Chapter 4
Jeff Logan is staying in an old, abandoned warehouse in South Lorain, Ohio when he is on the job, and he is doing as little as possible. He is the proprietor of this antiquated structure, and he purchased it with funds received from his benefactor about two years ago. It is a two-story building, removed from main streets and heavy traffic. Maple and pine trees surround the building, and it would be nearly impossible to see it from above. The downstairs area has ample room to park two vans and an RV on the part cement and part dirt floor. Today it is empty, except for a vehicle that Jeff currently stored there. Garage doors are on both ends of the building. Next to the rear garage door is a standard door that Jeff uses when he enters the building. The upstairs is in complete contrast to the downstairs area. Handymen partially renovated it for a specific purpose. They carpeted the floor, and they added ten bunks. They installed handcuffs connected to the bedposts. In the corner along the longer wall is a community shower. The windows are tightly closed with curtains drawn and one-half inch thick steel rods in front to make it impossible for anyone to escape. On the opposite wall is a windowless office.
Jeff sat behind the desk, feeling important, feet resting on it. He just got off the phone, and on a pad of blank paper, he jotted down a phone number and an address with a ballpoint pen. Then the young man ripped the paper off the pad, folded it and stuck it in his shirt pocket. He threw the pad and the pen in the middle drawer of the desk. Next, he went to a couch, nervously watching the news, expecting activity. He was ready to go to the kitchen to warm up a bowl of soup in the microwave oven, when his phone rang again, “This is Jeff. What’s up?”
“This is Carl Nader. Per your instructions, I moved into the school two weeks ago. I’m sure glad that I know how to play the guitar.”
“Carl, I don’t give a shit if you know how to play the guitar. Did you find any prospects yet?”
“Yes, I did. I have been watching two lovely, twelve-year-olds for a few days. They are jogging every morning at six by the cluster of pine trees.”
“Good. We will check it out. Do you have anything else?
“No, nothing on this campus.” Jeff disconnected, pressing his lips. Earlier, he also got a call from Fad Arian, one of his other scouts. They have an opportunity to pick up three girls from a dance hall, in the Lorain area. That would be great, thought Jeff, if he could make a shipment to Saint Simmons Island this weekend.
First, he called Carl Nader. No answer. Ten minutes later, he called again. This time, he answered, “Where the hell were you?”
“I was taking a shit. What do you want?”
“I want you to make a shipment on Sunday. Pick up the two girls on Friday morning and deliver them to the warehouse. You got that?”
“I do.” Logan disconnected. Then he called Fad Arian, and he gave him a similar message.
“No problem. We’ll take care of that Friday night, and we’ll deliver the merchandise the same night.”
“Make sure that you do,” said Jeff, finally anticipating action. Then he made one more call to Adil Toma, “Adil, I want the RV at the warehouse by Friday afternoon. Keep the refrigerator filled with food and drink.”
“So soon. Jeff?”
“Yes, so soon. And make sure that it’s filled up, and the spare tire is usable.”
“Right. Where are we going, Jeff?”
“I’ll tell you when we’re on the road. By the way, call Erol Gaber. He can help Carl. Then use him wherever you need him.”
“No problem, Jeff.”
On Friday morning at five-thirty a.m., Carl Nader parked his van adjacent to the property of Vanity Music School, near the cluster of pine trees. Fad Arian sat in the passenger seat, and Erol Gaber sat in the back on one of the benches. Carl knows the routine of the twins. It is now close to six. Right now, a lonely male jogger trotted past them. Carl was nervous, and he thought, this better be good, after all, the preliminary work that I have done. Carl went to the back door. He had the engine running and the shift lever in the park position. He ordered Fad and Erol to hide behind the trees and wait for the twins. They looked down the path, and they saw that a couple was approaching fast. Fad looked at Erol, and he shook his head. Erol nodded, “They are not the ones.” Now it was a few minutes past six, but the twins still didn’t arrive. What could have happened? But before they had a chance to think about it any further, two girls jogged around the corner and approached them fast. The slavers knew what to do. When the girls were near them, both slavers jumped into their path. Erol was there first, and he grasped one of them. She screamed and fought her assailant off. Erol smashed her in the mouth. Now she screamed and cried. The other twin came to her aid, and Erol had to fight both of them off.
“Fad, where the hell are you?” Erol looked behind him, and he noticed that his accomplice tripped over a root. He jumped up and grabbed one of the twins. Then both slavers dragged them into the van. Carl helped Fad before he had another accident, then he slammed the back door and rushed to the front of the van. He drove as fast he could to the warehouse, heeding the speed limits. Inside the van, the slavers handcuffed the twins because they showed excessive resistance. Sophia said, “Where are you taking us? I want to go home.”
“Shut up, or I’m going to shut your mouth for you,” said Fad, “and if you resist, I’m going to beat the crap out of you.” The twins settled down and whimpered on the way to the warehouse. Once they were in position, Carl used the remote to open the back garage door, and he parked the van inside. Jeff Logan came down, and he helped the slave mongers to take the twins upstairs. He handcuffed each of them to a bunk, “So, what are your names?”
“I’m Sophia McPherson.”
“I’m Olivia McPherson. We are twins.” Jeff looked at Carl and said, “Twins, wow. They are going to bring a pretty penny.”
On Friday evening at ten p.m., Carl Nader parked his van in the parking lot of the Midnight Dance Palace in the South Lorain area. Again, Fad Arian and Erol Gaber were a part of the slave monger’s team, but this time, they took Adil Toma along. He usually is the one responsible for the RV, but this time, he will remain isolated to keep an eye on the fellow by the table and to act as a contact with Carl. Fad and Erol wore new suits, and they looked and smelled terrific. They walked in, and luckily they found an empty table near a corner. Dance music started a ten p.m. An old couple started dancing. Then two younger couples danced. The dance area began to fill with cigarette smoke. The waitress came, “What will you have?”
“Windsor and soda.” Fad looked at the balcony. He saw a few attractive females looking down, and one, in particular, smiled at Fad. He waved at her. She rose and casually walked down the steps, showing off her short and tight skirt. Fad rose and invited her to sit at their table. She accepted willingly.
“What’s your name, honey?”
“Julie.”
“Hi, Julie.” The waitress came over, “What will you have, miss?”
“A daiquiri.” The waitress brought the drink, and Julie took a sip.
“Let’s dance,” said Fad.
“I thought you’d never ask.” They danced. In the meantime, Erol took a small packet out of his shirt pocket and dropped the content into Julie’s drink. After she had danced, she took a sip of her drink. A few minutes later, Julie said, “I feel terrible.”
“It must be the smoke-filled air in the hall,” He looked around, “Didn’t they turn on the god damned AC units?”
“Boy, I feel terrible.”
“You better go to the bathroom. I will be waiting for you right here.” While she went to the bathroom, Fad inconspicuously signaled Adil. Adil got the message. Just before Julie entered the bathroom, he grabbed her and dragged her out the backdoor of the building to the van. She fought him vigorously, but in her condition, she couldn’t win. Carl waited in the truck. As soon as she was near him, he pushed her on a seat, handcuffed her, and watched her. Now Julie was entirely out. She fell over and groaned, urinating on the floor.
“Shit,” said Carl, “how am I going to clean up this mess?”
The slave mongers repeated this procedure of abducting females twice, with slight variations. The girls’ names were Molly and Judy. Then Fad and Erol joined the threesome. Adil sat in the passenger seat while Carl drove the van to the warehouse. Adil thought that he saw someone behind them, following. He said to Carl, “Is someone following us?” Carl slowed down and looked back. At first, he saw headlights, then when he looked back again, he didn’t see anything, “Adil, it must have been your imagination. There is no one back there.”