Chapter 12

Trying to get home

Close to the University campus Iona located a gang who specialised in kidnapping respectable girls either for ransom purposes if her family were sufficiently wealthy. or to be trafficked into the sex trade.
Having identified the gang as they loitered around the campus, Iona’s telepathy soon located the gang’s base for operations. It was then a simple matter to hire a super light micro-scooter and disguise herself as a local girl simply by dying her hair, covering up her arms and legs and wearing sun-glasses. By telepathy, she had determined the date and planned location of the kidnapping so it was simply a matter of watching and waiting.

Iona did not even have to hang around as her telepathy revealed the identity of the intended victim.

A very pretty girl had been chosen from a modest, religious background whom the gang had seen snogging another girl on campus. The girl’s obvious lesbianism would give the gang an extra lever to force the girl to comply with their demands. Iona’s surveillance had determined all these issues and she became somewhat angry about their combined, violent, blackmail techniques as she determined the kidnapper’s plan.

On the due date, the van appeared right on time in the narrow street just as the girl was emerging from a side doorway of her small garden wall. She only had to step a few yards down the street and out onto the busy thoroughfare where she anticipated catching her bus. This was but a few yards and the girl had been regularly walking this route since attending university.

Iona was forced to admire the speed and effectiveness of the gang’s modus-operandi for the girl was snatched and bundled into the van in less than five seconds after she had closed the door of her parent’s garden wall.

Well prepared for this event, Iona had installed a ‘dash-cam’ on her scooter and recorded the events from first to last as the gang drove into their compound and carried the now unconscious, drugged girl into their lair. The whole exercise had taken less than ten minutes and all but thirty seconds of those had involved navigating legally and anonymously through the chaotic Manila traffic.

Iona’s next step did not make her feel very good about herself.

She had to leave the poor little lesbian victim to the tender mercies of the gang until the distraught girl really understood the danger she was in and the horrors that awaited her. That moment arrived later the same evening when she was paraded naked before a panel of buyers who had turned up by appointment to bid for her. It was a vicious, latter-day, slave market.

Fortunately, as Iona had previously determined telepathically, it was not a ‘cattle market’. There was only one girl up for sale so Iona knew it was well within her capacity to rescue the poor individual while stopping the gang dead in its tracks.

She waited as the auction went ahead and the successful buyer’s van finally emerged from the gang’s compound with the bound and gagged girl kicking and crying in terror. To follow the van, it was a simple task for Iona to stay several blocks back and even take a differing route for some parts while she tailed the van using her telepathy.

Eventually, the van stopped in a dark, isolated alley outside the back door of a brothel and the buyer stepped out. Precisely as he unlocked the van and slid back the side door, Iona delivered a lethal telepathic punch that killed the criminal instantly. By now, her telepathic abilities enable her to direct her ‘punch’ accurately so as to pick out a single individual in a crowd.

Snatching the keys off the corpse, she drove as quietly as she could to the micro scooter then dragged the that into the back of the van where the girl still lay, bound, gagged and terrified.

Her terrified eyes stared tearfully at the black-clad individual that appeared struggling to haul the scooter into the van. The black-clad figure then turned to the girl and put her finger to her lips to indicate silence as she explained quickly.

“Shhush. We’re not out of it yet. I’ll release you as soon as we’re clear.”

So saying, Iona stepped into the driving seat even as a powerfully built man came pounding out of the back door of the brothel and lunged at the drivers’ door. The terrified girl saw the man’s massive fist smash through the driver’s window and grab at the black-clad figure’s neck. Then just as suddenly, he let out a grunt followed by a choking cry before slithering to the ground. The rear wheel of the van bumped violently over the second corpse then the van sped away with all need of secrecy no longer needed.

The girl cried as the violent bump over the second corpse had caused her to slide and bang her already bruised head against the rear-wheel arch.

After several minutes of driving the van eventually stopped and the black clad figure stepped into the cargo compartment to untie the girl.

“So sorry about the ride darling but you’re free now. I’ve got more work to do. How’s your head?”

The girl was shocked and grateful that the black clad figure was a woman. As she eased herself painfully into the passenger seat she stared uncomprehendingly at her seeming rescuer.

“Who are you?”

“That’s not important just now. I’ve got one more task before I return you to your parents. I sorry if what I have to do might distress you, but I have to do it immediately before the gang disperses. They’re still celebrating their business and your sale.”

“What!” She almost shrieked in fear, “you’re taking me back?”

“Don’t worry young lady! You’re safe. It’s just that I have to hurry to catch the gang still together.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Punish them. You can sit in the van and watch; you’ll be safe.”

The girl frowned nervously so Iona tried to break the chain of fear.

“My name’s Iona, Iona Evans; what’s yours?”

For several moments the girl sat silent before responding fearfully.

“Maria; Maria De Calleo.”

“Well Maria; may I call you Maria? You’ve just been rescued and I am about to punish the gang – permanently!”

“What? Alone? How?”

“You’ll see. Just sit back and watch.”

It had started to rain and Maria fell silent as Iona picked her way through the traffic. They soon arrived at the gang’s compound and Iona parked the van before boldly hammering on the double metal gates. Maria sat watching and listening through the smashed driver’s window as the gates opened and a head popped out. There was a brief exchange of words before the owner of the head emerged to reveal his huge sized. He was obviously the kidnap gang’s ‘enforcer’! and he lunged at Iona.
Maria watched aghast as the black-clad woman stepped back and giant enforcer promptly slumped to the ground. Iona then rolled the body aside with her foot and pushed hard on the metal gates. Maria watched uncomprehendingly as the body twitched and cursed but failed utterly to prevent Iona’s bold entry into the compound. Hidden from Maria’s view, there arose a tremendous commotion behind the compound walls until a few minutes later, Iona re-appeared with two very young, terrified girls.

As she bundled them into the van she explained.

“I found these two locked in a cell. Those vermin run a paedophile network as well.”

“What was going on in there?”

“Oh, a spot of bother. It’s all sorted now.”

“Are they dead?”

“No. But they won’t be bothering children or girls anymore – ever!”

“What did you do?”

“Punish them. One of them was a copper. Why am I not surprised?”

Maria tensed fearfully as she wailed.

“If one of them was a copper, they’ll come gunning for us; well, me at least!”

“Be assured Miss Calleo. They won’t. They are all blind, dumb and deaf, not to mention crippled. You have nothing to fear for they will never make credible witnesses.”

Maria cursed nervously under her breath before asking softly.

“Can I see, I want to be certain.”

“Be my guest but be quick. I’ve got to get these two kids to somewhere safe.”

Maria stepped painfully out of the van because her bruises still hurt and she stepped into the compound to find Iona was absolutely right. The whole gang lay useless on the ground, unable to walk, see, speak or hear. She swallowed nervously and returned in awe to the van.

“You’re right. What did you do to them?”

“As I said, I punished them. That’s one gang of vermin off the streets.

“You would have been kinder to just kill them.”

“And what would that lesson teach the other gangs? Manila is plagued with these gangs. Every neighbourhood seems to have one This way the other gangs are constantly reminded of some inexplicable biblical retribution and that instils fear into their minds. Besides, doesn’t your holy book say ‘Thou shalt not kill’!

“It says ‘Thou shalt not commit murder.’”

“Same difference, either way they are not dead.” Iona shrugged as she picked her way into the night-time traffic.

For long moments a silence descended as Maria digested the night’s events and the two little girls sat silent and terrified. Eventually Iona spoke when the rain stopped and driving became easier.

“So Maria. I suppose I’d better run you home.”

“What about the two little girls?”

Iona sighed.

“I just don’t know yet. I suppose I’ll have to find somewhere safe for them. They were freshly taken even as I was rescuing you.. The trouble is most of the orphanages are involved with the paedophile gangs. This is a god-forsaken place. Even the parents prostitute their own kids, it’s sick!”

Iona turned to Maria.

“Have a chat with them, try and find out where they are from or who they are. They are too frightened to talk to me because they saw me cripple their jailer and then they saw the carnage in the compound. I think they think I’m some sort of devil incarnate.”

“I’ve got news for you Iona – so do I!” Maria whispered hoarsely.

“Well, tomorrow, I’ll stop round at your parent’s house and I’ll explain it to you privately then. For now I’ve got these kids to sort out and it’s getting late. Ahh! Here we are La Maison de Calleo.”

Maria giggled. “Your French is bloody awful but it works. Would you like to stay here tonight, we’ve got the space.”

“I think you’d better ask your parents. Oh, and something else, I’d prefer you not to mention tonight’s events.”

“How the hell can I not do that? In fact that looks like a police car right there.”

“Damn! Okay then, just say I rescued you but don’t mention anything else. Just say you don’t know where they took you but I found you and the girls wandering the streets after a gang fight and you flagged me down, okay.”

“That could work, truth is I don’t exactly know where it was they took me, it’s a bloody maze of streets down there.”

“Best if I simply dump you and the girls here and I bugger off. I can burn the van and escape on the micro-scooter.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“You saw me disable those vermin; don’t you think every government on the planet would want to find out how.”

Maria had a sharp brain and a few second’s thought convinced her.

‘Whatever the girl’s gift was, it was vulnerable to exploitation if she was capable of somehow disabling people.’

She nodded thoughtfully before suggesting.

“Can we meet up tomorrow?”

“I was hoping you’d say that. Yes, where and when?”

“On the main plaza at the university.”

“Agreed,” Replied Iona. “Until tomorrow noon – and no police, okay!”

Iona took Maria’s phone number but did not reciprocate her number. As soon as Maria and the two little girls were set down outside the garden gates, Iona sped off and had disappeared around the corner before they had walked up to Maria’s door. By the time Maria’s hysterical mother and relieved family finally allowed their only daughter to speak, Iona was several blocks away and already looking for a remote spot to burn the van. After finding a place, she removed the micro-scooter from the back and quickly ‘torched’ the vehicle – speeding away once the van was fully ablaze.
Finally content with her night’s work, Iona returned to her hotel and slept until dawn.

Free of all distractions, she lay abed savouring the air conditioning and crisp linen sheets until eventually the clock struck eleven and she was forced to go to her rendezvous outside the university on the main plaza. She was sitting by the fountain when Maria appeared.

Iona looked up, smiled and asked.

“Are the girls okay?”

“Yes they are at home with my mother.”

“What did she say about you bringing them home.”

“She couldn’t really say much; they are evidence and the police asked my mother to take care of them until the case is resolved. The trouble is they haven’t got much to go on. I’ve still got no idea where that gang hang out.”

“I’ll tell you later but first we need to talk.”

“What about?”

“Me mainly. And whether you can keep a secret.”

“What sort of secrets? It’s not illegal is it?”

“In as of itself; no, but some might construe what I do with it is.”

“Like disabling that gang.”

“Yes. Some might consider it excessive; others might consider what I did as justified. The fact I did it is bound to raise questions and those questions might alert government agencies as to where I am. If they come looking for me, I’ll have to move on again.”

Maria’s sharp brain ticked away and she was forced to ask -.

“What did you do to them?”

“I crippled them, all of them. I also blinded them, deafened them and muted them so they can never bear witness. They will never be able to harm you again because I warned them if a hair on your head was harmed, I would return to inflict permanent agony on their bodies until they died after living their full terms. Believe me Maria, the message has already spread around the criminal underworld. You will not be harmed! Even the police won’t touch you.

“Have they found the gang yet?”

“No. They are all stuck in their compound unable to move or shout.”

“That’s what bothers me. How did you do that?”

“I’ll only tell you if you do me a big favour and promise to keep my secret.”

“Which is?”

“Ah-ah. Promise first.” Iona grinned but behind the friendly posture, she was deadly serious.

“Oh all right then, I promise.”

“Promise what?” Iona insisted.

“Oh for goodness sakes! What’s all the fuss about?”

“It’s deadly serious Maria, you must promise never to reveal what I tell you or show you.”

“Tsk! All-right then, I promise never to reveal; or talk about anything you do or show or tell me. Gosh you are a cagey girl.”

Iona had scanned Maria’s brain and concluded the girl could keep secrets. Maria had, after all, kept her lesbianism a secret within the family despite the family pressure to have their only daughter get married; or at least find a boyfriend.

Additionally, Iona had now resigned herself to the reality that her telepathy was becoming known to more and more people; who, even though friendly, could and probably would, one day slip up. Eventually some government agency would find her and capture her while she was sleeping or resting her telepathy.
She decided that she would follow the Aboriginal spirit’s beliefs about reincarnation and make her ‘crossing over’ a reincarnated reality. Firstly however she had to find a suitable foetus; one with male-pattern telepathy, and able to allow Iona’s telepathic spirit to relocate in that foetus’s brain.

Her immediate issue though, was to enlighten Maria as to how she had disabled the kidnappers.
A cautious scan had already ascertained that Maria was an intelligent lesbian who kept her lesbian secrets very tight to her chest. A second scan had ascertained there were no police following Maria on the basis that Maria might be tangled somehow with the gang. She settled beside Maria on one of the seats facing the fountain then gently took Maria by the hand before broaching the painful subject.

Maria looked at her expectantly before whispering.

“So, Miss Iona, what is this awful secret?”

“This no joke Maria, it is deadly serious. After I have told you, you will understand why you are totally safe. Then we can then go for a brief visit back to the kidnappers compound? They are still there because they still cannot move or talk. Again I must emphasise that no harm will come to you. When you can see you are in no danger; you can advise the police okay?”

Maria nodded affirmation and Iona slowly revealed her secret. After telling Maria, the girl nodded her head slowly as the implications sank in. She asked several questions and Iona answered them before standing up.

“Come on then, I’ll take you to the compound.”

They hailed a taxi and dropped off a couple of blocks away from their destination. Maria shuddered as she recognised the area.

“This is a very bad area. Are your sure we are safe?”

“Perfectly Miss De Calleo. Watch this.”

Across the street couple of stray dogs were standing off and snarling at each other in some fight concerning a bone. As the fight escalated into violence, Iona immobilised both of them with a telepathic punch and not for the first time, Maria gasped disbelievingly. This time she had seen and felt the punch for Iona had allowed her to sense the force. It had not hurt her for Iona had been selective but it reinforced Iona’s message and convinced Maria beyond any doubt.

“Come on then,” Iona finished, “we can walk the last few blocks from here.”

Maria glanced around uncertainly as several pairs of eyes studied them. She could see the speculative anticipation in those eyes and she stuck closer to Iona as Iona explained.

“Don’t be afraid of them. They are just everyday street trash. They are probably wondering why the kidnap gang are not around to enforce their domination. Come on, it’s only another block.”

Maria now recognised the back door to the brothel compound and cast about nervously as Iona opened the door and stepped nonchalantly inside.

“Don’t be afraid, they can’t harm you, look.”

Maria re-affirmed that the gang were still silently wriggling and twitching helplessly on the compound floor as Iona took her hand.

“There, as you can see, you are safe. Now let’s go, once we are a few blocks away, you can phone the police. If they ask how you remembered, just say you had some post traumatic flashbacks as you were going to college.”

They left the compound and as soon as they returned to the college, Maria phoned the police.
Her story was accepted eagerly by the police who were happy to ignore the bizarre circumstances that enabled them to declare that their fight against kidnapping and paedophile prostitution was showing results. When Maria was questioned about her escape she stuck to her story that there was some sort of gang fight with chemicals or gas or something in the compound and she managed to escape with the little girls in the confusion. She had not heard or seen any gunfire.

With a notorious gang off the streets, the police were happy to close the case and by the time it came to court, Maria was pregnant by Iona. The pregnancy initially estranged Maria from her pious parents; but eventually she was reconciled to her parents when their only daughter provided them with two beautiful, telepathic grandchildren.

When she told them the father was her rescuer from the kidnap gang, her parents were confused but mollified because that same generous stranger had initially supplied plenty of funds for the parents to adopt both the young rescued girls. Now, as Maria brought her own telepathic babies home from the maternity hospital, she was able to inform her parents that the same rescuer had provided even more generous funds to support their new grandchildren into adulthood and beyond.

By the time Maria’s family had the come to appreciate their good fortune; the provider was long gone. Only Maria knew who the father was and that her son and daughter were telepaths. This was exactly what Iona had planned for.

In the final days of her stay in Manila, an offshore company located in the Caribbean area landed a newly registered private plane and it flew via Vietnam, India, Afghanistan, and Kazakhstan to Turkey. There the pilot took a train to Eastern Europe where she met with several individuals by prearrangement.