After fifteen painfully slow-passing minutes, a door on the far side of the dimly lit room finally opened, and a hooded figure entered, followed closely by two more individuals. The lead figure moved deliberately toward the platform, climbed the stairs at the back of it, and eased into the large, comfortable-looking chair. As he climbed the stairs, the other two individuals peeled off on either side of the platform until they were parallel to the chair atop the platform, where they stopped and stood with their arms at their sides.
Only then did Gadanz realize that these other two individuals were women — gorgeous women who were completely naked.
“Hello, Jacob.”
“Hello, Daniel,” Gadanz replied respectfully as his younger brother pulled the hood back and gazed down from the platform.
Jacob had been completely prepared to lambaste Daniel for the terrible treatment he’d received since arriving at the compound. But now that he was in his brother’s presence, he was not so keen to criticize. The naked women were staring straight at him, making him nervous. Worse, Daniel scared the hell out of him. He always had, ever since they were children, despite being the younger sibling. The thing about Danieclass="underline" From a very young age he would always do what others would not to get what he wanted. He was always willing to go one step further, no matter the consequences. So at that early age he’d developed a fierce reputation. He’d carried that attitude with him into adulthood and had become fabulously wealthy. Of course, the cause-and-effect dynamic had followed Daniel around, as it inevitably followed everyone. He wasn’t immune from the laws of nature just because he was fierce.
“I trust you’ve been well, brother.”
Daniel sniffed as though he had a cold or a nasal infection. “Well enough.” But it was probably the cocaine causing his irritation.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Like Jacob, Daniel was tall and swarthy with a prominent belly. They were only a year apart in age, and physically they looked quite similar. But somehow, Daniel managed to cut a noticeably more imposing figure. Even Jacob recognized that. Daniel was naturally charismatic — Jacob not at all. It was just one of those intangibles for which there was no reasonable explanation. But that was okay. Charisma inevitably brought attention, which Jacob reviled.
“How are Elaina and Sophie?” Daniel asked in his whispery, gravelly voice.
“They’re fine. In fact, they’re the main reason I’ve come all the way down here to see you tonight. I need to talk to you about—”
“How is the business?”
“It’s fine, Daniel, just fine.”
“Are you keeping Kaashif’s men well supplied with cash?” Daniel asked, sniffing hard twice.
“Yes, but I—”
“It’s so important that you do,” he said, nodding at the women in turn. “So important,” he repeated. “They are doing my most important work.”
The women moved to where Jacob sat and knelt down in front of him side by side. They were young, beautiful, and blond, and both of them placed their hands on his bare knees after spreading his robe slightly apart. It quickly became embarrassing for him, but he tried to ignore his obvious physical reaction. Sasha had been reasonably pretty at one time long ago, but never anything like these girls. He’d never been with any woman who was even close to as beautiful as they. Now that they were so near and he could see their delicate features more clearly, he wondered if they were even eighteen.
“Daniel,” he spoke up, trying desperately to block them out of his mind, “I can’t be involved in that situation anymore.”
“You can and you will,” Daniel retorted gently but firmly as one of the girls dutifully lifted a small mirror to Jacob’s face and handed him a short straw while the other slid her hand far up Jacob’s thigh. “You must. I trust you to carry out my work.”
Jacob took the straw, placed one end in his nose, leaned down, pointed the other at one end of a thick, caterpillar-like formation of white powder, and inhaled deeply as he snorted all of the powder into one nostril. The effect was instantaneous. Adrenaline began coursing powerfully through his system, and there was a pleasant, numbing drip at the back of his throat, which helped drive the buzzing in his body to an intensely pleasurable level.
“Have you met with Kaashif directly?” Jacob asked, handing the straw back to the beauty kneeling at his feet.
“Yes. It was necessary for planning purposes.”
“That puts me in so much danger, brother. How could you do that to me? You told me I would always be the go-between. You told me you would never meet with him.”
“Things changed. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine, Jacob.”
“My business must be completely legitimate. No more money laundering for these people. Please, Daniel.”
“I’m sorry, Jacob, but you must continue your commitment to me. This is the most important time.”
“I’ve paid you back for staking me. You gave me a million dollars to found Gadanz and Company, and I’ve given you ten million in return. Let me go. My debt is more than repaid, brother.”
“I told you I’d need a favor someday that didn’t involve money. This is it. I need your loyalty now more than ever.”
The same girl handed Jacob the mirror and the straw again. She’d prepared another huge line for him from out of a small clear package. Once again he did the entire length of it in a single snort, though with the other nostril. He closed his eyes in quiet ecstasy as the powder worked its magic. This was the good stuff. Not the shit the street snorted.
“Kaashif wants me to set the squad up in another location,” Jacob explained. He was aware that he was suddenly talking louder and faster, but he couldn’t rein himself in.
“They cannot be apprehended. Not yet, Jacob. They haven’t created enough chaos yet. I want many more people dead. They need a safe place to hole up. You must take care of them.”
“Why has this responsibility to take care of the squad in northern Virginia fallen on me?”
“Because Imelda was taken, and she has not resurfaced. Kaashif told you that.” Daniel cleared his throat loudly. “You may need to help me in other areas of the country as well. Kaashif cannot do everything himself. The squads must be supplied.”
Jacob licked his lips and clenched his teeth. The girls were kissing his thighs and running their fingers all over him. His embarrassment had grown to epic proportions. Flaccid, he was small. Fully inflated, he was immense. The men in the outbuilding had laughed. They wouldn’t laugh now.
“Please, Daniel, don’t make me do this. My daughters could be in danger.”
“They’ll be fine. They’re in no danger. I would never let anything happen to Elaina and Sophie. They are my nieces.” Daniel laughed softly as he rose from the large chair and moved carefully back down the steps. “You’ll do my bidding, brother,” he called over his shoulder as he neared the door, “as you always do.”
As Daniel exited the room, one of the girls stood up, then leaned over and began kissing Jacob deeply while the other spread his robe and his legs far apart before running her tongue up the length of him. He gasped with pleasure and then allowed himself to be led from the small wooden chair to the large comfortable chair Daniel had just vacated.
When he had relaxed into it, the girls began to please him again. While one straddled him and slowly moved up and down, the other fed his nose the purest cocaine he’d ever experienced. Then the girls switched positions. Over and over they did this, whispering to him that he could do anything he wanted to them — which he did. He’d never experienced anything like this in his life.