Simon

Simon - A Hannah Todd Story

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental. This work is copyrighted by the author. All characters involved in sexual activity are eighteen years of age or older at the time of portrayal.

This is the continuing adventures of Hannah Todd. I would strongly recommend you read at least some of "The Bridge," "Badass," and "The Auction," which provide the backstory for most of the characters in this story. And if you've been reading me, thank you for your continued support. Your comments are priceless, so please leave your wisdom so I might improve my writing.

Simon - Part Thirteen

On Thursday, the 21st, we did our debriefing at the Greenhouse. The entire team was there. And mighty proud of themselves that we did this mission with no external help. Ninja, with his supercell, took photos of each of the prisoners we had taken for facial recognition identification, so we could go after them individually later if we chose to.

Everyone was puffing out their chests and giving each other high fives for their efforts and performance. I singled out Alec and Anthony for their exceptional contributions to the mission.

"Alright, team. Yes, it's time to be proud of yourselves. This was truly an exceptional effort. With minimal bloodshed, we took Simon's world away from him and now possess over ten million in assets we took from his place. Special props to Anthony and Alec, who went above and beyond to serve this mission. The success of this mission is, in no small way, attributable to them."

"Hoorah, Anthony! Hoorah, Alec!" rang out from the team.

"There will be special bonuses for all members of the team for your efforts and contributions. I'm proud of each and every one of you."

"Hoorah!" rang out again. Only louder.

Duane had his piece to say, and he gave the entire team time off through the weekend.

"Everyone is off through Monday. Make sure your clients' security is covered by other operators. Check with Tilly, and she will make arrangements. Thank you all for your courage and for your contributions. I think this may be the last mission for some time. Our next challenge will be to find a somewhat permanent home for our prisoners. If anyone has any ideas in this regard please bring them to me. After you've had a chance to rest up and spend some time with your loved ones. As usual, the Queen Bee has the last word for you all."

"Team, what can I say? Once again, you put it on the line for me, and we got a big payoff. Your bonuses will reflect that. My appreciation will be there for you all of my days. I had a dream of being able to free countless girls and take some of the worst traffickers off the street. You have helped me fulfill that dream. There are countless girls out there who owe you a debt of gratitude and I am sure would love to thank you in person. I am here to do that for them. To them, you are the faceless heroes. that set them free from a life of bondage. To me, you are my heroes every day. Go forth and think only about your heroism and what fine folks you all are to sacrifice for people you never knew and never will. Enjoy your time off, and I expect the next mission will be sooner rather than later."

"HOORAH!" came the roar. And we brought the debriefing to an end. Everyone scattered with the wind, leaving Duane and I to our own devices. So we decided to pay a visit to his place, with Danny and another of the assault team watching our backs. We were watching each other's fronts. And doing a lot more than watching.

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The next two weeks were spent negotiating our best deal for the hospital property, and, surprisingly enough, Holly took the lead, with Gloria and Barry Finkel by her side, and closed the deal for 1.8 million. We were thrilled. The day we closed the deal William put in his notice at Hershey Medical and he would arrive permanently in the Philly area on October 16th.

In the meantime, Holly arranged for an industrial cleaning service to come in and clean the place up. With any luck, we could open at least one wing of the hospital to patients; the girls who had been set astray after being rescued. We would start with girls who had no family to go to or who had cut their family ties prior to their captivity.

William came into town on his off-shift days, and he met with and hired the two administrators Holly had handpicked for him. They were first tasked with getting the administrative offices set up and getting furniture and equipment ordered. They also set up a protocol for hiring staff. Therapists, counselors and aides would be needed and trained as soon as possible, as we were hoping for a December first opening. At least a partial opening wherein we could serve some of the girls.

Todd Recovery would be steering girls and women to the hospital, and we would take them in on a first-come, first-served basis. Acquisitions would be assisting by getting in touch with girls we had made financially whole and giving them the kinds of services they would need.

Lu Como, our family psychiatrist, retired from private practice and came on board to hire therapists and counselors to staff the hospital. She would become our full-time medical director, while William became the hospitals COO and Chief of Staff.

Gloria and I were not involved in the day-to-day operations, but we held the purse strings and doled out the dollars on an as-needed basis. We did, however, visit the hospital frequently to monitor the progress that was being made.

Thanksgiving this year had a special meaning to the first fifty girls who were served by the hospital. They had a place to stay, good healthy food to eat, and a knowing ear to channel their pain. William and Lu were doing a great job and we were ahead of schedule with the goal being one hundred percent occupancy by December one. The waiting list was longer than we could satisfy, but by December, we already had girls moving both in and out of the facility, which would be doing outpatient work as well, thanks to Lu's connections and William's hard work.

Everyone, from the cooks to the psychiatrists were paid well, and by Christmas, we were able to accept monies from the National Health Service and Medicaid as payment for services rendered. Along with the seed money Gloria and I provided; our operation would be viable for a good long time.

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In the meantime, I still had the problem of where to put my prisoners. And if I should let any go and who I might just kill. Much to the chagrin of my team, I decided not to kill anyone.

Polo Candido, as promised, was given a late-model vehicle and half a million dollars in free credits and set free in West Virginia to make his way to his own kind of safety. He didn't need to be warned to steer clear of his old mates. He was heading west to get as far away as possible. He never knew he'd been in Pennsylvania.

What else he didn't know was that we had chipped him, after drugging him one day, so wherever Polo went, I could follow. He was now my newest Charlie the Chicken. Burner phone and all.

As for the rest of them, the solution we sought was simpler than we thought. And, in ways, more complex. In the ranch house basement, which was extraordinarily large, we set up our own prison. Cages and all. With a special exclusively vetted group of guards to watch over them. Felix, my guard in charge at the original safe house was put in charge of our new prison. All the prisoners in the original safe house were moved to their new quarters in the cellar of the ranch house.

Ten cells were built, and each of the prisoners was held in individual cell, with heavy steel collars chained to hundred-pound weights. They could see each other, but couldn't get to one another. Felix assigned a guard to the basement just to keep things quiet and civil and to keep the prisoners from hurting themselves. There was a lot of resentment in that prison, and you could taste the hatred they all had for each other. Especially for Simon. And Deacon Peacock.

They were each served basic meals and, as their temperament and behavior dictated, were allowed to bathe on occasion. All prisoners, including the women, were kept naked in their cells to add another layer of vulnerability to their already powerless lives. They all slept on bare mattresses no more than a couple of inches thick.

The original safe house stunk by the time it was evacuated so we had it power cleaned and painted and continued to keep two guards on duty, in case we'd need to use the location further. Raven, Peacock's parrot was moved to the upstairs of the ranch house, and Felix, now in charge, had developed a relationship with the bird. No more Lute Steep. And no more visits with Peacock. Felix loved that bird. Nobody else did, though.

I didn't think much about my prisoners, except Simon and Keep Collette. I'd need them to help me to access the data drives and memory sticks recovered from the cave down in Tennessee. To gain access to the data, I'd have to use the carrot and stick method on Simon. Not so much on Collette. He had resigned himself to a life of misery but liked the occasional first-class meal I provided to those who cooperate. And the outdoor time I allowed him. Away from the darkness and stench of the prison.

As we opened drive after drive and accessed directory after directory, Collette got to shower, shave, eat and even occasionally sleep in a real bed and have some outdoor time. A rare treat for my prisoners. Simon got no such luxuries. He got a lot of stick. The cattle prod kind of stick. And he still gave it up when I needed answers.

According to my prisoners this prison was so much worse than conventional prisons, where the prisoners at least got some time in the yard. Only Collette ever got much of that. And there was that smell. The smell of body odor and bodily fluids and excrement from the bed pans they used to relieve themselves. All in all I would call it a hell of sorts. The kind they all deserved.

Winger was the exception. He had cooperated to a great degree and it was time for him to go free. He was over the moon with joy when I told him that. We chipped him, as well, and set him free somewhere in Ohio, with a late-model car and a pocketful of credits. And a burner phone too. Duane thought I was too generous, but the last thing I needed was one more prisoner to have to look after. Besides, I believed Winger would come through for me if I called on him. He was a soldier of fortune, and I was his meal ticket.

As we discovered the value of each of the memory sticks, we shipped them off to the analysts at RFS. And Collette found himself spending much time with his new best friend, Avi Gold. Collette knew the same people that Simon knew. Those outside his network who were doing the same thing he was. And the network was broad and reached across the country.

We found the Midwest to be a hotbed of activity, and Keep Collette knew all the bigwigs in those organizations. At least through Simon he did. And as well as Collette was treated, that's how badly we treated Simon. He got the fewest carrots and the most stick.

But with the new targets came additional difficulties. More areas farther away that we were unfamiliar with. Each site a logistical nightmare. The Midwest was a big origin point for many of the girls we'd already saved, and it looked like there was much work to be done there.

Canada, it seemed, we were finding to be a departure point for many of the American girls being sent overseas to anywhere from Eastern Europe to the Mediterranean, Africa and South Asia. With Deacon Peacock out of the picture, that access was somewhat reduced. But there was still Clunky Doyle up in New England. He did not attend Simon's auction and was still Scott-free. I was thinking Doyle would be our next target. In this regard Simon's treasure trove of intel would lead us to Doyle's front door. At least that is what we hoped for.

Doyle kept no permanent address. He had no permanent supercell that he used, as he made most of his calls through his subordinates. But he'd suffered the loss of several girls and a handful of his gangsters. That had to sting.

From the intel we'd gathered from one of the memory sticks, we learned that Doyle's operation was also a departure point for girls being shipped overseas. Much like Deacon Peacock. According to Collette, Doyle moved far more girls than Peacock. Peacock being mostly a hard goods dealer who only dealt girls on the side.

Doyle's legit business was shipping. From the USA to Europe and beyond. Inside some of those container ships he'd send overseas was at least one container that was filled with girls. Broken girls, set to enter the sex trades. Doyle would have to be our next target, as we monitor the activity coming from the Midwest.

I really hadn't done a deep dive into Doyle so I did what I always do when I need the news on someone.

"Call Rhee Spanner."

"Hannah. So, how did your latest adventure go. Was Tish any help?"

"Tish is a rock star. She did what we needed her to do and did it in style."

'What can I help you with today?"

"Doyle. A guy named Clunky Doyle is my next mission. He was tied up with Simon but did not attend the auction, so law enforcement does not have him and neither do I. I need the book on him, Rhee. Although I'm finding out lots about people in the Midwest who have ties to trafficking, Doyle appears to be the departure point for girls being shipped east. I want to know everything about the guy, from his birth date to his shoe size. I'm thinking he's my next Moby Dick."

"Well, that's one whale I hope you'll let me help you catch. I kind of missed working with you much on this last one. Tell me about it."

"All I can really say is that we had great success and that it was relatively bloodless. And it has opened up new avenues for me to pursue. But we are gonna have to stretch our resources as a lot of the action is out of my neighborhood."

"And Tennessee is in your neighborhood?"

"Not really, but it didn't seem like that much of a stretch. Oklahoma, however, is a bit off my radar."

"Oklahoma, eh? What's that got to do with Doyle?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm looking to find out. And you can be the one who opens that door starting with Doyle."

"Doyle it is then. Give me a couple of days and I'll have something for you."

"I just know you will, Rhee. Thanks a million."

"Talk to you soon."

*CLICK*

While Rhee explores Doyle's past, I was feeling a conversation with Keep Collette was in order to bring me up to speed on the Boston Irishman's current status. Simon would probably know more, and I might just take advantage of that, but for now, Collette should have the answers I need. So, I called Felix on his supercell.

"Felix, I'm coming over shortly. I need you to separate Collette from the herd and bring him upstairs for interrogation. Have him dressed. I have no need to see him naked."

"Yes, ma'am. He'll be ready when you get here.

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"Tell me, Keep, tell me what you know about Clunky Doyle."

"I'll tell you, he's one tough motherfucker. He's a gang boss up in New England, and he runs everything from Maine down to Connecticut. Even Simon kept him at arm's length. His toughness is why Simon allowed him not to go to the latest auction. Looks like Doyle got it right. He may seem like your run-of-the-mill palooka, but he's one smart cookie. Don't tell me you want to try this with Doyle. I don't know. He's plenty smart, and he's always on the move. In order to outsmart him, you're gonna have to outrun him and outgun him."

"Does he have better troops than Simon's stormtroopers?"

"I don't know about better, but different. They have a commanding presence and are more likely to work on their own without orders, unlike Simon's troops who move on command only. That's why you caught us off guard. Without Simon's leadership we were a ship run aground."

"I thought you were his second in command."

"Nah. I'm just the administrative guy here to make decisions in his absence. Not to be a true leader like Simon was. His second in command, militarily, was with the troopers at the auction. He may be dead for all I know."

"And he would be?"

"Mercer. Aloysious Mercer. Ex-Army Airborne, war veteran. Over in Europe. He is or was one bad mother F'er. He'd just as soon shoot one of his own troops for mouthing off as the enemy. Nobody messed with 'Wish.'

"Wish, eh?"

"That's what Simon called him. Like you wish you were dead rather than go up against him."

"I will check on 'Wish,' and see if he made it. But back to Doyle. Who will he be answering to with Simon being down and out?"

"Nobody. As far as I know he will be an independent player looking out for himself alone. From Maine down to Florida, and west to the Midwest, Simon ran the show. The Midwest boss, Randall Craft, and the west coast boss, Miguel Pablino, counseled with Simon, but never really did business with him. Except maybe to send him product that was heading to the Orient."

"The Orient?"

"Yeah. Asia and Southeast Asia. They really like the white girls and Hispanics there."

"So, how do I get to Doyle?"

"Simon didn't even know how to do that. He couldn't get him to the auction. That's the first indication of the lack of control anyone has over Doyle. Doyle respected Simon's stormtroopers, but he never sweated them. Not with his gangsters."

"What can you tell me about Doyle the man?"

"Rough and rugged. Takes no prisoners and tells, never asks."

"What's his weakness, Keep?"

"Probably his vanity. He thinks he's the toughest guy out there. Although he may be right. And he always thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. That could be right too."

"Then, I'll have to out-tough him and outsmart him. Thanks for your wisdom on the matter of Clunky Doyle. Tonight, you sleep upstairs in a real bed and will be eating like a king. Unfortunately, however, tomorrow you are back in the cellar with the rest. Keep up the good work though and maybe, just maybe I'll cut you a deal like I did with Polo and Winger."

"Deal? I thought you'd killed those two when they never came back."

"Nope. For most of the people down there it's a life sentence. But for you, there is always a possibility of parole. Just keep minding your p's and q's."

"Yes, ma'am. Can I get some outdoor time today?"

"I'll arrange it, but don't try any funny stuff or you will never see the light of day again."

"No, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am."

I told the two guards who were watching us to give him an hour outside and then take him to a room upstairs where he could get a good night's sleep, chained to a bed. A comfy bed.

By the time I was done with Keep Collette, I didn't want to go down into that stinkin' rat hole where we kept the other prisoners, so Dom took me home to spend some quality time with those I love. But first I had to take a shower to wash off the stench. I sent Dom home to do the same.

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The kids were not home from school yet, so I took the call that was coming through my supercell. It was Carlotta Russo. What could she want?

"Carlotta, what's up?"

"Thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"I know you are behind this new hospital for rescued girls. It's certainly taking a lot of heat off of us to dispense with them. It appears you have supplied a great place for them to land. You and a Gloria Tuttlehill."

Simon Ch. 13

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