Bella Ch. 02

Martin appeared to be calm and attentive so she carried on. "For ten years I received an education that is beyond your comprehension and you would find it difficult to broach a subject about which I do not have a reasonable knowledge. But their sole purpose was to turn me into a killing machine and that is what I am.

If you were to lock me in a room with three men and none of us were armed in a fight to the death, when you eventually open the door I will be the only one to walk out alive."

Martin exhibited no emotion so she sipped her vodka and continued. "The agency that I represent is called Trove and the individual letters stand for, "The Removal of Vermin Expedited." It's a secret international organisation founded by people with unlimited wealth who have taken the law into their own hands. They target human traffickers, drug barons, paedophiles, crime syndicates and even the Mafia.

Wherever there is a nuisance who needs to be removed and the police or the government are hamstringed by the law, they send someone like me to deal with it. They are totally ruthless and they've never heard of human rights. There is no place or anyone in the world beyond their reach."

She waited for a reaction but Martin was sitting impassively so she asked cautiously, "Are you okay?"

He took a long deep breath before he answered, "I am in shock but what did you expect? You are a very frightening person."

"You have nothing to fear from me, I am interested only in Bidaya. The Agency was dubious about assigning me because they thought I might become emotionally involved as a result of my own childhood abuse, so I need to be professional. I've already made one mistake by eliminating his partner first and now Bidaya's surrounded himself with armed men and his premises are well guarded. I've been conducting a war of attrition in the hope of flushing him out but it hasn't worked. His building has a weakness and I can get in but I need to know what's facing me inside. That's why I want you to get me in there."

She crossed to a bureau and removed an envelope from a drawer. She handed it to him with, "This is for you."

He took out the cheque and stared at it. When he raised his eyes he looked bewildered. "Is this a joke?"

"No it isn't. The Agency is providing more than enough to compensate you for the loss of Bidaya's business, or in the worst scenario if you have to leave town."

Martin looked startled and echoed, "Have to leave town? Why on earth would that be necessary?"

"If it all goes wrong Bidaya might be very pissed off with you."

"Fucking hell, I don't want to be involved in this. It's been really nice knowing you but let's forget we ever met and I'll go back to selling insurance the only way I know how."

Bella's face was expressionless when she said quietly, "I'm sorry Martin but you don't have a choice."

He returned her gaze and the fear in his eyes was there for her to see. He was feeling sick when he asked, "Are you threatening me?"

She replied calmly, "I'm just trying to convince you that you can't mess with the Agency. They know more about you than you know about yourself. Please try to understand that you are a key player because the easiest means of gaining access to Bidaya's premises is to be invited by him and that's why I'm asking you to arrange it. I have to get inside to see what will be facing me and to make sure that any children in there come to no harm if it starts getting messy."

There was silence until Bella said, "I like you Martin and I don't want you to get hurt," and then she added ominously, "but if you don't co-operate, the Agency will send someone who will be more persuasive."

Martin's insides lurched as he realised the implication of her statement and dropped his head into his hands. Neither spoke until he muttered resignedly, "So heads I'm fucked and tails I'm fucked."

"You'll have to trust me."

After a long silence Martin said wearily, "Okay I'll phone him in the morning."

****************************** It was just after sunset when Prasong Bidaya replaced the telephone and leaned back in his chair. So the English woman had arrived and she and her car had been searched at the gate. At least she would provide some light relief from the chaos of the past few days. He had no idea who was doing the killing but it was undermining his authority and his men were getting impatient for him to stop it. He had halted the next delivery of children until the situation was under control.

Standing one hundred and eighty centimetres tall he was a big man for an Asian. He led by fear and several men no longer existed because they had opposed him. Taking a life meant little to him and if necessary he would kill one of his own men if it ensured that the others obeyed him without hesitation.

At the tap on his door he growled, "Come," and the guard pushed it open and stepped to one side.

She was wearing a white lapelled cotton dress open at the neck and she had a good figure but wore no makeup. Her short dark hair was parted to one side in a boyish stile and the spectacles gave her an austere appearance. He estimated her age to be approaching thirty.

He stepped around his desk and took her offered hand. He continued to hold her hand as he said in his own language, "How nice of my good friend Martin to send you. What is your name please?"

She attempted to tug her hand away but he held on to it. She said apologetically, "I'm sorry but I speak only English and a little bit of French. Do you speak English?"

"Of course. I said how nice it is of my friend Martin to send someone so charming to brighten my day. What is your name please?"

"Miss Henderson, Rebecca Henderson."

He released her hand and waved her to the seat opposite his desk. She sat down with her legs together and carefully tugged down her dress to cover her knees. He stood beside her until she was seated and stared down at the gap between her full breasts. She became conscious of his gaze and lifted her hand primly to cover her cleavage before looking up at him with a hesitant smile.

He returned to his seat with the satisfaction that he was making her nervous. It gave him pleasure that females were frightened of him and he extracted the most sexual gratification when he could humiliate them and inflict pain. The European women that he had fucked had all been prostitutes but English women had a reputation for being without passion. He wondered if it was true and as he stared at her he imagined her spread naked and helpless beneath him.

He became aware that she was waiting for him to speak and said, "Miss Henderson? So you are a single lady. Have you no man?"

She looked surprised at his question and replied, "I have a fiancé in England."

"A fiancé? What does that mean?"

"A fiancé is a person to whom I am promised. We have known each other since childhood and plan to get married in a year or two." She lifted her briefcase and attempted to change the subject with, "Now Mister Bidaya may we talk about your insurances?"

He ignored her question and continued, "You have known him since childhood? That doesn't sound very romantic, are you lovers or just friends?"

Her embarrassment as she struggled for a reply gave him satisfaction. "We are a couple and always have been. We get on well together and we will be a good partnership I am sure. Now may we please talk about your insurances?"

"What is his line of business?" Her frustration at his persistence was amusing as he waited for her to answer.

"He works for a charity that deals with the affairs of elderly people. Mister Bidaya, I'm sure none of this is of great interest to you."

"Do you have sex with him?"

Her mouth opened and she gasped in disbelief, "Really Sir, I am shocked by your question and I am not used to being asked these personal things. That is a private matter and in England we do not discuss such affairs. My fiancé is of the opinion that sex between consenting adults should be after marriage and I firmly agree with him. Now please may we change the subject?"

So she was a virgin and it was her fiancé who was holding back. He sounded like a religious nut or perhaps gay or maybe he just couldn't get it up. She was probably desperate to be fucked whether married or not and he wondered how often she masturbated. He pictured her with her legs spread wide and gasping with ecstasy as she brought herself to a climax.

He leaned forward and said, "Okay Miss Henderson I apologise if I have embarrassed you. In this country sex is part of our culture and we discuss it freely. Please carry on; what would you like to know?"

She was visibly relieved and said, "Now then, I understand that you are registered as an orphanage and I presume that the orphans are housed within these premises. You will certainly have nurses or other staff who care for the children's welfare and therefore may I suggest an overall health package to cover them? That way if any become sick and you are forced to hire from an agency, your costs would be covered."

He sat back and furrowed his brow in thought. "That is certainly a sensible suggestion except that we are without residents at the moment. We are about to do extensive improvements to the facilities and while that work is being completed the children have been moved to another establishment. As a result the nursing personnel have been temporarily dispensed with."

"So there are no children on the premises?"

"Not at the moment."

She looked disappointed and lifted another file from her case. "Perhaps then we could talk about your personal insurance. Do you have health cover? I'm not suggesting that you could get sick because you look as if you are in exceptionally good condition. But one never knows and I've produced some figures that might interest you." She placed the file on the desk and turned it towards him.

He turned the file back again and rose from his seat. "Let me come around to your side and then we can look at the figures together."

He moved around the desk until he was looking down at her. Again she became conscious of her cleavage and lifted her hand to conceal it.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Miss Henderson why are you so worried that I will look at your breasts? You have a fine bosom and it should be displayed for the world to see not hidden away."

He reached down and flipped open the top button of her dress. She squeaked in panic and tried to rise but he pressed her into the seat. His hand slid between her breasts and eased her brassier down so that her breasts were fully exposed.

She squealed, "Mister Bidaya what are you doing? I am begging you to stop; I have a fiancé."

He ignored her desperate plea and cupped his hand around her right breast. He was surprised how firm it was and also by the hardness of her nipple. He moved his hand so that his palm gently caressed the tip of it and as he did so he heard her gasp.

She was gripping his wrist and trying to prise his hand from her breast but he resisted her easily. As he continued to caress her nipple he saw her close her eyes. She was panting quickly through an open mouth and he wondered if it was from her efforts or from excitement. Then he felt her hands relaxing from around his wrist and sensed that she was melting.

He quickly dropped to one knee and reached for the hem of her dress. Her legs were pressed tightly together but he pulled back her dress to expose her thighs. As he did so she pleaded breathlessly, "Oh please Mister Bidaya, I'm imploring you to stop," but he ignored her and forced his hand between her knees. Her eyes were still closed and as he moved his hand towards her crotch she gasped, "Oh please don't."

His fingertips reached the front of her panties and he probed gently through the silky material for her slit. Immediately he touched the soft depression she gave a tiny squeak and reached up with one hand to clutch at a naked breast. Her legs opened wider and he slipped his hand under her panties.

He was about to slide his fingers into her crevice when suddenly she jerked upright and cried out, "My God what am I doing?" Before he could grab her she had rolled sideways from the chair.

By the time he climbed to his feet she was at the other side of the desk. She was looking distraught and pleaded desperately, "Mister Bidaya you must give me a chance to compose myself. I'm not used to this behaviour and I need time to think. Please allow me to go to a bathroom."

He had no intention of chasing her around the desk and if she had melted once she would do so again. "Of course you may Miss Henderson. There is one just along the corridor and another in the hallway downstairs."

She had lost one shoe in her panic but left it where it was as she skirted her way warily around him and made for the door.

Once outside she turned to the right but stopped when she saw the guard leaning against the wall. Her dress was still unbuttoned and the guard grinned when he saw her dishevelled appearance and her one bare foot. As she turned towards the stairway he shouted loudly and by the time she had reached the bottom stair, men were appearing in the hallway. They were laughing as she limped past them and after trying three doors in vain she finally disappeared into a toilet.

******************************

Bella adjusted her clothing and assessed all that she had observed so far. Six men had appeared in the hallway and three of them were wearing side arms. The guard upstairs was also armed and the one outside the building had a fully-automatic assault rifle. The guards she had killed days before had both been in possession of a similar weapon so it was probably the only one they possessed and carried only when patrolling the premises. The guard by the main gate had an AK-47 but she would deal with him separately.

There were two chefs in the kitchen but it was unlikely that either had a weapon. Finally, Bidaya had not been visibly armed although he would certainly have a firearm within reach.

It was reasonable to assume that she had seen the entire complement of both men and weaponry.

There were seven doors on the upstairs landing including Bidaya's office and he had told her that one of them was a bathroom. She assumed that the other five were bedrooms and all of the doors were in a straight run away from the staircase. The staircase had eighteen steps and the length of the hallway was twenty-one metres.

Four men including the three that were armed had come from one room and the remaining two had exited from a separate door and both were holding pool cues. The remaining three rooms that she had opened when appearing to search for the toilet had all been in darkness.

The telephone line was easily accessible and she had already located where the power supply entered the building. It was possible that there was a generator in a cellar somewhere but it would take time to be started.

There was no choice but to believe Bidaya when he said there were no children on the premises and from her observations up to that point it appeared to be true.

She removed her odd shoe and after gazing steadily at her reflection in the mirror for several seconds she said quietly, "Okay Bella, it's time to go to work."

******************************

The men were still waiting as the girl left the bathroom and walked bare-footed to the stairway. Several were sniggering and one of them said, "I'll bet he's had his fingers in her cunt."

When she arrived back outside Bidaya's office she pushed the door open cautiously and saw that he was sitting behind his desk with her shoe in front of him. He was looking smug as he said, "I hope you are refreshed Miss Henderson. I apologise for my clumsy advances but I sensed that you were enjoying it and I would like the opportunity to show you more respect. Will you visit me again?"

She reached cautiously for her shoe and snatched it from his desk. "I am very upset and you should be ashamed to have treated me so crudely. You behaved like an animal." He raised his hand in an apologetic gesture.

She seemed reluctant to continue but then added, "Shameful though it is for me to admit, I did experience arousal from your touch and I will consider another visit. But now you must allow me to leave."

"Of course and I look forward to the next occasion."

She stepped into her shoes and picked up the brief case. As he rose from his desk she held up her hand and said, "Please remain where you are, I will see myself out."

The guard closed the gate and before returning to his hut he watched the car turn right at the intersection. Three hundred metres along the road the car pulled into a lay-by and its lights were extinguished.

****************************** Bella threw the sacking over the glass shards on the top of the wall and hauled herself over it. The tree was close by and she retrieved the knapsack from its branches and removed the contents.

The guard was reading and looked up in surprise when the black figure entered the hut. Before he could react, the tungsten spike was driven down through the top of his skull and the sharp crack echoed within the confined of the hut.

Bella removed the magazine from the AK-47 and pulled back and released the charging handle three times before replacing it. The magazine contained the full thirty rounds. She stamped on his cell phone and then reached up to smash the lamp in the roof before stepping out of the hut.

The telephone landline was strung across three poles and she climbed the furthest from the house. The line trailed to the ground when she snipped through it.

She moved swiftly to the rear of the building using the cover of the trees and observed the guard lounging outside the front door. The power junction box was close to the kitchen door and despite her black body suit she knew she would have to work quickly when exposed in the floodlighting. She sprinted to the junction box.

Holding a slim pencil flashlight in her mouth she jemmied the door and it pinged quietly open. She pulled on protective gloves and scraped sufficient insulation from the live and neutral wires of the supply cable to expose two areas four centimetres apart. She attached the crocodile clips from the cell phone signal-jammer.

She took cutters from the knapsack and turned her head away. A blue-white flash crackled inside the box when she severed the load cable and the floodlighting went out. She waited for the sparks to subside and then checked that the signal-jammer was working and closed the door.

Back in the trees she slipped a night-vision monocular over her head and tightened the strap. It would give her a major advantage in darkness.

She took four limpet mines from the sack and synchronised each one with her mental clock. She set all of them for twenty minutes and moved swiftly around the building. At four separate places she peeled the protective backing from a limpet and pressed it to the second course of bricks.

She returned to her knapsack and fitted the suppressor to her Glock and put a second magazine in her pocket. She looked down at the AK-47 and wondered if she needed it. In terms of precision execution it was a blunderbuss so why was she even considering it? Grigor would have slapped her face and told her she had more than enough rounds, so just make sure they all counted. She left the rifle where it lay and sprinted to the kitchen door. Two minutes and four seconds had already elapsed.

Because of the heat in the kitchen the door was never closed and she stepped inside. Without electric lighting the area was still illuminated by gas burners and twice her Glock coughed politely as she shot the chef in his right temple and the commis chef through the back of his head.

She anticipated that the monocular would not be necessary in the main hall and lifted it from her eye. As she stepped through the service door, flames from several cigarette lighters cast a yellow glow as men milled in confusion. All six were together in a group and in the flickering light it was difficult to recognise which three had the firearms. She was eight metres away but she spotted one armed man immediately and dropped him with a shot to the centre chest. She then moved sharply four steps to her left.