Sufern groaned inwardly, great now Alan's getting resistive. "Yes," was Sufern's reply, "After the three hour live feed of that; what happened?"
"I tried to kick him when he untied my ankle," Alan said dryly, "He then pinned me warned me that he would either hurt me or make me uncomfortable and look more appealing," Alan ground the word out, "To the buyers."
"How would he have done that?" Sufern pushed.
Alan set a hard look on Sufern, and responded in a flat voice, "That he would strip me to my boxers and dump ice water on me." He spoke with more confidence than he had the rest of the interview, but he still shuddered at the thought of what Billy had implied.
Scott and Virgil's faces twisted in anger, both wanting to hunt down Billy for even suggesting such a thing. Gordon's face was emotionless; he didn't want to think how things could have gone had that happened, thinking to himself, this guy really does know how to control his victims. John was trying hard not to crush Alan as he held him with all his might, never wanting to let him go again. Jeff was hiding his emotions, but inside he was as angry as Scott and Virgil towards this 'Billy', as scared as Gordon of what could have been, and as desperate as John to keep Alan safe.
Sufern had an indifferent façade, not wanting to show that he was really disgusted with what Alan was telling him. "After the threat, how did you react and what did you do?"
"I didn't fight," Alan's voice lost its edge, "And he threw me back in the chair."
"Were you tied?"
"Yeah, he had cuffed my hands," Alan said in a low and emotionless voice, "Then he came back in the room and tied me to the chair around my chest and arms…and undid the cuffs. He then put something on my wrists to make them hurt less or something."
"Was he angry still?"
"No, he had apologized for 'losing his temper'," Alan snorted, "And went back to his calm attitude."
"And what he put on your wrists, did it help?"
"Yeah, I guess," Alan shrugged, "I didn't really think about them."
"Did you talk at all while he tended to your wrists?" Sufern asked in rapid fire; not giving Alan a chance to stop and think.
Alan nodded sadly, "I asked him how many times he's done it?"
The table went quiet again; wanting and, at the same time, not wanting to know the answer. Sufern broke the silence, "What did he tell you?"
"25 times before," Alan shuddered, "25 kids sold without him getting caught. 25 kids that never went home, because all of them didn't have rich families that could compete with the bidding," Alan paraphrased, "He said I was the only one that he called the family, because I was the only kid that had a family that could keep up."
"What did you do after that?"
"He moved me back to the camera, I think," Alan answered, his voice still soft, knowing what he was about to say would also shock the room, "I asked him why he was doing it to me?"
"What was his response?" Sufern asked intrigued.
"That it was all he knew," Alan frowned and looked down at his lap, "He had been taken when he younger than me," the room stilled, "And he was sold, like he was selling me. He was made some guy's pet 'til he turned 16. Then he got sold again. He was with that guy for three years…" Alan took a breath, "He said he was molested…what does that mean?"
John flinched, Scott frowned, Virgil looked at the ceiling, Gordon closed his eyes, Sufern studiously checked his notes, Jeff inwardly groaned; none of them wanted to explain this topic to a young boy that almost had that fate.
Finally, Jeff cleared his throat and looked at Alan, who raised his eyes to meet his father's, "It means he was used for sex and the person was older than him. Alan, he was raped and had no control," Jeff said softly, and his heart broke seeing Alan instantly realize that he could have been in the same position.
"Why?" Alan asked innocently with new tears, "Why do people do that to kids?"
"Some people are just that way," Jeff frowned, "And no one but themselves really know why. It could be past experience or just that they are only satisfied with younger people."
Alan nodded to himself, no wonder Billy was so angry. After shaking his head to clear it, Alan looked at Sufern and continued his tale, "He said that after those three years, another man bought him. This is the guy that taught Billy how to do what he called 'making a living'."
"Did he give any names or details?" Alan shook his head, "Did 'Billy' tell you anything else for explanation?"
"No," Alan shook his head again, "Only that the last man let him go after a while…I don't know how long."
Sufern nodded, checking his notes, "What was going on while you were talking?"
"He was tying me to the chair again," Alan replied quietly, looking at his lap again, "And putting things on me."
"Do you know what they were?"
"Only once the bid began," Alan bit his lip fighting tears again; John put both his arms around Alan, protecting him in the circle of his arms.
"We assumed they were electrodes," Gordon spoke up quietly, "Well…Scott figured it out."
"Here I do want to know what happened during the bid, Alan," Sufern stated.
Alan looked everywhere but at the people around the table, "After the second round of shocking, Billy said that my family caught on quick…slowing their bids…but the second round was because of another buyer," he took a shuddering breath, "Then he told me that they were electrodes."
"How many electrodes did 'Billy' put on you?"
"Six," was all Alan said.
"We only counted five," Virgil said frowning.
Alan shuddered and looked at Virgil, "There was one on my back."
"What did the shocks feel like?" Sufern continued his questioning.
"Some were just zaps and tingling," Alan unconsciously rubbed at his chest where two of the electrodes had been, "Others…others took my breath away and made my muscles spaz and clench…even after they were off of me," the last part was muttered dryly.
Gordon shot Scott a we-are-so-talking-later, Scott nodded his understanding.
"What do you mean after they were off?" Sufern looked up inquisitive.
"Uh," Alan coughed, "He gave me a glass of water after the bid…One of the spasms decided that was a good time to hit…and I kind of broke the cup in my hand," Alan then held up his right and bandaged hand.
Sufern raised his eyebrows, "Must have been a strong muscle spasm to break the cup with your bare hand."
"Yeah," Alan said dryly, looking Sufern in the eye evenly, "Hurt like hell too; so did my hand."
Sufern held Alan's look, "Mind if I have a look at your hand."
"Yes," Alan said putting his hand in his lap, "I do mind. Virgil promised he wouldn't look at it again until we got home. Do you want my brother to break his promise?"
"Another brother can help," Sufern pointed out.
"Virgil is the only medic," Alan said with a straight face, at least the most medical…but Sufern doesn't need to know that.