Gabrielle looked at Xena having a pretty good idea of what she meant by giving the slavers one more slave.
GABRIELLE
You can't be serious. You just said how bad they were and you wanna do that.
XENA
I think it's the best chance to take them down.
GABRIELLE
Then I hope you meant two and not one.
XENA
No Gabrielle. They'll notice if too many more people are added to the group.
Gabrielle sighed.
GABRIELLE
I don't exactly like the idea of you going in there alone. What am I supposed to do?
Xena gave her a quick wink and a small, reassuring smile.
XENA
Oh don't worry about that, we won't be separated for too long.
Gabrielle knew by the look Xena gave her, that she already had a plan in mind.
- PRESENT-
A small smile came across Xena's face as she sat there on the cold floor. She layed down to get some sleep. After all tomorrow was going to be a fairly eventful day. Sunlight beamed through the window as morning came. Xena awoke, but decided to just lay there, observing her surroundings until the guards came. Not too long after Xena heard the door being unlocked. A number of armed guards entered and ordered everyone to their feet. They ruffly hurded the women out of the room with Xena amung them. The guards lead them outside. Xena saw the males being lead out of their boarding area to join them. Once everyone was together the guards ordered them to move. They were all lead to a big arena like area. As Xena walked in with everyone else she looked around. The arena was packed with people. All slavers and other low life scum waiting to bid on and purchase other human beings. The fact that people could treat others as if they were simply livestock never sat right with Xena. Even in her darkest days she could never do something that despicable. Though she felt a little better knowing that there was at least one person out in that crowd who shared her views on the subject.
MAN IN THE CROWD
Now this is an auction eh?
He nudged the person sitting next to him not noticing the look of disgust giving to him before looking back to the people who were being lead into the arena.
MAN IN THE CROWD
I've been coming here for years and this is one of the best turnouts I've seen in a while.
The person didn't say anything as they looked on. Not really wanting to engage but the man clearly couldn't read social cues very well and continued on.
MAN IN THE CROWD
First time here?
The person sighed to themselves as they thought while the man kept talking.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) God's this guy's even worse than I am when it comes to talking. I'm sure Xena would get a real kick out of this one.
MAN IN THE CROWD
So looking for anything specific?
Finally Gabrielle decided to chime in thinking maybe a little talking might actually get him to shut up.
GABRIELLE
Something like that.
Gabrielle continued to watch as people filed in until finally she spotted what she was looking for. She couldn't help but smile a little when she saw Xena come into view. The man next to her noticed the change in her expression when she saw Xena.
MAN IN THE CROWD
I take it you found something you like.
GABRIELLE
Oh yes.
- FLASH BACK-
GABRIELLE
You want me to buy you?!
XENA
That's the idea yes.
Gabrielle shook her head disapprovingly as she walked back and forth.
GABRIELLE
Absolutely not. Are you crazy? I'm not purchasing you like you're a new outfit or something.
Xena sighed as she looked at Gabrielle.
XENA
You're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be.
Gabrielle stopped pacing and looked at Xena.
GABRIELLE
How is this not a big deal? Xena you're asking me to buy someone. And not just any other person. You want me to buy you. Do you have any idea how screwed up this is?
Xena took Gabrielle's hand in hers and smiled.
XENA
Actually when you think about it this isn't really all that bad.
Gabrielle stared at Xena with a blank expression.
GABRIELLE
Yup you've definitely completely lost it. How is this "not that bad"?
XENA
Simple, you can't really buy something you already own.
Xena put Gabrielle's hand on her chest over her heart. Gabrielle sighed and smiled a little as she felt Xena's heartbeat under her palm, understanding what she meant.
GABRIELLE
And people think I'm the sentimental one.
- PRESENT-
Gabrielle had been keeping close watch on Xena as other slaves were being auctioned off. Waiting for her to be brought up for bidding. She peeked inside the pouch she was holding that was full of money.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) Good thing we happened to have gotten this from that noble we helped not long ago. No way I'm not getting Xena with all this.
One by one people were brought up to a small stage in the middle of the area. The
auctioneer read off their approximate age, physical condition, where they were found and any other information that the potential buyers might find useful or interesting. Gabrielle cringed hearing people being talked about that way. But she knew that soon enough this whole operation would be brought down. Both she and Xena were there to make sure of it.
- FLASH BACK-
Xena and Gabrielle stood on a hill overlooking the slaver complex. Xena wasn't in her usual armor and didn't have her weapons with her either. Instead she wore a simple long dress and shoes. Gabrielle looked at her for a moment and smirked.
XENA
What?
GABRIELLE
Nothing. Just thought that dress looks nice on you.
Xena rolled her eyes knowing that Gabrielle was making fun of her because she knew that Xena didn't find long dresses like the one she was wearing functional at all. And actually considered them more of a hindrance when it came to really doing anything. Which was the reason for her short battle skirt. But long dresses were all they could find on short notice for a disguise, so Xena just bought one and changed into it. Now the two looked at a horse drawn cart as it road away from the complex.
GABRIELLE
So remind me again how exactly my buying you is going to help free these people.
XENA
This place is also where a lot of slavers and other people like them come to stay and do all sorts of shady dealings. So the guy who runs the place has some housing around here that he rents out to the other scumbags while their here. So we'll have practically free run over the whole area to do what we gotta do to finally take these bastards down.
GABRIELLE
(Sarcasm) Wow these people just keep getting better and better.
XENA
Well come on we gotta get ahead of that cart so that I can find a good spot for them to pick me up.
Gabrielle sighed still not liking the plan but knowing this was the best way to stop a slave operation this massive, she went along with it. So that's how this started. Xena pretended to run into the slavers and didn't fight back when they grabbed her, put her in chains and threw her into the back of the cart with the rest of the people they had kidnapped. Gabrielle stealthily followed behind until they got to the compound and then went her own way to go undercover as a potential buyer. Luckily no one recognized her so she could just wear what she normally did. So the next day came and Gabrielle walked into the arena among all the other buyers and found a good seat so she could easily see the people below.
- PRESENT-
Gabrielle patiently waited for Xena to come up for bid. It felt like forever but finally she saw Xena get pulled up to the center. The auctioneer read off Xena's information like he had done with all the others. And then he let the bidding begin. Gabrielle stood along with a good number of other people wanting to buy this stunningly beautiful woman before them. Gabrielle' glanced around.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) You're all really wasting your time on this one.
As the price for Xena claimed, people began to sit back down as they decided that she had become too expensive for their tastes. Bit by bit the field of buyers shrunk until it finally came down to two people. Gabrielle and a man who stood a few rows away from her. The price climbed still and Gabrielle watched as the man simply stood with his arms folded across his chest as he eyed Xena. He was a fairly large, muscular man with a big beard and a look in his eyes that Gabrielle did not like at all. But Gabrielle just focused on getting Xena.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) You're not getting Xena so just sit back down already.
The price went higher and Gabrielle began to get nervous as she was getting close to running out of money. Xena who could see the last two people from where she was knew how much they had and when the auctioneer called out the next price that went past what Gabrielle had she knew that her plan had just gone completely off the road and to say that Gabrielle was not going to be happy would be the understatement of the century. Gabrielle looked at the man who out bid her and the look on her face told him that he had won. He smirked as she looked back at Xena. Xena gave Gabrielle a small smile as she made a subtle nod for her to sit down. Knowing that it would only cause trouble if Gabrielle was ruled the winner only for them to later find out that she didn't have the money to pay. Though Gabrielle really didn't want to she reluctantly sat and let the man who out bid her claim victory. And his prize was Xena.
TO BE CONTINUED...