18Hey my faithfull readers, sorry this took so long, I really have no excuse, I've just been lazy. Hopefully I'll get it updated faster next time. I intend to try.
Chapter 6
Baird blinked.
"Well why didn't you say so? I'll go get my lancer." He stood up with the full intention to dig his gear out of the closet.
"No!" Amy shouted grabbing his arm then releasing it as if it was a thorny plant.
"What? You don't want me to hunt down a bunch of murdering rapist?" He said condescendingly.
"You can't," she said desperate to explain. "They're too strong. The man you rescued me from was an idiot compared to the rest."
"Yeah, I figured out that much." Baird said rolling his eyes. "Look, if you can tell me where they are then you'd better, or I'll just have to hunt them down myself."
"But, they'll know you're coming."
"So did the locust."
Amy was silent. She was curled up on the couch with her knees pulled against her chest. A defensive position, Baird noted, but also vulnerable. He could see that she was shaken by his reaction.
Well what did she expect? He was an ex-gear, it used to be his job to hunt down people like that, well mostly locust. Baird sighed and ran his fingers through his hair to calm himself.
"Will you at least tell me what they are doing? That guy I rescued you from said something about you being bought."
In the dim light her eyes glistened and Baird took an involuntary step back. He didn't do tears.
"Ok," She said her voice surprisingly even. She took a deep breath.
"They didn't kidnap me, although they kidnap plenty of girls. My father sold me to them, when I was 12. They paid him in alcohol and drugs." She stopped her face contorted in pain. Baird sat down next to her attempting to be a comforting presence the way Marcus did when the mood struck him. Amy took another deep breath and continued.
"They traffic sex slaves more or less, not just to any one though. They have a plan to repopulate the planet with their people. You know the new world order kind of thing. I don't know the details exactly but they pick out certain women based on some criteria and I guess I fit the bill. Then they sell us to their supporters who are the most loyal to the cause. They pay outrageous prices for the honor to have their offspring be part of the new world order that they themselves probably won't live to see. That's the gist of it anyhow; I think it's a little more complicated than that. They don't really sell us to them, they lease us. The men can do whatever they want with us, short of killing us, until we get pregnant. Then the lease runs out and they take us back, wait until we give birth, and then lease us out again. I don't know what they do with the babies." She shrugged and fell silent. Baird didn't know what to say except that Bernie was right about it being more than just rape. He didn't say that though, like the idiot that he was he said what he probably shouldn't.
"How many kids have you had?" He blurted out. Then he flinched, if Bernie had been the she probably would have skinned him. Amy sighed with relief to his surprise.
"None thankfully, I mean," She amended, "I wouldn't mind having kids but not like that."
Baird nodded, although he wondered if she had said that because she didn't want him to think she didn't like "his" kids or if it stemmed from some personal belief, or maybe something else.
"That man was the first, he was a scum bag. The only reason he got me was because he's a cowardly brownnoser. He tied me to a rusty pole. I was able to break it and run otherwise…" She trailed off.
"So you won't tell me who they are because?"
"You won't like it," She said.
"Is that it? You want to spare my feelings? I don't care who they are, I'll kill anyone who would sell woman as sex toys." Baird ranted, "figgin disgusting!"
"Even if they are your friends?"
Baird snorted, "Especially if they are my friends."
"Alright," She said in defeat but before she could continue there was the sound of the lock being turned and Bernie and the kids bustled in.
Jacob and Kaylee rushed past Baird and Amy to their room. June nodded to Baird and smiled at Amy on his way to the kitchen. Bernie stood in front of them, her motherly façade fading.
"Is your name Amy Woods?" Bernie asked. Amy nodded.
"Thought so, I've been doing some investigating, and I came across your name. Looks like the same people who had you are the people I'm looking for. I need you to tell me everything."
"She already told me everything; she was just about to tell me who these guys are so I can go carve them to pieces."
Bernie shook her head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple Baird. This gang is spread almost all over Sera but the reason they are so quiet here is because this town is their head quarters. This is where they operate from."
"So you're saying that the mayor is the leader."
Bernie shrugged "I don't know but we have to assume he at least knows."
"No," Amy said "he doesn't know. They make sure he is completely in the dark. That's why they killed you're workers."
Baird's gut sank, he felt sick as a sudden realization struck him.
"It's the farmers isn't it?" He said.
"Some maybe but not the one's I know, not the leader," Amy said Bernie nodded.
"No, looks like the farmers are unaware of it. You don't have to worry about your employees."
Well that was a relief in its own way Baird thought but there was still plenty of problems to deal with.
"I don't get it," he said, "why are their head quarters here? This has to be the most out of the way place in the whole friggen world, except maybe Anvagad. Wouldn't they put it somewhere they could keep in contact with the rest of the gang, somewhere a little more strategic?"
"Make's sense to put it in the last place where we would look if they didn't want to get caught."
"Not really." Baird muttered. "They had to know that we would figure it out eventually."
"True, but not before we'd wasted effort and more importantly time on looking in the obvious places first, and they would be able to see us coming." she said.
"They've probably cleared out by now."
"I don't know, maybe, but I don't think anyone knew I was here until today." Bernie said, "In any case we need to figure this out fast and take these buggers out before they evacuate."
Baird nodded, "Alright, now can I get my lancer."
"Go ahead," Bernie said. Baird got up.
"Wait!" For the second time that day Amy grabbed his arm, but she didn't let go. "You can't, you'll be killed!"
She was trembling, tears streamed down her face. She was desperate to stop them from going. Baird was about ready to smack her silly. Luckily Bernie stepped in.
"It's alright sweetheart, this is what we do. We are going to get these guys so you never have to worry about them again."
Amy stared wide eyed at Bernie but her grip loosened.
"Be careful," she whispered.
Finally Baird could go get his stuff, he stalked to his room where he kept it but then suddenly stopped remembering something.
"Oh wait, I'm going to need a baby sitter. June is good but better not take any chances," Baird decided picking up the com system he had rigged especially if he ever made a comeback. He smiled, it was time to remind the world why they needed him. When he turned it on there was already a lively one sided conversation going on.
"Hey Cole," He interrupted. There was a pause.
"Damon baby is that you?" Cole said.
"Yeah it's me, think you can do me a favor?"