By Demon's Driven

"I am going to go check that Roger and Jimmy have gone to escort our friends in," JD gave a half smile at the word friends, but only got a blank stare in return. Unable to stand the silence but not wanting another fight with Miranda who seemed moody, he left the room on an errand he didn't need to run.

Miranda let her mind drift to the Countess. She laughed mockingly at the name, a former whore like herself who had married an aging British aristocrat and took on all the affections of the title including a phony English accent. After his timely death, the Countess moved back to her home town of Killingly, Connecticut and restored a huge civil war era mansion as well as buying a huge amount of the land surrounding it. She had found during the work on the house that the underground tunnels and deep cellars the servants and slaves of the era used to travel about the land out of sight were still intact.

A woman with more than she could possibly burn through in her life time and too much time on her hands she had begun to indulge her own fantasies. She gathered to her old friends and acquaintances from her days as a whore. With the money to indulge her darkest desires she soon found like-minded people and recruited the men and women she had once worked beside to service the collection of new friends at a monthly party that she threw at new opulent home.

This was where Miranda had gone when the Countess had offered her an obscene amount of money for one weekend of her time. Had she known then that the small group of friends had begun to create what would become the Hell Fire Club she never would have gone. She shook her head to dislodge the images of the depravity she had witnessed and what the Countess had expected her to train her people to do.

Even with the money she was being offered, Miranda told the Countess that she had limits and wouldn't cross then for anyone. The Countess hadn't been too happy, but said she respected her decision and if she ever changed her mind to look her up. Miranda had sworn she would never associate herself with that rich sadist again, but...

The Devil's Playground was at risk and her one true friend needed it more than she did. Miranda could work anywhere and at top dollar, JD wasn't quite as accomplished in the BDSM culture as she was. The addition of knowing how many girls had been and assaulted and that there would continue to be victims, forced her to recant her decision.

She had gone to the mansion in Connecticut looking and acting the part she needed to play, successful and privileged. The Countess had no trouble believing that she had a friend that was looking for something a little more specialized than Miranda could find amongst her contacts and had heard through the grape vine that The Countess still threw her little parties once a month and one of the guests had that special taste her friend reveled in.

After a brief explanation of her friend's fantasy and how grateful he would be if it could be achieved, the ever greedy Countess had all but boasted that what Miranda was looking for could be catered to quite easily. The first part of the plan accomplished, Miranda needed only to get her to agree to have JD come along as well.

That turned out to not be an issue as it was the Countess who brought him up saying she had been interested in meeting him for some time. Miranda could tell by the look in her eyes that her idea of meeting JD would involve him in her bedroom, but it worked in their favor.

The Countess then went on to discuss Miranda's friend's taste. Miranda felt her stomach contract and fought the feeling of vomit rising within her as the Countess assured her that if her friend truly only wanted to be a voyeur to such an extreme scene and was willing to provide the victim, his entry into the club would be assured with one or two small conditions to keep the other members happy.

Miranda had left shortly after that conversation having written down the date and details of the next party and saying she would confirm with her friend that he was also available during that weekend. She had driven several miles away from the estate before finally pulling over and retching. The thought of putting Tammy and even Molly into that atmosphere made her feel ill, she had to talk JD out of it. There was no way they could ensure anyone's safety with this group.

Standing up, Miranda walked over to the small fridge and got out a bottle of sparkling water. She had barely opened it when the opening door startled her, she was about to start in on whoever it was when she realized it was JD's office as he walked through the door followed my Molly. Miranda looked the young woman over; once again she was dressed as the prim and proper news reporter for channel twelve. Miranda went back to her chair without acknowledging anyone and stared as Higgins walked in behind Molly, closing the door behind him.

"Okay," JD said, "I filled Molly in on our last conversation and that investigations found a pattern of serial rape, and enough clues to lead us to believe, Knox is still the animal he was down in Alabama." He hadn't told her that they knew about her involvement, or anything other than the sketchiest outline of what they got from their investigations there concentrating on what they knew about Connecticut. "So have you got anything new for us?" he gave Higgins a hard look.

"These people cover their tracks well, it's hard to find out much about Knox's time in Alabama let alone his dealings in Connecticut. He is obviously being more careful about his activities there," Higgins replied, "It took a lot of digging to find someone who had even heard a rumor about the Hell Fire Club. Seems they keep their members under strict nondisclosure contracts or at least rules, my guy over there had to do some serious snooping to even get a sniff of it."

"Maybe my sources could give us a name, though I am pretty sure they told me all they can," she seemed disappointed by Higgins lack of information.

"Of course, you won't find anything." Miranda said sitting back into the couch, "Its how these fucking pieces of shit kept getting away with it. Just this time if any girl dares to cry rape they have the witnesses and in most cases documentation to prove it wasn't. The police who feel like they were dealing with a group of serial rapists, can't do shit." She had said it with an angrier tone than she had meant to use.

"We're trying to stop them though, so we need to find them," JD gave Miranda a questioning look at her little outburst.

"I got the person her owns the property where the revival meets." Higgins went on giving them what little information he had, "Her name is Felicity Grey."

Miranda watched Molly's face brighten and tried to put herself in the young woman's place. She knew revenge was not the answer to years of pain, but she also knew the girl had been left close to death and lost her only blood relative to Knox. Miranda then focused on JD, her friend and confident as well as her business partner. If they were ever going to get out of the hole she and JD were in and save the playground she had to help them, even though she knew within her heart that going into the Hell Fire Club was a very dangerous proposition.

"Her friends call her The Countess and she appears on the surface to be a pillar of the community. She is on various charitable boards and allows the Church of the Sacred Truth to use her grounds for their monthly revivals. She was married to an old money English aristocrat and moved to Killingly after being widowed about five years ago. I could go on about the good things I can find out about her and if she knows anything but a revival is happening there, no one is saying anything." Higgins stopped and looked at them all with his hands spread wide, "Like in Alabama the money and threats must be spread around because anytime anything even slightly dubious was brought up by my man, it was dropped way too quickly, and the people seemed to clam up about everything to do with her."

"Makes sense they pay well, if all the members are as high profile as Knox and this Countess, they have a lot to protect," it was Molly who spoke.

"More than that, just like Trinity, the Countess and her various projects literally keep the town going on the map. No way anyone is gonna let it fall. So even if she did know something we'd never get that close to find out."

"Lucky you have me then" Miranda spoke up, "Seeing as Jake is proving himself as useless as we all thought he was." she sighed.

"Before I go on I want it on record that I think this is a colossal mistake, but as you don't seem to listen to anything I say lately, I may as well help," Miranda gave JD a meaningful look. "I don't believe little Miss Molly Malone has the tits to pull this off," she sneered looking at Molly as if daring her to challenge her.

Molly stiffened and bit back a retort about JD needing his Mommy to hold his hand once again and instead just stared Miranda down silently. If Miranda knew something that could help them she didn't want to be the one to ruin any chance they had to find out what they needed in order to take down Knox and his cronies. Miranda gave the girl credit for knowing when it was better to shut up and just listen. Maybe she wasn't the loud mouth reporter Miranda had assumed her to be.

"Like I said the other day, I didn't believe anyone I knew would allow Knox to appease his appetites, but not all clubs are run as safely as ours, and a few go to that extreme. Rape play is common, but drugs and of non-consent is just unfathomable to me. I didn't want to believe that anyone I knew would do that."

"Felicity Grey wasn't always a pillar of the community, in fact, she was more of a community bicycle," she gave a half laugh as Higgins looked at her oddly, "You know, everyone gets a ride. That's not even the bitch's real name." She took a swig from her bottle of water as she gave them time to realize what she was saying. Her stomach churned in anxiousness both at her own memories and where these three people would be headed after she told them how to get there. The three others in the room stayed silent waiting for her to continue.

"Her name was Felicia Goodfellow, we worked together a time ago, we were friends, in that whore camaraderie type of way. The place we worked was a goddamn pit and we all leaned on each other back then for the safety of numbers if nothing else." She knew she was delaying the inevitable with this long conversation but she carried on resolutely detailing Felicia's meeting of her future husband and her transformation into Felicity before she left for married life in England and life far away from the despair of her life in the pit.

Stopping often to swallow another mouthful of water, Miranda recounted The Countesses return and Miranda's own encounter with the Hell Fire Club through sketchy details but enough to give them the impression of just how dangerous these people were. The waiver she signed and her own admission that she was putting herself at risk by helping them.

"This whole thing hinges on your anonymity. Something the club regards as one of their tenants. Felicity will know who you are JD because she requested you, but no one else will. Fortunately everyone is masked, but your tattoo's JD, and you've spoken to Knox...."

"You said yourself we'll be masked. I'll let the beard grow in and my tats were covered when I met him outside the club."

"I hope you're right. I've got you into the next party and here's how it has to be played, or you won't make it through the general crowd to Knox. If you deviate even slightly from the demands of the club and their members, it will all go to shit not just for you, but for all of us." Miranda said meaningfully.

Throughout the whole thing Molly had remained silent but she finally spoke as Miranda finally came to a stop. "I can imagine what it cost you to revisit that place and meet The Countess once again like that, for us," she looked around. "For me," she added quietly, "I too have something equally as frightening in my past."

Miranda rolled her eyes and turned to JD, "You haven't heard the Countesses demands, little Miss Molly has no idea what these people are capable of."

"Shit just when I thought you weren't the bitch I took you for, fuck! I have every idea and the fucking scars to prove it!" Molly had risen from her chair and dropped her skirt down over her hip showing the white line of a faded scar. "You think you have the fucking monopoly on what it is to have life shit on you from a great height!" her eyes blurred with rage as walked threatening over to where Miranda lounged in a chair.

Blinking, she realized Miranda held a self-satisfied smirk on her face and Molly immediately sobered and forced herself to pull her emotions back, slut Molly took over, "You think that when Knox drugged, raped and beat me half to death it was just like a walk in the park to me?"

The others remained silent, looking around awkwardly at her revelation. "Yes, it was me!" she snapped, "I was one of his victims and I'm only telling you so that you can trust me that I will do anything I fucking have to, to put this sick fuck away for good!" Taking a long breath she forced herself to calm down.

"You think if you make me mad enough with your little gibes Miranda that JD will think about not helping me? Worried about your little boy growing up and not needing you to hold his cock for him?"

Molly turned and looked at JD, "I know who, what and now where? Let's face it I am not known for my good decision making, lately," she winked at him exaggeratedly and felt satisfied at the obvious discomfort she felt from Miranda. "Why don't you and Mr. Higgins here talk to Mommy Bear and get all the lovely details," she walked around the desk to where JD sat and whispered in his ear loud enough for the others to hear, "and then come over tonight and tell me all about it."

Surprise showed in JD's eyes but he quickly covered it, "Sit down Molly, Miranda play nice."

Miranda sat staring at the coffee cup in front of her berating herself for being a fool. She should have known little Miss Perfect would stand her up. Looking at her watch, Miranda decided to give her five more minutes, then she was done. She had tried, but she couldn't make the girl take her help. She picked up her coffee cup and held it to her lips. She enjoyed being here on Newberry Street all these bored house wives with nothing better to do than shop while their husbands played hide the pickle with the secretaries.

Miranda loved to people watch, inventing lives for the people that strolled slowly past the sidewalk café she sat in. It was a rare treat she allowed herself, coming out in the daylight hours, she felt almost like a vampire and was thankful for her dark skin once again as she looked at a woman who had obviously over done the tanning salon and ending up looking quite orange. She spotted Molly weaving her way down the side walk toward her and once again looked at her watch.

"I'm late, I know. JD warned me about that, but I got held up at work and then Joe wouldn't leave me alone, wanting to tag along," Molly said breathlessly. JD had indeed warned her about Miranda being a nazi about punctuality. It was all Molly could do to hold her slutty alter ego in check as Miranda looked her up and down with an arched eyebrow.

"Well you're here now," Miranda too was holding back from saying the things she truly wanted to this young woman. "Sit and get a drink or something we have the afternoon," she paused and looked at the odd expression on Molly's face, "You did clear your very busy schedule didn't you?"

"Of course," Molly said stiffly, "I just didn't think it would take all afternoon to find a dress."

"Dress, shoes..." Miranda waved her hand up and down indicating Molly's overall look, "Then we really should do something about your hair and I will show you how to do your make-up so you don't look like a clown the whole time."

"Look Miranda," Molly said through gritted teeth once again restraining herself, "You don't like me I get it. I don't particularly like you either so let's not pretend to be friends. JD is making you do this because let's face it, you're the whore and I am happy to bow to your vast experience in that arena." Molly looked directly at Miranda seeing her react to her words with satisfaction, "So let's not make this anymore unpleasant than it has to be all right?"

"So the cat has claws," Miranda said softly belying her irritation. "Fine, let's not pretend we're BFF's but trust me I am better as your ally than your enemy." She sat back in her chair, "Now let's get a drink and we will talk about what it is JD needs, and what we think of his ideas." She reached into her purse and withdrew a wad of cash and waved towards a waiter. "Have you had lunch?"

Molly shook her head, "It's just been bedlam at work this morning."

"Lunch is on JD, order what you like," she smiled up at the waiter as he came closer. "I'll have the crab cakes and she'll have..." Miranda tilted her head in Molly's direction.

"The calamari," she said after only briefly looking at the menu and purposely choosing an entrée not wanting to be fat and bloated when trying on dresses suited to a whore.

"Great and we'll have two winter white cocktails please," Miranda said without even asking Molly who was about to say something, but Miranda held up her hand, "You'll thank me for it, its unbelievably good."

Molly swallowed the acidic words she was about to send Miranda's way and watched as she put the showy wad of cash away and pulled out a picture placing it on the table between them.

"This is the mask you will be wearing to the event," she tapped the picture and Molly bent forward to look at it properly, "It severely limits the color choice we have."

"I see," Molly murmured as she took in the beautiful details of the red and black jewel encrusted cat mask. "It beautiful, and we can mount the camera there," she pointed to a diamond shape within the pattern that sat almost exactly between her eyes.

"I really don't like this plan," Miranda shook her head, "If you mess it up and anything happens to JD or Tammy and you make it out alive, I will kill you myself." Miranda said seriously causing a shiver to run down Molly's spine.

They ate and chatted briefly over the color, black and red seemed to be the best options at this point. Style wise they had very different idea's and unable to help herself Molly made another barbed remark about Miranda being the experienced whore.

Molly had to admit that the cock tail was lovely, a blend of pear, champagne and vodka that she found refreshing so when asked, she ordered a second one. Regardless of the air of mistrust at the table the good food and alcohol helped Molly to relax and try and enjoy an afternoon off work, which was a treat in itself.

Miranda paid the bill and together they set off up Newberry Street, most of Molly's selections were immediately vetoed by Miranda while still on the hangar with comments like, "For fucks sake work with what you've got not what you think you have."

Some of the dresses Miranda pulled out for her made her eyes bulge, there was nothing to them at all, well hardly at all. Most she refused to try on at all and when she did finally relent the few scars she retained, though only fine white lines now were clearly visible in her own eyes and she refused to even walk out of the dressing room to show Miranda how she looked.

Thinking that Molly was just being a self-conscious diva and she couldn't be on the night of the event, Miranda barged into the small cubicle that served as a dressing room to find Molly trailing a finger over one of the pale lines that wound around the base of her back and top of her ass. It finally clicked to Miranda why the really slutty dresses that showed a lot of flesh were refused by Molly and her heart melted a little.