32. Challenge

"Did your girlfriend just issue a challenge to a crime family?" Juma asked incredulously. They were all watching the happenings of the queen's blade on the wide screen. Adrian burst out laughing hilariously at what he had just seen slapping the table in mirth. "She killed all of them on purpose and without help from her guards who were looking bored like they knew she would trash them." Juma turned to look at his friend a lopsided smile on his face, "I am betting my entire fortune including my seat as an heir that you are the one who chose that sexy silver mask for her"

"You are worried about that?" Musila asked staring at the screen in awe. "Did you see her move? She was like the love child of Jackie Chan, Jet Li and that guy from Shaolin Soccer combined. Adrian what kind of martial arts have you been teaching your girlfriend?"

"I told all of you she was fucking awesome," Adrian said with too much pride.

"Yeah," Juma said, "And now we believe you. But just so we know, what do we do about that situation?"

"Yes, the girl is already out of the tournament, so she poses no threat to Shirleen but the fact that her father was willing to let his men rape her on live stream, to him she is disposable. A daughter he can use and dispose of at any time he so wishes. She is basically a pawn that he would want back," Musila said. "He does not care about the girl only what she can do for him and his influence."

"I fucking hate those guys who think they were given daughters for the main purpose to whore around and gain them the influence, power and status they could not get on their own," Leshinka stated and for the first time he was not laughing and he looked pissed. His eyes were directed onto his computer screen and his fingers were flying over the keyboard like he was hacking something. "Found it," he proclaimed. "Her name is Eva Stranoff. Her father is the leader of the Stranoff crime family. He is married with five children four are boys and the last born is a girl, her name being Anna Stranoff. Eva is a bastard child and was born two years before Anna was born. Her mother was dying of cancer by the time she turned four and because she was afraid she would leave her daughter in abject poverty before she died she took the child to Stranoff hoping the man would give her a better life. But his wife became bitter unable to believe that her husband cheated on her so he could not accept Eva. He treated her horribly using her as a servant and as peace offering to some of his friends instead of his beloved daughter Anna. He entered the fifteen-year-old girl into the queen's blade just in case she won and if not that was her fate. The idea was if she had won they would have welcomed her into the family and if she had lost they would have raped her and broken her into the family trade of selling prostitutes with her being the merchandise. She was apparently the stain on the family name."

"We need to inform Shirleen of all these," Juma said softly.

"I will do it," Adrian said with a sigh knowing how his beautiful girlfriend will react to such news. "For the mean time prepare something that will deter the Stranoff family from coming after Eva. My future wife would want to make a statement. This news will make her incredibly angry and vengeful."

Juma looked at Adrian contemplatively, "Well it is nice to know you are afraid of your girlfriend's reaction. Should we be taking cover in a bunker just in case? We are very afraid of you and now you want to tell us you are afraid of your girlfriend. Anyone who Adrian Maliekhe is afraid of is dangerous."

***

Shirleen watched the girl on the bed stir and open her eyes to take note of her surroundings. She sat up quickly when she figured everything in the room was foreign. She automatically reached for the gun on the bed and pointed it at her head. Shirleen raised her hands in the air a smile on her lips and said, "easy." The girl realised that the gun was too light meaning it did not have any bullets inside and she slowly put it down looking around the room for a weapon she could use. "Hallo Eva," Shireen said softly and non-threatening. "My name is Shirleen a contestant in the queen's blade tournament. I rescued you at the clearing in Rome. Those men were about to rape you as punishment and I couldn't let that happen." Eva looked into her eyes remembering the events of that day. "I must go home or I will be punished much worse than what you interrupted in the forest," Eva said her eyes blank already accepting the punishment that will come.

Shirleen moved closer and took the young girl's hand, "You have been asleep for five days and we are far away from Rome Eva. As for your family I have asked someone I trust to take care of them. They will never look for you again and neither will you be their captive. You are free now Eva." For a moment the girl looked at her like she was insane and when she saw Shirleen's reassurance in her eyes, Eva smiled for the first time in a long time and she asked, "What of his four sons?"

"They begged for mercy for four days, day and night nonstop. I have the video to prove it and I will show you when you are ready. They screamed and pleaded for you to forgive them but you were asleep so you could not hear them. They suffered," Shirleen said remembering the torture her boyfriend, Adrian, had put them through. Apparently those four sons had decided since the girl was only their half-sister, they could rape her anytime they wished without any interference from their father who knew what his fucking sons were doing but decided it was alright. For years Eva had suffered under the assault of her brothers as she was conveniently kept for them in a house at the edge of the compound. Eva sat up in pain and looked her in the eyes and said, "I am free," in delight but her delight slowly dulled. "I have nowhere to go. Where will I go?" Eva asked the woman who had saved her life in confusion. "Would you like to come with me to Kenya. My country is beautiful and I will keep you safe," Shirleen said looking at the young girl. "Think about it and tell me your decision tomorrow." She pushed her down on the bed hoping she will sleep and be able to forget the horrible memories that have plagued her since she was five years old.