.
“Were there any knifes or anything we could use as a weapon?” Rebel asks.
“Only butter knifes, a few forks and a few spoons as far as cutlery goes but there is a big cast iron skillet in there. I found some old hair pins in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Can you pick a lock? I know how but I am a couple of hands short right now.” Charity lets out a snort. “I’m sorry. That sounded awful, but I am a little nervous.” Rebel and I both laugh.
“Can you get the hairpins to us?” I ask her. It’s a long shot but we could try.
“I don’t know but I can try.” I watch as Charity tries to get the hair pins out of her hair with her hands zip tied. It takes a few minutes and I know her hands must be raw by now. “Got them. I’ll try to get my feet up here and see if I can get them to you.” Charity pushes her shoes off her feet and then pushes her socks off with her toes. Good thing this woman is limber. Charity rests for a minute and then she maneuvers her feet on each side of her head. My eyes are drawn straight to her rounded ass. I try to avert my eyes the way Rebel is doing, but my eyes are drawn back. I feel like a damn perv getting a sneak peek. Charity brings her legs down and she is winded. I see the hair pins pinched between her toes. “What do I do now? Will your chains let you move any at all?” I try to stand up for the first time since we have been conscious. The chains won’t let me stand completely up but I can crouch. Then I try my arms. I can reach about half way.
“Can you maneuver your legs in our direction?” Rebel asks Charity. Rebel is crouched now also. “Fling the pins our way.” Rebel and I both watch the pins as carefully as we can. We both get a hair pin and start trying to jimmy the locks with them.
“Is it working?” Charity asks us. I look at Rebel and he has his legs unchained. I started on my hands first and then I feel the tumbler give and my hands are free. I shake my wrist out to get some feeling in them again, and then start on my ankles. I notice that Rebel is free from his chains. He is trying to get circulation back in his legs and then he comes over and takes the hair pin from me. He has the lock open in no time.
“Yes, we are free. We’ll find something to get those zip ties off.” I tell Charity as I am looking for anything that can cut her hands free.