CHAPTER SIX

"Calvin Marcus Johnson, Jr., Victor Raoul Hernandez, and Damon Walter Bell. All three served in Southeast Asia after the end of the Vietnam War. Damon is a pilot and was thought to have gone down over Danang. Calvin and Victor were part of a mission to free POWs. All three men are in their seventies now. If they've been there thirty years, they must have been held somewhere else and moved," said Ace.

"Christ, who the fuck is doing this?" asked Gaspar, speaking to the rest of the team back home.

Trak was able to get April out of the hospital unseen. No one knew how. No one asked. No one cared. Nine had a conversation with the chief physician on the team. He wasn't forthcoming at all. That is until Nine called the POTUS.

"Sir, this woman may have classified information," said the doctor.

"I don't give a flying fig if she's got gold bullion from the national treasury. These men have a higher clearance than you. Let her go."

"She may know things that we need to know," said the doctor.

"And we'll find out what she knows," said Nine. Before any other arguments could be made, a nurse came in, whispering to the doctor.

"She's gone! What did you do?" he yelled. The POTUS was chuckling on the other end of the line.

"We've been sitting here with you, dumbass," frowned Nine. "I think the better question is, what the fuck is happening in your hospital that a woman can just walk out without anyone seeing her?"

Before the doctor could order further, the POTUS dismissed them all, and Nine walked out with Wilson and Ghost behind him. He could only pray Trak, Ian, and Gaspar were able to make it to the house on Coronado with the young woman.

By the time they arrived, Gaspar was already speaking with Code and Ace back home. He smiled as Erin, Faith, Kelsey, and Ashley walked out of the kitchen.

"Well, you four make this place a helluva lot better looking," he smirked. "How is our girl doing?"

"She's confused. She doesn't understand anything. She's never seen a television or radio. She's never slept in a bed or seen a shower or bathtub. We brought her some clothes and personal items. None of which she even knew how to use."

"What do you mean?" Nine asked his wife.

"Nine, she's never had a period. We think they may have sterilized the women or she was so malnourished she just never had a normal cycle. It could even be that she was beaten so much she didn't notice the blood. She's never worn a bra or panties. She's never had a bar of soap or shampoo. Faith helped her to bathe," said Erin. Nine looked at Faith, knowing that she saw the scars on her back.

"I've never seen, I mean, Winter is the closest I've ever seen to that. Maybe Alec and Trak. Who would do that to her?" frowned Faith.

Ian kissed his wife's forehead, holding her closely. Hearing the soft creak of the stairs, they turned to see the young woman, fresh and clean, wearing a pair of warm sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"A man paid to be allowed to whip me," she said, looking at them. Slowly, she lowered herself to the steps, gripping the railings as she did, peering through the bars as if she were a prisoner. "He said if I cried, he would do it again. He lied. I didn't cry, and he did it again anyway. I'm not normal, am I?"

Trak turned his back to her, slowly lifting his t-shirt. She looked at the intense man, rising to touch his flesh. He felt her cold, childlike fingers on his back and sucked in a breath. She'd seen other women with scars like hers, but never a man.

"Did someone pay to do that to you?" she asked.

"No, little one. Someone did this just because they were bigger than me at the time."

"What will happen to me now?" she asked, looking at the group of people. Ashley held out a hand, and she stared at it, unsure of what to do.

"You can take my hand if you like," she smiled. April lay her hand into the woman's and followed her to the soft, cushy sofa. "What would you like to happen to you now?"

"Can I eat?" she asked.

"Yes," laughed Ghost. "You can eat as much as you like. Just don't make yourself sick." She looked around the room and then back at them.

"Where do I pick the food?" The gut punches continued for the men, the women just giving motherly smiles to her.

"In the kitchen, the room in there, there is a refrigerator. It's a big box that keeps things cold. We've placed groceries and food in there. There's fresh fruit, sliced ham and turkey, many things. Do you like those things?" asked Faith.

"I don't know. I've only eaten fish and fruit. That's all we were given and only if we did what they paid for us to do."

"Well, you don't have to do anything except be happy," said Kelsey. "Come with me. I'll fix you a plate of food." She turned to follow Kelsey, then turned back to the men.

"I want to help find the others. I want to help Calvin, Damon, and Vic. They were the first men in my whole life who were nice to me and didn't touch me."

"Then we'll let you help when the time comes," smiled Wilson.

Trak glared at his friend, not willing to put this young woman in any more danger. When she'd disappeared into the kitchen, Wilson turned to his frowning friend.

"I know what you're going to say, but that young woman is the only person who saw that island, saw those men, and saw the face of her captor. I damn sure won't put her in any danger, but I'm going to let her experience freedom of choice."

"She is a victim," said Trak.

"I know that, Trak. Let's help her not be a victim any longer. Look at her," he said, pointing to the kitchen. "She doesn't know about a refrigerator, or a kitchen, or deli meat. Hell, she didn't even understand how the bathtub or toilet worked."

They all froze for a moment, staring at one another.

"She didn't know how the toilet worked," said Ghost. "We've been to those places. We've been to the Philippines, and we've seen brothels. Most have running water, toilets, showers, beds, everything. She was in a place without all of that."

"We can find it," said Trak. "I will find it."

"Brother, you can find it, but not on your own. You're not as young as you used to be. None of us are," said Nine, raising his hands in defense. "Take three with you. Any three."

"Whiskey, Jean, and Rory. I'll take them," said Trak. Ian smirked at their friend, shaking his head.

"You mean to hurt some people."

"Yes."

"We need to know where that island is first," said Ian. "Just try to get that information. And take pictures of the locations you go to. We need April to positively identify that you have the right place."

"Okay," he said with a shrug.

"Trak, we need to get information from these people. Don't kill anyone until we have it," said Ghost. Trak stared at his friends, the deep creases of his frown and anger showing more dominantly.

"What if they come at me first? I can kill them, can't I?"

"Yes, you can kill them if they come at you first," said Nine. "Just try to get information from them."

"Okay. Can I take Alvin?"

"No! You can't fucking take an alligator with you!" said Gaspar. The others all smiled at their friend, who was perplexed by the question.

"Okay. I'll call Rory, Jean, and Whiskey and have them meet me at the airport. We'll be back in a few days." Trak disappeared, and they all just stood there wondering what would really happen on the other end. Ghost just shook his head.

"What are you shaking your head about?" grinned Ian.

"That Gaspar thinks taking Rory, Jean, and Whiskey is better than taking Alvin." Gaspar opened his mouth then just shook his head.

"Those bastards don't stand a chance."