149 Prostitution Den 2

It never occurred to her that she would be facing this person now. What a privilege if she could conduct an interview but not in this situation, she thought. Though she knew she was captured, Diane's mind was stable. She even looked at Panther straight to the eyes and amazed to herself. Other people might wince seeing a drug lord but she did not.

Panther gave Diane a once-over and went nearer. She held Diane's chin and moved her face left and right and nodded. "She's good." Then told a guard beside her, "send her to Gabriel. Let him take care of her until she's ready. I want her spotless and clean. She must be in good condition before the next bidding."

Panther sensed Diane's unafraid stares and smiled at her.

"I like you. You have spirit," Panther said to Diane.

Panther waved her hand and walked away with her guards on the way to a huge hall where the guests awaited. Lino followed. A guard took charge to carry Diane on his shoulders, making Diane grunt with the sudden movement. The guard walked to a heavily guarded door, which also had a security door lock system installed. Another guard punched the code on the numeric digital box and the door unlocked.

When they were in, Diane thought they were walking in a hotel hallway. The guard opened a room and literally threw her on the bed. Diane's body tumbled on it and felt giddy as her body bounced for a time The guard left right away without saying a word.

9:30 a.m.

A burly man strolled casually to where Diane lay. Diane panicked and thought of fighting to the end.

"Why did they bind you? Does it hurt?" Gabriel said, sounding like a woman. 'A gay?' Diane was stunned but still readied herself when needed. She had decided not to yield and be antagonized by losing her purity this way even it meant her death.

Gabriel continued. "Don't be afraid, dear. You can call me lady butterfly. Let me unbind you. I'm only here to give you a good bath and dress you up. Don't fight back or you'll be thrown to bestial men who will beat you with a whip and use you like a pig. You don't want that, am I right? Don't scream too. No one will come to save you. So cooperate while I prepare you."

Gabriel might be speaking kindly but he knew well how to instill fear without effort and would cause every girl he was assigned to listen and obey. Diane felt it so but she preferred to cooperate and to wait for a chance of getting the information she needed and a chance to get away.

10:00 a.m.

She silently lay there until Gabriel totally freed her mouth, hands, and feet. Her hand directly touched her earrings to turn it on. Gabriel saw her actions.

As she was about to open her mouth to reply, her jaw hurt after hours of being gagged. She massaged her jaw first before she replied of which Gabriel did not care.

"Where am I?" asked Diane.

"You're brave. This is my first time to meet a girl like you." Gabriel steered clear from her question while putting healing balms on Diane's wrists and ankles.

"Why do you say that?"

"Most girls who arrived here for the first time screamed and cried endlessly. The guards have to use a whip to scare them off or send them to those unscrupulous men before they behave. Are you not afraid?"

"I'm a liar if I say I'm not but screaming obviously won't be helpful," Diane said with a firm tone of voice.

"Well said. Okay, let me prepare your bath, so rest for a while." Gabriel stood and stepped in the bathroom.

"Lady butterfly, where is this place?" Diane's eyes looked around, taking note of the security camera. She saw one at a corner that could cover the whole place in one shot. She looked away from the soonest she spotted it.

"There's no point knowing. Just learn to accept your predicament to survive in this place," said Gabriel as he prepared the bubble bath.

"At least I know where I am."

"Don't ask, for your own good," said Gabriel in a calm voice.

Diane stood to stretch her body and felt stinging pain on the place Gabriel rubbed the balm. She sat back on the bed to rest her tired feet and back, contemplating what to do next.

10:00 a.m.

People inside the monitoring room got agitated, attempting all possible ways to get Diane's signal back. Friends and connections were called non-stop for assistance.

"We must get ahold of Diane's signal even if it cost me to pay someone handsomely. You get that?" Leonard announced. He paced back and forth, unable to rest for his brother's sake and for Diane's safety.

When suddenly, Diane's name on the widescreen glowed a faint green light.

"Her signal is back," Meena shouted as she pointed the screen. Everyone stopped on their tracks as their eyes went to the widescreen. Then like the sound of a raging sea, all of them simultaneously raptured aloud in euphoria and gave deafening applause which flooded the room. Their excitement could not be contained. Some jumped and yelped out to release the tension running in their nerves. Some drummed the tables with their balled hands.

"Yes! Great! Diane, you did it," Jenna shouted as she leaped and threw a punch above-head.

"She was able to turn it on. Thank goodness. Now it's easy for us to track her. Call John. We'll try if the audio and the receiver are working," Leonard said with enthusiasm.

"Let's not celebrate yet. The signal is dimming. She could be underground. ," said Paul.

"As long as we can track her," Leonard said, hope accelerating.

After fifteen minutes, John came in and saw Diane's name on the widescreen lighted. He turned his head to Meena's monitor and saw Diane's vital stats perfectly normal. Solace imbued in him as he broke into a smile.

"Diane," John softly said, his eyes got misty as joy welled up inside him. He bent down thanking God in silence. Then he dried his eyes with a brush of his hand. "Where is that place?"

"Wait for the satellite feed to show us," said Leonard, happy to see his brother at peace. The monitor on the screen instantly zoomed in. The one reflected was a huge mountain full of trees and vegetation. There was a ravine at its left and the farm garage where they went earlier was near it.

Paul, Leonard, John looked at each other.

"It's really underground," Leonard said.

"How to go in?" John asked.

"We need to scout the place, no doubt. That garage might have another way in somewhere. All we need to do is find it," Leonard said.

"John, be assured, we will save Diane," Paul said as he placed his arm on John's shoulders, his pupils reflecting the mountain. "Even it means blowing that mountain down."