Barrel

6

He walked down the lane and crept into the main building. He stopped as he saw two guards. They were laying on the ground at their post, and as he crept closer, he realized they were asleep. Not just asleep, but passed out drunk. Empty bottles lay next to them.

He frowned. Did they honestly think no one was going to enter the place? But then again, who would? They were traffickers who had been getting away with this for years, after all, and no one wanted to f**k with them. Except him. He walked past them, heading deeper into the building. He climbed stealthily up the stairs toward the back. Opening a door, he found Sergie fast asleep.

He wanted to skin the man alive slowly while watching him beg for mercy. He wanted to kill him, strangle the life out of him. But he had a job, and a dead Sergie wouldn't tell him anything. He slipped his pocket knife free and walked toward the ringleader, pressing the knife against his throat. Sergie's eyes popped open, and Barrel leaned forward.

"Where's the American you smuggled, Sergie?"

Sergie's eyes locked on him in rage. "Who the f**k do you think you are?"

Barrel pressed the blade down and watched Sergie freeze. "The person that could end your life. Now, where the f**k is the girl?"

Sergie's eyes narrowed on him. "I'm not telling you anything."

Barrel liked the idea. He wanted to make the man bleed. So, he pulled the knife away just before he swiftly sliced over his left eye, making the man jump. He pressed the blade back to his throat before the man even realized what had happened.

"Tell me where the girl is, Sergie."

The man remained silent, and Barrel started to laugh. He leaned down, growling at him, "You grabbed the wrong girl, Sergie. You f****d up big time, and it's gonna cost you."

He pulled another pocket knife out and slammed it into the bed between the covered legs. Sergie jumped, and it made Barrel chuckle. All the color left his face, and Barrel knew he was inches from Sergie’s c**k. If he wanted, he could cut it clean off. But he wanted the man to talk first.

"All right!" He shook as he spoke. "She's at the brothel, you bastard."

Barrel smiled. "Was that so hard, Sergie?"

Sergie swallowed, nervous, and Barrel relished in the fear the man was dripping in. And as much as he wanted to stay and continue, he didn't have time. He was on the clock. He pulled the second blade up and stabbed down, sinking the knife into Sergie's thigh, inches from his c**k. Sergie screamed as Barrel twisted the blade, pulling the first razor edge from his throat. He watched blood gush out of his wound, and he knew he had hit his femoral artery.

"Enjoy hell, Sergie."

"Guards!" Sergie screamed, but Barrel was already out the door. He took the corner, not bothering to spare a moment. He wasn't sure Sergie would make it out of that bed. To be honest, if he did, he would just visit again and make sure the man suffered far worse than what he had done so far.

He exited the building and turned the corner down the block. He could see the building and all the bright lights.

It was quiet after a long day, but two guards sat stationed at the front door. Barrel didn't want to waste any more time, so he pulled out his silenced pistol and shot them. The second one yelled before Barrel could quiet him, which brought out five more guards.

He shot each without fail, a head shot. It only took him a few moments before the area grew quiet again. It would last long. He slipped into the building and scurried down the hallway until he hit the stairs that led up.

He found a single door with bars, and he smiled. His mission was almost complete, and then he would be free.

He grabbed the key hanging on the door and unlocked it. He pulled it open, the sound echoing around him. The girls inside all sat up, staring at him in shock. Barrel couldn't begin to understand what they had all gone through, but he was happy enough to at least free them.

He looked over each girl, and his heart sank. He was given a detailed description of what Eva looked like, and none of these girls even came close. Which only meant one thing.

Eva wasn't here.

EVA

"I asked you where do you think you are going?" The man's footsteps grew closer, and Eva knew she needed to think fast. Her eyes rapidly searched around and landed on a large glass canister sitting in a niche.

She forced her voice to come out weak, wanting to make the man think she was confused, "I think I'm lost," she said, playing it out. "I took a wrong turn." She slid against the wall and slipped her fingers over the handle of the container. Tightening her grip over the glass, she waited until he reached out to grab her.

She twisted swiftly, swinging the canister around. She pulled it higher up, bashing it hard against the man's head. A large crack filled the air, and the container broke. The man stumbled back a few feet before dropping sideways into the wall and falling.

The man didn't get up, and his eyes slammed shut. Eva swallowed, hoping she hadn't killed him. She didn't know if she could stomach that, but she didn't have time to worry about that. She had bigger problems on her hands than murder.

Eva waited a moment, holding the broken canister close. She expected a group to come running down the hallway to see what had happened. She knew that the sound echoed down the hall.

Her heart raced, and her body stiffened. But nothing happened. The aisle fell silent once more.

She dropped the broken container and turned toward the door, shoving it open.

The cold air bit at her bare skin, and her legs cramped. After being locked to a bed, all this activity made her tired. She wanted to rest but thought better of it. She couldn't waste a single minute catching her breath.

She took in her surroundings, unable to see much. Night had covered everything in darkness, and there were no extra lights to help guide her. She did see a low wall surrounding the brothel and a few buildings scattered around.

There was the sound of cars, so she wondered if they were in the middle of a town. A car would be a great way to get away fast. But she would have to get through the gates. They would have guards stationed there for sure. The river behind the brothel gave her another idea.

If she could steal a boat, she could get away undetected. Traveling by boat could work until she was far away enough to find another way of transportation. But did she have time to figure out how to get a boat working, let alone get away without bringing more attention to herself?