Vengeance is Bittersweet

By
Julie O

Edited by Amelia R. and Bob Arnold

Synopsis: Falsely accused of rape, Gene Logan was transformed into the gorgeous Jean Logan. Now she seeks revenge against the people who turned her life upside-down.

Features characters from The Protector and Change of Course stories
Angel cameos courtesy of Tyrone Slothrop

Chapter 1

Detective Matt Walsh was slightly surprised when the woman had called his station and requested him specifically by name. She insisted that she had important information regarding one of his cases. When he asked her which case, she refused to answer him, insisting that he meet her in person. He looked at his watch and asked her when she could come in to talk. It was late, and he was hoping to get home soon to catch the last few innings of the Padres game on TV. She insisted that he meet her out of the station.

Reluctantly, he agreed. She stated that she was presently sitting in a local coffee house located a few blocks from the station. She went on to say that she was sitting in a booth, wearing a ruby colored dress, and that he couldn’t miss her. He checked his watch and agreed to meet her in ten minutes.

Matt half expected this to be a wild goose chase or a joke concocted by some of the other detectives; still it was a worth a shot, if her information helped him clear up one of his many cases. He checked out of the office and headed to the coffeehouse. When he walked inside, Matt was stunned when he saw her sitting in a booth near the back; she was probably the sexiest woman he had ever seen.

Matt was thirty-six and had been a detective in the San Diego Police Force for eight years. He was six-one and was a muscular two hundred pounds. He had short dark brown curly hair, a matching moustache and a killer smile. Because of this, his nickname in the department was Magnum. Matt’s reputation of being a ladies man was well known in the department, but it was immediately obvious to him that this woman was way out of his league.

Out of habit, he scanned the room as he walked towards her; it was almost empty and he saw no signs of danger. As he sat down across from her, he casually pulled out his badge and ID and showed it to her.

“I’m Detective Walsh, how can I help you?” he asked as he studied her.

Matt stared at the stunningly beautiful woman sitting across from him. Every pore of her body oozed sexuality. Living in California, he had seen plenty of surgically enhanced and improved women. The joke was that most such women had as much and quite possibly more plastic in them as the average car. However, whoever had done her surgery had been an artist. It was as if she had been sculpted by one of the grandmasters and had come to life.

Her face had a very classic look of beauty, high cheekbones, a perfect petite nose, and sensual lips. Her breasts were in Matt’s opinion, perfect. They were round, full, and firm. He estimated that they were at least DD, probably bigger, and looked perfect on her frame. In fact, her entire figure looked perfect, from her shapely hips to her long smooth legs.

She was dressed in a red mini dress that seemed painted on her body. Normally, Matt felt that sort of dress made the wearer look cheap, but it worked for her. So did the four-inch heels.

Her shoulder length hair was blonde, and while Matt sensed it wasn’t her natural hair color, it complemented her looks.

“Are you through running your eyes over me?” asked the woman. Her tone was a combination of amusement and slight annoyance.

Matt was about to say “almost,” but the last thing he needed was a complaint in his record.

“I’m sorry; it’s just that I don’t usually see someone like you in my line of work. Now, how can I help you?” he asked.

“It’s okay; I’m getting used to being gawked at,” she said.

Her response seemed odd to Matt.

“You don’t recognize me, do you, Detective Walsh?” she asked in a soft tone.

Matt shook his head. “Should I? I’m pretty good at remembering faces and I’m sorry, Miss, but I’m positive that I would have remembered you.”

He looked at her again and wondered if she was in show business. San Diego was only 120 miles south of LA, and they did get their share of celebrities, but she didn’t look familiar. Still, he didn’t exactly run in those circles. When a celebrity got in trouble in San Diego, it was handled carefully by others in the department. The only celebrity case he’d been involved in was when one of the Chargers linebackers beat up his girlfriend following a loss.

The woman nodded as if she expected his confusion. “My name is Jean Logan, does that help?”

Matt cocked his head. Something about that name was familiar, but it didn’t seem to match the woman he was looking at. “Jean Logan?” he asked.

The woman nodded. “Let me see if this refreshes your memory: fourteen months ago, in the interrogation room down the hall from your office, you questioned me for three hours concerning the alleged rape of Angie Harris.”

Matt shared back in disbelief. “What the fu… I beg your pardon? That’s not possible.”

“You questioned me for three hours before releasing me, stating that you didn’t have enough evidence to file charges, but that I would remain a suspect,” continued Jean.

“Wait a minute, I remember questioning a man, a man named ‘Gene’ Logan….” his voice tailed off. “No, you can’t be him.”

Jean nodded. “I was once a male named Gene Logan, but that was what seems like a lifetime ago. Here, if you don’t believe me, check my DNA. I can give you a sample if you like. In spite of what they did to me, it should still be the same. You can also check my fingerprints, they haven’t changed either.” She held out her hands.

“That won’t be necessary right now, maybe later. Why don’t we go back to my office and talk?” suggested Matt.

Jean shook her head. “I didn’t want to meet you in your station, because I don’t trust everyone there. You’ll understand as you hear me out.”

Chapter 2

Matt now remembered the case. A woman named Angie Harris claimed to have been raped at knifepoint in her home. Her husband was a sailor on one of the aircraft carriers stationed over at North Island Naval Air Station. Angie claimed that she had been raped the night before her husband came home unexpectedly from sea. She didn’t file a police report until two days later, and the lack of evidence created some doubt in the initial policeman’s report. She did give a general description of the rapist. He was described as white, 5-8, medium build, light brown hair, blue eyes.

Three days later she was out with her husband, Rod, in Horton Plaza and suddenly began screaming and pointing at a man, Gene Logan, claiming he had been the one who raped her. Her husband immediately attacked Mr. Logan. By the time the police arrived, he had nearly beaten Mr. Logan unconscious.

The story was immediately jumped upon by the local media and Petty Officer Harris was being called a hero even as Mr. Logan was being checked out by the EMTs. Surprisingly, his injuries weren’t that severe, and he was brought in for questioning.

Matt was assigned the case, and he conducted the initial interrogation. Much to his own regret, Matt had got caught up in the hoopla of the case and assumed that Logan was the rapist. Gene Logan did fit the general description of the rapist, and Angie was convinced he was the one. Matt figured this would be a slam-dunk, and he could get back to his other cases. The assistant DA assigned to the case was just outside the interrogation room, anxiously awaiting the thumbs up to start the indictment, so he could talk to the press.

To Matt’s surprise, Gene agreed to the questioning, claiming that he was the real victim in the case. As Matt questioned Gene, it became clear that something was definitely wrong.

Gene Logan was twenty-four and a computer systems technician. He worked for one of the defense contractors and had a top security clearance. Other than a few speeding tickets, he had a clean record.

Gene claimed that the night in question he had been working up in Orange County and didn’t arrive home until well after the time Angie claimed to have been raped. Gene said he could even provide proof. First, he said that he signed out of work just after midnight and that he had been pulled over by the California Highway Patrol on I-5 just north of Camp Pendleton around one in the morning for speeding. The officer had given him a warning and let him go.

While Matt questioned Gene, other officers were checking out Angie’s story. It turned out that she had filed a similar charge of sexual assault back in Norfolk, Virginia. The detective in change of the case found no evidence of assault and suspected that the charges were falsified. He wrote that he suspected that she had filed the charges to cover up an extramarital affair, but he couldn’t find enough proof to press charges against her.

Another detective had questioned the neighbors of Angie and Rod, who said that they fought often. They also said that Angie seemed to have a lot of male visitors whenever her husband was out of town.

Two hours into Gene’s interrogation, Matt was handed the Norfolk file. Combined with what the other detective had told him, this convinced him that Gene was innocent. However, by now the case had become a media circus. It was a very slow news week, and many television and radio stations were all camped outside the station, waiting for news of Gene’s arrest. Thanks to the spread of cable news, the story was even starting to get national coverage, the war hero husband returns to fight for his wife’s honor. It was a great story.

Matt excused himself from the interrogation and talked to the assistant DA and his own supervisors.

“The guy’s innocent. Besides, we have no physical proof that the woman was even raped,” explained Matt.

“That’s not going to fly, Detective Walsh! Do you have any idea how many reporters are outside? Do you expect me to go out there and tell them that she made it all up and her husband assaulted an innocent man?” asked the DA. “If we let this guy go, they’ll eat us alive!”

Assistant DA Dale Gold was an ambitious man, and many suspected that he was planning a run for city council the following year. His cases almost always seemed to get a lot of media coverage.

“Since when do we let the press dictate who we arrest? What do you want me to do, make up some evidence? I know, I can beat the guy up some more and make him confess; would you like that?” asked Matt angrily.

“Are you sure about this, Matt?” asked Matt’s supervisor, Captain Ron Bolton, ignoring Matt’s emotional outburst. Matt was one of his best investigators, even if he did have a temper.

“Cap, the guy wasn’t even in town when the rape was ‘supposed’ to have occurred. The company’s security log shows him checking out right after midnight, and we just got the CHP report that placed him right where he said he was. The medical report on Mrs. Harris shows she had sex, but they couldn’t determine if it was rape or not. I have a strong gut feeling that if we investigate her, we’ll find that she’s lying and probably cried rape to avoid being caught in an affair.” He then handed Ron the reports from the other detective and from Norfolk.

“You start saying things like that, and the press will crucify us!” yelled Dale.

“Screw the press. Look, if we charge Logan with rape, he’ll not only beat the charges, but it’ll make us look really stupid in the process. A half decent lawyer would have no trouble getting a judge to toss the case out of court. I know the press is all behind this woman because it’s a great story, but from a strictly police point of view, there’s just no proof to charge Logan,” stated Matt firmly.

“You positive about this, Matt?” asked Ron.

“One hundred percent,” replied Matt.

“Shit,” stated the DA. “What the hell am I going to tell the press now?”

“What do you mean?” asked Matt.

The DA shook his head. “I sort of jumped the gun and stated that we had a confession from the suspect.”

Matt looked at Capt. Bolton and then back at the DA. “It’s your mess, you unfuck it.”

“Matt! Watch your mouth!” stated Capt. Bolton.

“I’m being honest; this isn’t our problem. There’s no evidence to press charges against Logan, and I’m not about to frame an innocent man,” snapped Matt.

“Okay, okay, here’s what we’ll do. We won’t charge Mr. Logan at this time, but we’ll hold a press conference and state that he’s still a suspect. We can say that we’re waiting for ‘additional tests;’ yeah, that sounds good,” said the DA. “Captain, have your department run a full investigation on this man Logan, maybe we can turn up something. Who knows, maybe letting the suspect go will be good for the case; who knows what will happen once he’s back on the street.” He then chuckled.

“You do what you feel is best, but I want nothing to do with this,” stated Matt. He then glared at Dale, “Just so you know, Mr. District Attorney, if something happens to Logan, the blood is on your hands, and I’ll run in any vigilante who hurts him.”

The Assistant DA addressed the press. Angie Harris broke down and cried. Her husband complained loudly to the press that there was no justice. A reporter asked him if he wanted another chance to finish the job. Naturally, the press ate this up. An hour after the press conference, Gene was released.

All Gene wanted was to get home and go to bed. It was after eleven when he was released, and the police said that he would have to find his own way home. He was able to get out of a side door and escape the remaining press hanging around the police station. He walked several blocks before he flagged down a cab. He was about to tell the driver where to take him when the tranquilizer dart struck him in the chest. The effects were immediate, and he slumped down in the back of the cab.

Chapter 3

“You mean you were abducted as soon as you left the station?” asked Matt, as he pulled out his notebook.

Jean nodded

“So, you didn’t do this to yourself?” he asked.

“When I next woke up, I found that my life was about to change drastically and no, Detective Walsh, I didn’t do this to myself.” Her tone was suddenly agitated and bitter. She glared back at him angrily.

“I’m sorry, that was out of line, please forgive me.”

Jean nodded and sipped her coffee. “Apology accepted.”

“We tried to re-interview you the next day. When we couldn’t find you, we received permission from your family to enter your home. A missing person’s file was later created,” explained Matt. “At first, the Harris family and press claimed that your disappearance was proof of your guilt, so did the assistant DA. He wanted to file a warrant for your arrest. However, as time passed and there was so sign of you, it became apparent that maybe something had happened to you.”

Jean took another sip of her coffee.

“Personally, I thought that Harris had killed you, but I wasn’t allowed to investigate them, as they were media darlings,” said Matt. “Anyway, we can talk more about that later; please continue with your tale.”

Jean set her cup down. “Apparently, the news of the case reached a vigilante group soon after I was brought in for questioning. They were angered that, in spite of a positive identification by the so-called victim, I was released without any charges being filed. They abducted me and decided to punish me, since they believed that the legal system had failed them. I never saw any of them, but there were seven of them on the main committee, three men and four women. These are the seven monsters that sentenced me to my present life. I can remember every one of their voices, as they berated me and discussed my punishment,” stated Jean. Her voice tailed off, and for a moment it almost cracked. However, she recovered her composure quickly. “They said that it was wrong that I wasn’t charged and that Mrs. Harris’s identification of me should have been enough. The assistant DA’s comments at the press conferences further convinced them that I was guilty and that I would escape justice.”

“He’s now on the city council,” interjected Matt.

“I’m well aware of that,” replied Jean in a harsh tone. “Anyway, I was tried and found guilty by the committee.”

“Whoa, you mean they held a trial?”

Jean nodded. “I guess you could call it that. I was brought into a room and listened to the charges against me. I was unable to speak and was also blindfolded, so I couldn’t see them. In fact, during my entire captivity, whenever they talked to me, I was blindfolded. They said that they were tired of seeing men like me commit crimes and walk away without punishment, just because we were clever enough not to leave evidence. They said that they had taken it upon themselves to correct these errors and that I would pay for my crimes.”

“Wait a minute, they changed you into a beautiful woman as a form of punishment?” interrupted Matt. “That doesn’t make sense.”

Jean grinned slightly. “The physical changes are only part of what they did to me. They stated that, since I obviously found women to be just objects of sexual pleasure, I should find out what it’s like to be one. They immediately sent me off for the start of a series of complicated surgeries. In between the surgeries, I was subjected to what could be best called brainwashing.”

“Why?” asked Matt.

“To give me strong sexual urges, cravings if you like, for sex. I was programmed to dress and act sexually provocative and given a body that would attract attention. The kicker is that, inside, I was the same person, Gene Logan, a rather average heterosexual male. They figured that the programmed sex drive for men would be the ultimate punishment for a rapist. I was horrified by what they were doing to me and helpless to do anything to stop them.”

“So they did this to you in the last fourteen months?”

Jean nodded. “I want to tell you what they did to me and why I’m here today.”

“Okay, can I get you anything before you start?” he asked.

“Another cup of coffee would be nice, please,” she replied as she extended her cup.

Chapter 4

Jean took a sip of her coffee and then appeared to look off in the distance, as if she was lost in thought.

“Okay, I’m ready to tell you what happened to me,” she stated.

Jean started to describe how her unknown captors began to mold her body using state-of-the-art microsurgery. Before each operation, Jean would be told what they were about to do to her.

First they reworked her face. They removed all her facial hair and transformed Gene’s face into the gorgeous woman, Jean.

“As they were punishing me, I found it strange at first that they were so careful to avoid any discomfort that I might have felt. I was never in pain, even as they reshaped my body. I later found out that this wasn’t done for my benefit; they used this time to recondition my mind,” she stated. “Pain would decrease the effects of the treatments.”

“How? Did they use drugs?’ asked Matt.

“Yes, among other methods. Again, I couldn’t see the people doing this to me, I could only hear them. The doctor, and I use that term very loosely, who was in charge of my brainwashing was probably Chinese. I have a thing for dialects, as I took four semesters of Chinese when I was in college. From what I overheard, they used computer programs to give me my new personality.”

“This is sort of beyond the scope of this department,” stated Matt.

“I understand, but I need to start somewhere. I figured that my showing up here would clear one of your missing person cases. I also hope that you can direct me to an appropriate agency to take this to,” continued Jean.

Matt nodded.

Jean went on to describe how she’d lost track of time, often waking up with new changes to her body. They’d reshaped every aspect of her body, making it extremely sexy and desirable to men. Her vocal cords were also operated on to give her a more feminine voice.

“You know, the more I think about it, the more you sound like someone famous,” stated Matt.

“Lauren Bacall?’ asked Jean.

“That’s it,” he replied.

“I noticed that too. They told me that they didn’t want my voice too high pitched, but at the same time they wanted it to be sexy,” she replied.

“So what else did they do to you?” he asked.

“I found that I started having sexual desires for men. No, that’s not exactly true; I began to crave sexual contact with men. It was horrible, as deep down I still consider myself heterosexual, in spite of what was done to me,” stated Jean. “They also changed by body chemistry.”

She then described how her captors injected hundreds of small time-released hormone capsules throughout her body.

“They told me that it was a highly concentrated and genetically modified hormone. It would keep my body soft and feminine for many years. There was one aspect of the hormones they seemed extremely proud of; that I could still become aroused,” stated Jean.

Matt looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not a complete woman; they left me with my penis, although like the rest of my body, it has been modified,” she stated. “They wanted me to be, in their words, a ‘she-male slut.’ I would be able to get hard and achieve orgasm, even though my hormone levels are female. They said that this would make me very desirable among men who craved perverse sex, and with my modified thoughts, I would eagerly give them what they wanted.”

Jean went on to describe how her penis was smaller than before. It was now only a few inches long when hard. Her captors stated that they wanted her to have a constant reminder of her past life, and that she wouldn’t be a real woman; she would have to live in fear of having her “little secret” exposed.

“I guess they did it so that I would be living with conflicting emotions — on the one hand eagerly seeking man sexual partners, and at the same time fearful that they might be horrified by my mixed gender status.”

“Is that all?” he asked.

Jean shook her head. “No, they also modified my… um… my rectum. It’s been surgically changed to make it not only more easily accessed in terms of sex, but they made it more sensitive, so that I can get off while being made love to.”

“How did you get away?” asked Matt. He had thought he had heard it all in his ten years as a cop, but Jean’s story was the tops. He wasn’t sure if he believed her or not, but then, why would she lie? he thought.

“Well, I suppose that I should thank you,” stated Jean. “The surgery was completed first, and they were about to really start messing with my mind, when they stopped. Apparently, there was some doubt in their minds to my guilt. I wasn’t sure how much later it was that some of the women came in and apologized to me, if you could call it an apology,” stated Jean.

“What do you mean?” asked Matt.

“One said that the police had exposed my accuser as having made up the charges. Apparently, her husband caught her in an affair, and her story of rape collapsed like a house of cards,” said Jean. “I later found out that you were the one who investigated her. Thank you.” She then told him the rest of the information concerning the case.

Matt felt embarrassed. “I don’t think you should thank me for anything. I did suspect that she was lying, but I had no proof. I was given a tip by a neighbor, and she confessed, in part to avoid being assaulted by her husband.”

“I know; they told me everything. They didn’t actually apologize for what they did, and then they told me that they couldn’t return me back to the man that I had once been. The effects of the transformation were one-way. I was told that, on the plus side, they wouldn’t kill me or complete their original plans for me.”

“That was nice of them,” stated Matt.

“Yeah, I know. ‘We abducted you and fucked up your mind and body, but to make it up to you, we won’t further mess you up.’ One of the women even justified their actions by saying that every man is a potential rapist, and what they did was right, in a symbolic way. God, I hate them!” exclaimed Jean as she banged her fist down on the table.

Jean told Matt that while the surgery wasn’t reversible, they were able to ease some of the effects of the mental changes.

“The best they would do was to make my sexual urges ‘controllable.’ The overall mental state they had programmed into me stayed the same. I have feminine traits and persona. I feel a strong need to dress the way I am now. It’s like I get a sense of well-being when I’m dressed and looking sexy. I’ve tried to fight it, but it’s impossible.”

“Sounds like they didn’t do much for you,” stated Matt.

“Oh, it’s what they didn’t do to me that counts. They told me in no uncertain terms that I would have been turned into a totally sex-addicted slut. They said that I would have probably ended up on the streets doing tricks to get a sexual high. It doesn’t take a detective to figure out that they have done this to others. I suspect that if you check missing persons, you may find some that have fallen into their hands,” stated Jean bitterly.

Matt nodded as he scribbled some notes on his pad. “From what you’ve told me, it sounds like they have quite an established organization. I agree with you that they must have contacts in my office, and that’s frightening. So, what happened to you next?”

“Anyway, they said that they would release me when the time was right. Without warning, I woke up yesterday morning in a suite at the Hotel Del Coronado. It’s booked for the rest of the week in my name. I have a full wardrobe, a BMW coupe, several gold cards, and a bank account with $25,000 in it. My driver’s license states that I have a Las Vegas address. Obviously, they have money and can afford to ‘pay’ me off. That doesn’t make sense to me. An organization like this is obviously expensive, and I can’t see how you can make money by punishing sex offenders.”

Matt nodded.

“I mean, there has to be another reason for doing this to people,” she continued.

“May I see your license?” asked Matt.

Jean pulled it out of her purse and handed it to him.

“If it’s a fake, it’s the best I’ve ever seen,” he stated as he examined the Nevada license. “I agree with you; there’s something missing as to why they’re doing this.”

“Oh, the credit cards are all real too,” added Jean. “Another thing I can’t figure out is why they dumped me here. It would have been easier to leave me in Vegas.”

“I have no idea,” said Matt. “So, besides clearing up your missing person’s status, what else do you want?”

“I want them,” she stated firmly. “What they did to me isn’t right, and they shouldn’t get away with it.”

“I see,” said Matt.

“I know I should let it slide, but I can’t. They have a big organization, and it scares me that they’ve taken the law into their own hands.”

“I was thinking the same thing. You mentioned some things to me about the case that weren’t made public,” replied Matt. “But what can you do?”

“I want to see someone, anyone, who can examine me; maybe they can narrow down who did this. There can’t be too many surgeons who have this level of skill,” stated Jean.

“That sounds reasonable,” said Matt. He was impressed with her logic.

“Look, I know that people escape prosecution all the time. You work within the rules, and it must burn your ass to see the guilty walk away, but we have rules to protect the innocent. Someone told them that I was guilty and got it wrong. If they screwed this up, how many others have been hurt?” continued Jean.

“You sound pretty strong about this. Aren’t you worried that, since they know who you are, they may come after you again?”

Jean laughed. “What else can they do to me? They’ve ruined my life, turned me into a freak, fucked with my mind —what else can they do to me?”

“Kill you,” said Matt.

“So be it. Detective Walsh, I find that I have to concentrate to not come on to you. I feel this way with every man I see; do you have any idea what that’s like?” she stated. She then smiled for a moment. “No, of course you don’t. What’s scary is that I know that I will give in eventually to someone, and I will do it again and again. I can’t sit back and let them get away with this.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said. Matt found that he was starting to like Jean, she had spirit.

“Thank you. I’ll be staying at the Del through the week. Here’s my room number,” she said as she wrote down the number.

“I’ll call you in the next day or so,” he stated.

“Thank you, Detective Walsh,” she stated as she stood up. “Thank you for believing me.”

Matt smiled. “I didn’t say that I believed you, but I’ll make some phone calls.” Actually, he had no idea who to talk to about this, but he felt he owed it to her to at least try.

Jean laughed. “That’s all I can ask for.”

“By the way, what made you think that you could trust me? I mean, I could be in with them,” he asked.

Jean shook her head and smiled. “No, you’re not with them. A couple of my captors called you a macho sexist pig who thought he was god’s gift to women, and it sounded like they meant it.”

Matt smirked back. “I’m glad that they hold me in such high regard.”

Chapter 5

Jean drove back to the hotel. She knew that she was taking a risk by contacting Matt, but she couldn’t let this lie; she couldn’t let the people who did this to her get away with this. She also knew that there were others being hurt as this very moment.

They had, for all practical purposes, killed Gene. Her family thought she was dead, and she decided to let them continue to think so for now. She wasn’t sure how they would react to knowing that she was now a woman, more or less. She also wasn’t sure of who she was yet. Hopefully, she would find out more of her new life when she returned to her hotel room.

Jean returned to her room and began to sort through her belongings. All her clothes were top quality, although most were quite revealing. The jewelry was all the real thing too. She had no idea how much it all worth, but she suspected that it was quite expensive. It was strange that her captors had given her such nice things.

She opened up one of her Prada suitcases and examined the contents. It was filled with more designer clothes and a large amount of high quality lingerie. There was also a leather-bound organizer. She opened it up and found that it was filled with addresses and phone numbers. All the people in the book were men. Next to each name were letter and numeric codes. She paged through the book and found the key to the code in the back. She gasped when she read it. Her captors had inflicted one last punishment on her.

“Those fuckers turned me into a high price whore!” she exclaimed angrily.

The codes listed the sexual preferences of the men and how much they usually paid.

She began to look through the book and found that there were several names in the San Diego area. With much trepidation, she turned to the calendar and found that she had appointments with two of those men that week. The first one was tomorrow in La Jolla with a man called Tony, and the other one was in downtown San Diego a few days later. His name was Lee. That’s why they dropped her off here, she thought. She was here to be a high-priced sexual plaything for some perverts.

She then went back to the suitcase and opened it, finding a laptop computer. The room had WiFi, and she logged on and instinctively checked her mail. Inside was mail from potential clients. They were forwarded from an escort service in Nevada. She opened up the webpage for the service and found that it was protected by a password. Without any hesitation, she typed in an alphanumeric code, and it opened it. The site had profiles of her and many other girls.

Jean then was drawn to a secure file on her hard drive. She opened up the file and found detailed profiles for Tony and Lee. It listed in explicit details their sexual desires and fantasies. She then noticed six more files with dates for the next two weeks.

Her mind raced on about what to do; she decided to pack up her stuff and leave. Just then, her cell phone rang, and she instinctively answered it.

“Hi, Jean. I’m Tony, and I just wanted to confirm our dinner date for tomorrow night,” he said.

Jean was about to hang up on him, when her programming kicked in. She felt a strange sense of calmness sweep through her. “Tony, how nice to hear from you. I can’t wait until we get to meet.” It was as if she was being controlled by an outside force. “Is there any particular way you’d like me to dress tomorrow?”

“Yes, dress in something black and very revealing. I want you in stockings and high heels; I want you very sexy and hot,” said Tony. His breathing started getting heavier, as if he was getting turned on.

“I have just the dress,” said Jean in a very seductive tone.

“Um, one more thing, you are… um functional, right?” he asked nervously.

“Oh, yes, I’m very functional, as you’ll soon see,” she replied with a giggle.

“Great, I can’t wait to see you,” said Tony.

They talked for a few more minutes concerning the fee for the evening. Jean automatically knew that she was being paid to be with Tony as his date. She would get an automatic message on her cell phone telling her that he had paid his fee. When she had sex with him, he would “tip” her, making it legal.

Jean hung up the phone and cried.

Chapter 6

Matt returned to his office and checked the database of missing persons for San Diego and the rest of Southern California. He found ten names of men who had been accused of sexual assault on the list. He wondered if they’d ended up like Jean, if not worse. Just on a hunch, he shifted his search to known transgendered prostitutes in the area. Several of the names were similar.

He was at a loss on what to do next. He drove home and hoped that a few cold Steinlagers could help him think. He logged onto his computer and searched other law enforcement departments. Someone must have the ability to deal with a case like this, he thought. He gradually moved up from state to federal.

It then hit him; there was that fed that he had dealt with a few years earlier. He searched his memory until it came to him: Special Agent Steve Williams. He looked at his watch; it was after one, and he doubted that even a Fed would be in his office at this hour. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to leave a message. He found the main number on the website and dialed it. The operator politely asked him who he wanted to speak to.

“Special Agent Steve Williams, this is Detective Matt Walsh, San Diego PD,” he stated.

“He’s not in his office; would you like his voice mail?” she asked in a matter-of-fact way.

“Yes, please,” he said.

“I’ll connect you, Detective Walsh,” she said.

Matt heard the standard greeting, and after the beep he left a message. “I doubt if you remember me, but my name is Detective Matt Walsh, San Diego PD. I have a case that I think falls into your jurisdiction. I would appreciate if you called me back at my cell number and not at the station.”

Matt left his number and hung up.

Chapter 7

It was a little past six when Matt’s cell phone rang. He fumbled for it and answered.

“Detective Walsh, this is Special Agent Williams; how can I be of assistance?’

Matt sat up in bed. He hadn’t expected so fast a response. “Thanks for getting back to me. I doubt you remember me, but I worked with you a few years ago out here in San Diego. Anyway, I have a rather unusual case, and I was hoping that you could assist me.”

There was a momentary pause on the other end. “I remember you, Detective Walsh, go ahead.”

Matt told Steve about Jean. “I know this sounds crazy, but I believe her.”

There was another long silence on the other end. “Who else have you talked to about this?”

“No one,” replied Matt. He was taken aback by the sudden seriousness of the tone of the Fed’s voice.

“Good, keep it that way. I’ll be out there tomorrow; I’ll call you when I arrive,” Steve stated.

“That’s it? You’re not going to tell me anything else?” asked Matt.

“Nope,” replied Steve. “See you tomorrow. Also, do nothing concerning this case; stay out of your database and any files regarding the case.”

Matt was very surprised by this reaction; at best, he thought he would be politely jerked around by the Fed and never hear a thing from him again. The fact that he was actually flying out to San Diego told Matt that this case was more serious than he’d thought.

“Okay, I look forward to seeing you,” replied Matt.

Chapter 8

Jean sauntered into the restaurant wearing a tight little black dress. It was low cut, and her cleavage was very prominent. She had tried to fight her programming, but it was impossible. In some ways, she felt as if she was a puppet. The dominating thought on her mind now was pleasuring Tony.

Her date for the evening was an overweight balding man in an expensive Armani suit. She knew from her notes that he was in real estate.

Jean greeted him as if she had known him for ages.

He got up from the table and kissed her on the lips. “It’s good to see you, Jean. You’re even lovelier in person; your photos on the website don’t do you justice.”

Jean suddenly recalled the website for the escort service she worked for and made a note to check it out when she got back to her room.

As they ate dinner, she could tell that he was getting off by just being seen with a sexy woman like her. The fact that the woman had a cock only increased the eroticism of the event for him. She instinctively knew that this was all part of his fantasy.

For her part, Jean acted as if she was having the time of her life. She couldn’t help but notice the eyes of the other people in the restaurant. The men were drooling over her, and the women were viewing her with scorn. When Jean glanced over at one woman, she saw the woman mouth the word ‘whore’ at her; she was so right, thought Jean.

Not surprisingly, the actual sex was over pretty fast. The fact that Tony’s fantasy had been played out exactly as he had planned was too much for him, and he climaxed very soon into the sexual act. Jean played along and told him what a wonderful lover he was.

Tony also insisted on giving her oral. For Jean this was so bizarre, but she went along, as he was paying for it. She also knew how to pleasure him. Her programming had turned her into an expert in sex. She should have felt revulsion, but instead she found that she enjoyed it. She worked his cock in her mouth to get the maximum response from him and was rewarded by his climax.

Later, as she dressed to leave his hotel room, he told her that she was incredible. Jean was tempted to ask him how he’d got her number, but she knew she couldn’t.

Tony opened up his wallet and handed Jean her tip for the evening. It was $2,000. Jean smiled, kissed him, and took the money. It wasn’t until she got to her car that the tears started. She was a whore, and there was nothing she could do about it. As she wiped her tears away, her rage grew; she would get those people who’d done this to her, if it was the last thing she ever did.

Chapter 9

While Jean was pleasing Tony, Steve arrived at Lindbergh Field and called Matt as he stood in line to get his rental car.

“Matt, this is Steve. I’m staying at the Omni in the Gas Lamp District, can you come over here?”

“Sure, I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” said Matt.

A short time later, Matt was sitting across from the Federal agent.

“I must admit that I’m surprised that you flew out here; to be honest, I would have been surprised by a return phone call,” said Matt.

“Well, don’t let others know, I’d hate to lose our reputation for being uncooperative. Actually, we’ve dealt with other organizations like this in the past. There’s a huge market for sex slaves in the world. This sounds like it may be another supplier,” said Steve. “A pure vigilante organization would just kill the suspect. Why spend thousands of dollars just to change their bodies and then release them? No, there’s something more to this. To be honest, I’m sort of surprised that they let Jean go.”

“I was thinking that there had to be something else to this, but sex slaves?” asked Matt.

“It’s a huge business,” replied Steve. “Now, have you talked to Jean today?”

“No, I have her number at the Del if you want it,” replied Matt.

“Call, and see if she’s in,” said Steve.

Matt dialed the number. He shook his head and then left a message.

“Obviously, she’s not in. Well, hopefully she’ll call you back. I had my office access missing persons reports for Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada and compared them to suspects in criminal cases,” stated Steve.

“What did you find?” asked Matt.

“A higher number than one would expect. We also found that a large number of male sex-offenders who served minimal sentences also had gone missing. It appears that this started at least three years ago; we’re checking to see if it goes back further.”

“But couldn’t they just be men hiding from the law?’ asked Matt. “Maybe they were really guilty and decided to run.”

“Some probably are, but many on the list left suddenly, leaving behind money and other valuables. They also fit into the same range of physical appearances. Most are young, thin, healthy, and free of addictions.”

“You were able to do all this is one day?” asked Matt.

Steve shook his head. “My head computer tech came up with it in three hours. Granted, I cheated a little and had the search narrowed to those men who could be more easily transformed into women.”

“Still, there can’t be that big of a market for transgendered sex slaves, right?”

Steve shook his head. “We broke up a major ring a few years ago that supplied transformed teen slaves to the rich and powerful all over the world. Even then, we knew we were just scratching the surface. Now the missing aren’t teens, but neither is Jean.”

“Okay, so there’s a market for sex slaves out there, and they decide to grab males accused of crimes; why them?”

“Maybe that way they can justify their actions, who knows? Could be they think that no one will be looking for them. Maybe that’s why they let Jean go, as it violated their code. We won’t know until we start searching,” said Steve.

“So where do we start?”

“With Jean — I’ve arranged for her to get a very through physical exam. I’ll also question her and hopefully we can get some clues on where to start,” said Steve.

“I wish you good luck,” said Matt.

“Whoa, you’re not walking away from this,” stated Steve,

“What do you need me for? I mean, I’m just a local detective; I have no experience with this sort of stuff,” replied Matt.

“First off, Jean trusts you. I imagine that she’s doesn’t trust many people right now. Also, I could use some help in dealing with the locals. If I start asking questions, it might tip them off,” said Steve.

“I have a pretty big workload right now.”

Steve smiled and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Matt.

Matt read it and stared back at Steve. “Is this real?”

“Yep, you’ve just been recruited for the duration of this case. I can also tell you, Matt, that, should you wish, this can become permanent. This letter will be on file with our local office; if there are problems, we’ll show it to your superiors. For now, I’d like to keep your cooperation a secret — at least until we uncover the leak.”

Matt cocked his head. He had thought about applying to the agency a few years ago; it would be a big career jump.

“I also checked out your record. You’re an above average investigator, very clean, and ethical, but you’ll never rise above your present rank here because you often don’t know when to keep your mouth shut. You also refuse to play political games,” stated Steve.

A smirk grew on Matt’s face. “I’m flattered.”

“I understand about fighting BS and politics; we can always use another good agent. When this is over, we’ll discuss it, if you want.”

Matt nodded.

Chapter 10

Jean arrived back at the Del and saw she had a message. It was nearly two in the morning, and she decided to wait. The one thing that couldn’t wait was a bath; Jean needed it badly to wash the smell of sex from her body. As she soaked in hot bath, she replayed what had happened over and over in her mind. She cursed her programmers for what they had done to her.

After her bath, she slipped on a silk nightie and feel into a deep sleep.

Mid-morning, Jean called Matt’s cell phone and was relieved to hear his voice.

“Hi Matt, this is Jean,” she said.

“Thanks for calling. I have a friend here who wants to help you,” said Matt. He then asked her if she wanted to meet Steve.

“Do you trust him?” she asked.

“Yes, I do,” he replied.

“Okay, I’ll talk to him,” she replied. “Thank you for taking me seriously.”

They talked for a few minutes and set up an appointment.

Chapter 11

Jean was sitting next to Matt as they drove to meet Steve. She was wearing a floral pattern satin dress. As with her pervious outfits, it showed off her curvaceous body. Her hair and makeup was also perfect.

“Do you always look so… nice?” asked Matt as a grin appeared on his face.

Jean smiled back softly. “I can’t dress down; I don’t feel comfortable unless I’m looking my best. My programming doesn’t seem to allow it.”

She hadn’t told him yet about her meeting with Tony. She decided to wait until she talked with the federal agent. Jean was a little nervous about meeting the agent, as she wasn’t sure how he would react to her. She was slightly suspicious of government agents, but she was willing to overcome these feelings to get the people who had changed her.

They pulled into an industrial park filled with offices and warehouses. It was pretty nondescript, thought Jean. They walked into an office marked Regent Marketing. The front door was locked and Matt pressed the button next to the intercom.

“This is Matt Walsh to see Steve Williams,” he said.

The door buzzed and they walked inside. There was a desk with a receptionist sitting behind it. The receptionist didn’t say a word and just motioned for them to sit down. A minute later, a large man in a navy suit stepped out of one the offices.

What struck Jean was how average he looked; he was a pleasant looking man, but there was no really distinctive aspect of his looks. He could blend in anywhere unnoticed. He had short brown hair and was clean shaven. She noticed that, even in his suit, he was obviously in very good shape.

He smiled as he greeted Matt and then turned to Jean “I’m Special Agent Steve Williams; I’m pleased to meet you, Ms. Logan.”

His pleasant smile made Jean feel immediately at ease; she felt that she could trust him.

“Pleased to meet you too, Agent Williams,” she replied.

“Please call me Steve,” he said. “Now, let’s go back to my office and talk. Would either of you like something to drink?”

“Coffee would be nice, thank you, Steve, and please call me Jean,” stated Jean.

Matt nodded. “Coffee would be fine.”

“Three coffees, please, Grace,” said Steve as he led the others into his office. “Please sit down.”

Steve sat down behind a desk. Matt and Jean sat down in plush leather chairs across from him.

“I know this seems a little cloak and daggerish, but I didn’t want to bring you into our main office downtown. Matt told me your suspicions concerning the local authorities, and I agree with you.”

The receptionist walked in and set down a tray with mugs of coffee and departed.

“”Where do we start?” asked Jean.

“Tell me your story,” said Steve. “Now, just so you know, I’ll be taping this. I’ll also be asking you a lot of questions. It’s not that I doubt you, it’s just that I may want a more detailed description of something.”

Jean nodded. “Fair enough.” She then began to tell Steve her story.

“When the dart hit you, did you pass out immediately?” he interrupted.

Jean nodded. “Yes, I was out immediately. Is that important?”

“It shows that someone planned the abduction. For a drug to work instantly, the dose needs to be set for the victim’s weight. Too much, and it will kill; not enough, and they might have time to scream or escape. Please continue.”

Jean began to describe the meeting with the people she called the committee.

“Can you provide us with descriptions of each voice?” asked Steve.

“Yes. I’ve always had a knack for voices and languages. It’s sort of a hobby of mine,” she replied.

“Excellent, I’d like you to provide as detailed as possible a description of each person,” said Steve.

“Right now?” asked Jean.

“No, but can you tell me a little about them?” asked Steve. “What stands out?”

Jean thought about it. “There were three men and four women. Man One had a New York City accent; he was the oldest one. There was a slight click when he talked; I think he may have dentures. Man Two was also from back east, highly educated, spoke in perfect English, no slang or curses. He used many legal terms and was very precise in his terminology. Man Three didn’t speak much. Judging by his language skills, I would say he was the least educated of the three. I think he was from Philly or South Jersey, and I think he was the one who abducted me.”

“Did you get a look at him?” asked Steve.

“Just a quick look — he had a dark complexion with a thick moustache and dark curly hair. I initially thought he was Mexican-American, but now I think he might be Italian-American; it would match the accent better,” she replied.

Steve nodded. So far he was impressed with Jean’s memory. “Please continue.”

“Women One had a slight French accent. Still, she spoke English in a very proper and formal manner. She was obviously well educated and had a medical background. She was the one who briefed me on each one of my many surgeries. Woman Two was Chinese, and she was the one who brainwashed me. Woman Three had the same sort of pretentious form of language as Man Two, and Woman Four also had a slight French accent. I think she may have been from Quebec though. I can give you more detailed descriptions later.”

“Good. This is a great start, Jean.”

Jean smiled and continued telling Steve about her transformation.

“So you believe that when you were recovering from your surgery they conducted the programming?” asked Steve.

“Yes. Woman One would brief me on what they were about to do to me and how I would be more feminine when I would wake up. She took great joy in seeing me squirm. When she gave me my breast implants, she told me how they would attract men and how they would be big enough that a man could fuck them, shooting his cum into my eager mouth. She obviously saw me cringe, and she laughed, saying that soon I would crave the taste of cum. She laughed telling me how I would soon be a total slut, and that she loved doing this to me. I hate her.”

“Sounds like a real bitch,” said Steve.

“She is,” replied Jean. “Anyway, when I woke up from my breast enlargement surgery, I was totally healed, very little pain. I began to think about how nice it would be to pleasure a man, to have him fill my mouth with his seed. The thoughts were very strong, and it was as if I had always had them. It was this way with each round of surgery.”

“I’ve heard of this kind of mental programming,” said Steve. “It’s very difficult to counteract, especially if it is enforced using chemicals. When we do your physical, we’ll analyze your body’s chemistry. If drugs were used, they should still be detectable.”

“I need to tell you both something now. I wasn’t released scot-free. I’m a working escort,” confessed Jean. She then told them about the information in her calendar and computer and her rendezvous with Tony.

“That may explain why they let you go here,” said Matt.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you immediately,” said Jean. Tears began to roll down her face.

Matt reached over and took Jean by the hands. “It’s okay. I understand that there’s nothing you can do about it. I don’t think any less of you.”

“Jean, you’re a victim; and this is just part of the process. I’m sorry that they did this to you, but it may lead to their undoing,” said Steve. He handed her a box of tissues.

“What… what do you mean?” she asked.

“You say that you work for an escort service; well, this may lead us back to the people who did this to you. No legitimate service would just put you on their payroll, especially sight unseen. I’ll have my computer people see what they can find, and I’ll start an investigation of the service,” said Steve.

“I suppose that I should just keep working for them, so that they don’t get suspicious,” said Jean.

“There has to be another way,” said Matt.

“I’m open to suggestions,” replied Jean. “Look, if my doing this buys time to find the monsters that did this to me, then I’ll do it. Besides, until there’s a way to reverse what’s been done to my mind, I really don’t have a choice.”

“What happens if they grab you again?” asked Matt.

“We can track her,” said Steve.

“How?” asked Matt.

“There are ways. We can take care of it tomorrow,” said Steve.

“Do you really think that this is that serious?” asked Jean.

“Yes, I do. From what you’ve told us, this is a well-funded and highly organized group. They have no regard for the rights of others and seem to take perverse delight in hurting others. From past experience, I doubt if they’re limiting their abductions to adults, as teens and children are even more profitable,” explained Steve.

“My god, you don’t think that they would do this to kids?” asked Jean.

“I’ve helped break up other groups that have done things like this,” said Steve. He looked at his watch. “It’s getting late; I think we should end this for today.”

Jean looked at her watch, it was almost seven. “I had no idea we were here so long.”

“I’d like to see you back here tomorrow morning, Jean. I’d like to continue our interview. My medical team will be here in a few days and will conduct a physical. Is that okay with you?” asked Steve.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

“Um, when is your next client?” he asked.

“Not until tomorrow evening. I expect to hear from him tonight,” she replied.

“Can’t you find a way to get out of it?” asked Matt.

Jean smiled at his gesture; it was obvious that he had compassion towards her. “I can’t, Matt. I can’t fight the feelings inside me. They’re too strong. Besides, if I cancel the appointment, it might tip off the people who did this to me.”

“Isn’t there anything you can do for her?” asked Matt.

“Not until we figure out the process; even then there’s no guarantee,” answered Steve.

“It could be worse,” said Jean.

“How?” asked Matt.

“I don’t know; I just wanted to sound positive. Look, my clients are all high rollers; as much as I hate doing it, I doubt I’ll be in any danger,” she replied.

“I’ll drive you back to your hotel,” said Matt.

“No, I’ll do it; it’s best that you’re not seen with her in public, Matt. In fact, don’t come back tomorrow; I’ll brief you on everything later,” stated Steve. “You two shouldn’t be seen together.”

“Okay, you’re right,” said Matt. He knew Steve was right. He looked over at Jean and thought he saw something in her eyes as she stared back at him.

Chapter 12

“So tell me about yourself, Steve,” asked Jean, as they drove towards Coronado. “I noticed that you’re married.”

“Yep, and I love it. Maggie is also in the agency, but she’s on a leave of absence since our son was born,” he stated as he held up his hand, exposing his wedding ring.

“That’s nice. Do you only have one child?” asked Jean.

“No, we also have a daughter; she just started her freshman year at Penn,” he replied. “Her name is Beth.”

“That’s amazing,” she replied. She noticed the sense of pride in Steve’s voice when he talked about his daughter. “Why so long between children?”

“Beth is adopted,” explained Steve. “Not that it makes any difference; we both love her as if she was our own.”

“Oh.”

“It’s a long story, but she’s the reason Maggie and I first met,” said Steve.

“Why do I have the feeling that there’s a very interesting story behind that?” said Jean.

“There is,” replied Steve. “It all started not far from here.”

“But you’re not going to tell me everything, right?” she asked.

“Not right now,” he answered. “I will tell you one thing; Beth was once abducted by an organization that turned teens into sex slaves. We knew she was targeted, and to make a long story short, we got her back unharmed and recovered dozens of kidnapped teens. Many were recovered from the sick bastards who had bought them. We also destroyed the organization that was responsible.”

He then gave her a short version of the raid on Margo Simon’s farm.

“Did you get all the teens back?” asked Jean.

Steve shook his head. “We broke up the ring, but not all survived. Even some we physically recovered, we never really got back, if you know what I mean.”

“Why didn’t I hear about this? I mean, it sounds like this would have been a big deal. Did it happen while I was being changed?”

“We kept it low key, partially to protect the teens and their families; they had suffered enough. I can’t imagine what the press would do with a story like that,” said Steve. “Most of the people we arrested copped a plea; the last thing they wanted was a public trial.”

Jean thought about what Steve had said. “I understand. So this isn’t just a regular investigation to you.”

Steve glanced over at her. “That’s right. After seeing something really vile, it’s hard to ignore it. I take this sort of thing rather personally now, as it’s affected my family and people very close to me.”

Jean could tell that he wasn’t telling her everything, but she also knew that she could count on Steve to protect her.

“We’ll continue talking about your abduction and transformation tomorrow. My medical team will be in town the following day to examine you,” said Steve. “Whoever did your surgery was a specialist; they had to learn their skills somewhere. Hopefully, our medical experts will be able to get some clues as to where they learned them.”

“She said that if she had kept me longer, she had other operations that she wanted to perform on me,” said Jean.

“Like what?” asked Steve.

“She wanted to make my breasts even larger. Right now they’re 40-F; she wanted to make them huge — rather make that really huge. She also said that she wanted to make my waist smaller, sort of like a living Barbie,” explained Jean. “I think she got off on molding other people.”

“I’ve met a few people like that,” stated Steve.

Jean sighed. “Do you think that they’ll leave me alone?”

“I don’t know,” replied Steve. “I do have something that might put your mind at ease; we have a device that can be planted in your body. It’s a bio-electric tracker. It runs off your body, and we can detect your location from five miles away.”

“Really?”

Steve nodded. “I’ll have our medical people implant one in you. It’s painless and will last for sixty days. It’s also biodegradable, so it will just be absorbed by your body.”

“I’m sorry,” said Jean.

“For what?” asked Steve.

“I always thought you feds were a waste of tax dollars. I had no idea that you were fighting these sorts of crimes.”

Steve laughed. “Thanks for being honest.”

Chapter 13

Jean had dinner in her room, as she didn’t feel like eating alone in the dining room; she also didn’t want to be stared at. She wondered if she would have friends like Steve and Matt when this was all over, if it ever ended.

Her phone rang a little after ten; it was Lee. He was a Korean-American businessman. From her files, Jean knew that he liked oral, both receiving and giving. He also liked to have sex in public places. Jean shrugged her shoulders, thinking it could be worse.

They agreed to meet for drinks at the Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park. Jean knew it well, having eaten there several times on dates. She figured that he picked it because it would give him a large selection of places to have sex. He said that he wanted her dressed in pink. Jean agreed.

After she hung up the phone, she poured herself another glass of wine. She knew that tomorrow night at this time she would be having sex with Lee; she shivered involuntarily at the thought. She prayed that Steve and Matt would be able to do something to prevent this from becoming her life. The idea of being a high priced escort for the rest of her life was nauseating. Jean knew that if they failed, it would be her fate. She debated taking her own life and knew that she had been programmed not to. They had thought of everything she thought, but then again, maybe they hadn’t. The tears began to roll down her face, and she cried herself to sleep.

Chapter 14

Jean was wearing a white floral sundress with spaghetti straps, drinking a cup of coffee as she told Steve the rest of her story.

“How many applications of the hair removal solution did they use on your body?” asked Steve.

“Two,” replied Jean. “I’m completely hair-free from the neck down. They used laser and electrolysis on my face.”

“Interesting, Margo Simon used a similar solution on the teens she captured. Beth had one treatment, and it took nearly three months until she had hair growth again,” said Steve.

“That sounds about right,” said Jean.

“Now, you said that you were programmed to dress as you do, but how did you learn to do your hair and makeup?” asked Steve.

“The first time, I woke up in my room and found the cosmetics on my makeup table. I was directed how to apply them. I never saw anyone while I was in captivity. I would apply my makeup and receive comments from a speaker located above the mirror. I spent several hours a day practicing my makeup and hair skills. The programming made me complacent and obedient,” explained Jean. “I feel naked unless I’m made up.”

“So you were never threatened or hurt?” asked Steve,

“No, not once. It made my submission more humiliating, as it made me feel as if I gave up without a fight,” she replied.

“Do you still feel that way?” asked Steve.

“Deep down, I know I didn’t have a chance, but I still feel the pain of submission to ‘them.’ I guess that was part of my punishment,” she replied.

Steve looked at his watch. “I think we should cut this short today. I don’t want you to be late for your appointment tonight.”

Jean laughed. “I never thought a law enforcement officer would say something like that.”

Steve smiled. “I’ve had to do some strange things in my line of work. How’s the leg?”

She glanced down at the small Band-Aid on her right ankle. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. I can’t believe how small the bug is.”

“I feel better knowing you have it,” said Steve.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said as she stood up. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay. I guess I’m going to have to do some strange things in my line of work too.”

Steve called Matt’s cell phone number after Jean left. Matt was presently driving back from a crime scene.

“You sure she’ll be okay?” Matt asked.

Steve nodded. “She’ll be fine. Look, I’m not any happier than you are about her going off, but if she doesn’t, then her captors might notice and go deep. I want to nail them badly.”

“Okay, so what happens now?” asked Matt.

“We’re working on a database of criteria and comparing it to the missing persons data base, the numbers are still large, but I suspect that some may be victims of this organization. We added teens listed as runaways, and many of them fit the criteria, in terms of body size and build,” said Steve.

“So they’re targeting people unlikely to be missed, or that people will assume they don’t want to be found,” commented Matt.

“Exactly,” said Steve.

“What about the escort agency that Jean works for?”

“It’s operated in Nevada for three years, catering for high rollers in the tri-state area. They provide women of all tastes and varieties, including transgendered. They provide their girls with dates and collect a finder’s fee. Jean was advertised on their website for the last month, but she was listed as not available until this week. Our computer tech says that Jean has been getting quite a bit of attention. There are two other transgendered women on the site who have similar physical attributes as Jean, one is African-American and the other is a brunette. We’re in the process of tracking them down.”

“Do you think that they’re victims like Jean?”

“Maybe,” said Steve. “What we’ll do is try to get their fingerprints and compare them to any in the database. The key is not to let the hunters know that they’re being hunted.”

“Okay, so how do we find out who is doing this?”

“I’m still working on that. I suspect that they’re operating in the Arizona, Nevada, and California area or maybe in Mexico. We have Jean’s vocal descriptions of them and after her physical we may get some more information. People like this don’t just pop up out of nowhere; they have histories and leave trails. Since we’re dealing with seven, one of them may have been sloppy. We’re also hitting our usual contacts in the underworld. If they’re dealing sex slaves, they’ll have to have a way to contact their clients and to advertise their product.”

“What will you do when you find them?” asked Matt.

“We’ll raid them, hitting them hard and fast. Getting them isn’t the most important thing, getting their database, tracking their victims, and nailing their clients is all part of it.”

“Does that mean that they’ll go to trial?”

Steve nodded. “We’re not judge and executioners; however, I do like it when they resist arrest.”

Matt laughed “How bad do you think this is?”

“Bad. The fact that they have seven people running it tells me that they’ve hurt a lot of people. Also, just look at Jean. She’s very sexy in mind and body, and they were willing to let her go; it doesn’t make sense. I mean, they invested a lot of time and money in her, and they’re not going to recoup that selling her to an escort service. It just tells me that she was expendable and that they’re making a lot of money with their other victims,” said Steve. “Maybe they do have a code on who they can transform; it’s hard to say. Anyone who would do this to someone else isn’t exactly playing with a full deck.”

“If they are in Mexico, how will you get them?”

Steve hesitated for a moment before answering. “There are ways. We would turn it over to others.”

“You mean the Mexican Government?”

“No, I mean others; leave it at that for now.”

Matt decided not to press the point further.

“So, what are your plans for tonight?” asked Steve.

“I need to stop by the office and get back to my other cases,” he replied.

“When you get done, give me a call; I could use a drink… or two,” said Steve.

“That sounds good,” replied Matt.

Chapter 15

While Steve waited for Matt in a bar in the Gas Lamp District, Jean was walking into the bar at the Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park. Five minutes earlier, she had received a phone call telling her that Lee had paid for the evening. She was wearing a pink beaded dress. It had a V neckline and spaghetti straps that barely held her shapely breasts. Lee met her just outside the bar and nodded approvingly.

He was forty-three was a self-made millionaire, thanks to his shipping business. He was married with three children and maintained an appearance of being a model of conservativism. However, he craved functional transgendered women, and this was the one vice he allowed himself.

Without a word, they walked into the bar, his arm slipping around her waist. Jean’s mind was operating on automatic as her programming kicked in; she would do whatever he wanted this evening.

He ordered martinis, and as they drank, his eyes seemed to focus on her breasts. After they finished their drink, he took her by the arm and led her out. They walked through the arcade that had been built in 1915. To the casual observer, they looked liked a couple having a romantic evening in the park.

Lee glanced around, and when he saw the time was right, he pulled Jean off into one of the public gardens. He led her into the shadows and began to kiss her. As he kissed her, his hands began to run over her breasts. He slipped down the top of her dress and began to kiss and suck her nipples. Jean could hear the conversations of people passing by, just a few yards away, unaware of what they were doing.

His hand slipped under the hem of her dress and began to stroke her clitty. He looked up and smiled as she became aroused.

He then pressed Jean up against a wall and began to lick and kiss her clitty. Jean had to admit to herself that Lee was very good. While she was sterile, she still capable of cumming, and soon she was on the edge.

Lee worked her hard, and as she stifled her moans of pleasure, she filled his mouth with her juice. Lee stood up and began to kiss her, feeding it back to her as they kissed deeply.

Lee stood back and smiled. “That was wonderful,” he whispered. “Now, let’s find another place for our next bit of fun.”

Jean nodded and adjusted her clothes, then instinctively reapplied her lipstick as they walked down towards the pipe organ pavilion. Jean knew there were several locations around the pavilion that Lee might choose for sex.

They crossover the road and walked past the cottages built for the 1935 exposition held in the park. He led her down a path into the palm garden. There, he began to kiss and fondle her some more.

Jean was forced down on her knees and began to suck and lick his cock. She soon worked him up so he was very hard. He then pulled her off and had her turn around; he lifted up her dress and pulled down her panties. Jean knew what was coming, and offered no resistance as he entered her. They could hear voices of people leaving the Old Globe Theater walk by on the path above them. This only seemed to make Lee more excited as he began to fuck her. His hands were on her breasts as he fucked her. To Jean’s surprise, he was slow and deliberate at first, slowly increasing his pace. He was taking his time, and enjoying the thrill of having sex in such a public place.

Jean could barely hold in her sexual arousal and had to bite her lips to keep from being too vocal. Lee pumped her faster and faster, and soon it was impossible to hold in her moaning; this only aroused Lee more.

He came hard into her ass and pumped her many times, shooting his seed deep into her body. Jean was soon lost in her sexual bliss and moaned with delight.

He pulled out and pulled up her panties as he lowered her dress. “You were very good, better than advertised,” he whispered.

“Thank you,” she replied. She found that she felt a perverse sense of pride at what he said.

He reached into his wallet and pulled out some bills; he reached back under her dress and tucked them into her panties.

“I look forward to our next meeting; you are a world class fuck,” he whispered. “I like a woman who is as kinky as I am. The next time, we will do it in an even more public place.”

Jean smiled and watched him walk away. She then headed back up the trail. Thankfully, she hadn’t parked too far away. She knew she looked disheveled and didn’t want to attract too much attention. She could feel Lee’s seed between her legs, and it just served to reinforce her life as an escort.

Escort, she thought; no, I’m just a high priced whore. She reached her car and headed to Coronado. She reapplied her makeup and brushed her hair before walking through the lobby of the Hotel Del Coronado.

Back in her room, she gave herself an enema and took a long shower. Her programming prevented her from requesting the use of a condom; it was strictly the prerogative of her partner. She was now hit by waves of guilt over what she had done. The memories of her sexual acts with Lee and how good it had felt only increased her guilt.

She dried off and slipped on a black silk nightgown. She opened up a bottle of brandy and poured herself a large glass. She took a long drink and sighed. Jean wondered if the post-sex guilt was part of her programming. She refilled her glass and took another drink.

Jean picked up the phone and started to dial Matt’s number, but she hung up before completing it. She desperately wanted to be with someone who cared about her. She looked over at her dress, lying on the floor, where she had stripped down. A large number of hundred dollar bills were scattered over the floor. She got up and picked them up. Her tip for submitting to Lee was $1,500. She put the money in her purse and began to cry again; she was now a whore.

Chapter 16

“Why did you become a cop, Matt?” asked Steve as he sipped his Scotch.

“I come from a family of cops; I don’t think I ever thought I would be anything else,” he replied. He was drinking the same as Steve. It was a good drink to share life stories over.

“That’s it?” asked Steve with a grin.

Matt shook his head. “I wanted a job where I could make a difference.”

“And?”

“I think I’ve done okay, at least until this case came up,” replied Matt. “Steve, I’m in so over my head with this one. I don’t know what to do.”

“You’re doing just fine. It’s always difficult when you first see the real filth that’s out there,” replied Steve.

“I had no idea,” said Matt.

“Did you grow up around here?” asked Steve as he reached for the bowl of peanuts.

“No, my family is all back in Wisconsin. My dad was a cop in Madison, as was my grandfather, and my uncle and two brothers are in the state police. I did three years in the navy after high school and stayed out here. It wasn’t a hard choice; I was discharged in January, and it was sixty-five and sunny here; back home, they were in the middle of a blizzard.”

Steve laughed. “I can understand that; I’ve always loved San Diego.”

“I joined the police and worked on my degree on the side. I was promoted to detective eight years ago,” continued Matt.

“You have a family out here?” asked Steve.

“No, I was married ten years ago, but we mutually agreed to part ways. She got remarried and lives in Phoenix. I guess I’m too wrapped up in my job. I prefer to just date right now; I’m not exactly ready for another long term relationship.”

“I can relate to that; I used to be the same way, until I got married,” said Steve.

“Any regrets?’ asked Matt.

Steve nodded. “Just one; that I didn’t meet her sooner.”

Matt laughed. “You’re lucky; I’ve yet to meet the right person. The problem is that I really like my job, at least most of the time. This case has given me some second thoughts.”

“There’s a lot of really disgusting things going on out there that most people have no concept of,” commented Steve. “In my job, I get to see some of them.”

Matt nodded and decided to find out more about the agent. “So, you seem familiar with San Diego for a guy out of DC; what’s your story?”

“I was also in the navy, and did some of my initial training out here,” said Steve.

“What did you do?’ asked Matt.

“I was a SEAL,” replied Steve. “I went through my initial training just over in Coronado.”

Matt nodded. He had a lot of respect for anyone who was one of the navy’s elite commandos. “Damn, a snake-eater. I was just a Gunners Mate. How did you end up in the agency?”

“I was recruited for duty after a mission by the agency,” said Steve.

“Of course, you can’t tell me about the mission,” interjected Matt.

“I could….”

“But you’d have to kill me,” interrupted Matt with a laugh as he repeated a joke often told by those in the military.

Steve smiled and held up his glass. “Exactly.”

Matt smirked and took a drink of his Scotch. “So, do you really think that there’s a leak in my department?”

“I’m sure there is. Money can do that; we’ve even had leaks in the agency,” said Steve.

“I want them. I can’t stand dirty cops.”

“When this case breaks, we should nail him or her. I’ll make sure you get the arrest.”

“Thanks,” he replied. He reached up and rubbed his moustache as if he was thinking of the right words to say.

Steve sensed what was coming and didn’t say a word.

“What do you think of Jean?” asked Matt. He held up his empty glass for the barmaid to see.

“She’s pretty courageous. I like her a lot,” said Steve. “She’s also pretty damn smart.”

“You don’t seem to mind that she used to be a guy,” asked Matt.

Steve smirked. “That’s not an issue to me anymore. If you had asked me that question five years ago, I might have answered differently. However, I have some new insight into this now.”

The barmaid brought them fresh drinks and departed.

“What do you mean?” asked Matt.

“I work with a transgendered agent; she just had her surgery,” said Steve.

“Really?” Matt was slightly surprised that the feds were that liberal.

“Yeah, she used to be a cop out here in California. She’s presently one of the finest agents I’ve ever worked with. She’s also one of the godparents for my son,” explained Steve. “I’ve also met some people who had gender changes forced on them like Jean.” A small smile grew on his face.

“I don’t know what to make of Jean,” said Matt shaking his head.

“You like her, that’s obvious,” noted Steve. “You’re also rather protective of her.”

“I guess that I feel guilty, that in some way I’m responsible for what happened to her,” said Matt.

“That may be true, but I sense that’s there more to your feelings,” said Steve.

Matt nodded and took a drink. “Is it that obvious?”

Steve shrugged his shoulders. “You care about her.”

“I don’t know what to make of my feelings,” said Matt.

“Because she used to be a man?” asked Steve.

Matt nodded. “Okay, that’s true, and I’m not proud of it, but it does bother me… no, what bothers me is that even though I know her past, I’m still attracted to her. Yeah, part is due to her looks, but there’s something else there, she’s a smart, classy lady. Am I rambling?”

Steve shrugged his shoulders. “Jean is a hell of a nice girl; she’s got spirit. She didn’t have a say in what happened to her, and yet she’s determined to function. There’s a lot to admire about her.”

“I’m just confused about my own feelings,” said Matt.

“That’s life,” replied Steve. “I can’t tell you what to do, but you have to be true to yourself and not worry about what others might think.”

“Easier said than done,” replied Matt. “I wonder how she made out tonight.”

“I’m sure she’s fine. She’s worth more to the escort service alive, so they’ll screen her clients,” stated Steve.

“It doesn’t bother you that she’s an escort?” asked Matt.

“Yes, it bothers me, but there’s not a lot we can do about it right now. There’s a possibility that we could deprogram her, but then we’d lose any chance to find those who did this to her. She knows this, and if she’s willing to put up with this, then I’ll support her.”

“What happens if we can’t deprogram her?” asked Matt.

“I have hope that we can give her control of her feelings. I’ve seen people far more damaged than Jean,” he said as he took a sip of his drink. “If we can’t, we’ll try to find a way to keep her safe.”

“It’s so much easier busting drug dealers and murderers,” stated Matt.

“Yeah, but it’s more exciting going after the big fish. I took the liberty to review your record, Matt; we could use you at the agency,” said Steve.

Matt cocked his head, trying to see if the agent was telling the truth. “You mean that?”

“Sure, I’m always looking for new agents.”

“So what do you want me to do right now?” asked Matt.

“Go back to your normal workload. I’ll keep you informed on this case. This may take months before we get a lead on the people who’re doing this. Don’t do anything that would raise suspicion, which also means using the police database for anything related to this case. If there is a leak in your department, they might be monitoring Jean’s case,” said Steve. “I promise that when we go in after them, you’ll be there.”

Matt drained the rest of his drink. “Well, I’d better get home. Thanks.”

Steve nodded. “We both needed to talk this out.”

“I agree,” said Matt.

Chapter 17

“Okay, Ms. Logan, why don’t you change into this gown? We’ll get to the next test,” stated the doctor. He handed her a hospital examination gown.

“Okay,” replied Jean.

A short time later, she was receiving a CAT scan. Steve had promised that this would be the last test of the day. So far, she had undergone a complete physical, been X-rayed, and had given blood, urine and stool samples.

As the scan progressed, Steve talked to the head of the medical team.

“What do you think?” asked Steve.

The doctor was wearing khakis and the insignias of a captain in the naval medical corps on his collar.

“The surgery is first rate; there’s almost no scarring anywhere on her body,” replied Captain Stevens. “I would say whoever did the surgery learned their skills in Europe, most likely in Sweden or Denmark. They’ve also done work like this in France. I was at a seminar a few years ago and was shown how they use microsurgery techniques. It was being developed for accident victims as a way of reconstructing damaged faces. You might not be able to track the surgeon, but the equipment used is very rare. I doubt there are more than two companies that make it.”

“That’s a good start. When will you have the analysis back on her body chemistry?” asked Steve.

“Two, maybe three days,” replied the doctor. “Would you look at that!”

“What?” asked Steve.

The doctor pointed to the screen, it was showing a display of Jean’s right leg. “Look at the screen — see those dark spots? Those must be the hormone implants. Christ, it would take eight hours of surgery just to remove those.”

“From her whole body?” asked Steve.

The doctor shook his head. “I’m just talking about one leg.”

“Can you get one out?” asked Steve.

“We should be able to; I’ll look for one that’s easiest to get at and will require the least amount of surgery.”

Jean’s whole body was peppered with the hormonal implants. Capt. Stevens found one that was close to the surface on the back of her left thigh. “I should be able to get it without a big incision.”

Jean agreed to the procedure and, as promised, the incision was tiny.

“We’ll analyze this immediately,” said the doctor, as he examined the small device. It looked like a small metal splinter, barely an eighth of an inch in length.

Jean was taken to a side room to change. When Steve joined her, she was reapplying her makeup.

“Well?’ she asked, as she applied her lipstick.

“It’ll take time, but we got what we were looking for. By the way, you were great in there,” commented Steve.

Jean smiled. “Thanks. So why a navy doctor?”

“He’s done some work for us in the past. I also trust him,” said Steve.

Jean nodded. “Ah, more mysteries; it’s a good thing your wife is also an agent, otherwise you’d drive her nuts.”

“I still do,” replied Steve with a grin.

Jean laughed.

“So when do you have to be back in Vegas?” asked Steve.

“Not for a few days. My next client’s flying in early next week. So, when do you think we’ll know something?” asked Jean.

“If this was TV, I would say in twenty minutes, but I don’t expect anything for a while. Trust me; we’ll do our best to track down who did this to you. We have your testimony, and now we have physical evidence. I’ll keep you informed,” said Steve.

Jean laughed. “Okay, I trust you.”

“Good, then how about dinner together tonight?” asked Steve. “I assume you can do that, right?”

She nodded. “I’d like that; where are you taking me?”

“There’s a good place downtown, you ever eat at Croce’s?” he asked.

Jean nodded. “I once took a date there…” Her voice tailed off. “Sorry, just had a little flashback to my old life.”

Jean thought about a date she had been on as Gene with a woman from work called Lisa.

“We can go somewhere else,” said Steve.

“No, Croce’s in fine,” replied Jean. “I’d like to go back to my room and relax.”

“Okay, what about dinner at eight?” asked Steve.

“That sounds perfect,” she replied.

“Good, that will give me time to look over those profiles you typed out about your abductors,” said Steve. Jean had given him a disc when she arrived containing the information.

Chapter 18

Jean was dressed in a black chiffon lace tank dress and turned quite a few heads as they walked into Croce’s. They were shown to one of the upstairs tables.

“So much for not attracting attention,” she sighed as they sat down.

“What do you mean? They were looking at me,” replied Steve.

Jean giggled. “I can see what your wife sees in you. You’re very good at making people feel at ease.”

“I took a course in suave and sophistication,” he stated. “It’s required for all field agents since the James Bond movies were made.”

Jean giggled.

They ordered drinks and, as they looked at the menu, Steve looked up at her. “So, tell me about you, I mean before all this.”

Jean set the menu down. “I was your typical computer geek; well, maybe not typical. I grew up in Portland, Oregon and began taking computer technical classes while I was still in high school. I saw it as a chance to make a lot of money. I got bored with college and took enough classes to get hired by a defense contractor. I have a knack for figuring out problems— that’s something that they can’t teach in college — and soon I was promoted. I was single and didn’t mind traveling, so they sent me down here two years ago. I spent half the time traveling, but I didn’t mind; it helped build up my bank account. My skill with languages made me very valuable in dealing with our allies.”

Steve nodded. “Okay, but what about you? Besides work, what did you like to do?”

Jean smiled. “I loved traveling. I took so many overseas trips just so I could spend some time in some distant country. I climbed Mt. Fuji, I went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, I went sand boarding in Dubai. I think I did those things just because I didn’t want to say that I went to some exotic land and didn’t do a thing.”

“I can relate to that, but what about family?” asked Steve.

Jean got a sad look on her face. “I miss my family, but I can’t tell them what happened to me; I mean, they probably think I’m dead anyway… which is probably good, considering what I look like now and what I do for a living.”

“You don’t believe that, do you?” asked Steve.

Jean shook her head. “No, they wouldn’t give up on me that easily. Steve, I can’t show up and tell them that I’m a transgendered prostitute. They would slam the front door in my face.”

“You so sure? I’ve seen some pretty touching family reunions,” he replied.

“I want to see them, but not until I’m free of these desires,” she stated.

“I talked to Doc Stevens, and he says that with therapy they should be able to ease some of your sexual urges,” said Steve.

“How long would that take?” she asked.

“He compared it to drug addiction, but that it would take time; initially it would require three to four months of constant treatment,” replied Steve.

Jean shook her head. “Not yet, not until we catch the creatures that did this to me. If I go into treatment, it would tip them off, right?”

Steve nodded. “Yes.”

“Then it can wait until we catch them. At much as I hate what I am, I would hate myself even more if I slipped out of this and let THEM escape.”

The waiter came up and took their orders. Jean ordered the soy marinated wild salmon with mango lime purée on a bed of Asian angel hair pasta. Steve also decided on fish and ordered the grilled Alaskan halibut in a juniper martini cream sauce.

“I thought that’s what you would say,” stated Steve.

“So you agree with my decision?” she asked.

“I would do the same thing,” replied Steve, “but I’ve always been stubborn.”

While they ate, Jean looked over at Steve. “Okay, my turn, what haven’t you told me regarding your family? I can tell that my situation is very personal to you.”

Steve took a sip of his wine. He glanced around before speaking. “I told you about my daughter, Beth.”

Jean nodded.

“She was born male and had been a naval officer here in San Diego. She was transformed into a biological teenage girl by a genius blinded by the loss of his family. It’s a long story, but she’s overcome so much and has a wonderful future. I guess I hate to see anyone struggling with a similar circumstance.”

“That’s incredible,” she replied.

“Doc Stevens was there when Beth was transformed, as was Maggie,” added Steve. “I didn’t get involved until later, but that’s another story.”

Jean stared back. “I had no idea. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.”

“I hope you can meet Maggie and Beth someday,” said Steve.

‘I’d like that,” replied Jean.

After dinner they skipped dessert, but had coffee.

“Assuming you do catch the people who did this to me, and that my programming can be reversed, what will become of me?” asked Jean.

“Doc Stevens thinks that you could successfully have SRS, and at least become physically complete, if you wish,” replied Steve.

Jean nodded. “That’s not exactly what I was asking about, but that’s nice to know. I don’t want to go through the rest of my life, being, well… in between. I was thinking career-wise. I doubt that I would be taken seriously as a computer tech.”

“What about government service?” he asked. “Have you considered a career in law enforcement?”

Jean laughed. “Please, Steve, I’m serious.”

“So am I,” replied Steve. “We’re always looking for intelligence people. I’m not talking fieldwork, but we always need good techs. You have language and computer skills; those are hard to come by.”

“You’re serious aren’t you?”

“I don’t kid about things like this. When this is all over, I will put in a good word for you,” said Steve.

Jean smiled softly. “I’d like that; so what happens now?” Deep down, she knew it would never happen, but it was nice to have hope of a normal life again.

“As disagreeable as it sounds, you go back to Vegas and go to work. Thanks to you, I have a lot of leads to work with. I’ve taken a look at those profiles you wrote up, and I’ll pass them on to our research department. Doc Stevens is writing his report that has some interesting leads. We’re also investigating the escort service. I promise that we’re doing everything possible.”

“Will you keep me informed?’ asked Jean.

Steve nodded. He handed her a business card. The only thing on it was his cell phone number. “Just in case you need to talk.”

“Thank you,” she replied as she took the card and placed it in her purse.

Chapter 19

It was two days later when Steve finished his preliminary report on Jean’s abduction. He’d waited until he received some of the initial medial test results back. There were traces of a mind control drug that was known to be used by PRC, which confirmed Jean’s suspicion of one the abductors being Chinese. He doubted that the person was still with the Chinese government, which also went into his report.

Now it was up to the many skilled agents of the agency to sort through the clues and try to turn up any leads. This was when skill and luck came into effect, thought Steve.

He decided to play one more card. He dialed a number on his phone. There was a generic phone message.

“This is Steve Williams. I need to speak to Angel.” He then left the number for his cell phone, knowing that Angel wouldn’t return a call to a regular agency number.

Chapter 20

Two hours later, Steve’s cell phone rang.

“What do you want, Agent Williams?” asked the person on the other end. There was a tone of annoyance on the other end.

Steve had only received glimpses of Angel’s group from Ally, and he knew she knew as little as he did. They were shadows of shadows, well connected in a few well placed parts of government and law enforcement, but wholly independent and never acknowledged, operating on their own code of justice. “Ronin,” thought Steve, remembering the word for samurai who had no masters. Their operations were clean, and occasionally brutal, but the few targets that were rumored to be theirs had been people Steve would never shed tears over.

There was no need to make small talk, so he went right to the point. “I need to know if you have anything on an organization transforming men; it may be located in California, Nevada, Arizona, or Mexico,” said Steve. He then explained a little about the organization.

“So they punish those who have escaped justice? Why do you care?” replied the person.

“Because they’re sloppy. They screwed up and hurt an innocent person. I also think they’re involved in the sex slave trade.”

“What do you want?”

“Just information,” replied Steve.

“That’s so boring. If we find them, we can take them out like a surgeon cuts out a malignant tumor. Besides, that way you wouldn’t have to get your agency’s nice clean hands all dirty.”

“I don’t mind getting dirty,” replied Steve.

There was what almost sounded like a stifled laugh. “That’s true; I’ve heard that about you.”

“Just send me any information you may have,” said Steve.

“What if it’s in Mexico? You can’t go in there after them.”

“We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it,” replied Steve.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do. Just one question, why did you call me?”

“I may not agree with your methods, but we’re fighting the same war. We also have a mutual friend.”

“True, how’s Ally doing?”

“She’s recovering from her surgery,” said Steve.

“Good, she deserves a happy life. I’ll get back to you. Just remember courtesy is a two way street.”

Steve smiled to himself; Angel was more polite than he had expected. He didn’t like resorting to a group like the one Angel was in, but he needed all the help he could get. He also didn’t want to get too involved with Angel’s group and end up owing a favor back, as Angel hinted.

Chapter 21

A few weeks later, Steve got the final medical report on Jean’s physical. There were a few things that stood out. First, the type of micro-surgery used on Jean was experimental and was only being used at three sites around the world. One was in France, one in Denmark, and one in Thailand. Doc Stevens wrote that it was the type of suture that gave it away.

The type of hormone used on Jean also had French ties. It had been originally developed for post-menopausal women, but never marketed. There had been complications with infections. The initial biodegradable coating was seen as the problem. The report stated that the coating on the implant found in Jean was almost identical to the one used on the homing implants used by the Agency.

Lastly, the chemical traces from the drugs used on Jean for her mental conditioning were very close to the type used in China. The analysis determined that it was an improved version, being more potent that the original.

Steve knew that the agency would start investigating the three clinics using the micro-surgery and the company that produced the hormone implant. Hopefully, some names would show up that would match the vocal profiles provided by Jean.

The agency also found three other possible victims of the committee. One was Candy Jones, presently serving time in Arizona for prostitution and drug dealing. She wasn’t very helpful as she was severely addicted to meth and was being treated for several STDs. Like Jean, she was a pre-op transsexual.

Steve read the file on Candy Jones, who was once Brandon Phillips. He had been a high school teacher who was accused of sexual molesting several of his students. The lack of physical evidence and his outstanding record led to two mistrials. It was also suspected that his family’s influence had paid off the jury each time. His father was the biggest employer in the central California town where the crimes took place. Brandon disappeared two weeks after the DA refused to press for another trial.

Another agent had tried to interview Candy, but stated that it was a waste of time, as Candy’s mind was mush from the drugs. Still, they got her permission to conduct a physical and found that she had been transformed by the same people who did Jean. They also found that she had the same hormonal implants in her body.

The other two were even less talkative, as they were both listed at “Jane Does.” Both were in the LA County Morgue. The police listed both as prostitutes. One had been found dead in an alley of an overdose, and the other had been shot. Like Candy, they had both been accused of sexual crimes and had escaped prosecution. Juan Vargas, aged twenty-three of Tucson, had been the suspect in a series of sexual assaults in Arizona. He had gone missing four years ago. Al Johnson of Las Vegas was on bail when he disappeared three years ago. He had been charged with beating his pregnant girlfriend.

The autopsies of both had the hormone implants and chemicals that were found in Jean.

Steve read the reports on the two deceased prostitutes. According to vice, they were new to the neighborhood, and neither had been on the streets for more than a few weeks before they turned up dead. The vice cops didn’t know their female names.

After Steve accounted for their transformations, there was a large gap of missing time for both of them. He reread the autopsy reports and found that both had been physically abused over a long period of time. Both had healed fractures and many scars. Juan’s back was heavily scarred, as if he had been whipped over a long period of time. Al had scars on his wrists and ankles, signs that he had been kept tied up for long periods of time. Steve began to put together a mental picture of what had been happened to them; they had been sexual slaves until their master or mistress tired of them and dumped them on the street.

At least the number of clues was increasing, and Steve knew that sooner or later something would happen to trip them up. He just wondered how many more victims would turn up.

He then turned his attention to the escort service that Jean worked for. There had to be some link to her abductors, but what was it?

Chapter 22

Jean was relaxing in her Vegas condo as she checked her computer and found that she had only three “dates” scheduled for that week. While she wasn’t really happy about being an escort, at least she no longer cried herself to sleep after the date. The fact that she was getting used to her life bothered her. She was even more dismayed to find that she was starting to enjoy some of the sex. Was this part of her programming, or was she changing?

She scanned ahead to see if she had any out of town trips coming up and was pleased to see that she had three dates in San Diego in a few weeks. Maybe she would see Matt, she thought.

Overall, she was getting used to her new life. Other than the dates, her life was pretty pleasant. She spent an hour every day at the gym working out, followed by a massage, then maybe a nap by the pool. She had regular appointments to have her nails and hair done. In her spare time, she shopped. Sometimes it was to find a special outfit for one of her clients, other times it was just to find something nice to wear.

She used her “tip” money for shopping. What she made through the escort service as part of her regular salary went into her savings account or her investments. Jean knew that her body would only allow her to make this sort of money for so long, and she wanted to have something put away, just in case. With her programmed mind, she knew she was stuck as a sex worker, and she cringed at the thought of working the streets.

Jean also wondered how Steve was doing in trying to track down the people that had done this to her. Several times she had started to dial his number, but stopped each time. She trusted him and decided to wait until he called her.

After confirming her next date, she had an idea and began to scan the net. It didn’t take her long until she found what she was looking for. She bookmarked the site and would sleep on it before acting.

She glanced at her watch and saw that it was after nine; she didn’t feel like cooking dinner, so she went to one of the casinos.

Jean dressed in a simple black dress that looked anything but simple on her shapely body. She liked going to the casinos to eat or catch a show as it was safe. Contrary to popular belief, prostitution was illegal in Vegas. The security at the casinos knew that Jean was an escort, and as long as she was alone, they left her alone. She could also rely on them to protect her.

Even though Jean was becoming more comfortable with sex, she had decided not to have sex with anyone outside of what the escort service provided. She knew that she looked too feminine, and the last thing she needed was to be facing an angry man who thought she was a real woman.

Gambling excited her, and she found that she was pretty good at blackjack. Because she was a large breasted gorgeous blonde, no one suspected that she was actually intelligent. Jean had studied a card counting method when she had been Gene. As Gene, he never had the guts to actually try it; as Jean, it was just something to do. She didn’t get greedy, and she just wanted to make sure that she always left with more money than she came with. To make sure that no one suspected what she was doing, she would misplay a hand on purpose.

What Jean missed most was having friends. She was becoming a regular at a few of the casinos, but she didn’t count the bartenders and dealers as friends, even when they greeted her by name. Several security officers also knew her. At first they watched to make sure she wasn’t working, but gradually they began to chat with her. She wasn’t sure if they knew that she was transgendered, and she wasn’t about to tell them, not knowing their reaction. She wasn’t so naíve as to think that, while Vegas was rather wild, everyone was open minded.

That night she played blackjack for three hours and left with $2,500 in chips. She made her way to the bar for a nightcap. Jean was also finding that her personal body schedule was changing. She stayed up late, even when she wasn’t working. Most of her dates preferred to meet her at night.

She ordered a brandy and sat at the bar watching the crowd.

“I see that you had another successful evening,” said a large, light skinned black man. He was six-two, shaved head, and built like a linebacker. He was dressed in a suit and was the head of the nightshift security.

“Good evening, Mac,” replied Jean cheerfully. “Yes, I had a good night.”

He sat down next to her and smiled. “I watched you from the security room, you’re damn good.”

“Thank you” she replied with a smile.

“You’re also smart and not greedy,” he continued. “You could have taken the casino for a lot more than what you have.”

“I’m not out to get rich; it’s something to do,” she replied. “I just like playing, and winning is more fun than losing.”

“We know that. That’s why we still let you play here. Besides, when you’re at a table, you both attract and distract the other gamblers. They usually lose more than you win.”

Jean smiled. “Oh, thanks! Maybe I should ask you guys for a salary.”

“I’ll run it by my boss,” stated Mac. He stared at Jean. “I’ve been trying to figure you out.”

Jean sipped her drink. “Any luck?”

Mac laughed. His laugh was a deep booming laugh. “No… well, not completely.”

“Well, what have you figured out?” she asked.

“Don’t take this personally, but obviously you’re an escort, high class, and savvy, intelligent, smarter than people give you credit for.”

“How do you know that I’m an escort?” asked Jean.

“You have the look, your body has been enhanced, and you’re single, never with a man in here. You also dress sexy, but you spurn any advances from men, or women for that matter. Am I right so far?”

Jean sipped her drink and stared back without saying a word.

Mac smiled. “Damn, you’d be good at poker too, I bet. Don’t worry, I’m not going to hassle you. Actually, I like you hanging out here; it brightens up the place.”

Jean smiled. “Thank you.”

“So am I right?”

She nodded slightly.

“There is something different about you; I can’t quite place what it is,” he stated. “I mean, you have a lot going for you; why sell yourself?”

“That was rather blunt,” she replied. “Maybe it’s because I don’t have a choice.”

“Bull, we all have choices,” he replied.

“I don’t,” said Jean sadly.

‘Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. We all have to make a living,” he stated.

“I wish it was that simple,” replied Jean softly.

“Well, I better get back to work. See you around, Jean.”

“I hope so, Mac,” she answered.

Jean finished her drink and looked at her watch; it was only two, and she didn’t feel like going home. The bartender asked her if she wanted another drink, and she shook her head. She got up and walked back to watch some others gamble.

She positioned herself near a blackjack table. There were three men playing hands. One was an older man dressed in an impeccably neat tailored suit. Everything about him was class, from his neatly trimmed moustache to his manicured nails. Jean noticed he was playing the odds and was winning most of his hands. He had the look of a professional gambler, or at least someone who had been doing it for a very long time.

To his left was a young man, in his early twenties, who was almost out of chips. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Jean suspected that this was his first time in a real casino; he probably played online or with his college friends. He also seemed very nervous, as if he realized he was in out of his element. Jean hoped that he hadn’t lost too much money.

The last man looked like he was in his forties. He was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt, opened to show his gold chains. He had a deep tan that Jean could tell came from tanning booths. He was in good shape, but was starting to get a little flabby. He also had a big mouth and obviously had a high opinion of himself. Jean also noticed that he dropped a thousand dollars in less than thirty minutes. It was obvious that he was a terrible player who took too many risks. He also loudly moaned about his bad luck. The older man just shook his head and glanced over at him with disdain.

Jean smiled at the reaction of the older man, and so she decided to join the table just for something to do. She took the open seat between the guy in the Hawaiian shirt and the older man. The older man stood up as Jean sat down and glared at the others for their perceived lack of manners. He shook his head in disbelief as he sat down. Jean liked him immediately.

Hawaiian shirt glanced over at her with contempt as he sipped his gin and tonic. Obviously, he was judging her by her looks, and Jean smiled to herself. Too bad they weren’t playing poker, she thought as she won her first five hands, while he only won one once. She would have eaten him alive, she thought.

Hawaiian shirt mumbled something about beginner’s luck, as he took a hit on seventeen. He went bust when he drew a jack.

“Damn my luck tonight,” he stated as he waved for a waitress to get a refill. He then turned towards Jean. “At least the cards like you, honey.”

“Luck has nothing to do with it,” Jean stated aloud.

“What do you mean by that?’ he asked, turning towards her. There was an amused look on his face, as if he was shocked that a woman knew more about gambling than he did.

“I know how to play the game, you don’t,” she replied in a matter of fact way.

The dealer stifled a smile as the older man chuckled.

“Really?” he asked. “And tell me what makes you think this?”

“You don’t play the odds; you play too aggressive,” said Jean.

The older man next to Jean nodded in agreement.

“I suppose you could show me the right way to play,” he stated as he lost another hand.

“I’m not here to give out lessons,” she replied. “Besides, I doubt you’d listen to what I would tell you anyway. You’re too reckless.”

“That’s the way I play, sweetie,” he replied. “Besides, it’s my money.”

“It must be nice to have so much money to lose,” she countered. “I don’t like throwing my money away.”

There was some laughter from the people who had gathered around to watch the show.

The younger man looked at his small pile of chips and stood up. He didn’t say a word, but he nodded at Jean and the older man.

The next hand was dealt. The dealer had a six showing and Jean had sixteen. She knew that the dealer would have to take a hit, so she stood pat. The older man was showing an eight and he also refused another card. Hawaiian shirt had a seven showing, and he took another card and drew a ten. He cursed as he tossed his cards down, obviously he had gone over. The dealer flipped the other card and it was a jack; he had to take a hit, and his next card was a king.

“Damn,” stated Hawaiian shirt as he reached for his drink.

Jean just smiled.

“I guess it’s not my night. Well, sweetie, you know what they say about unlucky at cards…. so, can I buy you a drink?” he asked as he leaned over and slipped his arm around Jean’s shoulders

Jean smoothly flicked his hand off her shoulder. “Sorry, you’re not my type.”

There was some laughter and oohing and ahing from the crowd.

Hawaiian shirt glared at her, it was bad enough he was losing, but Jean’s public rejection was too much. “Since when is a whore selective?”

There was a hushed silence over the table. Some in the crowd gasped at the man’s comments.

“That’s what you are, isn’t it? A fuckin’ whore, right?” continued the man.

“Watch you mouth, punk,” growled the older man.

“Fuck you, gramps,” snapped back Hawaiian shirt.

“Excuse me, sir, that sort of language isn’t appropriate here,” stated Mac. He was standing directly behind Hawaiian shirt. There were two additional security guards standing behind him.

Jean was caught off guard as she hadn’t seen Mac walk up, but she was glad to see him now. She suspected that he had been watching on the video circuit.

Hawaiian shirt turned angrily around and was about to tell whoever it was to mind his own business, he stopped when he saw Mac. He tried to regain his composure and began to smile. “Look, I’m just here to play, not to be bothered by some whore. I thought you had standards here. I didn’t think you let them in here.”

“That’s enough,” said Mac. “I think you should leave.” He motioned for the two security guards to come forward.

The man laughed. “You’re kicking me out and letting HER stay? That’s rich!”

The older man to Jean’s right stood up. “The lady did nothing wrong. Look sonny, they’re doing you a favor; think of the all the money you won’t lose now.”

The guy stared at Jean and then the older man. It appeared that he was about to say something, but thought better about it. “Screw it; I never liked this place anyway!”

Mac rolled his eyes as he watched his men escort the man out.

The older man turned to Jean. “Do you mind if I buy you a drink, Miss?”

Jean smiled back. “I’d like that, thank you.”

“He’s lucky; in my day, we’d have dumped his body out in the desert,” stated the older man with a grin as he motioned for a waitress. “Maybe we still should.”

Jean wasn’t sure if he was joking or not, and she just smiled back.

Later, as she was leaving, she ran into Mac.

“Interesting evening,” she said.

“Just another night in paradise,” he replied with a grin.

“By the way, who was that nice old man?” she asked.

Mac looked over at the table and smiled. “That nice old man is Jimmy Morris. If you believe the rumors around here, he used to work for the mob,” said Mac. “They say he used to take care of the cheaters in the old days. I heard that he was someone you didn’t want to cross when he was a younger man, still looks like he could handle himself.”

“No kidding?” asked Jean as she recalled what Jimmy had said. At least she wasn’t the only one with a past.

Mac shrugged his shoulders. “It’s Vegas, anything is possible.”

Chapter 23

Jean went home and took a long hot bath. It had been a fun evening, although she couldn’t get that jerk’s words out of her mind. She didn’t consider herself a whore, but it wasn’t that far off. She didn’t pick men up in casinos, but she did have sex for a living. Tomorrow, she would be meeting a businessman from Chicago, which meant she would be having sex with him.

As she soaked, she wondered if Steve had made any progress. She thought about his offer back in San Diego; maybe she should give up her fight for revenge and let them try to break her programming. Another option was to just give in to her programming and accept her fate.

No, she couldn’t accept either option. For now, she would play the cards she was dealt, but she would never give in. No, tomorrow she would go shopping, and it wouldn’t be for a dress.

Chapter 24

Steve read the report on the escort service that Jean worked for. It was a legal service and had a PO Box in Reno. The mail was picked up by a service and forwarded to another address. It didn’t appear to have an office. The girls received all their assignments via the internet or by cell phone. Clients made their reservations online too.

It also catered to the rich and powerful. It provided discrete dates for the right price. The report noted that they were presently advertising twenty-five girls. Jean and the other transgendered women had their own section.

The report noted that the service paid its taxes and had no complaints lodged against it. That didn’t surprise Steve; a service like this would try to be as legitimate as possible.

The last thing the report listed was the owners. It was run by a corporation that listed three men as the primary stockholders. All three were clean, and until they started the service, they were smalltime players. Steve suspected that they were picked to run the service for someone else.

Steve doubted that they would find any connection to the group that had transformed Jean and the others. Still, he had gotten lucky before by the bad guys being too arrogant to think someone would be tracking them.

Personally, he felt that the surgery would be what broke the case. There couldn’t be that many people capable of doing the complex surgery that transformed Jean and the others. Still, he knew he had to play all his cards, and on a hunch he called up Special Agent Ally Burns.

Chapter 25

Ally was working half days as she recovered from her SRS. Thankfully, she had built such a strong department that she could afford to work less. There were now four branch offices that were helping local law enforcement in the hunting down of sexual predators that used the Internet.

She walked into Steve’s office and gently sat down.

“How’re you doing?” he asked.

“Still tired, but I have no regrets. I’m so happy to have had the surgery,” she replied. “I’ll be so glad when I feel up to going back to work fulltime.”

“Good. You feel up to talking to an old friend?” he asked. There was a grin on his face.

“Who?” she asked suspiciously.

“Margo Simon,” replied Steve.

Margo had been the woman behind a major teen sex slave ring. It had been broken up by Ally. Margo was presently in a maximum security prison, serving a life sentence without possibility of parole.

“Why?” asked Ally cautiously. “I haven’t heard anything from her in a while; what’s she up to now?”

Steve briefed her on the case.

“So you think you she might know something about the surgeon?” asked Ally.

“It’s worth a shot,” said Steve.

“What do you have on the surgeon?” asked Ally.

“I have a little bit of info, but I’m not telling you until you’re done with Margo. I trust you, but she might just tell us a story to match our info.”

Ally nodded. “That makes sense. Still, I just doubt she’ll cooperate. She’ll want something is return, and I’m not willing to give her a thing; she’s hurt way too many people.”

“I understand, Ally. However, I’d like you to think about it. This group could be as bad as Margo’s… maybe even worse.”

Ally stared back. “I doubt that. Okay, I’ll think about it. But why me, why don’t you go and talk to her?”

“She loathes me, and she only hates you; still she seems to enjoy talking to you,” replied Steve. “We might get lucky, and she might blurt out something.”

“My, aren’t I lucky. Okay, when can you arrange a meeting?” asked Ally.

“Tomorrow morning?” replied Steve with a smile.

Ally shook her head and smiled. “You owe me.”

Steve nodded. “Look, if this wasn’t important, I wouldn’t ask you to do this.”

“I know.”

Chapter 26

“Ms. Logan, that was very good. You sure you’ve never fired a handgun before?” asked the range master.

“No, this is the first time,” replied Jean as she took off her hearing protection.

“I think with a little training you could become an expert shot,” he stated. He said this to everyone who came into his shop, but this time he actually meant it. He had no idea why this lovely woman needed a gun, but at least she could hit the target. Usually, a first time shooter hit the ceiling more than the target.

Jean nodded. “I want to take lessons,” she replied as she handed him the Glock-19 semi-automatic handgun after clicking the safety on.

“This is a good gun for you; it’s not too heavy and fairly easy to maintain,” stated the man.

“I’ll take it,” she replied.

“Excellent choice,” he replied. “We’ll throw in a six-month range membership as part of the purchase.”

“I’d also like to schedule lessons please,” she added.

“No problem, Ms. Logan; let’s go back up front, and we’ll fill out the necessary paperwork.”

Jean decided that she would train with the gun, just in case she ever came across one of her captors. Mostly, it gave her something to do, and practicing using the gun would also be a way to work out her frustrations. She also wanted a way to protect herself if they came back to get her.

She had investigated online about getting a concealed weapon permit, but it would require a background check, and she couldn’t risk that. She suspected that whoever changed her might be monitoring her, and the last thing she wanted was for them to know she was now armed.

Chapter 27

Margo Simon was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, legs cuffs, and a chain around her waist that was connected to her handcuffs. She was also wearing a black navy watch cap, which covered her bald head. Margo had alopecia areata, which left her hairless over her entire body.

Ally stood outside the small room and looked over at Steve. He nodded that the recording devices were operating, and she entered the room.

“Ahh, Special Agent Ally Burns, I was hoping that they were sending you over for my questioning. You look really fatigued, wait…. don’t tell me, you went and had your surgery, right?” asked Margo.

Ally stared back. She saw no need to lie to Margo about this. “That’s right; I’m still on half days for a while longer.”

“Now I’m truly honored. You came in from your recovery just to see me! So, do you feel like a real woman now, or do you still feel the inner conflict?”

“I feel wonderful, thank you for asking,” replied Ally with a smile.

“Too bad, I was hoping that you would stay in between. It would be so much more fun to torture you if you still had your penis.”

Ally shrugged her shoulders. “I have a question for you.”

Margo shook her head. “No, I’m not answering anything until you get me a real cup of coffee. Black, no sugar.”

Ally looked over her shoulder and nodded.

A minute later a guard brought in a cup of steaming hot coffee for Margo and a can of Diet Coke for Ally.

“You shouldn’t drink that stuff; it’s bad for you,” said Margo as she held the cup of coffee under her nose. She closed her eyes and smiled as the aroma of the coffee filled her nostrils.

“I know, but I like the flavor,” replied Ally as she popped open the can.

Margo sipped her coffee. “By the way, how’s the girl, Beth, doing?”

“She’s at college,” replied Ally.

“Too bad, she would have been a wonderful slave,” replied Margo licking her lips.

“You underestimated her; she probably would have killed you the first chance she had,” stated Ally.

Margo laughed. “Please, she’s a mere wisp of a girl.”

Ally smiled slightly. If you only knew, she thought. “I’d like to know if you have any information on a group transforming men.” Ally then gave a condensed version of the case.

“What do I get if I help you?” asked Margo.

“Depends on what you tell us and if it’s useful.”

Margo nodded. “I want a real coffee maker and real coffee, none of that instant crap.”

Ally cocked her head. “That’s it?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, Agent Burns; I will get out of here, but I don’t need your help for that. No, I just want a real cup of coffee, when I want it. I don’t need a special brew either, just fresh ground beans.”

Ally almost laughed, but she kept it in. “If you provide useful information, I’ll make sure that you get your coffee maker.”

“And the coffee.”

Ally nodded. “The coffee too.”

Margo nodded. “Okay, tell me about the surgery.”

Ally began to describe the techniques used on Jean and the others.

“You’re right about the technique; the surgeon did learn her trade in Europe. I never met her, but I saw her work once at a sex party in Paris. The young t-girl looked near perfect. She also had the modification to her rear like you described. I asked the person who had bought the girl about the surgery, and he said that she called herself Dr. Z. He described the doctor as half-French, half-Vietnamese.”

“That’s it?” asked Ally. It wasn’t much to go by.

“No, I remember meeting a man who was interested in what I was doing. He said that he represented a group that was providing slaves to rich clients. He was interested in how we were getting teens by using the Internet. He said that they were relying on abducting runaways, grabbing troubled teens from foster homes, and getting others from juvenile halls. He mentioned that his group was interested in studying my methods. Nothing ever came of it.”

“Is that all?’ asked Ally.

“No, he irritated me. First off, he was from New York; I can’t stand people from there. Next, he had an annoying personal habit of clicking his dentures. Halfway through our conversation, I wanted to whip him, as the noise was so irritating,” complained Margo. “His name was… oh, what was it… oh yes, Frank Albertson.”

“And you think he’s connected to the surgeon?” asked Ally.

Margo nodded. “He was offering a trade. My husband, Thomas, would be shown some of Dr. Z’s techniques, in exchange for some of my training tips.”

Ally nodded. “Anything else?”

Margo shook her head. “If I think of anything else, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“When do I get my coffee maker?” asked Margo.

“I’ll talk to the warden and find out what kind is allowable.”

“Good,” replied Margo. “I’m counting on you to keep your promise.”

Ally walked out without saying another word.

Steve was smiling as she walked out. “Well done.”

“Thanks,” she replied. “Do you think she was telling us the truth?”

Steve nodded. “I have something to show you.” He handed her the file of Jean’s audio profiles of the seven on the committee.

Ally read it and her eyes opened up wide. “My God, she gave us info on two of them!”

“I know,” replied Steve. “I’ve already called the office to start a search on Frank Albertson and Dr. Z.”

“I wonder why Margo helped us?” asked Ally as she watched the guards escorting Margo back to her cell.

“Maybe she just wanted a good cup of coffee. Margo only cares about herself; if we take out this group, that cleans up some of the competition.”

“Yes, but she’s not going anywhere,” replied Ally.

“You and I know that, but she’s convinced that she’s getting out,” replied Steve.

“I guess we owe her a coffee machine,” stated Ally.

“I already talked to the warden; he has reluctantly agreed to let us buy her one.”

“I doubt that Margo will do anything nefarious with it; no, it’ll be a symbol that we had to come to her for help. I imagine she’ll view it as a trophy,” said Ally.

“You may be right, but now we have something solid to go on with this case. Thanks for the help,” said Steve. He leaned over and gave Ally a kiss on the cheek. “Yeah, I know that was unprofessional.”

Ally smiled back. “Thanks, I’ll see you later.”

Chapter 28

Jean was standing naked in front of her full-length mirror. She was examining her body. It was still strange to realize that this was her body now. Her small “clitty” looked so out of place with the rest of her body, yet it was the reason she earned so much money.

She ran her hands over her body and thought about her last clients. They were a married couple who wanted something exotic for their anniversary. They took turns with her throughout the night. Jean found herself enjoying the sex that she had with both the man and his wife.

Jean nodded at her reflection. “You’re turning into a real whore,” she stated aloud. “And what’s even worse, you don’t fear your change anymore.”

She picked up a silk robe and slipped it on. It was nearly ten at night, and she was debating on what to do that night. It was way too early to go to bed, and she didn’t have another client for two more days. She got up and walked to her closet and looked for something to put on. She selected a black satin corset dress. It had laces up the side and spaghetti straps. It had cost her nearly six hundred, but it fit her perfectly.

A short time later, she walked into her favorite casino. She scanned the blackjack tables as she was hoping that Jimmy would be there, but she didn’t see him. She did notice a few professional football players playing at one table. Jean decided that there was too much testosterone for her there, so she looked for another table.

Jean settled on one that only had three players. A man and woman were playing together, and Jean suspected that they were newlyweds. The other player was obviously a man of class and money. He was wearing a Paul Smith navy striped suit and had a Rolex Oyster watch on his wrist. He was playing several hands, and judging by his stack of chips was doing pretty well.

Jean sat down to his right and decided to play just one hand. The young bride wasn’t happy that Jean had sat down at their table; she glared at Jean with eyes filled full of venom. Jean rolled her eyes and concentrated on her cards.

She was dealt a blackjack on her first hand. She had the feeling that this would be a good night.

Her next hand was a pair of kings, which she immediately split. The dealer went bust, and she won again.

The man next to her smiled. “Nice couple of hands.”

“It’s funny how it works out like that sometimes,” she replied.

The young groom was caught by his wife glancing at Jean’s breasts, and that was it for them at that table.

“Come on, Paul; let’s go get a drink,” she said as she glared at Jean.

“Looks like it’s just you and I for now. My name is Harry,” said the man as he extended his hand.

“I’m Jean, pleased to meet you,” she replied. She noticed that he had a very strong grip.

The man was friendly, but it was obvious he was more interested in playing blackjack than conversation, and that suited Jean just fine. She did notice that he had no wedding ring. He looked around forty, and his black hair was just starting to show a few gray hairs. Jean decided that he would look good with gray hair. She smiled to herself as she realized that men seemed to age better than women, something else she would have to get used to. She also wondered if he was good in bed.

The cards seemed to be blessed that night, and Jean found that she didn’t even need to use her card counting skills to win. She was getting one good hand after another. Harry was also winning most of his hands.

Jean looked up and saw Mac walking by. He gave her a head nod and what almost looked like a smile.

“I think I’ll take a break,” she said. She was up nearly three thousand, and she tossed a hundred dollar chip to the dealer. Then she turned to Harry. “Hope you continue to have good luck.”

Harry smiled, and he stood up as she got up. “It was a pleasure, Jean.”

Jean walked over to the bar and sat down and ordered a brandy. She liked that the professional gamblers treated her with respect. A few minutes later, Mac sat down next to her.

“I see you had another profitable evening,” he noted.

“It wasn’t hard, I was getting one great hand after another, even that jerk in that tacky Hawaiian shirt could have won,” she replied with a smile.

“I doubt that.”

Jean laughed. “What’s the story on the guy back at that table?” she asked.

Mac looked over at the man. “He’s Harry Wilson, and he’s an international arms dealer.”

Jean stared at Mac and then looked over at Harry. “No way.”

Mac nodded. “He’s totally legit. He comes in here a few times a year, one of the best whales we have. The casino loves him as he bets big. He always gets a big suite when he’s here. The casino loves whales like him.”

Jean nodded; she was now fully knowledgeable of casino terminology. A whale was a better who usually bet a lot of money. “Wow, I thought he was a lawyer or something like that.”

Mac smiled. “I have to confess something to you.”

Jean cocked her head. “What?”

“I heard a rumor about you, and I did a little research. I never would have suspected,” said Mac in a low voice.

Jean knew exactly what he meant; he knew her secret. “Does that affect the way you think of me?”

Mac grinned slightly. “Not exactly. In some ways it makes you even more interesting.”

Jean was caught off guard by his answer. “So that means we’re cool?”

Mac nodded. He then gave her a look than sent a rush of excitement through her body.

“Look, I know what you do for a living, and I know that this may seem out of line, but I get off work in two hours; would you like to have breakfast with me, my treat?” he asked.

“I’d love to,” replied Jean with a smile.

Mac nodded. “I’ll find you when I’m done.”

Jean smiled and watched him walk away. She didn’t consider this as a violation of her rules, as he obviously knew who and what she was. Besides, it was only breakfast, she thought. She sighed. She was so lonely, and Mac was a nice guy; what was the harm?

Chapter 29

As promised Mac found her a couple of hours later, and they walked out of the casino.

They got in Jean’s sedan and headed out to an all-night diner. Mac claimed that they had the best breakfast in Vegas. They walked in together and took a booth in the back. The waitress brought them coffee and took their orders.

Jean decided to break the ice. “So, you saw my page on the website?”

Mac nodded.

“And obviously my status doesn’t bother you,” she continued.

“No, it doesn’t,” he answered. “I have a question; does being with me affect your work status?’

Jean shook her head. “No, my life is my own; when I’m not working, that is.”

Mac smiled. “That’s nice to hear.”

As they ate, they couldn’t take their eyes off each other. Jean needed to be with someone who wasn’t paying her. Like it or not, she was a woman, more or less, and it seemed silly to just live for her job. Mac’s eyes said it all; he wanted Jean badly.

“So do you date?’ he asked softly. “I mean when you’re not working….”

Jean giggled slightly. “Yes.”

“Do you want to go home with me?” he asked.

“I’d like that a lot, Mac,” she replied.

Chapter 30

Jean cuddled up to Mac’s large muscular body. In her short time as a woman, she had been with many men, but tonight was the first time she had made love. For someone so big and imposing, Mac was a very gentle lover. It was such a nice change of pace from her job.

“You’re so beautiful, Jean,” he sighed. “Why are you an escort?”

“I told you I don’t have a choice. I was made to be this way. It’s too complicated to talk about right now,” she replied.

“I don’t understand,” he stated.

“Not tonight, Mac. Please, just hold me and love me. You have no idea how much I need this,” she replied, as a single tear rolled down her face.

Mac pulled her close and hugged her. “It’s okay, honey; no one is going to hurt you tonight.”

Chapter 31

It was nearly ten when Jean and Mac woke up.

“Thank you,” she said as she woke up.

“I should be the one thanking you,” he said. “Last night was the first time that… well, that I was with a woman like you. It was better than I had ever imagined; it was worth the wait.”

“I just needed to be with someone because I wanted to be with them,” stated Jean.

Mac pulled her closer. He thought about what she had said earlier about not having a choice and was about to ask her again, but stopped. He figured that Jean would tell him when she was ready.

Jean looked up at him. “Look, I know this isn’t going to lead to anything, but it was nice. I know that a man in your position can’t get in a relationship with a woman like me; I’m not hurt by this or insulted.”

Mac didn’t know what to say and mumbled something that sounded like okay. After a while, he looked at her.

“Does that mean you don’t want to get together again?”

Jean shook her head. “I just want you to know that you don’t have to feel obligated to be with me. My feelings won’t be hurt or anything. What happened between us was wonderful, but I’m not capable of being in a relationship right now, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want,” he said.

“No, I need to get going. I have to head down to Laughlin tonight,” she said.

“Someday, when you’re ready, I want to know your story; you can trust me,” he said.

Jean moved up and kissed him. “I appreciate that.”

He pulled her close, and they began to kiss again.

“I suppose I can stay a little longer,” she whispered in between kisses.

Chapter 32

Steve was sitting next to Michelle, the agency’s top researcher.

“We’re looking for a woman surgeon, trained in Europe, probably either Denmark or France, half Vietnamese, and goes by the name Dr. Z,” explained Steve.

“And she’s a specialist in micro-surgery, right?” asked Michelle.

“We know that it’s her specialty,” answered Steve.

“Okay, we’ll start a search on her; tell me about the other one,” asked Michelle.

“Frank Albertson, from New York, has dentures,” said Steve.

Michelle laughed. “Dentures?”

Steve nodded. “He also clicks them when he talks.”

“Okay, I’ll let you know when we turn something up,” said Michelle.

He noticed that she said when and not if. “Okay, thanks Michelle.”

“What, no jokes about how cold I keep my office? I’m shocked!” Michelle kept her office area heavily air conditioned. Partly it was done for the benefit of the computers, but many suspected that she did it to keep out unwanted guests.

Steve laughed. “Maybe next time.”

Chapter 33

Two days later Michelle called Steve. “I have good news and bad news for you.”

“I’ll grab my parka and be right down,” he replied.

By the time Steve arrived, Michelle had called up a computer file that she had created for him.

“Okay, here’s Frank Albertson. He was once a noted defense attorney in New York City, usually defended men accused of sexual assault,” explained Michelle.

Steve looked at the image of Frank; he was a thin balding man with wire frame glasses. He was listed as fifty-three.

“The problem is that he’s listed as deceased. He died four years ago,” said Michelle as she clicked her mouse and called up Frank’s obituary.

Steve leaned over and began to read. According to the obituary, he had retired from his law practice three years earlier to care for his wife, who was the victim of a violent rape and robbery. She died six months later. Steve looked over at Michelle. “Tell me you have the info on this, right?”

“Of course,” replied Michelle. “The man who attacked Frank’s wife was caught and convicted, but was released due to a technical problem with the evidence.”

“Really?” asked Steve.

“There’s more. Both the defendant and the lawyer who got him off have disappeared in the past three years.”

“How did Frank die?’ asked Steve.

“Boating accident in the Bahamas. The boat was found swamped after a long search and rescue operation,” replied Michelle. “And before you ask, no, they never recovered the body or even his false teeth.”

“Okay, what else do you have?”

“I think I located your mysterious Dr. Z. Her real name is Dr. Leala Zachariah, aged forty-one. Born in Paris, both parents deceased. He father was originally in the French Foreign Legion as a medical officer; her mother was born in Saigon.”

“Interesting background,” replied Steve. “So where is she?”

“Also dead, at least according to her obituary. She was reported killed in a plane crash in Africa. She was working with an aid group flying in to help refugees from one of the civil wars being fought there. Everyone in the chartered plane was killed as the plane crashed in the jungle in Rwanda. Most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition.”

“What was the cause of the crash?” asked Steve.

“Listed as suspicious. The official version is that it developed engine trouble, but many suspect it was hit by a surface to air missile.”

“So we have two dead people who may be involved in the international sex trade. I can understand Albertson’s participation; he was filled with guilt and anger, but why Dr Z?”

“I’m not sure,” replied Michelle.

“You did well as always,” replied Steve. “Now we have at least two people to look for; granted, they’re listed as dead, but it’s a start.”

“Here’s the entire file on both of them,” said Michelle, as she handed Steve a CD.

“Thanks, Michelle,” said Steve.

He returned to his office and began to think. So at least two of the seven described by Jean are “officially” dead. He suspected the others might also be listed as dead too. It also made Steve feel that the facility they were looking for wasn’t in the US. The last thing these people would want would be to suddenly show up alive; no, the facility was most likely in Mexico. He knew that the area across the border from California had many health clinics offering cures from cancer to infertility. They operated in relative safety due to local laws. As long as no one complained, then no one investigated them. The massive bribes were also helpful, he thought. This would make any raid more difficult — not impossible, but more difficult.

Steve had worked with some of his counterparts in Mexico and was well aware of the problems they faced. If a raid were to occur, it would have to be conducted fast so that the bad guys wouldn’t be tipped off. While the amount of corruption disgusted Steve, he also understood the reality of the situation. Most police officers were paid very little, and who could blame them for turning a blind eye.

Steve picked up his phone and called the Director.

Chapter 34

Jean arrived back in Vegas from seeing her client in Laughlin. The man was fat and stunk of cheap cigars; he was also a cheap tip. He only gave her one hundred, which was down right insulting. She sent an email to the escort service asking not to have him again.

It had been a long worthless trip, and she needed to unwind. She took a long bath before going to bed.

It was around ten at night when she heard her doorbell ring. She slipped on a robe and found a sealed envelope stuffed in the doorframe. There was no one in sight.

Jean took the envelope and locked her door. She opened up the envelope and found a typed note.

WE OWN YOU. TONIGHT IS A WARNING; THE NEXT TIME YOU’LL BE THE ONE HURT.

Jean thought about it for a moment, and then she felt a wave of fear run through her body. She quickly got dressed and drove towards the casino where Mac worked.

As she approached, she could see flashing lights of numerous police cars and emergency vehicles.

“Oh God, please no,” she said to herself. “Please, no.”

She parked her car and walked quickly towards the casino. She looked around for Mac and didn’t see him. Her breathing got heavy, and she felt a growing wave of panic.

Jean saw one of the casino security guards walk by. She grabbed frantically him by the arm. “Excuse me, can you tell me what happened?”

The guard turned around and the look on his face told Jean that something bad had happened.

“Two guys with automatics robbed the armored car. They were dropping off change for the slots. Mac was signing for the bags of coins when these two bastards jumped out of car and gunned him down without warning. Fucking pointless!” the guard exclaimed angrily.

Jean almost collapsed. “Mac’s dead?”

The guard nodded. He looked at Jean. “Oh wow, I didn’t recognize you. I’m sorry; I know you were friends with him.”

Jean tried to fight off her tears, but soon they were running down her face. “Oh god.” She began to feel weak in the knees.

The guard looked at Jean and reached out to support her. “Come on, you better sit down.”

He escorted her inside a side entrance and sat her down at the bar. Jean folded her arms on the bar and dropped her head down as she cried. The bartender reached over and tried to comfort her.

“I know; it’s awful. Mac was a great guy,” said the bartender. “Here, you need a drink.” He pushed a glass towards her.

Jean looked up and wiped her eyes. She took the drink and took a sip; it was Scotch, and she felt the fluid’s warmth move down into her body. “Thanks.”

Jean looked around and was shocked to see that the rest of the casino was operating as if nothing happened. She remembered the note, and a chill ran through her. They had killed Mac because she had slept with him. That meant she was being watched; she shivered, thinking that they might know about Steve and Matt.

“You okay, Jean?’ asked the bartender.

“I don’t know,” she replied weakly.

“I’ll call you a cab, you’d better go home.”

“No, I’m fine. I can drive myself home.” She took out a twenty and left it on the bar as she walked out.

Chapter 35

The phone rang several times before Steve answered it. He looked at his watch and saw that it was nearly two in the morning.

“Go ahead,” he grunted as he got out of bed and walked into the hall. There was no need for Maggie to be up too.

“Steve, I’m in trouble,” said Jean. She was calling from her private cell phone.

“Jean? What happened?” he asked.

She explained about Mac.

“I’m sorry. Look, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but just go back to your regular routine. Don’t call the police or Matt,” said Steve. “Look, we’re making progress in this; that’s all I can tell you right now.”

“Do you want the note?”

“Save it, but don’t send it to me. I’ll get it from you later,” he said

“Okay. I was stupid to think I was free of them,” she stated angrily. “I’m responsible for his death. It’s my fault!”

“No, you’re not. They killed him; we’ll get them, Jean.”

“Thanks, Steve,” she replied.

After she hung up, Steve called the office. He talked for ten minutes. Unknown to Jean, she would now be under constant surveillance. Up to now, Steve hadn’t felt it was necessary, but now he knew they were dealing with a very dangerous organization. He was also determined to make them pay. Steve also would recognize that, since Jean is being watched, his surveillance team might discover people who can be traced back to the syndicate.

Jean sat on her couch, pulled her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. She then began to cry.

Chapter 36

Steve read the report on the murder of Mac. The Vegas police were calling it a botched robbery, but Steve disagreed. The two men who shot Mac were too well organized to screw up and hit the wrong truck. The getaway car was found out in the desert and had been burned. The guns were found in the remains of the car.

Jean was now being watched by the agency. While they hadn’t seen anyone else watching her, they did find out that her phone was bugged and her car had a tracking device in it.

He called Matt and told him what had happened.

“I don’t think you’re in danger, but stay alert,” said Steve. “I don’t think they followed her when she was out your way, although the next trip they might keep her under surveillance.”

“So, do you think that the complex is in Mexico?” asked Matt.

“It would make sense, they could blend in easier there,” said Steve.

“And what can you do down there?” he asked.

“It depends,” replied Steve.

“Some of the Federales can be trusted. There’s a Captain Saul Carrillo down there who is good. I’ve worked with him a few times,” said Matt.

“I’ve heard the name,” replied Steve.

“I want in when you do raid them,” said Matt.

“I’ve already talked to my boss,” answered Steve.

“How’s Jean doing?” he asked.

“She’s hanging in there,” replied Steve. “She’s strong, but I’m not sure how long she will make it. I’ve talked to some of our experts, and they feel that the longer she goes without deprogramming, the more difficult it may be.”

“What does that mean?” asked Matt.

“It means that, unless we bring her in soon, she’ll totally submit to her programming and regardless of what happens, she’ll want to stay an escort.”

“Are you sure that’s there’s nothing I can do?” asked Matt.

“Just do your regular job; we can’t afford to tip them off,” said Steve.

“Okay,” he replied.

Chapter 37

Jean drove towards the hotel where she was meeting her newest client. It had been two weeks since Mac’s murder. Jean had thrown herself into her work and tried not to think about the fact that she was being watched.

Her client was from Japan, and he requested that Jean wear a costume. The escort service had sent Jean the outfit. It was a schoolgirl’s uniform, a short blue skirt, a sailor uniform top, knee socks, black shoes, and a neck scarf.

Thankfully, Jean would be allowed to change at the hotel. She would also redo her makeup and hair so that she fit the schoolgirl fantasy of her client. It was actually a pretty cute outfit, thought Jean.

This was the first of several costume requests that Jean had scheduled in the next few weeks. In two days, she would be dressing up in military uniform. The client was retired Navy admiral and had a fantasy of seducing his female aide to find that she was transgendered. The dress uniform of a Lieutenant was now hanging in her closet.

The other one was also interesting. The man wanted Jean to be dressed as one of the waitresses of the casino’s restaurant. She would dress up and deliver him room service. This one required Jean to drive to Laughlin. Apparently, the man had paid off the hotel to arrange for everything.

A few weeks ago, Jean would have gagged at the thought of doing something like this, but now she only found it amusing, and she was actually looking forward to it. She knew that her attitude towards her job was changing, and she tried to rationalize it to herself, but deep down she knew that she was losing the fight against her programming. Maybe this was part of the plan by the people who did this to her, to have her initially fight the urges and then eventually totally submit. As it was, she could barely remember what it was like to be a man. She loved dressing up and looking seductive. She found that she got a thrill from the way men looked at her.

A short time later she was dressed in her costume and was sitting on the lap of her client. He was fondling her breasts and clitty. Jean, for her part, pretended to be the bad girl schoolgirl allowing her teacher to use her.

He was a very handsome man in his early forties. He was very fit, and Jean could feel his muscles as she caressed him.

The sex was very satisfying for both of them. Her tip was very nice too.

“Jean, have you ever thought of moving to Japan?” he asked.

Jean shook her head. “It never crossed my mind, Mr. Saitou.”

“I own several clubs, and a woman of your unique abilities could become very wealthy,” he continued.

“I’m flattered, Mr. Saitou, but I like living in Vegas,” she replied.

“I can offer you a one year contract, including living expenses,” he continued.

Jean smiled back at him. “No, thank you.”

He smiled back. “Don’t make up your mind right now. Here is my card, please consider my offer.”

Jean took the card, nodded, and placed it in her purse.

“Just so you know, I’ve already talked to your service, and I have given them an offer to buy out your contract. However, they told me that it will be your decision.”

This caught Jean by surprise, as she had never talked with anyone at her service.

“I will be back in Las Vegas next week; I would like to see you again. You can give me your decision then,” he said.

Jean nodded. “I look forward to seeing you again, Mr. Saitou.”

“Very well. The next time, I have a very special request and will require special preparation. I would like to have you dressed up as a geisha. Part of the fun will be to watch you being transformed from a western woman, into a model of beauty,” he said. “The transformation would be lengthy, but like a good meal, it would be worth savoring. Due to the length of the transformation, I would need you for several days, is that acceptable to you?”

This idea sent a thrill through Jean. “Mmm, I’d like that very much.”

“I thought you would, Jean. You are a true professional; you love your profession as a sex worker. You take pride in making sure that your client is totally satisfied. I value these traits, and I would see that you would be properly rewarded. I am only offering you a one year contract, my experience in dealing with women like you is that you will grow to love being in Japan and that you will stay longer. There you will be respected for your sexual skills.”

Jean stared back at him.

“I have several women like you that now work for me. They love living in Tokyo. I have provided them with language lessons, and now they only speak Japanese. I have no doubt you would likewise become immersed in our culture.”

As Jean drove home, she thought about Mr. Saitou’s offer. Maybe it would be best if she left the country, she thought. He was right, she was a professional, and it would be nice to be rewarded as one.

Chapter 38

Steve located three possible clinics in Mexico that might be the target site. They were located near the US border in Tijuana. He had removed the rest of the clinics from consideration. He sent Michelle a request to conduct a background check of the three clinics. All he could do was just wait.

Steve turned his attention to the finding of three more potential victims. All three were deceased, and their bodies were being held in LA County Morgue.

All three appeared to be prostitutes. One had died of an overdose, and the other two were murdered. Two of the three had been accused of sexual assault, and like the previous victims, had escaped prosecution.

The last one was different. She was only eighteen and had disappeared from a foster home in San Diego at age sixteen. Her body was scarred by burns and whipping. She was killed by a man who was upset when he found out that she still had a penis.

The agency conducted an autopsy and found many of the same surgical techniques had been used on her. Steve figured that the person who bought the teen had abandoned her on the street after she was expendable. As badly as Steve wanted the people who were doing this, he wanted the buyers even more. To Steve, they were even more depraved than the suppliers. He also hoped to recover as many of the transformed victims as possible. Steve didn’t care that some of the victims had less than innocent pasts; no one deserved to be physically and mentally transformed.

Chapter 39

“I’m sorry, Steve, but I don’t have much for you,” said Michelle. “They’re all privately owned and seem to only accept clients who are screened by doctors in Europe.”

“What do they claim to do? I mean, why do people go to them? I couldn’t even find that out,” asked Steve.

“It looks like they cater to rich people wanting to be younger,” said Michelle.

“You mean they do plastic surgery?” asked Steve.

“That’s one of the services that they offer, but they offer other services called rejuvenation procedures, but I can’t find much else about them,” said Michelle. “Apparently, they cater to very wealthy people.”

“What do you think?” asked Steve.

“It doesn’t hold water. Clinics that want rich clients wouldn’t be so secretive, especially about getting new customers.”

“I agree. I may take a little trip down to Mexico and scope them out,” said Steve.

“Is that legal?” she asked.

Steve nodded. “I’m just going there as a tourist.”

Chapter 40

The first two clinics looked legitimate. Steve was even able to walk up and gain information about their services. They offered everything from plastic surgery to botox injections. They also offered additional products and services. Steve wondered how much was useful and how much was quackery, but that wasn’t his problem.

The last clinic wasn’t as accommodating. It was located in a walled compound located less than a mile from the US border. It was also located in a mainly industrial neighborhood, which seemed like an unlikely place for rich people to flock to. He walked up and rang the bell. A taped message in English and Spanish told him that this was private property and that any trespassers would be prosecuted.

Steve walked away and then watched it from a distance.

Four hours later, a black Ford SUV with California plates pulled into the complex. All the windows of the SUV were darkened. Steve couldn’t see anyone inside, but he got the plate number. Two hours later the SUV departed. By now it was early evening, and Steve decided to head back to the US.

Back in San Diego, he had the agency conduct a search on the SUV. It was traced to a limo service in Chula Vista that often conducted business across the border. After placing a few phone calls, he was able to get the name of the people who had used it that afternoon.

There was something familiar about the names, but Steve couldn’t put his finger on it. He called the agency and had them run a background check on the names.

An hour later Steve got a call from the Agency.

“Agent Williams, we ran the checks you requested. Both men came up clean here in the states, but when we went to our international database, we found something interesting,” stated the agent.

“What is it?” asked Steve.

“Both men have been suspects in running illegal immigrants in Europe.”

“And?’ asked Steve. He doubted that the two men were in Tijuana to run illegal immigrants into the US.

“The illegal immigrants we’re talking about are prostitutes, mainly from Russia and the Ukraine into Western Europe. They’re suspected of providing clubs and individuals with sex workers, but the authorities have no proof.”

“Interesting,” replied Steve. “Have everything associated with them on my desk. I’ll be flying back tonight.”

Chapter 41

Dieter and Josef Schumacher were both born in East Germany in the 1960’s. After reunification, they ran a shipping firm that appeared to be a front for organized crime. The Schumachers stayed clean, and in spite of several investigations, nothing illegal was ever attributed to them.

There were lots of rumors tying the brothers to the smuggling of sex workers, but prosecutors never had any proof. There were darker rumors that they acted as middlemen for rich people wanting sex slaves. Again there was no proof, only rumors.

Steve called a friend in New Scotland Yard.

“Steven, this is a pleasure; what can I do for you?” asked Michael Edmunds. He had once served as the main liaison for Scotland Yard for the British Embassy in Washington.

“I need some information on a couple of Germans. What can you tell me about Dieter and Josef Schumacher?”

“The names are familiar, I’ll see what I can find and call you back.”

“Thank you, oh, and Michael, keep this low key for now.”

“Will do, Steven,” replied Michael.

Steve poured himself a cup of coffee and waited; thirty minutes later his phone rang.

“Steven, this is Michael. I knew their names were familiar. They’ve come up several times when we investigated prostitution smuggling.”

“Anything else?’ asked Steve.

“Yes, there’s something else that you’ll find really interesting. Remember Sir Nigel Cleese?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” said Steve, containing his anger. Sir Nigel had bought a transformed slave from Margo Simon. He had been working at the British embassy in Washington at the time, and his diplomatic immunity had prevented his prosecution.

“Dieter Schumacher’s company did business with a company owned by Sir Nigel. We’re not exactly sure of the connection, as you know Sir Nigel killed himself,” said Michael.

“Thank you, Michael” replied Steve.

“I suppose you’ll tell me what this is all about later,” he said.

“Of course,” replied Steve.

Steve typed out his report. They still didn’t have enough evidence to raid the Tijuana clinic, but they were definitely on the right path. Steve wrote that the clinic could be observed from the US side of the border, and he recommended an immediate surveillance of the facility. He also requested a satellite scan of the complex.

Chapter 42

It was two weeks later, and Jean eagerly walked into the suite rented by Mr. Saitou. This would be her last job in Vegas for a while; she would be leaving for San Diego in a few days.

Mr. Saitou had secured her services for the entire weekend, and Jean was looking forward to her transformation into his geisha lover. She knew that true geishas weren’t sex workers, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t wait to see the outfit that he had picked out for her.

She was greeted as she entered the suite by two older Japanese women, dressed in kimonos. They led Jean into the large bathroom and began to draw a bath.

“Please undress,” said the first woman.

The other woman never said a word, and Jean wondered if she spoke English.

Jean nodded, and noting several video cameras in the room, slowly and seductively undressed. She wanted Mr. Saitou to get his money worth.

Neither woman seemed shocked by the fact that Jean still had a penis. They motioned her into the large tub.

“We will bathe you and then prepare you for Saitou-San. For the duration of your time here, you will refer to him as Saitou-San, do you understand?”

Jean nodded. “I understand.”

The woman nodded. “Also you will answer to Miki.”

Jean nodded again.

The two women began to wash Jean, now Miki. Miki began to feel very relaxed and enjoyed the treatment. The water smelled of jasmine.

She stepped out of the bath and was dried off. They dressed her in a silk robe.

“Please follow us, Miki,” said the woman.

They led her out to the main room and had her sit on a stool. They slipped Miki’s blonde hair into a hair net and secured it out of the way.

“Please close your eyes, Miki.”

Miki obeyed and felt them applying makeup to her face. She knew from her research that this was the white makeup that would cover her face, neck, and back. It would give her a porcelain doll look. The back of her neck would be left clean, as this was considered an erotic part of the body.

She felt them apply eyeliner and mascara. Next they painted her lips. Miki was very anxious to see what she looked like, but was told to keep her eyes closed.

“Please sit still, Miki; we are going to spray your face with a coating, it will keep your makeup from running. Do not worry; it can be easily removed later.”

Miki felt the spray on her face, and after what seemed like an eternity, she was allowed to open her eyes. She stared into the mirror being held in front of her and was stunned. She was a totally new person.

Her thin eyebrows were now a dark black. Her eyes had a heavy coating of eyeliner and mascara. The lips were fantastic; they were bright red and looked half the size that she was used to.

They had Miki stand up as they began to dress her. They first put an under robe on her, followed by the beautiful silk kimono. It was mostly green, with intricate embroidery on it.

Next the belt, or obi, was wrapped around her waist and chest. It was pulled tight, so that it almost acted like a corset. They finished up her outfit with white stockings and the wooden shoes called okobo.

The next thing was placing the large black wig on her head. Miki found it difficult to stand straight as the two women pinned the wig on.

“You make a very passable geisha for an American, Miki,” stated the woman.

Miki stared at herself in the standup mirror placed in front of her. “I can’t believe that I’m looking at myself.”

The woman handed Miki a fan and led her over towards the center of the living room area of the suite.

“Please stand there, Miki. I will take your photograph, and then we will clean up. Saitou-San will be here shortly, and you will obey and entertain him.”

Miki nodded.

“We will be back in the morning to dress you and to start your training,” said the woman.

“My training?” asked Miki.

“Saitou-San wants you to experience a little of what is expected of you should you accompany him back to Japan,” said the woman. “We will show you some basic serving skills. You will have lunch with him, serving him his meal, and then you will once again be there for his pleasure. We will return to help you once again look like a gaijin.”

Miki laughed, while trying to keep her poise.

A short time later the two women were gone. Miki was standing in the room alone. The lights had been dimmed and soft music played in the background.

Mr. Saitou entered the room a few minutes later. He was dressed in male kimono, and he walked slowly towards Miki. Instinctively, she knew to bow as he approached.

“Good evening, Saitou-San,” she greeted.

“Very nice, very nice indeed. Do you like your new name, Miki?” he asked as he inspected her.

“Yes, Saitou-San,” she replied softly.

“I’m very impressed with your demeanor, Miki. This is a role that suits you very well. I can tell that you would have done this even if you weren’t getting paid,” he said.

Miki nodded.

He led her into what looked like the main bedroom. Miki was surprised to see that it had all Japanese furniture inside. In place of the bed was a large futon on the floor. There was also a small table in the corner. It had a bottle of champagne sitting next to it. There were two glasses on the table.

He led Miki to the table and motioned for her to sit down. He seemed mildly amused as Miki struggled to sit down as gracefully as possible.

“I suppose sake would be more appropriate this evening, but I prefer a good Dom Perignon, I hope you don’t mind,” he said.

Miki just smiled back.

He poured them each a glass and made a short toast.

“To my darling, Miki,” he said. He touched his glass to hers.

The champagne was excellent, and Miki trembled with pleasure as she sipped it.

“Miki, when we are alone you may call me, Yukio,” he said.

“Thank you, Yukio,” she replied.

He just sat there as he ran his eyes over her. “Exquisite.”

Miki felt pride as he complimented her.

They sipped the champagne in silence. He then led her to the futon and began to kiss her. Miki surrendered completely to him and was soon was awash in pleasure as they made love.

Chapter 43

The next morning, Miki was bathed and redressed by the two women. Yukio had left early. She was still on a sexual high from the previous night and found it hard to focus on the instructions of the woman.

They showed her some basic skills — how to serve sake, how to put food on the plate, how to serve tea, and things like that.

“If you come to Japan, we will train you to become a proper Japanese woman, a traditional woman, eager to serve her man,” said the woman.

This caught Miki off guard, as she didn’t expect to be just serving Yukio.

The women brought in lunch, and a short time later Yukio returned. He was wearing an Armani suit and smiled at Miki in her kimono. The two women left as he walked in.

Miki did her best to serve him, although she was so nervous that her hands were trembling.

“It’s okay, Miki; the fact that you’re trying means more to me than the actual results,” said Yukio.

Miki smiled and nodded.

“Things have changed in Japan. People think that our women are all demure and submissive, but that’s far from the truth. Men like me who want a traditional woman have to look far these days,” he said. “I’ve had to look even farther as I desire a special woman, like you.”

Miki didn’t say anything.

“I desire a woman like you, Miki. No, you cannot be my wife, but you can be my mistress. You are submissive, but not passive. You’re a sexual being, and you deserve to be with someone who is willing to love you back.”

Miki stared back. “But I thought you wanted me to work for you.”

“I did, but the more I thought about you, the more I don’t want to share you with anyone. I know that I am jumping far ahead, but I have never had a woman satisfy me like you have.”

“Thank you, Yukio,” she replied, and her head dipped down submissively. Under her makeup, she could feel herself blushing.

“I don’t expect you to make up your mind right now, that would not be fair. I have to go back to Japan tomorrow and won’t be back for a few months. Please consider what I am offering you, you will be my mistress, and will lack for nothing,” he said. “I know this isn’t perfect, but we don’t live in a perfect world.”

“I’ll think about it,” she replied.

“Now, Miki, I don’t expect you to always dress like this; however, I appreciate the fact that you were willing to do this for me. You have no idea what this meant to me,” he said. He then smiled and leaned over and kissed her. “You are a lovely woman, Jean.”

They were soon back in bed making love.

Chapter 44

Jean drove back to her home, her mind lost in what Yukio was offering to her. She thought about what it would be like to be his mistress, and not a sex worker at his clubs. If she had to spend the rest of her life like this, she could do worse. Yukio was a very sweet man, and Jean liked him a lot. Well, she would have time to think about it, as he would be out of the country for a while.

Her thoughts drifted to Matt. He was also a nice guy, but there was no way that they could be anything. He was a cop, and she… well, what the hell was she? In the time since she was released, she had changed. Yes, she still wanted revenge, but she was also becoming comfortable in her new life. Yukio was right, she was a sexual being, and it was now at the core of her very self. It would be nice to be with someone who truly loved her back instead of just collecting a salary.

Jean checked her computer and confirmed her client list for San Diego. Her first client was a doctor who was attending a medical convention. He wanted a classy date for a dinner and, of course, sex afterwards. The next one was a businessman in Coronado. Then she would be with a baseball player. His team would be in town to play the Padres. He wanted her to attend the game and then meet him in his hotel room after the game.

Jean packed up her clothes for the trip and headed out to her car. She wanted to get into town early, so she could relax. The Hotel Del Coronado confirmed her suite for the week, and she headed out on I-15 west.

Chapter 45

Jean arrived in town and called Matt. She reached his voicemail on his cell phone, and she left him a message.

“This is Jean, I’ll be in town for a week, and I’m staying at the Del. Hope you’re okay.”

She knew that she couldn’t be seen with him, but she still wanted him to know she was in town.

She dressed in what was, for her, a rather conservative dress. It was a black cocktail dress, but she skipped her usually low cut dress. The doctor wanted her sexy, but classy.

His name was Dr. Walter Butler. He was in his fifties and was recently divorced. He had flown in from Boston, where he was a surgeon.

The dinner was a black-tie affair, and most of the men were dressed in evening tuxedos. Jean looked around and saw that she wasn’t the only working girl there that night.

The dinner was pretty uneventful, and Jean tried to act interested in the boring conversation.

There was an after-dinner speaker, who was talking about new advances in plastic surgery. He rambled on for twenty minutes before he sat down. Jean was hoping that this would be the end of the event, but they turned down the lights to show a video presentation.

The video consisted of surgeons around the word discussing the benefits of the techniques advertised. Jean was barely awake when she heard a voice that made her sit up. It was a woman’s voice with a slight French accent. It was the voice of the woman who had changed her. She stared at the screen and saw, for the first time, the face of the monster who had changed her. She read the caption that identified the woman as Dr. Liana Zander of Taweret Clinic, Tijuana, Mexico. She couldn’t believe it — there was the person who had killed Gene and created the person she was tonight!

Jean fought the urge to get up and run out. No, I must act as if everything is okay, she thought. But as soon as she was free, she would be calling Steve and Matt.

Chapter 46

Jean arrived back at her hotel suite a little after two and immediately called Steve. She couldn’t wait, partly out of excitement, partly out of fear.

The phone rang three times before he picked it up.

“Steve, this is Jean, I know the name of the person who changed me!” She then told him about the video.

“Taweret?” he asked.

“I’m looking it up as we speak; it’s the name of an Egyptian Goddess. She was the goddess of maternity and protector of women and children. She was also considered the goddess of rejuvenation and rebirth. It goes on to say that she fought those who harmed women and children.”

“Figures,” he said. “Okay, I’ll be out there sometime today. Tell me where you’re staying.”

Jean gave him her hotel room number. “Does this help?”

“It’s another piece in the puzzle,” replied Steve. “Stay cool, and don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t,” said Jean as she looked at her handgun lying on the bed next to her.

“Also don’t tell Matt, leave that to me,” added Steve.

“Okay,” she replied.

Steve didn’t believe in coincidences, and he figured that Liana Zander was the not-so-deceased Leala Zachariah, aka Dr. Z. He picked up his phone and called the Director.

Chapter 47

Steve swung by his office before heading out to the airport. One of his agents from his strike teams was waiting for him. He looked at a copy of the video presentation. He compared the image of Liana Zander to Leala Zachariah. Her face looked different, as if she’d had plastic surgery. Her nose was now smaller, and her cheeks were higher and more prominent, but computer imaging confirmed that it was Leala. The one thing that plastic surgery couldn’t change was the configuration of the eyes; it was a dead giveaway.

“She looks pretty good for a corpse,” stated Tom as he looked at the image on the monitor.

Steve laughed. “I know. This new identification software is pretty foolproof. I want you to have the two teams ready to fly to San Diego,” he said as he packed his briefcase.

“How much notice will we get?” asked Tom.

“Have them on immediate standby; I imagine that you’ll be flying out today, tomorrow at the latest. I want to hit this facility hard and fast.”

“What about the fact that it’s in Mexico?”

“We’re working on that,” said Steve.

“Are you sure about the location of the place?” asked Tom.

“Almost,” replied Steve.

Tom let out a long breath. “This is going to be fun.”

Steve was about to reply when one of the agency’s couriers knocked on the door.

“Yes?” asked Steve.

The young woman nodded. “Agent Williams, I have a package for you.”

Steve motioned her into his office. All mail arriving at the agency was screened before it ever entered the building. It was checked for everything from biohazards to explosives.

The young woman handed him a thick padded mailing envelope and had him sign for it. She nodded and departed.

Steve looked at the envelope and noticed that the return address was a mailing center in Los Angeles. He opened the envelope and found that the there were four items inside. One was a map showing the facility that Steve had cased a few weeks earlier. Next was an aerial photograph of the facility. A red dotted line ran from the front of the building to a warehouse across the border in the US. Then there was a small ugly statue of a figure with a hippo’s head, paws of a lion, and the back of a crocodile. It was a statue of Taweret. The last thing was a baseball cap. Attached to the cap was a small note. “You owe me.” Steve smiled as he looked at the red ball cap with a large white A on it. It was from Angel.

“What’s all that?” asked Tom.

“Confirmation,” replied Steve. He picked up the phone and called the Director. As he dialed, he turned to Tom. “Call surveillance and have them do a thermal scan of this building. Also start a search on who owns this place.” He pointed to the photo.

Chapter 48

Steve was soon flying to San Diego. Tom and two Spec-Ops teams would soon be in the air in a private jet flying to Brown Field on the US-Mexican border.

Steve was still waiting to hear from the Director on how the raid would go down as he examined the map of the area. The building on the US side of the border was one of many warehouses in an industrial park. It was owed by a local businessman and appeared to be legitimate. Steve waited for a flyover of a plane outfitted with special sensors. It could detect tunnels, along with infrared scans to detect people. Additionally, an Agency van was conducting scans of the building from the ground. If something was there, they would find it.

Steve arrived in San Diego and was met by a local agent named Ross Campbell.

“We have a building a half mile from the building on the US side,” said Ross.

“What did the flyover find?” asked Steve.

“There’s definitely a tunnel there. I’m surprised that no one has detected it sooner, usually the Border Patrol is pretty good at finding them,” said Ross.

“They usually find them because they’re being used for smuggling into the US. Also, this group isn’t dealing with drugs or illegal immigrants,” explained Steve.

“What are they using it for?” asked Ross.

“Sex slaves,” said Steve.

“Holy shit,” said Ross. “I was hoping this would be a big case.”

Steve smiled. He liked Ross, who was thirty-one and, like many in the strike teams, was ex-military. Ross had been an army ranger.

“What about the heat and infrared scans of the buildings?” asked Steve.

“Okay, that’s where it gets weird. The building in Mexico has only two people in it. The building in the US has forty-five,” said Ross.

“Are the people who work at the building to maintain a front?” asked Steve.

“No, they have a small group who work openly at the loading docks, but the rest of the people work deep in the building. The men on the loading dock don’t look like regular workers; I suspect they’re security. We’re still analyzing the readings, but it looks like there is a large underground complex there.”

Steve nodded. “We have it backwards. They train and transform the slaves in the US and then ship them across the border to their clients!”

“Still, if there is a tunnel to the Mexico side, they’ll just scatter there the minute we hit them,” commented Ross.

“Yes, so we’ll need to get the Mexicans to shut down their side first. We’ll need cooperation and good timing,” said Steve.

“Good luck with that. No offense, but I’d rather go in with a brass band than tell the Mexicans before we go in; it will be less of a tip off.”

“I have a name of a Federale; I checked out his record, and he’s supposed to be very clean. His name is Captain Saul Carrillo; have you heard of him?”

“Yes, he’s supposed to be very good. He has a squad of men who are very tough and clean. The trouble is getting ahold of him,” said Matt.

“I’ll take care of that,” said Steve.

“How?”

“I’ll let you know as soon as I think of it,” replied Steve with a grin.

Chapter 49

Steve and the other agents studied the photographs and printouts of the buildings. As day passed into night, the number of people detected in the facility did not drop, rather it increased, even though the parking lot for the US building was now empty.

“It looks like most of the workers come in from the Mexican side of the border,” noted Ross.

“I was thinking the same thing,” said Steve.

“Why? Why not have the whole facility in Mexico?”

“I imagine that the electric power is more consistent,” piped in Tom.

“It would also draw less attention,” said Steve. “Also, if they get caught, American jails are better than Mexican ones.”

“Still, I imagine a place like this would be hard to keep quiet; I know the narco-syndicates would love to use it,” added Matt. He had been brought in by Tom earlier that evening. “I would suspect that they have a pretty good security group to defend it.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” added Tom. “This won’t be easy; we’ve already detected numerous security systems around the facility. On one hand, this is good, as it pretty much confirms that something fishy is going on there. On the other hand, it’s going to be a bitch getting in there.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” said Steve.

“It looks like they have an elevator shaft here,” said Tom. “It looks like this is the only way down to the lower level. One guy could hold us off until the others scurry over the border.”

“That’s why we need the Mexicans to plug up that end,” said Steve. “I’ve talked to Captain Carrillo and told him we’ve detected a tunnel. I haven’t told him the exact location yet. He’s willing to go in the other end, but he doesn’t want his men to be attacked either.”

“Is he willing to let us in from the Mexican side?” asked Tom.

Steve shook his head.

“Too bad. Wait, does the building have its own generator?” asked Tom.

“I don’t think so,” replied Steve. “The original blueprints don’t show one.”

“If there is one there, it would need fuel and an exhaust,” added Ross.

“So, if they don’t have a generator, we could cut power and then go in,” said Steve.

“But if they lose power, wouldn’t it tip them off?” asked Matt.

“Not if we kill power to the entire area,” said Steve.

“You mean shutting down power all over?” asked Matt.

“Sure, why not?” asked Steve. “I’m just talking about a few blocks, maybe more.”

“That would piss a lot of people off,” said Matt.

“It would look like an accident. We arrange an accident that will take out the transformer for this neighborhood. Then we go in,” said Steve.

“What will the press say?’ asked Matt.

Tom and the other agents laughed. “Matt, they’re not going to know about this until after we’re long gone.”

Steve turned to Matt. “We need to get the suspects and their records without tipping off the people that they’ve dealt with. Afterwards, the facility will be described as a completed, but unused, drug tunnel.”

“But, the people you catch, they do get trials, right?” asked Matt in an apprehensive tone.

“Yes, they can have a trial if they wish; most would rather make a deal and avoid the publicity of a trial.”

“What will happen to those that make it to Mexico?” asked Matt.

“They’ll face extradition,” said Steve. “I know that there is corruption down there, but these people are slavers; I doubt they’ll get any sympathy. I also know that they won’t want to end up in a Mexican prison.”

Matt nodded. “Do we know if they are there — the seven people that Jean identified, I mean?”

Steve shook his head. “No, but that’s the risk we will need to take. Assuming this is the facility we’ve been looking for; we should turn up information to track those who aren’t there. I’m also counting on those we do catch to give up the others.”

“No honor among thieves?” asked Matt.

“Not when you’re facing life in a super-max prison,” said Steve.

“That’s true,” replied Matt.

Steve turned to Tom. “When do you think you’ll be ready to strike?”

“I’d like to study the facility a few more days, try to detect any patterns before we go in. I want to hit them around two in the morning, that will give us enough darkness to get in and out,” replied Tom.

“Makes sense. Okay, plan it out, I’m going over to TJ for lunch with Captain Carrillo tomorrow at his home,” said Steve.

“What about me?” asked Matt.

“You work with Tom and his teams; we can always use fresh eyes on these sorts of things,” replied Steve.

“And Jean?” asked Matt. “She’s in town right now.”

“There’s no need to tell her anything until after the raid. We will need to bring her in afterwards; maybe she can confirm this is the place. I doubt they’ll have two facilities, but I want to be sure,” replied Steve.

Matt nodded. “Okay, that makes sense.”

Chapter 50

Steve sat across from Captain Carrillo, who was a distinguished looking older man. His black hair was turning grey on the sides, as was his moustache. He was short, but stocky with little fat. Steve knew form his report than Captain Carrillo was in his fifties, but he definitely didn’t look it.

“So, a group is running a facility to make sex-slaves in the US and then smuggling them into Mexico?” asked Capt. Carrillo.

“We think that may be part of what they do. They may be only using the Mexican facility to show off their subjects to clients, or just to bring in clients across the border without notice,” said Steve.

“This is a switch. Usually, we have the offenders going into our country to get their victims,” said Capt. Carrillo.

“I know, I imagine that they’ve done this just to avoid publicity” said Steve.

“It’s smart to hide a facility in an urban area, it would attract less attention,” he added.

“Exactly,” said Steve.

“What sort of opposition do you expect that we’ll face?”

“I would say a lot. Partly to protect their facility from the other lowlifes,” said Steve.

Captain Carrillo nodded with a smile. “Yes, the narcotic smugglers would love a facility like this.”

“We’re still planning the strike. How much head’s up do you need?” Steve was careful with his words, he didn’t want to give the impression that he didn’t trust the Mexican, but at the same time there was a lot of corruption in Mexico.

“I need five hours,” replied Captain Carrillo. “Who will be conducting the raid on your side?”

“My Spec-Ops strike teams; we’re not using any of the local police. They will only be notified after we enter the building. We have our warrants from a Federal judge.”

Captain Carrillo nodded again. “I see that you are a very cautious man, Senor Williams.”

Steve laughed. “I wouldn’t put it that way, but I don’t trust everyone just because they’re in law enforcement.”

“Very wise, I follow that rule myself. I can personally vouch for all the men on my team,” he said.

“Is there any possibility of you having one of my agents on your team…. as an observer?” asked Steve. “In exchange for this courtesy, I would be honored to have one of your agents on my team. This way we can coordinate once it starts.”

Captain Carrillo stared back at Steve. “My government frowns on having your law enforcement personnel in our country; however, I think it would be wise to have this exchange, as you put it, to better coordinate our actions.”

“Thank you,” replied Steve.

“Once this happens, it will be difficult to keep the press out of this, especially on your side of the border, what do you plan?”

“We’ll turn it over to the locals. We’ll try to keep the official blame evenly distributed for now. Once we’re done with the recovery operations, we’ll give the press the truth,” said Steve.

“That is acceptable. Oh, I have read our file on you. While we don’t have all the details, that raid you conducted in Maryland was very well executed. I’m glad to see that you wish to make this raid as surgical.”

“Thank you,” he replied. “I’m happy that we can work together.” He then extended his hand; Captain Carrillo smiled and took it into his.

“When we finish a raid, we always have a few cold beers afterwards. I’ve found it’s a good way of bringing my agents back down afterwards. I would be honored to have you and your men join us,” said Steve.

“I like that idea. We will bring some cerveza ourselves. We can have a toast in the tunnel, so that neither government gets upset.”

“I’ll call you five hours prior,” said Steve.

“We’ll be ready,” replied Captain Carrillo.

Chapter 51

“Any word from Jean?” asked Steve.

Matt shook his head. “She’s still checked into the Del. I suspect that she’s out on a date.”

“Well, we’re not ready to hit the place yet anyway,” said Steve. “We’ve had her under surveillance since the security man at the casino was killed; unfortunately, we had to pull it for this mission.”

“Do you think that she’ll be okay?’ asked Matt.

“She should be; besides, this may all be over soon,” replied Steve.

“I think I may have an idea,” stated Tom. He was sitting in front of a monitor.

“What do you have?” asked Steve.

“Look at this; I’ve been monitoring the loading dock area for the last hour. It looks like there’s a direct route to the elevator,” said Tom. “It also looks like they maintain four to five guards near the loading dock at all times.”

The screen was showing the infrared images of the guards.

“How are you getting there?” asked Matt. “Can’t be from a plane or a helicopter, they would hear it.”

“It’s from a small remotely operated plane. It’s circling the warehouse as we speak. The engine is pretty quiet; as long as we keep it high, they won’t hear a thing,” said Tom. “It can stay up for a couple of hours, better than a plane or helicopter. This one has thermal sensors on it, in addition to video.”

“Pretty cool,” said Matt.

“I’ve worked up a computer simulation of what the facility looks like,” said Tom. “It may be a direct path, but it appears that’s it’s heavily guarded. I count what looks like at least three guard posts.”

“If we rush in under darkness, we should be able to get past them before they know what’s hitting them,” said a large muscular black man.

“Well, well, I’m glad to see that you finally made it,” said Tom to his best friend Madison.

“We thought you’d have this done by now,” said Madison.

Steve smiled and introduced Madison to Matt.

“Back to the assault, the hard part is getting close. I’d like to have the power cut off just before we enter the building,” said Tom. “If we time it right, we should be able to take the first floor before they know what hit them.”

“What’s that over there?” asked Matt, as he pointed to a wide-angle night vision screen of the complex.

“Look’s like a couple of eighteen-wheelers parked in the lot next door. They’re located just off the property, so I doubt they’re associated with the target,” said Tom.

“It looks like a place where truckers park and wait until morning. I bet another truck arriving there wouldn’t turn any heads,” said Matt. “I imagine that the guards don’t mind them there, as it makes it all look even more normal.”

Tom looked at Madison and then Steve. “Trojan Horse.”

Steve smiled. “Sounds like a great idea. We could move a team into within a hundred yards of the loading dock. They could slowly move out and position themselves around the building. A second truck could bring in the main assault team. When it starts to pass the dock, we’ll cut the power and then rush in. We can then coordinate the Mexican assault on the building in TJ.”

“I’ll see about getting us a couple of trucks,” said Ross.

Steve looked at his watch. “Okay, let’s plan on hitting them at two tomorrow morning, which gives us twenty-six hours to get everything in place. I also expect everyone to get some sleep. This is going to be a very difficult strike, and I want clear heads. Ross, your agents will take care of the trucks and arranging for the power outage.”

Chapter 52

As the agents planned out their strike, Jean was in bed with a client. Her naval uniform was scattered on the floor of the bedroom along with the uniform of her lover. They had just finished making love, and Jean was cuddled up close to the man. He was sixty-three and was a retired two-star admiral.

It was a very enjoyable evening for Jean, because the man was just a gentleman. He was also a very good lover. In some ways, he reminded Jean of Yukio. She was finding that she preferred mature men as lovers; they were more interested in a mutual experience.

“Thank you, Jean, that was truly exquisite,” he stated.

“Thank you,” she replied. She felt a sense of pride in having satisfied her client.

“I suppose you’d better get going,” he said as he glanced at his watch.

Jean nodded; still, she was in no hurry to leave his embrace. “I hope that we can meet again.”

“I’d like that, my dear. You made a damn fine looking flag lieutenant,” he remarked.

Jean laughed. She slipped out of bed and dressed in her street clothes. She then carefully packed up the naval uniform. She knew that she would be using it again.

A short time later, she was driving back to her suite. She pulled out her cell phone and checked her messages. She was pleased to see that Matt had called her.

“Jean, call me as soon as you can; don’t worry about the time,” stated his message.

Jean hit his number, and it rang three times before he picked it up.

“Hi Matt,” she stated.

“Jean, good to hear from you, are you free?”

Jean was about to say no, but she was reasonable and decided not to. “Yes.”

“Are you going to be in San Diego for a while?”

“I finished my last client tonight. I wasn’t planning on going back to Vegas for a few more days, why?”

“Can’t say, but stay close.”

Jean hesitated before responding. “You know where they are.”

“Good night, Jean, I’ll call you later,” replied Matt.

She closed her phone and drove to the Del. Before she went to bed, she checked her gun and placed it in her purse.

Chapter 53

“We have the trucks. Our mechanics have just finished putting the trapdoors in the trailers, that’s so the doors won’t have to be opened,” announced Ross. “We’ll bring them up when you’re ready.”

“Good. Okay, Madison, your team will go in the first truck. When you get to the rest area, move your team out slowly. We move the second truck in just before two. Tom will lead one team in, Ross will take the other.”

“Sounds good,” replied Madison.

Steve looked over at Jackson, the sniper. “Have you picked out a spot yet?”

Jackson nodded as he cleaned his silenced .50 caliber sniper rifle. “I have a spot on the warehouse across the road. I can take out anyone from the front entrance or the loading dock from there.”

Tom glanced at Madison and smiled. “That’s the most I’ve ever heard him say.”

Jackson, the expert sniper of the team, wasn’t known for his conversation.

“Tom, Ross, your teams will load up here at one thirty,” said Steve. “Now when you get inside, move fast; the power will be cut off just before you pull up. Madison, one of your jobs will be to see if they have an emergency power supply; if they do, take it out.”

Madison nodded.

“Miguel, you’ll be our liaison with the Federales. Here are the printouts of the facilities, give them to Captain Carrillo,” said Steve.

“Okay, Steve. I don’t like the idea of going into this unarmed,” replied Miguel.

“I know, but we have to play by their rules,” said Steve.

“I’ll drive you to the border, Miguel,” said Ross. “I’ll also pick up Capt. Carrillo’s exchange officer.”

“I just called Captain Carrillo, and his team is standing by,” said Steve. “We’ll see you at the tunnel.”

Miguel smiled. “See you there.”

“Where do you want me?” asked Matt.

“You go in with Tom’s team,” replied Steve.

“Matt, I want you with Jo,” said Tom. He pointed to the woman with short hair. “Her section’s job is to secure any computers we find. She’ll also get you fitted out for the raid.”

“Follow me, Matt,” said Jo.

Matt nodded. It may have been his imagination, but she looked more like a teenage boy than a woman; her hair was shorter than most of the men’s.

“Are you going in with us, Steve?” asked Tom.

“No, I’ll be going in after it’s been secured. I need to stay here and coordinate the strike. Trust me; I’d love to go in.”

“Hey, we’ve got activity over in TJ,” announced Glenn Yates, an agent watching the monitors.

Steve looked over. “It looks like the same SUV that was over there with the Schumachers. I wonder if they’re there to make a pickup.”

“Good, that will give us more evidence,” said Tom.

Chapter 54

The first truck moved into location without causing any undue attention from the men on the loading dock. Sergeant Jimenez, the Federale, was attached to Tom’s team. Like Miguel, he was unarmed.

Within thirty minutes Madison’s team had silently moved out to cover the warehouse. The area around the warehouse was lit with spotlights. The guards were essentially blind to anything going on beyond the lights.

Madison had sent in a report stating there was no sign of an emergency generator. There could still be one deep inside the building, but that was just a risk they would have to take, thought Steve. Still, unless it had an automatic starting device, they would still have a few moments of darkness. It would be all they would need to neutralize the guards on the loading dock.

Miguel called in from Mexico and informed Steve that they were ready on the Mexican side. The clinic was surrounded, and the Mexican agents were waiting for Steve’s signal to move in.

This was the worst part of any raid, the waiting. At one-forty-five, Tom’s team was moving towards the rest area. Meanwhile, three blocks up the road, an accident was about to be staged that would knock out power along the border. It was just a matter of time now.

Just before two, Steve gave the signal, and the power was cut. The building’s lights went instantly dark. He watched on the monitor as Tom’s and Madison’s teams moved in. Madison had half his team moving in the main entrance, the other half supported Tom’s. This was the most dangerous time of the raid; if the lights came back on, the assault teams would be caught out in the open.

The loss of power throughout the entire area had its desired effect, and the guards didn’t suspect an attack. In the near total darkness, the security personal were caught completely off guard, and most were quickly neutralized by the agents who had the benefit of night vision goggles. They were knocked to the ground, cuffed, and gagged before they knew what was happening.

Only one guard managed to get to his machinegun. It had a flashlight mounted on it, and he was about he shoot when Tom put two silenced rounds into him from his HK MP5 submachine gun. The guard collapsed lifelessly to the ground, another agent checked his pulse and shook his head.

They moved into the building and took out five more guards. So far, the lights were still out, and there was no sign that they had been detected.

It was over in just a few moments. It was eerily quiet as the teams searched.

“What’s the status?” asked Steve.

“Top floor is secure, eight guards in custody, one bad guy dead. We’ve found a staircase next to the elevator, power is still off,” said Tom over his headset. “It doesn’t look like we’ve been detected. Moving down the stairs. ”

Chapter 55

Tom quickly led his team down the emergency stairs. Speed was of the essence, and the agents rushed down the stairs. Through his night vision goggles, Tom could see people milling around in the darkness. The loss of lights had caused confusion just as the agents had hoped. The people in the facility seemed totally unaware that they were about to be arrested. Tom was also pleased to see that there were only a few guards.

Matt saw a man with a machinegun hanging over his shoulder running towards him. He started to raise his gun when Madison knocked the guy down. Two other agents quickly subdued the stunned guard.

Then the lights came on. The people who had a moment earlier been struggling in the dark were suddenly confronted by twenty agents dressed in full tactical gear. Pandemonium broke out as they started screaming and began searching for an escape route. An alarm began to blare.

Tom and his agents quickly pulled off their night vision goggles.

Madison glanced over at Tom. “Enough of this shit.” He pulled the silencer off his submachine gun and fired off a short blast into the overhead. “Everyone who doesn’t want to get shot, lie down on the ground! NOW!” he bellowed.

This had the desired effect, and most of the people dropped down on the ground. Madison smiled at Tom, who just rolled his eyes.

Tom led three agents to where the entrance to the tunnel should be. They arrived as several people were dashing to what they thought was freedom.

“Freeze!” yelled Tom. “Federal agents, you’re all under arrest.”

Most stopped, but one man dashed down into the tunnel. Tom aimed but didn’t shoot, as he heard the man being actively subdued by the Mexicans. Miguel walked towards them, telling them that the other side was secure.

Tom then began to coordinate the search of the rest of the facilities. They began to conduct a thorough search of each room.

As expected, there were little resistance from the technicians. There were only three other guards on the bottom floor, and they wisely surrendered without resistance.

Chapter 56

Steve arrived in the building a short time later. There were thirty-seven people in custody. Five others were currently under arrest in Mexico. The only casualty was the guard that Tom had killed. Steve was even more pleased that none of his agents were injured.

Steve walked down the stairs into the lower complex and was taken aback by its size. There were cells for five victims. All were currently occupied by men in various stages of transformation. To Steve’s disgust, three of the victims were obviously teenagers.

“We’ll bring in the medical teams as soon as we get the trash out of here,” said Steve to Tom.

“Matt and Jo found what looks likes the main office,” stated Tom.

They walked to where Matt and Jo were looking over records.

“We’ve hit the jackpot,” stated Jo. “We got in here before they knew what was happening, so everything looks intact. Cathleen will have a field day with all these computers. Many are encrypted, but I doubt that will bother her much; besides, she’ll love the challenge.”

Cathleen was one of the agency’s top computer technicians. She had a bit of an attitude, which bothered some of the other agents, but she fit in well with Steve and his teams.

“Okay, she’ll be in here shortly to start going through them,” said Steve. He turned to Matt. “Now the race really starts; we need to get the people in these records and retrieve the victims as fast as possible. We’ll try to keep this quiet, but we have at best a day, maybe two, before the word leaks out.”

Madison walked in. “We have Frank Albertson in custody. The Mexicans have Dieter and Josef Schumacher. We’re still sorting through the rest of the trash, but I think we got most of them.”

“What about Dr. Z?” asked Matt.

Madison shook his head. “There’s no sign of a Chinese woman either.”

“We have their records, so I’m sure she’ll show up somewhere,” interjected Tom.

“Matt, call Jean; I know it’s late, but she’s usually up at this hour. I’d like her to come down here and verify if this is the place she was held captive,” stated Steve.

Matt tried his cell phone and shook his head. “I’ll have to go up to the ground floor.”

Chapter 57

Jean was watching TV in her hotel room as the raid progressed. Her sleep pattern prevented her from going to bed so early. While she had no idea that the facility where she had been transformed was being raided, she had a strange feeling that something was going down. Maybe it was her imagination or intuition, but she felt on edge.

She channel surfed for a while before settling on an old movie. She debated about going out to one of the casinos run by the tribes, but it was a long drive, and she didn’t feel up to it. Just then, there was a knock at her door.

Jean got up and walked to the door. She slipped on the security chain and cracked open the door. When she looked out, she found herself face to face with a gun.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” stated Dr. Leala Zachariah as she pointed the semi-automatic handgun at Jean’s head.

Jean was too shocked to react.

“Open the door,” ordered Leala.

The sound of Leala’s voice cast Jean back into a momentary lapse of submissiveness and she obeyed.

Leala stepped in and quickly locked the door.

“You know who I am, don’t you?” asked Leala. “You obviously recognize my voice.”

Jean nodded weakly.

“I’m so sorry that I have to burst in here like this, but I have nowhere else to go right now. I figured that you were in town, so I decided to drop in,” Leala stated.

Jean was confused. “What do you mean? How did you know where I was?”

“You’re really a dumb blonde,” stated Leala with a sneer. “You really thought you were free? Honey, all the time you were really working for me. I own the escort service you work for, so to be blunt, I own you. Every time you’ve sucked a cock or been fucked, you’ve made me money. I thought I could give you some leeway at first, but then you went and fucked that black man, since then we’ve kept an eye on you.”

“You’re the one who had Mac killed?” asked Jean.

“Of course, I can’t have my investment giving it away. I own you, bitch, and if you’re going to be fucked, then you’re going to make me money,” stated Leala. “Oh, even though he offered me a lot of money, I’m not going to let Mr. Saitou buy you. I like the idea of knowing you’re a whore, MY whore.”

“You know I didn’t do anything!” stated Jean angrily.

Leala pointed the gun at Jean. “Men are never innocent. So you didn’t rape that woman; you could have, and that’s all that matters to me. I may need to apply some more training to you to take out that rebellious streak. I think I’ll make you a nice brainless bimbo. It won’t be too hard; all I have to do is press the right keys, and you’ll be even more of a whore than you are right now.”

“Is this why you came here?” asked Jean.

Leala shook her head. “No, the authorities finally uncovered my clinic. I was driving up when I saw them arrive. No matter, I can always reproduce it in another place. Actually, I’m amazed that we lasted here so long. No, I need you to get me out of here.”

Jean kept a straight face as she absorbed Leala’s words.

“You’ll drive me out of the area,” stated Leala. “You’re due to be back in Vegas soon anyway; I think you have some client who wants to fuck you up your ass, right? It must really bother you to have once been a real man; now you crave cock. Still, even those past memories don’t stop you from going out with your clients, knowing they want to fuck you, knowing that you were once a man is what turns them on.”

Jean stared back, not knowing what to do.

Leala smiled a wicked grin. “You know what really turns them on about fucking you? It’s a sense of power, showing that they’re a real man. I could have stripped you of all your feelings of being male, but I didn’t want to. No, I love the idea that you’re so conflicted. You have the body of a woman you would have lusted after when you were a man; now you have to settle for satisfying real men’s sexual urges.”

Jean kept her mouth shut. Suddenly, her cell phone rang.

“Let it go,” ordered Leala.

“It’s a client. They’re the only ones who have this number,” stated Jean in a calm manner. “May I please answer it?”

Leala smirked. “Oh, that’s right, you’re a professional slut. Go ahead, answer it, but remember I’m right here. If it’s not someone wanting to fuck you, then hang up.”

Jean picked up the phone. “Hi, this is Jean.” Her tone was very seductive.

“Jean this is Matt. Sorry to call so late but….”

Jean remembered the name of her next client and interrupted the detective. “Hi, David, I’m so happy you called. Are we still on for tomorrow?”

Matt was caught off guard. “What? Is everything okay, Jean?”

“No, no I can’t talk right now, I have company, but I’m so glad you called to confirm our date tomorrow,” continued Jean.

“Are in trouble?” asked Matt.

“Yes, it will be a lot of fun,” replied Jean.

“How many are with you?” asked Matt.

“You’ll just be in town one night, right?” asked Jean.

“Is it Dr. Z?” he asked

“Yes, yes, I’ll wear the French maid’s outfit that you ordered for me,” said Jean with a giggle. “You’re staying at The Bellagio, right?”

“Does that mean you’re heading back to Vegas?” asked Matt.

“Yes, yes, I can’t wait to see you,” cooed Jean.

“Is she armed?” asked Matt.”

“Yes, I know, but you’ll just have to wait,” she continued.

“Hang on, Jean, help is on the way,” stated Matt.

“Really? I can’t wait to see you,” continued Jean. “Good night, Dave.” She closed her phone.

Leala smiled. “Very good, you’re very professional.”

Jean closed her phone and stared at Leala. “You made me this way.”

“That’s right, slut. Now, pack up your stuff, we need to leave, now.”

Jean did as she was told. Her gun was in her shoulder bag, but she decided to wait until the promised help arrived. Hopefully Matt had caught all the hints she gave him, she thought as she packed.

Ten minutes later, Jean pulled out of the parking lot of the Del with Leala sitting next to her.

Chapter 58

Meanwhile, Steve and Matt were driving to Brown Field. .

Steve was talking into his phone. “How soon can you get a copter ready? Ten minutes? Okay. Stand by to pick us up.”

“Do you think she’s really heading to Vegas?” asked Matt.

“From what you told me, it makes sense. The good thing is that there are limited routes to Vegas. Jean just checked out of the Del a few minutes ago. We know her car, and we have a tracking device in her leg, so we should be able to get them.”

“How?” asked Matt.

“Once we’re sure of their route, we’ll spring a trap. I’m assuming Jean will take I-15. We’ll fly up the road, and we should be able to pick up her transmitter.”

“Then what?” asked Matt.

“I’m still working on that,” replied Steve with a smile, as he dialed another number.

Chapter 59

“So, my dear, tell me, do you like having sex with men now?” asked Leala. She sat back and relaxed slightly, even though the gun was still in her hand. “I remember how you told us that you would never have sex with a man.”

Jean glanced over and didn’t say a word.

“No, no, I won’t do it; you’ll have to kill me first!” mocked Leala. “Look at you now, I’m abducting you at gunpoint, and you mange to confirm a meeting with a man who wants to fuck you; that is so precious! You really love cock, don’t you?”

“You know I do, it’s all part of my programming,” stated Jean as she drove.

Leala laughed. “Yes, Jun’s treatments are quite effective. Dr. Liang’s a true artist when it comes to brainwashing.”

“Did she get caught?” asked Jean hopefully.

“No, she’s currently in Thailand working with a friend. I’ll have to call her and warn her not to return to the States for now.”

“What about the others?’ asked Jean. “I mean the ones who ‘convicted’ me.”

“Yes, they were all at the facility, along with some men looking for slaves for their sex club in Hamburg, but they’re no great loss. I can always find others to do their jobs, and, well, as for clients, the world is full of them,” said Leala. “Jun is the only one I can’t replace. She’s like me and did this for the money and the thrill of transforming someone. Oh, and honey, you have no idea what she did to you.”

“I know what she did,” replied Jean.

Leala laughed. “Oh no you don’t, my sweet. There are sleeper programs that can be turned on at any time and change you in ways you can’t even imagine. I do that with all my girls. When you’re no longer profitable, you’ll be moved down to the streets, and in your mind you’ll love it. Hell, you’ll look at it as a promotion.”

Jean felt a wave of fear run through her body. “But why did you do this to me?”

“You fit the profile of what I needed. You had the age and body size I needed. I suspected that you were innocent, but the others didn’t. I brought them in because they had money and they wanted revenge. What a joke, they were so easily manipulated. I could care less about revenge, I wanted money. I played along with them, and we initially only grabbed those who escaped justice. But I didn’t like waiting for those, so we grabbed runaways and, yes, people like you, falsely accused, not that it ever mattered to me. Still, it was safer grabbing people that wouldn’t be missed.”

“But what was done to me had to have cost a lot of money, I can’t believe that you can get it back by having me work as an escort,” stated Jean.

“Yes, it’s expensive to transform a male into a lovely she-male, but you have no idea how much people are willing to pay for a healthy sex-slave. I pretended to let you go when the others complained. They had no idea that I own the escort service. Jun and I started it, and everyone working there has been conditioned, all the women and, of course, the ‘girls’ like you have undergone Jun’s amazing training.”

“The real women too?” asked Jean.

Leala nodded. “Sure, why not? We control all of you that way and don’t have any problems. The difference is that they came to us looking for work; we just made them model employees.” She started to laugh.

“You did this to me and the others just for money?” asked Jean.

Leala laughed. “No, not just for money, but for a whole lot of money. My mother was poor and married a soldier to avoid living in a brothel and to protect me. If she had stayed in Viet Nam, I would have been an outcast, not that it was much better in France. Mixed race children don’t fit in with either group. So I decided that I would be rich. Being a doctor was nice, but I still wasn’t rich. I met some people in Paris who had exotic sexual tastes; that’s when I saw my chance. I’ve made millions from turning men like you into sex-crazed sluts.”

“You’re a sick bitch,” replied Jean.

Leala laughed again. “You should talk. You’re not much better than a whore.”

“But I didn’t do this to myself,” replied Jean.

“That doesn’t matter now; every day you slip deeper and deeper into the programming that was put in your mind. You love the sex, the kinkier the better. You love the feel of a man’s cock filling up your ass. I designed it so you would have maximum pleasure. It’s very addicting, isn’t it?”

Jean nodded reluctantly.

“No, slut, say it.”

“Okay, I love having sex,” replied Jean, fighting back her anger.

“Tell me how much you love cock,” ordered Leala.

“I love cock,” replied Jean. “I love having a man in me.”

Leala reached over and cupped Jean’s breasts. “When we get to Vegas, I think I’ll activate some of your hidden programming. I can turn you into a very kinky slut, one who loves all kinds of depraved sexual acts.”

Jean glanced over and could see a wicked smiled on Leala’s face.

Leala’s hand lowered down and lifted up Jean’s skirt. She then began to rub against Jean’s clitty. “Right now you have a soft, sensual body, but how would you feel if you have multiple body piercings? I’m thinking of your tongue, nipples, clitty, nose, and other body parts; how would you like that?”

Jean didn’t answer.

“It would change the type of client you now get, but they would still pay well. I can also make you crave pain as much as you crave sex, which brings in a lot of money. The only drawback is that it wears you out faster; still, I can always get anther one like you,” continued Leala. “I think I’ll have you get some tattoos too. That will make you look even more like a slave. How about if I shave your head too?” She began to laugh. “Oh, I’m going to have fun with you.”

Jean felt a wave of fear run through her body, knowing that Leala wasn’t kidding.

“Jean, you’ll soon do things that you’d never dream of, things so depraved that they’ll make most people sick, but you’ll do exactly as I tell you,” continued Leala. “Let your imagination run wild my pet; think of the wildest sex acts that you’ve ever heard of, and even then you won’t scratch the surface of what you’ll soon be doing.”

Jean just stared ahead as she drove. Her bag was in the back seat, and Jean decided that when she got the chance she would go for her gun. It would be better to be dead than be dragged down by this human monster.

Chapter 60

Soon they were driving through the desert on I-15. The traffic was very light as they passed Barstow. Jean had thought about speeding, in hope that they would get pulled over, but Leala warned her against that idea.

“We don’t need the police bothering us, my pet, so keep the speed at the limit,” stated Leala. “You’re such a dumb blonde, like you could ever think of something that I already hadn’t.”

Jean stared ahead and wondered if she would get a chance to grab her gun. The car still had plenty of gas, and she knew by experience that she wouldn’t have to stop until Vegas. She also wondered if Matt was looking for her. She prayed that he was out there trying to save her.

They drove for another thirty minutes in silence when Jean saw flashing lights ahead on the highway. There was a roadside sign telling drivers to prepare to stop.

“What’s this?” asked Leala.

“Looks like a Border Patrol checkpoint,” said Jean. “They’re out here all the time.”

“I know that. Okay, do what they say, but remember, slut, I won’t hesitate shooting you. Don’t do anything stupid,” stated Leala, as she slipped the gun under her coat.

Jean nodded.

There were two cars ahead of her as they pulled up to the checkpoint. Jean lowered her window as they inched up. Two Border Patrol agents were talking to the person in the car ahead of her. Another car pulled up behind her.

She looked at the two Border Patrol agents walking towards her car. She had to contain herself as she saw they were Steve and Matt.

Jean debated on what to do next. If she opened the door, Leala would shoot her. She decided to just let Steve and Matt do their jobs. She decided to take a chance, and she gently pushed the release of her seat belt.

She pulled up slowly and stopped when directed by Steve.

“Good morning, Miss, where are you heading?” asked Steve.

“Home, I mean Vegas,” replied Jean with a smile. She watched as Matt walked towards the driver side of her car.

“Okay,” he replied as he leaned into the car. It was done so casually that Jean didn’t even notice his arm reach in to open the door. In a flash, the door was opened and Jean was pulled out by Steve. As the same time Matt pulled his gun and pointed it at Dr. Z.

Several other agents were soon surrounding the car with their weapons drawn. The car was blocked in by the other cars, and Leala was caught totally off guard. She looked around and, seeing that escape was impossible, she reluctantly raised her hands. It had never occurred to her that the person she had transformed could have tricked her.

- Matt and Steve were standing next to Jean as they watched Leala being taken away.

“You okay?” asked Matt.

Jean nodded slowly, and then she passed out.

Chapter 61

“I feel so dumb,” replied Jean as she sat up. “After all that, I can’t believe I fainted.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, you’ve been through a lot,” said Steve. He handed her a bottle of water.

Jean nodded and took a sip. “Thank you, thank you both.”

“I’m very relieved that you’re okay,” said Matt.

“She said that her facility was raided, did you do it?” asked Jean.

“Yes, we struck it a few hours ago, that was the reason why Matt called you,” explained Steve. “Matt told me how you gave us the information about Dr. Z. I’m very impressed.”

“That was very good, Jean,” said Matt. “That was also very brave.”

Jean just smiled and took another sip of water.

“Oh, we found a nine millimeter handgun in a bag in the back of your car, is it yours?’ asked Steve.

Jean nodded. “She wanted to abuse me some more; it wasn’t going to happen.”

Steve nodded knowingly.

“So it’s over now?” asked Jean.

“We got most of them; we’re trying to track down the clients and slaves sold to them,” said Steve. “Right now, warrants are being sent out all over the country and also internationally.”

“I have another one for you, Dr. Jun Liang; she’s the one who programmed me. That bitch said she’s in Thailand right now,” said Jean.

“How did you find that out?” asked Steve.

“Dr. Z told me. I guess she figured that I would never tell anyone. She also told me that there’s programming deep in my mind that hasn’t been initiated yet.”

Steve nodded. “I’d like to take you back to DC with me; we have some specialists who might be able to help you.”

Jean nodded. She then told Steve and Matt everything else that Leala had said.

“I take back what I said earlier; I don’t think the Agency could use you as a tech, you’d be better as a field agent,” said Steve.

“I was only trying to survive,” said Jean.

“That’s what it takes,” he replied

Jean let out a long breath. “Do you really think that your friends can help me?”

Steve nodded.

“Okay, I’m willing to give it a shot,” said Jean.

Chapter 62

Steve looked over the after-action report. As with other raids like this, a lot of filth was stirred up, and the repercussions still hadn’t died down.

Arrests had been made in ten countries, and warrants were issued in several others. Many of the victims were recovered, but there were a lot still missing. Steve read a message sent out notifying law enforcement departments to report any unsolved transgendered deaths.

The teenage victims found in San Diego were currently being examined. They were in various stages of transformation. One of the teens had been due to be delivered to the two Germans that very evening. Jenna, the Agency’s top therapist said that the teen would need substantial treatment and therapy. The other two would soon be on their way to Celeste’s center in Connecticut.

The adult victims would also need deprogramming in addition to therapy.

Steve then turned to the people arrested. Five of the seven on the committee that Jean had described were now in custody. They were all facing a laundry list of charges.

Leala, aka Dr. Z, was totally unrepentant. In some ways, she made Margo Simon look human. It turned out that she was wanted by several other countries for a variety of crimes. She was also shocked and furious that it was Jean who had led to her arrest.

The resurrected doctor was facing a variety of charges from three countries. Steve expected the number of inquiries to increase, due to the plane crash in Africa. Leala could be facing extradition for murder; Steve hoped that they could use this against her to get information on deprogramming Jean and the others.

Dr. Jun Liang was still at large. The Chinese government stated that she was a state criminal and would face severe punishment when captured. In a message sent to the Agency, they said that she was a renegade and had committed many crimes in their country. Steve at first felt this was a smokescreen and that they would bring her back into the fold. However, a friend in the CIA told him that the Chinese government had tried her and had sentenced her to death in absentia. The word was that they had hit teams searching for her. Normally, Steve wouldn’t have cared, but he was still holding out hope that Dr. Liang would be caught by someone else. If they could get her to tell them about her procedures, it would make the treatment of the victims a lot easier.

The others on the so-called committee were, for the most part, not too talkative at first. Jean was brought in and was able to identity the members of the committee by their voices. Steve was again impressed with Jean’s memory; she was right on with her previous descriptions of the committee.

Man Two turned out to be Daniel Abernathy. Like Frank, he had been a lawyer. According to his file, he had been a partner of a major New York City firm, and was a good friend of Frank. While he hadn’t faked his own death, he had for all practical purposes had disappeared three years earlier. He would later claim that he felt guilt over helping scum escape justice.

Man Three appeared to be just the type of scum that Daniel and Frank had once defended. His name was Vincent De Luca, and he had a long rap sheet. His father had been a minor player in one of the NY families and used his influence to keep his only son out of prison.

Vincent initially specialized in strong-arming deadbeats who didn’t pay their gambling debts. He had also worked as a bounty hunter, before he was arrested for kidnapping. He later graduated to working as a bodyguard for businessmen going on overseas trips.

It was in this job that he first met Frank. Steve wondered what sort of work he had done for the lawyer, as the agency had turned up three payments in the months leading up to Frank’s disappearance. The man suspected of assaulting Frank’s wife had been found beaten to death. His body was found floating in the East River. It was just the kind of work that someone like Vincent excelled in, thought Steve. He noted the first payment was made one week prior to the killing and the next two came within ten days of the finding of the body.

Woman Three was Dr. Kathleen Swanson. She had once been a top therapist, doing work with battered women. She had been assaulted, and the man she accused of doing it had skipped bail before his trial. Steve checked the name of the man; it matched one of the transformed slaves that they had recovered.

Woman Four was Clarice Du Bois Gerard, twenty-five, of Montreal. She was an ex-model and had once been the mistress of a rather wealthy French businessman, Henri Gerard. She married him just before his untimely death in a plane crash. The will split his estate between Clarice and his sixteen-year-old son, Maurice. Clarice was made Maurice’s guardian. This arrangement raised a few eyebrows even among Henri’s own lawyers. A few months after Henri’s death, Maurice was found dead of an apparent drug overdose. Clarice was awarded the entire estate.

Clarice publicly announced that she planned to use the money to set up a charity to help children in Africa. Steve shook his head in disbelief as he noted that she had “died” on the same plane crash as Dr. Z in Africa. The lawyers had been unable to find what happened to the missing millions.

So, she was one of the financers of the lab, thought Steve. He was also sure the police in France and Quebec would reopen the cases involving the deaths of both Henri and Maurice.

Frank Albertson was willing to talk, even when his lawyer begged him to shut up. He ranted about how they were the true patriots and should be rewarded for what they had done.

“Everyone that we converted was a criminal,” he declared smugly. “You should thank us for doing your job!”

“What about Jean Logan?’ asked Steve.

Frank hesitated at first. He glanced at his lawyer and then looked down. “Okay, we made a mistake with that one, but she was compensated.”

“And the ones that were sold as sex slaves?” continued Steve.

Frank looked shocked. “What are you talking about? Sex slaves? Okay, we turned them into sex workers, but I wouldn’t call them slaves?”

Steve showed him a file downloaded from Leala’s computer. “All of these were sold into slavery as sex slaves, and they made your colleague, Dr. Z, very wealthy,” stated Steve. “Jean Logan was working as an escort for an agency owned by Dr. Z.”

Frank looked at his lawyer with a confused look on his face. Steve knew immediately that Leala had duped him, just like Jean had said.

“The same was done with the teens your group grabbed,” continued Steve. “I’d think long and hard about providing us with the information we want. You and your self-appointed do-gooders have broken a wide range of laws, domestic and foreign. You’re going to be doing a lot of time; the only question is how hard it will be and, maybe, what country it will be in.”

“What do you mean?’ asked Frank’s lawyer

“We’re getting warrants from several other countries; we might just be willing to let one of them take your client, being he is officially dead in this country,” continued Steve. “I hear the Bahamas has a nice new prison. They’re rather upset that your client faked his death down there. Mexico is also interested in him.” Steve enjoyed watching Frank squirm at the thought of spending the rest of his life in a foreign prison.

In several of the other interrogations, Steve saw similar reactions. The committee had formed to dispense its own form of justice and had never suspected that they were being used. The lone exception seemed to be Clarice, who may have been romantically involved with Leala. Steve felt that she may have also joined the group for the thrill and power. He suspected that the others would start talking as the gravity of their crimes sunk in. He was particularly interested in how Leala had formed this group and if there were others out there that they had yet detected.

The other workers arrested at the clinic were cooperating fully with the authorities. They worked at the facility strictly for the money, and they had no intention of spending the rest of their lives in prison. So far, they had provided a wealth of information on the daily operations of the facility.

The Schumachers were facing a variety of charges from over fifteen countries. Surprisingly, they were willing to talk, mainly to avoid extradition to several of the countries that now wanted them, including several that wanted them on capital charges. The rest of the committee had thought the Germans just disposed of the victims. They had no idea that the brothers were in the international sex trade, working with Leala. The brothers proved that there was no honor among thieves as they began to provide a wealth of information on their past business associates. In all, the dominos from this case would continue to fall for months.

As for Jean, she was currently undergoing treatment at a clinic in the Maryland suburbs outside DC. Jenna stopped by to see Steve a few weeks after Jean started her therapy.

“How’s she doing?” asked Steve.

“To be honest, I’m not too hopeful; it’s hard to tell where the programming starts and Jean’s original personality begins. The best way I can describe it is that her old personality has merged with the new. The interesting thing about this is that she’s aware of it. It’s a shame, as I really like her.”

“Do you think you can help her?” he asked.

“Honestly, unless I can see how she was changed, I don’t hold out much hope,” replied Jenna. “I don’t suppose that the Chinese Government will provide us with assistance.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Our only hope is to find Dr. Liang before they do. Maybe we can work out a deal with her to help us deprogram her victims.”

“Do you think she’d do that?” asked Jenna.

“Considering the alternative, I think she will,” said Steve. “We know she slipped out of Thailand right after the raid. We think she might be in South America, possibly Paraguay.”

“Well, we’ll continue to work with Jean; hopefully, we’ll find a way to decrease her sexual programming.”

“What about the additional programming that Jean said that Leala mentioned?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. If it’s there, it could be triggered by a phrase or codeword. I wouldn’t know where to start without help, and so far Dr. Z is totally uncooperative. I recommend that we don’t let her have any contact with Jean or any other of her victims.”

“That’s not a problem, we have her in Marion until her trial,” said Steve.

“I’ll keep you informed on any progress we make,” said Jenna.

“Good luck,” said Steve. He closed the file on the desk. What he needed now was to go home, shower, and make love to Maggie.

Chapter 63

Jean was wearing a short black leather skirt and a tight red sweater as she sat across from Matt as they ate dinner in a small bistro in Alexandria. It had been four weeks since the raid on the clinic.

“So, Steve really recruited you for the Agency? I’m very happy for you,” she stated.

“My first assignment has been to track down the leaks in various police departments. I’ve been pretty busy, but it’s been worth it, as we’ve been really successful. We arrested the person who tipped off your release last week,” he stated.

Jean smiled. “Good.”

“We also arrested the men who killed your friend Mac. They’re in custody in Las Vegas,” he continued.

“That’s great news,” she stated. She thought of Mac and let out a sigh. “Thank you for getting them, Mac didn’t deserve to be killed.”

“So what are you going to do? I understand that Steve offered you a position too,” said Matt.

“I appreciate his offer, but I don’t think it would be a good fit. I mean, I’m not exactly conventional, and I just don’t think that I would fit in right now,” she replied. “Besides, I’m dealing with too much personal baggage at the moment.”

“What are you going to do then?” asked Matt. His voice was filled with concern.

“I don’t know. I own the condo in Vegas and have some money in the bank, so I have time to think about it,” she replied.

“Are you going back to work as an escort?” he asked softly.

“I don’t know. The firm that I worked for is, of course, out of business, but I do have a list of clients, and I’m sure I could get hired by another firm,” she replied. “I am good at it.”

“You’re capable of doing so much more, Jean,” he stated.

She smiled back. “Thank you, Matt. However, I have these sexual urges thanks to those monsters. I need an outlet. If I don’t and I go out with the wrong man, well, it could get ugly for me. Also, I don’t have the negative feelings that I used to for my job,” she explained.

Matt shook his head. “There has got to be another way.”

“I wish there was,” she replied.

“What about Japan?’ he asked. Jean had told him about Yukio Saitou.

Jean shook her head. “I must admit that I like the way Yukio makes me feel, but I can’t see leaving the country. No, I have no plans on moving to Japan; although, it is an attractive offer.”

“We did a check on him. He is a legitimate club owner in Japan,” said Matt.

Jean just nodded.

There was a long silence as Matt seemed to be looking for the right words. Seeing his struggle, Jean reached over and placed both her hands around his.

“Matt, I like you a lot, and I know you have feelings for me, but right now we both know it wouldn’t work. I’m still functional, if you know what I mean, and I’m not ready to have surgery. I’m comfortable as I am. I know, it’s probably due to the programming, but what they did to me feels real and part of me, does that make sense?”

He nodded. “I guess so.”

“I value you as a friend, and I love how you saved me. You’ll always be dear to me, but it would never work. Think about it.”

He didn’t have to; it had been on his mind for weeks. “There has to be a way.”

“Look, presently I’m not the type of girl you can take home to mother. I reluctantly accept this. I’m going to try to move away from being an escort, but it’s going to take time. I need to focus on one battle at a time now. Jenna, my therapist, is trying to help me. Once I lick this one, then I’ll address my gender issue,” explained Jean. “You don’t have to wait; you deserve to be happy too.”

“This isn’t fair,” he mumbled.

“Life isn’t fair,” she stated. “I love you, Matt, but we know that right now it would never work, right?”

“You’re right,” he replied.

“Back in San Diego there’s a huge piece of outdoor art by Niki de Saint Phalle; it’s that big face down by the Convention Center, do you know it?” she asked. “Half the face is male and the other half female, half is in colored tile and the other half is mirrored.”

Matt nodded. He had seen it many times.

“It represents the duality of the self; it’s a representative of a person’s internal struggles, and for the first time in my life, I truly understand it. I need to find my self and what I am,” she explained.

“I just wish there was something I could do to help,” said Matt.

“You can, Matt. We can stay friends, and who knows, if you guys catch Dr. Liang, and if she cooperates, and if the programming is reversible….”

“That’s a lot of ifs,” said Matt.

“I know,” she replied.

They sat there in silence together, as neither had the right words to say.

Finally, Matt broke the silence. “I was hoping there would be a happy ending for you, considering everything you’ve been through.”

Jean smiled. “This story isn’t over, Matt. Not by a long shot.”

The End

Coming Together by Niki de Saint Phalle http://www.portofsandiego.org/sandiego_publicart/nikidestpha...