He made the determination to call Sean Hall, Cage’s bodyguard, and recommend they not make the trip. The boss wouldn’t like it, but Verdoorn deemed it the right move considering the threat.

While he looked out to sea thinking of the difficult phone calls to come, the Greek said, “Interesting. Very interesting. The unflappable Jaco Verdoorn is nervous. Can’t say I’ve seen this out of you before. You really view this American as that much of a concern?”

Verdoorn clutched the railing tightly with both hands and looked to Kostopoulos now. “To me and my boys? No . . . I don’t. But to all the other chattel marchin’ around with a gun workin’ for the pipeline? Yeah . . . yeah . . . he could take them all.”

The Greek sniffed out a laugh, but Verdoorn only turned away and headed back up the deck towards his makeshift quarters.

TWENTY-FOUR

   Roxana had showered and changed and now she sat on the comfortable bed, her eyes on the door in front of her. The American woman had said she would return, and though the Romanian could see the first hint of morning outside the portal, she had no doubt that her night was not yet over.

And she was correct. The door opened and Claudia entered, followed by one of the ship’s smartly uniformed interior crew, who carried a bottle of Bollinger champagne in a bucket, along with two crystal flutes.

What the hell is this? Roxana thought.

While the male crew member set the items down and began removing the foil from the cork, Claudia said, “It must feel glorious to take a nice hot shower after all you’ve been through.”

Roxana made no reply, so the American continued. “The other girls are taking their showers now. Don’t worry about them. They will be fed and clothed and attended to, same as you. Well . . . not the same as you, but more than adequately.” Claudia smiled. “Certainly more than what they are used to back home. You, too, right?”

“I had no complaint about my home.”

“Of course not, dear. Everyone says that at first. Then they see what they’ve been missing, what is available to them in this world, and they come around.” She put her hand on Roxana’s knee. “I promise you, you’ll come around, and you’ll never look back.” There was a comfort and an assuredness in the woman’s voice; it seemed to Roxana to be practiced, like one of her professors in college who’d been teaching the same class year after year.

She wondered how many girls had sat here on this bed looking at the American woman with bewilderment, just like she was doing now.

Roxana asked, “Who are you?”

“My name is Dr. Claudia. We don’t do last names here.”

“A doctor of what?”

“I am a psychologist.” The cork popped, jolting Roxana, but Claudia just laughed. The champagne was poured by the crew member as the ladies looked on.

The man soon left the cabin, closing the door behind him. As soon as it shut, the Romanian asked, “Why is there a psychologist on board?”

“I provide services as needed,” the American said as she handed the younger woman a flute of champagne. “Every one of the ladies on board is unique and important, and they are all getting special treatment. But you and one other young lady who will be joining us tomorrow are the absolute cream of the crop.”

“What is so special about us?”

The doctor’s teeth were white and straight; she bared them easily with her smile. “So much is special about you. So much, indeed. But you’re getting the star treatment, darling, because of where you are going.”

Roxana felt a tightening in the pit of her stomach. “Where . . . where am I going?”

“You have been personally selected by my employer.” Claudia kept up her smile. “The director of our entire global organization, in fact.”

“Selected?” she said, but the woman did not address what she meant.

But Roxana knew, and she was pretty sure Claudia knew that she knew.

Claudia said, “You seem like a smart girl, so you know who he is. The two of you have already met.”

Roxana looked down at the Bollinger in her hand, as yet untouched. “Yes. I know what this is all about. The American. Tom. I met him in Bucharest.”

The doctor replied, “I don’t know what name he gave you, but we call him the Director. He is our leader, but the man who runs day-to-day operations is here on board, and he is who I report to. He rarely comes on these voyages, so it’s a very special night for us.”

“You are talking about the South African. What is his name?”

The older woman cocked her head in surprise. “You are very inquisitive, aren’t you?”

“Aren’t most girls? How many have sat right here like I have?”

After a pause, the answer came. “Quite a few. You’ll meet some of them where you are going, I’m sure.”

“You do this all the time, don’t you?”

“We make these journeys regularly, yes.” Claudia straightened up and took a slow sip of champagne. “Let’s talk about what you want in life, Maja.”

“I want to be called by my real name. My name is—”

“No. We don’t use real names. It’s for your own security, and I’m sure you’ve already been told this at all the other stops on the pipeline.”

Roxana said nothing, and the American placed a hand on top of hers and squeezed. “I understand this is all . . . new, and more than a little stressful. I’m going to help you with that part of this. Believe me, I’m only here for your benefit.”

“Why are you being nice to me? Do you think I’m just going to go along with this because you hand me expensive clothes and give me a glass of champagne and squeeze my hand?” Roxana pulled her hand out from under the doctor’s.

“Maja, we all have bitter pills we need to swallow in life, to get us to where we want to be. A lot will be asked of you in the next few weeks and months, but so much more will be offered to you. You will be treated well, like a princess, in fact, if only you do your part.”

“And my part is, is what? To submit to rape?”

Claudia’s smile seemed forced now, but it persevered. “It’s not rape if you want it, and you will want it. We decided you would be a perfect fit for the Director. He agreed, of course, and he wanted no expense spared in bringing you to him.”

“If I am so fucking special, why was I kept in dungeons, why was I chained, why was I forced to go to the toilet in buckets?”

“The pipeline is mandatory for all of our girls. As in life, you must experience true hardships to appreciate true comforts. This is part of the process. But your difficult time is over, dear. Now it is time to see what is possible for you if you only play your part. I was brought in years ago to refine this process, to make the experience more pleasurable for both the women and the men. My focus is on helping you see the opportunities before you, and not focus on the negative aspects of your new life.