Whole New Slave Game Ch. 12

Chapter 12 - Hell Breaks loose.

THE BOMB

Laurel got up Tuesday August 16, 2016, like any other day. She did not have any premonition of mortality when she got up. Later in the day she would wonder if people getting up on the day of their death had a premonition of death or received any other signal or if that was just a myth.

Laurel was scared. She knew she had to leave the Lottery facility and go downtown to the cabinet meeting she had been told by Kurbetski to attend.

She had been told that this was to be a three-hour meeting of Pyotr Tolski with the entire cabinet. Laurel was only to be there for two agenda items, at the beginning, that were scheduled to be done in less than an hour. Those items were, first, establishing better controls on investigations by the Bolrian Security Police of persons who were suspected of petty crime rather than security threats or political offences and, second, certain financial problems at the Bolrian Lottery Corporation's Pacific Resort.

The first agenda item was a particular passion of Laurel's. For years she had expressed her belief that the Security Police should not continue to be given a blank check to arrest, interrogate and harm people as to whom there was no reason to believe that they were threats to the regime. "You can't go on letting the Security Police take people into custody that are suspected of no more that shoplifting or traffic offenses. People, particularly young women, are arrested in connection with turning from the wrong lane, taken to the Security Police and later everyone is silent as to what happened to the women while they were at the BSP Headquarters for days. Also, water boarding is not alright no matter what some say."

Laurel knew better than to try to stop the Security Police from committing awful acts that were related to maintaining the regime. Although Pyotr Tolski made clear that he did not believe in unnecessary violence, his definition of "necessary" in this context is very broad.

Laurel had been forced by Svetlana to get involved in the Pacific Resort problem. She feared she had no choice but to incriminate individuals knowing that they might well be dealt with severely. If she tried to cover for them, how long would she survive? How long would she survive anyway?

As Laurel got dressed, she found Vadimovich had left a message on her room phone and cell phone saying it was imperative he meet with her briefly before she went downtown to the cabinet meeting. When he met with her in the lobby, he had two things to tell her. First, she had to give Anfisa her laptop, which had been repaired following a little accident at the Justice Ministry a few weeks ago.

Vadimovich also said she had to leave the cabinet meeting as soon as her agenda items were done to deal with a problem that had developed at the Lottery Corporation between a number of Board members and Sofia. "I can't explain it all right now, but they are all being unreasonable about when Board members may take slaves out of the BLC facilities. Sofia says it is not tolerable. The Board members claim that it is not a big deal and they can't find all the props they want at the BLC and it's too much trouble to drive all the way to the Caspian resort. You are the only one who witnessed the situation. Also, you are the only one that both the Board members and security staff trust. I'd put the meeting off but several of the Board members have a plane to catch later this afternoon. There will be a big SUV outside the Executive Building waiting for you as soon as you get out of the cabinet meeting."

As she stuffed the laptop in her briefcase, Laurel made a point of casually mentioning to Vadimovich that she had heard all sorts of rumors of an imminent coup attempt and that she'd written up things she'd learned in her journal. She'd left the journal in her room. "If something happens, I hope the world will learn who was responsible."

It was not a happy ride downtown. It dawned on her that she might be dead by the end of the day. Laurel was never a hero. She was in an agony of fear as she got out of the BLC car at the Bolry Government Executive Building. As she'd been instructed by Kurbetski, she came in by the side door.

Security let her in surprisingly easily. Of course, they recognized her as an occasional participant in cabinet meetings and as one who had visited Kurbetski. But this time, there was only one person on duty. He did not check her or another person who came in. Laurel wondered if the building security officials were in on a plot and, if so, on which side of the plot. Her security as a slave had practically disappeared weeks ago. Had protection also magically disappeared from the cabinet?

Laurel knew one thing. There was no way in hell that she was taking that computer into the cabinet meeting. But what would she do with it and was there any way to avoid getting killed for failing to follow the instructions she'd received from Fortmanov Sunday and Vadimovich today?

Laurel decided to go into the women's room closest to the cabinet room. She would sit in a stall and think what she should do. Would she call Svetlana? Svetlana had been unavailable to her. Worse, Svetlana was setting her up for something. Anyway, Svetlana would be at the cabinet meeting along with Lermanov and Pyotr Tolski. Could Laurel call Sofia? Sofia had just barely avoided becoming a sex slave and probably could do nothing for her.

As it happened, Laurel did not have to think long. Svetlana, dressed in a pants suit under which Laurel saw a pistol, was waiting for her in the women's room. The discussion between the two women was to the point.

"Nice to see you," Svetlana said, "you've been avoiding me."

"It's you who has been avoiding me," Laurel said. "Take this computer; I think it has a bomb."

"Yes, take this identical computer."

"Vadimovich, wants me to get into a car in about a half hour. Should I?"

"Yes."

"Svetlana, you've been using me for bait. Please, I don't want to die."

Svetlana did not smile or show any emotion, "Go to the meeting, do your job then get into the car Vadimovich told you to take. Did he tell you anything else?"

"Just a bunch of lies about an argument between Board members and Sofia made up to explain why I had to leave the cabinet meeting early. I told him I had written in my journal about a plot to launch a coup and left it in my room. I expect you can arrest him in my room soon if you want to."

"Thank you," Svetlana said, "Now give Anfisa the computer, do a professional job at the cabinet meeting and leave the meeting on time." Though speaking quietly, her tone seemed about what one would have expected from Cesar ordering his legions to attack the Gauls.

"Well," Laurel thought, "if Svetlana had been warm and comforting, I would not have believed her anyway. Is it a comfort to me that Svetlana and others are probably safe from whatever the computer is going to do?"

Laurel had the presence of mind to use the toilet before going to the meeting. At least this way I won't die after pissing down my legs, she thought. Svetlana had left. Laurel had to concentrate to make her legs move her to the cabinet meeting when she wanted to just run for the exit.

Laurel did not pray. She did not believe in prayer. If there were a god looking after her, she would not be where she is now. But Laurel did pull herself together and bring to focus everything on the meeting before her.

Laurel was surprised to see that Pyotr Tolski, Alexis Lermanov and Svetlana Tolski were not at the cabinet meeting. Except for Commerce Director Dantorov and General Alex Menshikov, Chief of the Army, the meeting was attended by deputy ministers, including Anfisa for the Justice Department, Kurbetski, Dvorzhinski's personal assistant, and one of Svetlana's boy toys who worked at the Cultural Ministry.

Although mainly deputies were at the meeting, Laurel spoke on the need for controls on what persons the Bolrian Security Police could interrogate. Anfisa said that there was no way to place controls on the Security Police without compromising security.

Anfisa was silent as Laurel explained how it appeared that the Pacific Resort had overpaid numerous contractors and that there was evidence that some of the contractors were kicking money back to the manager of the Pacific Resort who in turn was sending money to someone in Bolry.

The cabinet members and deputies present said that they did not have the people present to make a final decision on either topic, thanked Laurel for her presentation, and moved onto the next topic.

Laurel left the room. She walked out the door. She was surprised to see Pirko Dupov in the building speaking with Colonel Shurov. She walked out of the building. There was a black SUV waiting for her. Colonel Shurov, armed with an AEK-947, appeared from behind her, opened the front passenger's side door and pushed Laurel into the front passenger's seat and hoped into the back. Inside in the driver's seat was Ludmila. Behind her, with a gun pointed at Ludmila's head was a soldier in what Laurel recognized as a Mazepa unit uniform. In the middle of the back seat was a man she recognized vaguely, also in a uniform with Mazepa insignia. Colonel Shurov told Ludmila to drive.

As the two men kept their guns on Ludmila and Laurel, the three men moved deep into the vehicle. The security guard saw only Ludmila and Laurel leave the parking lot of the Executive State Building as he checked the security pass that Ludmila had been given by Dupov. Once on the road, Colonel Shurov quickly began barking orders to Ludmila. They were not going to the Lottery facilities. They were leaving town in the direction of the northern border. Shurov ordered the car stopped and the man Laurel vaguely recognized took over driving from Ludmila and Laurel and Ludmila were both moved to the back seat as the soldier moved up to the front passenger seat.

"Turn the state radio on," Shurov said. On the state radio, the only radio station in Bolry, there was the usual chatter about how schools, roads and everything else was being improved as a result of the Bolrian people working under the guidance of the Great Leader Premier Pyotr Tolski. A few minutes later, a boom sounded on the radio and a few seconds after that, the radio began to play Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. Sirens were heard on the street as the SUV left the city headed north.

About 20 kilometers out of town, Colonel Shurov spoke "The music is very solemn but I am quite happy." Another five miles down the road a large black car came up behind the SUV, flashed its lights and began to follow the SUV openly. Shurov continued, "I am happy because the government will be returned to strong hands. Before we left we learned that the cabinet meeting was proceeding as planned, as we planned. The traitor Tolski and the entire old, corrupt and weak cabinet are dead now. The only one of them with any balls was Svetlana. She was so corrupt that she had to die. She was a woman so decadent and depraved that she would never have been trusted to run a whorehouse.

"You cunts are supposed to be smart but you are really quite stupid. Ludmila has been in bed with half the men of the Mazepa unit but did not figure out anything until we grabbed her today. Now she will die for the cause."

The brilliant Laurel is even stupider. Because you created all sorts of reasons to keep you alive to keep the Lottery from being exposed, Fortmanov and others who want to take over the Lottery Corporation gave you many chances to cooperate with us. Did you not understand what Fortmanov was saying? But it was decided while you froze in the truck shed that you can't be trusted to be part of the team. We will have to sacrifice some of the Lottery Corporation's assets but Fortmanov and his friends believe that before we have to expose the Lottery ourselves, they can take many of the women in Bolry to be worked in other places and keep the Pacific Resort in operation as it is. When the Resort on the Caspian is discovered, it will be explained that it is a whorehouse run by the corrupt prior government.

"Not being trustworthy enough to be part of the team, Laurel was given a very simple messenger task and you were told you would die if you did not do what Vadimovich said to do. Of course, Laurel, we could not fully trust you to do that either but one of our friends in the Security Police confirmed just after you left the cabinet room that the cabinet was there and you had delivered the bomb.

"Vadimovich truthfully said you'd die if you did not do what you were told. He did not tell you that you would not die anyway. If you'd stayed a simple whore in the Caspian resort, you would have been popular. You are very attractive and fuck extremely well for one so stupid. Now, no one here with power wants you anything but dead."

"Stop," Shurov suddenly shouted, "Now Laurel, get out, take off your clothes and get in the cargo section of this vehicle. I just can't resist one last fuck of this beautiful dumb cunt."

Oh, my God, Laurel thought. This asshole is actually going to fuck me thinking he is doing it right before he kills me. Laurel thought of Strom Thurmond supposedly having sex with a woman on her way to the electric chair. Although she thought she'd seen almost everything, Laurel was repulsed. How could anyone enjoy sex with someone about to be killed?

But wasn't the joke on Shurov? Laurel felt sure that Pyotr, Svetlana and the rest of the members of the cabinet were not dead. She'd given Svetlana the bomb. For whom was Dupov working? It occurred to her that she had been an involuntary part of a huge sting operation.

But maybe she would be dead soon. Maybe Lermanov and Svetlana aren't as smart as they think they are. What if Shurov is somehow right and those behind the coup have somehow pulled it off. And even if Lermanov and Svetlana have or are going to foil the coup, are they going to save her and Ludmila or are they just collateral damage, sacrificed for the greater glory of the Bolry and the Tolski regime? Was all that Svetlana had said over the years about how valuable Laurel was and how much she loved Laurel just another Bolrian fraud leading her dying as a stupid, faithful pawn?

Certainly, she should not tell Shurov anything. She did not enjoy the short brutal sex in the back of the moving vehicle. She decided to believe that the coup would fail and she would be saved. There is nothing for me to do; I might as well believe what makes me less miserable and scared she thought. Maybe that should be a basic principle of philosophy, don't worry about truth and believe whatever it makes you happiest to believe.

Ludmila also said nothing, but looked concerned and started to cry as one of the guards began to manhandle her roughly. Laurel was pretty sure it was not from pain but because Ludmila was genuinely scared. If Ludmila was scared, maybe... oh my God; Laurel just did not want to think that way. She did not want to act like she wasn't in trouble but she did not want to fall apart either.

Shurov shouted up to the driver, "Turn to the right and drive 8 km, turn right and drive to a sign that says "Service Vehicles Maintenance." Laurel knew where they were going and started to cry too. Shurov pulled up his pants and climbed over the seat and she put articles of clothing back on.

When they reached the truck repair shed, they were greeted by a man in a Mazepa unit army uniform standing by the road who said he had secured the repair shed. The man in the Mazepa uniform seemed to be trying to keep from facing anyone. The two vehicles stopped and General Yimofeyvich and three soldiers got out of the second car. The driver of the car Laurel had ridden in parked and waited in the vehicle. Yimofeyvich ordered the three soldiers to stand guard outside. The man who had greeted them walked into the shed first, turned on the lights like he owned the place, then stepped to the side.

Inside the shed, General Yimofeyvich, Colonel Shurov and the soldier that came with Shurov lined Ludmila and Laurel in front of a truck lift and they turned on an old Vega radio Yimofeyvich had brought. With dust and dirt everywhere and only old equipment, it did not look like the repair shop had been used for years.

The state radio program had shifted to the Shostakovich Quartet #7, his shortest, written in memory of his late wife. It seemed to Laurel like it was a live broadcast or at least a live recording. She also thought she heard a several dull thuds outside but maybe it was nothing.

The agitation of the music affected General Yimofeyvich as he spoke, "As you have probably guessed, important events have occurred in the capital. In fact, the infamous Laurel F. is responsible for taking a bomb into the cabinet room that has blown to bits all of the top leaders of the Bolrian government. She did this to steal huge amounts of Euros from Bolry along with her accomplice, the equally infamous Ludmila. Numerous brave men of the Parliament, the Security Police and the army are now working to restore order and martial law will soon be declared by Parliamentary Leader Renin and the Chief of the Security Police, Dvorzhinski.

"It will be discovered that Ludmila and Laurel were extremely well-paid prostitutes who, with the help of Svetlana Tolski and the infamous Irina Orsinov, ran a giant whorehouse near the capital and in a resort on the sea until they became afraid that their crimes would be discovered. Ludmila and Laurel decided to blow up most of the government and flee in the confusion leaving Irina to stage a coup with her accomplices and reassume the power and vicious practices that she had practiced under her father. Many of the prostitutes will be found to be missing. It will be presumed that they were murdered by the conspirators.

"The official report will be that Irina and her co-conspirators were killed resisting arrest by the Security Police. The official report will also state that Ludmila and Laurel were killed in a shoot-out with the Mazepa unit of the army at the border led by the brave Colonel Shurov under the command of General Yimofeyvich who directed Shurov to capture the pair after learning of the dastardly attacks in the capital, before the General and several men asserted control of the Zekezh region.

The official rumor will be that Ludmila and Laurel were lesbian lovers who stopped to exercise their depraved passions before they were ordered to surrender while engaged in the depraved act of cunnilingus. Surrounded by members of the Mazepa unit and ordered to exit the building unarmed, they killed themselves rather than be punished for their crimes. Unofficial rumors will add many salacious details.

"Bolrians will believe any bullshit as long as it reinforces their pre-existing prejudices. Renin should make the announcement in minutes after other members of the Mazepa unit have taken over the radio station. Renin, Dvorzhinski, Babanin and I will form the new government. Fortmanov has secured the unofficial approval of the Russian government and will be given control of the Lottery Corporation. A famous Zekezh leader will praise the rebirth of Bolry as a moral country free of traitors and depraved whores and be rewarded with governorship of a quasi-independent state within Bolry to be run by the Zekezh people.

"Now ladies, strip naked so as to help us establish the rumor. The Colonel here wants to do something really painful and obscene to you, but if you cooperate, I think we should have you hang yourselves naked in a quick mutual suicide just before being apprehended by members of the Mazepa unit. We can take a couple extremely obscene pictures for extremely sick patriots. Fortmanov believes he can sell them for a great deal."

Ludmila just raised her eyebrows. Laurel gasped, "Oh shit," shivered and began to take off clothing very slowly thinking that every second that she had on at least one article of clothing was a second that she wasn't dead.