Touched By A Marine (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Last Sunset

The Gates was a private gated community that was designed to be like Fort Knox. Camera's patrolled the exterior and interior of the grounds while security guards who portrayed themselves as regular citizen's, monitored the sidewalks and shops as they went about their business. Vlad's place was the easiest to find amongst all the other houses in the community. I just had to find the one mansion who had the most private security detail money could buy and the slaves who worked for him. Built on ten acres of the most beautiful land I had ever seen, I could see why Vlad chose to flee New York and retire here. Getting into the compound wasn't hard at all, considering the lack of willpower the guards had once I distracted them and Brad put them to sleep with a couple of darts.

I walked up to the gates of Vlad's pad and entered in the security code before entering the house itself. Whistling softly I looked around the place and was amazed at how clean and organized everything was. Clean lines and modern contemporary furniture where the key focal points for this HGTV dream home. Quiet music could be heard playing through the speakers as I heard multiple voices coming from upstairs and in the living room. Those must be the other slaves, I thought to myself. Anger coursed through my veins at how pissed off I was at Vlad for doing this to people. Moving silently down the hallway, I peeked behind the corner as I waited for a small group of girls to pass out of my line of sight.

A mass amount of sunlight greeted me in the next room next to a wall of windows that looked out into the backyard and pool area. I was just about to take another step when a soft voice announced itself behind me causing me to jump slightly.

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to scare you." The young girl said. She couldn't have been more then eighteen years old with long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.

"No, I'm fine. I just didn't see you there. That's all. Uh, what are you doing here?"

She giggled. "I could ask you the same question. Are you new around here?"

I hid the smirk on my face. "Oh, actually I'm very old. I'm James."

"Melissa. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise. So tell me, Melissa. How long have you been here?"

"It'll be two months come June 15th. And yourself?"

"Fours years as of today."

The words left my mouth like liquid water as I suddenly realized that it's been four years to the day that Vlad found me and brought me to New York were he sold me into the sex slave business. I shook my head at the painful memory and brushed away the few strands of hair from my eyes even though it was longer and I changed the color on account of this secret mission. Melissa leaned against the opposite wall in the hallway as she rubbed her arm and smiled sweetly like some love-struck teenager. I made no further comment as I turned on my heel and headed for the double doors when Melissa called out to me again.

"Vlad doesn't want to be disturbed."

"He doesn't scare me, not anymore. Look, Melissa, I want you to gather up the other slaves and get away from here as far as you can. There's man waiting outside who has a transport van and the keys are in the ignition. Inside the back are three duffel bags full of money. Split it equally amongst the others, that should be enough for you all to start new lives."

Melissa looked sort of dumbstruck by what I was saying. "Who are you? Really?"

"Think of me as your guardian angel. Now, please, do as I say."

Without a backwards glance, I pushed through the glass doors and walked along the edge of the pool where laying in a lounge chair with his feet crossed at the ankles was Vlad. Wearing silk pajama pants and a opened white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, his eyes were shielded by the sunglasses that he wore as he read the morning paper. He didn't even notice me until he switched sections and then set it down when he finally realized that he had company. Casting the paper aside, he smirked as he folded his hands together and blew me a kiss.

"Hello there, James." He said. "I've missed you."

"I want you to know that I can hurt you."

"My pride?"

"Your slaves. Your funding. Your business. It ends today."

"And how do you expect to pull that off?"

"Oh, I've already done it. Take a look for yourself if you don't believe me."

I reached into my back pocket as I pulled out a plastic bag filled with photos and tossed it into his lap. The photo's contained every high ranking member of the Russian slave business as they were busted by the police and taken into custody following a very lengthy prison sentence. As Vlad examined the photo's I could see the blood drain from his face as he set the photo's down and stared at me.

"I don't believe you. For all I know, you could have just photo shopped them."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But it's all over for you, Vlad. Now one can save you now."

"Is that a threat?"

"More like a concern."

Vlad made the motion to get up and stand as I quickly pulled out a sidearm and leveled it with his chest. He took off his sunglasses as he narrowed his eyes.

"Careful, baby, you could hurt someone with that."

"I know. That's why it's pointed at you."

"Put down the gun, James. Now!"

I rearmed the safety and tossed it on the ground between us. I took a step back as Vlad quickly made a move for it but the gun skitted into the pool as I looked to my left and saw a glint of light coming from Brad's sniper rifle as he perched himself up on the hill. My plan was moving along smoothly just as I had planned it a few hours ago in the hotel room with Brad. I stepped forward as I handed Vlad a tiny gold locket on a chain and told him goodbye. As I turned to walk away he reached out to grab me by the arm but I didn't let him. Instead I quickly wheeled around and kneed him in the stomach as he fell to the ground.

I made my way to the doors of the mansion as I glanced back at Vlad who slowly made his way back to the lounge chair and placed himself in it again. I mockingly blew him one last kiss as I walked through the house and exited the front door and hopped into the passenger seat of Brad's sport's car as we quickly made our way up the slope that passed Vlad's house. I asked Brad to stop the car as I watched from afar. Vlad opened the locket and inside was a younger picture of me from three years ago. But beneath it was a bomb that detonated and I heard him die shouting out my name in Russian. Suddenly flames and billowing clouds of smoke engulfed the mansion as it crumbled to the ground.

I felt as though a weight had just been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in a long time I was finally free. Later that evening, as Brad and I walked along the beach holding hands, I started to wonder where Melissa and the other slaves went now that they were all free people. Now that the slave business was finally over with, I could breathe a sigh of relief knowing that no one had to go through what I went through all those years ago. And as it turns out, I myself finally found my guardian angel and I couldn't be happier. Taking me in his arms, we stood facing the ocean as the sun started to go down. The sky slowly changed from blue to a dark orange as people passed us by going about their own busy lives and normal futures.

But our futures? We're only the beginning for the two of us. As I watched the last bit of sunlight get swallowed up by the sea, I knew in my heart that in a few hours Brad would be on a helicopter heading off to war. It broke my heart knowing that this might be the last time I ever see him again. I clung to his arm as he spun me around and kissed my lips passionately. That night back at the hotel room we made love like it was nobodies business. I wanted to stay up and just lie there trying to freeze his face into my memory as he slept peacefully beside me. But when I opened my eyes again the next morning I realized how quickly time had passed and Brad was already packing his bag and putting on his uniform.

His boots were the last to get strapped on as he stood up and turned to face as me as I still layed in bed with tears in my eyes.

"It's time my love."

I nodded slowly as I sobbed quietly. "I know. I'm ready."