AN: I know this story seems to be moving slow, but I had to do that to get to this point in this chapter. The team is coming... but in time?
The man with the silver suitcase pulled up to the familiar address, right on time. He had been working with Eric for several years now, and knew he was a reliable and well paying customer. So when Eric sent a text asking for a private service, he didn't hesitate. Even if it was three in the morning.
He had enough experience with Eric to know what this was about, he knew Eric and his gang had grabbed another girl from the streets and that his services were needed. So, he had grabbed his tools and jumped into his car before driving the ten minutes to Eric's operation.
He really didn't know anything about the girls Eric took, he really didn't want to know. He would see them once for the procedure and then never see them again; he never asked questions, and never wanted to know. He would take his payment and then leave and not speak with Eric until the next text came. For a while it was coming every from weeks, but lately, it seemed to have slowed and he had gotten worried that Eric had found someone new to handle the girls; until he got the text tonight.
The procedure itself didn't take too long, provided the woman didn't fight too hard, but he had had a few close calls. After he had been kicked in the face by one, he had told Eric he would not do it anymore unless they were properly restrained, and if needed, sedated. Eric had instantly agreed.
He took a deep breath and thought to himself how he was getting too hold for this nonsense, he was ready to completely retire. He had retired from his full time job as an emergency room physician seven months ago, but had elected to keep this side hobby going; but as he walled to the front door to meet Eric, he decided that this would be his last one.
After tonight, he was done. She would be his last project; he was ready to spend all the time he could with his wife, ready to travel the world, ready to stop looking over his shoulder constantly. Deep down, he had a feeling he knew what Eric and his gang were involved with, and although he never asked, it didn't take a genius to see it. And he shuddered, but he couldn't think on it much longer as the door swung open and one of the guards met him.
"Long time no see," The guard ushered him in, escorting him to the kitchen.
"It has been a while." The man nodded, setting his suitcase down. They stood in silence for a minute before Eric walked into the room, a grin on his face.
"Mario!" He explained, wrapping the older man in a large embrace.
"Eric, my friend." Mario patted the man on the back and followed him into a closed office. "I have a plane leaving in the next few hours, me and the old lady are heading to Spain for a few weeks."
"Glad I caught you then." Eric beemed as he sat in his old chair.
Mario nodded and leaned into the couch. "So, what brought this on?"
Eric whistled and smiled again. "Got a new one, grabbed her late last night."
"And you want to keep this one alive?" Mario asked, opening up the suitcase.
"Well, long enough for her to get the mark. They never make it past the two week limit, I doubt this one will make it to a week."
"Is she too weak? If she is, I am not sure she is worth the work tonight. Might as well cut your losses and dispose of he, no mark, no evidence…"
But Eric snorted. "She is the quite the opposite, she may not make it that long because one of my guards is going to end up killing her. They are having a hard time handling her, she's already broken two of their noses." Mario stared at him, not sure he wanted to do this procedure now.
"How the hell did she do that?" He asked.
Eric shrugged. "Not sure, but she is completely restrained right now, she is no threat to you. I'll have numerous guards…"
"Doesn't sound like they are doing a great job if she has already busted their faces!" Mario shot. "Look- are you sure she is worth this trouble?"
Eric's smile faded. "I know she is. Bring your case and lets get this over with; you don't want to piss of Mrs. Mario."
JJ's heart was racing and she was pretty sure the men in the room with her knew it. They were laughing at her and occasionally speaking to her, reassuring her that she would be okay. Somehow she doubted that.
After the entire ordeal with the shower, she had been carried into another room, her body still shivering from the shower, water still dripping from her hair. The room she had been brought into was not any warmer, and she closed her eyes when she heard the air conditioning kick on. Her mind couldn't think on anything else but the cold, she tried to distract herself, tried to think of her family, her team, how they would be coming through the door at any minute, that she would be safe and warm soon. She just had to hold on.
Her eyes snapped open when she felt herself being placed down on a cold surface and immediately, she noticed it just looked like a small table. Steven held her down as two of the other guards restrained her hands and ankles to the table, another strap went across her middle- she couldn't move.
"Be a good girl," Steven whispered to her, backing away before returning with what JJ realized was a blindfold. "Hold still, he doesn't like anyone to see him." Steven explained as he wrapped the cloth around JJ's eyes.
Her panic was beginning to set it, she couldn't move, she couldn't see, she was cold and a device was strapped around her neck- and there was someone coming to do something. Five minutes later, she heard more footsteps and goosebumps covered her flesh.
"See, she is harmless." JJ recognized the voice as the man who had tazed her. "She is restrained, she won't hurt you," She felt him pull on the restraints.
"Fine," a new voice responded. "Where do you want it?"
"On her chest, like always."
And the next few minutes for JJ were nothing but pain as she felt something sharp cut into her chest, just below her heart; and when she thought it was done, she felt hands hold her down and knew it was about to get worse. And moments later, she felt a searing hot pain over the same spot, she smelt burning flesh and she did everything she could to escape the pain. But nothing worked as the object was pressed harder against her skin.
"stay still, you don't want us to have to do this again." A voice commanded. She was sure she was going to pass out, she felt vomit rise in her throat as the object was removed. "Turn her head, she's about to puke." The same voice commanded, and just in time, a hand forcefully rolled her head to the left, allowing JJ to vomit all over the floor. The pain was not subsiding, her body was shaking from the pain and all she heard was laughter.
"How much do I owe you, Mario?" JJ heard the familiar man ask. And there was a pause as her head was forced back down.
"Considering she is my last one, I don't want cash this time." JJ blinked as the blindfold was removed, her vision was swimming and she could only stare directly above her; her movement was restricted and she knew if she moved her head in any direction, she would vomit again.
"Oh?"
"How about you give me and her some alone time?"
JJ heard laughter, her brain desperately trying to process what was being said. "That's fine, I'll give you thirty minutes. But Steven needs to stay, this one is violent."
She heard nothing more after that, except when a new man crawled over to her and pealed away the towel that had been draped over her body. She watched as he undid his belt and smiled down at her before a smile crawled across his face. "You thought that was painful, watch this."
And for the next hour, JJ did everything she could not to scream or cry. But it was of no use; her body could only take so much and after that hour was up and he was done, he came back to her and kissed her on the forehead, thanking her for the wonderful evening.