Chapter 26
Consequences of A Conscience
Day 63
Afternoon
The first time Lex and his guard, Little J heard noise form the chamber next to them, Lex started shivering. He put the earphones onto his head and cranked the sound up. However , only one side was working. Not much was being muffled and then, the screen went blank. Oh, great, the ten year old though mordantly, no there's nothing to keep the noise out. And they're getting even louder. He tried to keep from visualizing what was probably happening behind the closed door. The boys cupped his hand over his ears as he plainly heard Russell ordering Jackson to do an unspeakable act. He closed his eyes, trying to will the world away when he left a huge, warm hand gently shaking his shoulder. He let out an involuntary noise as the Samoan man shook him to get his attention.
" C'mon kid, " he said in a voice so deep it seemed to come from the bottom of a cave, his brown eyes squinting as another round of sounds could be heard plainly, " I think it's stopped rainin' and I'd a lot rather be outside not hearin' this shit. Wouldn't you?" he asked, surprising Lex with the venom in the statement. He man, shock controller dropped into his pants pocket, walked over and opened the cavern's rooftop door. " After you , Lex, ain't it?" he said, gesturing the boy forwards.
Lex shook his head, still highly wary of Little J. he walked over and climbed the rope ladder to the top. He was joined by Little J, ho let the wooden cover close with a clatter. He pointed at the trail to the beach, waiting for Lex to start walking. The two of them took off through the wet, muggy jungle. After the first minute, there was an almost comfortable silence between them. They made it to the beach and Little J indicated that they should go onto the beached Rosebud to sit.
After climbing onboard, the man stretched his legs out, plopping down on the rough bench in front while Lex sat on the seat they had rigged for Mel, a crude "captain's chair". " Now , don't get any ideas 'bout runnin' away kid, " he rumbled, " even if you got fifty yards away, these collars'll shock the shit outta you continually if you get outta their signal range. Believe it or not, the idea of you getting blasted don't do much for me."
" I won't, " he said in his child's treble voice. They sat for a while before Lex cautiously ventured a question to Little Jay, who now had his arms folded on his chest and looked very relaxed, " Why do you people do it?" He cringed slightly, fearing an outburst like Russell was prone to.
Little J sniffed, " What? The slaving, the drugs, what do you wanta know?"
He seemed willing to speak freely so Lex plowed on.
" All of it I guess. I mean, " his voice cracked as he felt a fresh rush of anxiety, " Why? And why torture, rape and probably kill all of us? We only defended ourselves from Captain Russell." Suddenly, something seemed to snap in the scared child and the real questions burst for, emphasized by the unmistakable broken words of a child who was almost literally being scared to death. " Jackson saved my life, he, Mel and Eric! The captain wanted me for a slave, so does his brother! I'm just a kid! I don't ant to be raped and I sure don't want to be a slave. I didn't do anything to deserve this and neither did my sister or our friends!" He put his head on his lap, sobbing uncontrollably.
He would have possibly felt slightly better if he had seen the glimmer of sympathy that flickered through the Samoan's eyes.
Damn Bob and Richie for ever getting me involved in this shit! Richie wanting vengeance, yeah, I could see it, but it sounds like he finally got hat his sick ass deserved. Yeah, Richie's gotta sick thing for kids too, but Bob was just a step away from bein' the next John ayne Gacy before he got sick! Richie saved my life, he helped get me the money so send my folks to the US, to get 'em offa Samoa. He's been loyal. E done shit together I'll go straight ta the pits over, but he's losin' it. And the Nutty Doctor and his little grandbaby are just as bad. Yeah, I run drugs, even fucked a fe of the older slaves when I got hooked on that Subversion shit for a while, but this is plain wrong. But if he thinks I'm gonna go against Richie to save his friends, I can't. It's about keepin' your word and I gave ot to Richie before this kid was born! Rich would kill me and prb'bly every one a my family if I ent against him.
He looked over whwre Lex's small body shook with the tears. He pictured Rich's naked body atop him . He heard Lex's screams in his head. Most of all, he thought about his own son, who he hadn't seen in the twelve years he'd been with this crew. He thought about what it must be like for Jackson and Eric, both far older than most of the slaves they'd every caught and raised so very different. About how they were going to be raped and killed for protecting the boy from Bob Russell and his brother. All of these thoughts went through his head.
I'm getting soft. I may regret it, but I have to at least try to talk him outta some of this shit. He pretty much has to kill the others or their all potential witnesses against all of us, but maybe I can get him to let me keep this boy. Maybe I can get him to sell him to some place far enough away he won't have to kill him too. A thousand possibilities went through his head, but they all ended badly. I'll have ta think of something'.
He got up and walked to Lex, dropping uncomfortably beside hi,. He put a hesitant hand on the child's shoulder. " Boy, look p at me for a second, hey."
Still openly crying, Lex turned a tear stained face up at the imposing man.
" I can't promise anything. I owe Rich too damn much, money and blood, to go all the ay against him, but this. This situation is just fucked up . I can't save your friends." he felt a unfamiliar pang of pity as he saw the fear in Lex's eyes at his admission, " About the best I can do is to try to save you. That's all I can do. It probably won't do any good, but I sear I'll talk to my partner about you after while. Maybe, ' he added acidly, ' a\if your friends gave the ol' pervert a good time, he'll be inna good mood.' he pulled distractedly at his jet black pony tail, his neck seating under it. " Ok ?"
Lex wiped his eyes. He anted so desperately to hope and believe, but he couldn't , not yet. He just didn't know this man that well. He did owe it to at least be polite about it.
" Thanks. I hope you can, but hat about my sister and the others."
J sighed in resignation. " For no, the redhaired girl, the black guy and what's her name, Mel should be safe enough. The Doc likes at mess ith little girls mainly. Sick fuck. He'll be decent ot them as long as they work hard on the crop. It's Dingo the black kid better watch; he almost as hot for mixed kids as Bob as little boys."
A frisson of fear for Nathan raced in Lex's head, but he had a more immediate concern. " What about Taylor, Eric and Jackson?"
" Boy, I told you, I fuckin' can't help those two boys! Try to understand. The girl though, she's got different problem. Psycho Markie Mark has the hots for her big time. He'll get in her pants one way or the other. She may have a chance on getting out alive, for a while at least. Doc'll have to try to keep her safe and Rich can't get nearly the drugs without Doc helping; he's the one who figured out how to make Subversion inta Perversion and he's smart enough he didn't even tell Mark. She's got as good a chance of stayin alive as you."
" I wish we never crashed on that fucking island!" Lex swore. He let out a cry of pain as Little J cuffed his ear. Lex looked a back at his with a hurt that wasn't just physical. "What as that for?'
Little J sneered, " I though you as a damn genius! First, I hate hearin kids cuss for no reason." He gave a hard look at Lex, " But even more, I hate it when smart people say dumb things. Hell, Mark, Doc and the Russell's planned that crash months ago. Hell, Doc was the one who gave them the idea for the trip to Palau, remember?"
In honesty, Lex had never known whose idea it was, but now things were far clearer. " "how?" he asked.
Little J expanded on it: " Mark and Doc couldn't do all of the work themselves anymore. Back 20 years ago, the Russell boys were inna USAF ith Doc. They got inot some small time smuggling. Doc wound up on Guam. He found the old maps and decided to make a place on some of these islands to hide things. Eventually, some old Chammoro told his about the plants on a couple pof these islands being what do ya callem aphrodisiacs. Doc , he came out and took some to a chemist friend. They mixed it with some new depression drugs and BLAM! A drug that makes you able to fuck like rabbits and even better, if you're a S&M freak, pain really is pleasure with it."
Lex risked an interruption: " What about the slavers:?"
" Kid, people been peddlin' kid here for thousands of years. I an't sayin it's right, but some folks on these islands, a few, would rather sell their kids than lettem die of diseases most countries have treatments for. They figure even a slaves life beats no life." He looked don for a second, honesty making him add, " Course, a slave'd disagrree most likely. Anyhow, Bob and the Doc met in Thailand at a whorehouse. One thing led to another and they became partners. Doc needed backers and Bob found some. When they found out Subversion makes kids into zombies, they were tickled pink. How do you think the Doctor got money? Teacher's usually ain't rich."
" No, you're right. And I had wondered about that. Three years ago, the Doctor nearly got fired for filing bankruptcy. It was a Hartwell scandal," Lex offered.
" Ha! I bet that old snob had a bitch fit over that, the old bastard." Jay laughed heartily; his dislike of the Watson's was sincere and mutual."
"Back to what I was sayin'; now they came up with Perversion. That shit's scary. It makes you act out your darkest fantasies. Stuff you'd never tell a soul about." He gave Lex a pat on the arm even as he scared him to his young sould ith his next words, " And it feeds offa hat you care about. If he really did give Jackosn some and tie you together, he'd rape you. Even if you put a fuckin' Playboy or Playgirl, depending on his tastes, next to the to of you, he'd rape you because he loves you. That's why they call it that. It perverts your affections inna way you can't fight . It's evil." he suddenly lunged to his feet, " And I'll got to Hell for messing with it. Boy, Lex, I don't know how, but I ill find a way to keep you safe. Even if I get onna outs with Richie for a while. But don't expect miracles; I just can't figure a way to help your friends." He as about to add more when the radio on his waist squawked. Irritably, he answered it. "What ya want ?"
" J, you n the brat on the beach?" asked Russell, coughing for some reason.
" Yeah, you need us?"
" It's almost suppertime. Someone's gotta feed these brats and you're the best cook here." Russell laughed.
" Be there in a few. Work up and appetite?"
" Man, my balls are good n drained. The runts as tight as hell and Jackson, man , that kid can suck cock like a champ. Poor Mark's pissed, Eric blew chunks on him! It was priceless seeing that asshole takin' shit for a change."
Jay cackled, " Wish I'd seen that part. He still mad?"
" Nah, he beat the fuck outta him, but quit when Blondie promised to take it up the ass if he'd quit. Among other things ?"
Lex as frantic with fear. Little J clamped his hand over Lex's mouth lest Russsel hear him. " I'm on my way. He hurt 'im bad."
Russell responded, " Knocked him out, but he's alive. Jackson got to ride the lighting for a while, but he's in better shape than Eric. Come on in and cook man. I'm stravin'."
Little J hung the radio on his belt and took his hand away. He looked at Lex, pointing a finger at him. " You wanna be safe, follow my lead. No arguments, no questions. Deal."
" Deal." Lex responded, holding out a tiny fist.
Shaking his head at the situation he'd let his heart get him into, the huge Samoan bumped his gargantuan knuckles with Lex's , his hand substantially larger than Lex's head.
The to unlikely allies went back to the cave.