November 2002
Natasha washed the blood off Sasha beaten and abused body. Sasha ran the game of distracting the two thugs from her and the other kids. He took punishments to protect them. Natasha knew Sasha was continually analyzing routine, sounds, their location but time was running out. Tomorrow they would be spilt up and sold on. Sasha wanted to get them all out together. Then Natasha noted he was smiling and holding two bits of wire. In minutes the padlocks and manacles were picked loose. They crept along the corridor to the exit. She then watched as Sasha efficiently eliminated the guards. The two thugs did not expect an attack. Sasha now had cash and a set of car keys. They could escape.
They drove through the industrial estate and Sasha spoke for the first time. "We are in LA. Los Angeles. America. We need to loose this car. We shall eat first. Then find a place to stay. Somewhere safe." Four pairs of blank expressionless eyes watched Sasha. Their silence was their agreement.
Originally there had been over twenty kids. Sasha had woken from his drugged sleep in a hangar at a small airfield. The shipment was split there. The teenagers and children pushed into vans. Gagged and chained together.
They walked away from the car after eating the drive through food ordered by Sasha, conversing in English with a smooth American accent. With the car abandoned. The children shuffled along the side walk. Anna and Olga supporting Sasha and Natasha carrying Little Pytor. Sasha then pointed to the church. "We ask for sanctuary. I can't walk much further N'tasha." His face was grey. She noted the faint spray of blood on his lips.
Sasha shuffled to the altar holding his ribs like he was holding his body together. Speaking with a thick russian accent "Father?"
The priest looked around to see a boy who had been badly beaten and four other children behind him. All still, pensive and quiet. Waiting.
"In the name of the father and holy mother we beg for sanctuary. Please help my brother and sisters." the boy rasped.
The priest looked puzzled "And for yourself child?"
Sasha smiled and blood bubbled on his lips. He then let go and fell. Natasha then screamed and all the children ran forward to their fallen brother.
The paramedics pushed a line into the kid put oxygen onto his face and then rushed him to the nearest trauma unit. The kid had internal bleeding, a punctured lung and was far too skinny.
The boy was speaking. In English the cop noted. "Let me go. Please let me go. I want to go to my parents. Let me go." The cop knew the kid's parents were dead. The kids all showed signs of abuse but this teenager had obviously protected the others from the worst of it. Now he wanted peace. The cop hated it when they came across kids abused to the point death was a blessed release.