Coach Patterson, stood. “I suggest getting comfy, we may be here for a bit.”

The whole squad, moaned.

“What was that?”

There was just silence.

“I thought so.”

“Coach?” It was Kaylie.

“Yes, Kaylie” Coach Scott answered.

“Couldn't we get out. Without the bus running it will get hot in here. The windows will only do so much. We can go to the store and get something to drink.”

Coach Scott turned to the others. After a minute or two. “We don't see anything wrong with that. Just don't go alone. OK.”

A choirs of “Yes, Coach” was heard. All ten of us filed off the bus. Purses in hand heading to the store. The three of us flyers stayed together. Charli, Molly and I ventured into the store. Lynn hung out with some of the other girls.

I could feel the eyes on me from the creeps standing in front of the porn shop. One grabbing his crotch yelling I got something for you girls. Me like a couple girls in front of us moved our hand towards our purse. Knowing full well what they wanted to do. Just like I did. Give him a reason to grab his crotch.

The three of us just skipped ahead. Not a care, just in our own world. Just the way we wanted to project. We truly were totally aware of everything going on around us. We looked around the store. Typical convenience store. Like some places in Detroit the clerk was behind bullet proof glass. I purchased a Gatorade while the other two bought Pepsi's.

We were standing in what little shade the building gave. Talking with Charli and Molly. We were the closest to the back of the building.

“What was that? Molly asked. As she turned to look.

“What?” Charli added.

“Sounds like a puppy?”

Softly, “that old ruse. These guys must be amateurs?”

“Well lets take the bait.” Charli stated. She gave slight nod to one of the other girls, who just smiled.

Molly, Charli and I walked behind the store. We saw what looked like a little dog under the front tires of a gray panel van. Charli gave me a sideways glance.

As saying, “It should have free candy painted on it.”

I gave a small snicker.

“Hey, Looks girls. It is a puppy maybe it is trapped.”Molly offered.

The three of us rushed up to were the “puppy” was. we could tell at first sight it wasn't real. As we go past the side door it opened and three guys jumped out and grabbed us. Putting chloroformed rags over our mouths. We pretended to black out.

All three of us went limp in the arms of our captors. We were roughly dragged into the van, hoods put over our heads,our hands taped together. Thrown on a bare mattress, together. We were taught, when we are placed together. Try and get close together. Charli was first to be thrown, then me then Molly.

When I landed. I made sure I used the momentum to bring myself close to Charli. As did Molly. We were able to communicate silently. We felt the van start and we took off. We drove for a little over an hour. We did get stuck in traffic. We heard the driver curse in an Russian accent.

Just before we stopped we heard one of them say, that we should be waking up soon. So we should be able to be escorted to the room not have to be carried. As soon as the van stopped and backed up. Lurching to a stop. We began to pretend to wake up.

“Whaaaaa happpppppen” I heard Molly say.

“I cccccaaan't see.” I called.

“Me either.” Charli pretended to be the most awake of us. At this time. She started crying.

Moving my head, “Hey, there's something on our heads.” I attempted to pull off.

“Neyett.” I was poked with a gun. “don't”

I stopped and began crying too. As did Molly.

“who are you?” Molly sniffled. What do you want?”

In a heavy Russian accent, “Your new masters. You do what we say, you will not be hurt.”

“What d ya mean?” I said in my scared voice.

Someone grabbed my hair and pulled me out of the van. I sobbed harder. I so wanted to spin and take out this assholes knee. Make him walk like a flamingo. But we had our orders. Wait, for the higher ups.

All three of us were pushed forward. I knew that both Molly and Charli knew when the next shove would happen. As did I. Our training enhanced our senses. I was shoved, nearly getting slammed against a wall. I stopped my nose being tickled by it. I pretended to hit it.

“Ouch” I yelled.

For that I was jabbed in the ribs. “Tikily.......... Quiet.”

We were taken into a building to the lower level. Through a couple of door. Then shoved into another room and the hood ripped off at the same time. All three of us landed in a pile on the floor. Charli was on the top of the pile she ran to the closed door. Pounding on it. Let us go she yelled.

A scared voice came from the darkness. “Save your breath. It does no good.”

“You do it too much they will come and slap you around.” Another voice said.

My eyes adjusting to what little light was in the room. I noticed a couple of girls on the bottom of a bunk bed. The room had 2 bunk beds, a sink, and a toilet. A mirror next to the door we were shoved in. Nothing else.

“Hi, I am Susie, this is Wendy and Connie.” I softly said, giving our alias. “Where are we?”

“Hell” One girl offered.

“I 'm Haylee, and this is Zoe.”

“How long have you been here.”

“What day is it?” Haylee asked.

“Monday” Molly told them.

“5 days.”

“Has it been just you two here?”

“No, we have had 6 other girls come and go.”

“6 others. Where did they go?”

“Don't know just some big guy in a mask comes in grabs them puts a hood on their head drags them out.”

I figured that the mirror was a two way mirror. My back to it I signaled Molly and Charli to check it.

“god, your hair is so messed up.”Charli told Molly.

Molly went to the mirror and checked her hair. “Your right it is a mess.” She turned and gave a slight nod. Letting us know that it is indeed a two way mirror. They can watch what we are doing.

I sat on the bunk were Haylee and Zoe were hiding. “That mirror is two way. They can see us through it.” I said quietly.

Molly nodded ever so slightly to me. I started crying hysterically, “I wanna go home. I want my mom and dad.”

I made sure I was the center of attention. As Molly pretended to curl up in the corner by the side of the window. Hugging her knees. She placed her ear to the wall, listening to anything that was out there.
As I had my crying fit I watched Molly. She moved her two finger indicating walking. The held up four fingers. Meaning there were at least four people outside the room. Then she indicated a female and one. Meaning one female also. Molly indicated for me to be quiet. I stopped and sniffled. She moved her hand as talking.

I fell to the bed. Charli came over to comfort me. She rubbed my back with her right hand. While she had her left down by my side. Passing on what Molly was signaling.

Charli signaled me that all but one had left. “Hey are you going to be alright.”

“No but I am alright. For now.”

Charli moved over to Molly. Kneeling down, “Hey come on. Get off this nasty floor.” She pulled Molly to her feet and guided her to where I was.

We kind of huddled together. Haylee and Zoe wondered what was happening.

We discussed what Molly heard. “It was 4 men and a woman. They wondered why we had on our make up. Then realized we were cheerleaders.”

“They are not to bright are they?” I mentioned. “It is on each of our tops and on Connie's butt.”

“The woman sound familiar” Molly continued. “She was saying being we are athletic we should bring top dollar.”

“So this is a child trafficking ring.”

“She asked if the big boss is going to come and check the new girls. One of the guys says that normally he doesn't but being we picked up 3 Cheerleaders he would be down. To check us out. Seems like he has a thing for cheerleaders.”

“Oh, goody.” Charli rubbed her hands together. “I just love when the boss is also a perv. So much more fun.”

“Sure is.” Molly agreed. So did I.

“What do you guys mean?” Haylee shyly questioned.

We looked at each other. Nodded. Molly began. “We are specially trained for situations such as this.”

“So you are here to rescue us.” Zoe asked.

“We are hear to eliminate the threat to young ladies.”

“When we make our move,we will try and find information on where other girls were sold too. Take them out too.”

All of the sudden a bang came to the door. A large tray was slid through a latched opening. A voice with a Russian accent, “Eat”

“I was wondering how we were going to be fed.” I got up and picked up the tray. The food on the tray looked eatable. My enhanced smell picked up on something that wasn't right.

I set it on the other bottom bunk. Looking at Molly and Charli. Gave a slight nod. Indicating something in the food was drugged. The three of us. Went over to the food. Picked up two of the five plates. The smell didn't come from the plates of food. We set a plate down for Zoe and Haylee.

When I returned to get a plate for myself. I also grabbed a cup of milk. The smell was coming from the milk.

Setting my plate back on the tray. “Don't these people know about being lactose intolerant.” As I poured it down the drain.

Molly did the same. Saying it looked like it was whole milk and she only drinks skim 1% milk.

Then Charli started teasing Molly about here then have my milk its good for you. Charli shoved the cup in Molly's face, She pushed it away, the cup slipped out of her hands into the toilet.

“See what you made me do?”

“I'm sorry.”

Charli smiled and nodded.

By the time we had gotten rid of the drugged milk. Haylee and Zoe had came out of the corner. And began eating. Just as Zoe lifted her cup to take a drink.

Very quietly, I told her. “You had better not drink that they have drugged it.”

“What?” She began shaking.

“Stop, listen to me. You need to pretend that nothing is wrong. Put the cup down.”

“UH, ooookkkkkkk.”

“You two need to listen to us.” Molly started. Very quietly. As she ate. “The rest of the food is alright. We are your best chance on getting out of here.”

“Just relax. We have everything thought out.”

“I hope you are right. Because I wanna go home.”

We relaxed, and ate. It was in silence but Molly, Charli, and I had the gray matter working overtime. As we ate we talked using hand signals. We need to get someone by the mirror again. To listen, then figure out just how many are out there.

The three of us got into a heated conversation. With Molly accusing me of causing all this.

Charli, taking her side.

I just up and hollered at them. “Fine then leave me alone.”I moved to the corner by the mirror, I just hugged my legs to my chest. With a sad expression. I leaned my left ear to the wall.

I heard like someone was pacing. His foot falls were not that heavy. Meaning that he didn't weight that much. Another approached the mirror. His foot steps heavy and kind of clumsy sounding.

“Where is the other one?” The second one asked. A heavy Russian accent.

“She had a fight with the her friends and then moved. She is sitting right down here in the corner. You can barely see her.”