A Chicago Story.

Chapter 4: Jayden Halstead

Being an underage prostitute in the heart of gang run Chicago wasn't a joke. 
I've seen things that makes my past look like a damn day dream. 
When I first got here the house was nice and the girls had told me how to run with Donate without being the victim of physical abuse but as the days go on it's hard to actually remember that I have people on the outside. 
From what looked like a nice house that Dotante had spent money on for the girls was only a facade. The places where we actually sleep, it's worse than when Rowen and I were on the run. At least then we squatted in houses with fresh air. 
Here, we sleep in a cold concrete basement with moldy mattresses and a thin blanket. It's freezing. It gets so cold down here at night that we can see our breath with the single Karocine lantern to light the entire basement, sometimes, we huddle together for warmth. 
I have been here - according to Betty ten days. 
In ten days I haven't been forced to sleep with anyone so I call that a win. 
I have a check in with the team tonight and I have no idea how to sneak out, or if they'll somehow come to me. They can't communicate with me and I can only hope they hear me when I speak to them. 
I've told them the living conditions in which we are spending close to twelve hours to fourteen hours a day sometimes, how he treats the girls - though I'm sure they already know that part. 
I was the only one up right now. I have no idea what time it is, it could be midnight or five o'clock in the morning. There are no windows down here. I'll know what time it is when Dotante comes stomping down the stairs to give us our breakfast or tell us to get ready to be pimped out. That's usually seven or eight o'clock in the morning. 

Sometime after I don't know what time, I fell asleep only to be woken by the heavy footsteps of Dotante and his goonies coming down the stairs. 
It feels like I'd only been asleep for twenty minutes as myself and the other six girls rushed to line up in front of our mattresses to "serve" our master. 
"Today is your lucky days ladies. All seven of you have jobs tonight." 
We all kept our heads facing forward with our eyes trained on Dotante but I could feel the despair radiating off these poor girls. 
I knew that the team wouldn't let some nasty excuse for a dick touch me, let alone have sex with me - especially Jay - so I wasn't worried about that, but I was worried for Betty, Penny, Jules, Frankie, Angel and Hayes and the fact that as of yet we cannot protect them, and that they are actually going to have to have sex with these men. It gives me the willies and the extreme urge to beat Dotante with the loose board of the stairs. 
"You know what this means. You get the entire day to eat, shower, get ready and be presentable by ten o'clock tonight." 
"Yes sir." We all say synchronized. 

The mood completely changed as soon as we were upstairs, eating all the food Dotante provided. It was amazing the swing of moods as soon as he left. There was a goonie at the front and back door but they completely leave us alone unless we try to escape, AND they are under specific orders not to touch us because Dotante doesn't want them "to mess up the product before disruption". It's a sick thought in itself but it keeps their wandering eyes and hands of of us for the entire day and I call that a small victory. 

The mood was light throughout the day. Talking while each one of us took a hot shower. 
The bathroom was crammed but functional. One girl was doing another hair while another was doing the others makeup, one was showering and the other was getting clothes and I was just sitting back watching how perfectly they worked together to get everything done by the time Dotante came back. 
These girls were family. They were damaged and far from innocent but they still found the joy in the little things like makeup and how that chunk of hair curled perfectly. They still were teenagers and they still acted like it. But most importantly, they included me. They made sure I wasn't left out and that I was always with one of them, kind of like they were trying to shield me as much as possible from Dotante and his ways, like they were protecting me. And that, made me mushy and I had vowed that I will make sure that all of these girls make it out of this alive.
"Dillon, come get ready." Penny pulled me off the upstairs bed and into the master bathroom and forcefully sat me in the chair and made it her duty to do my hair and makeup. 
"Now that you're here and this is your first time we want to give you some pointers for tonight." 
I swallowed, "okay." 
 "Firstly and most important of them all. You do whatever it is the client wants as long as Dotante gets paid." Penny told me, looking in the mirror and into my eyes. 
"Secondly, if they hurt us, physically I mean us, hit us, kick, whatever, you HAVE to tell Dotante because he says he's the only one that can hurt us." That's twisted but good in a sick way I guess. 
"Next, get the money from the client first, no upfront payment, no play." Frankie said. 
"Nothing over an hour." Angel said from inside the shower. 
"If they finish before the hour, you get up and leave, you do not stay. You leave the room, find a goonie and they will take you out the car waiting behind the building." 
"And for the love of god do NOT try and run away, Dotante has people on every exit, stairs and elevator to each floor and each exit - including the side door exits." 
"Okay, I think I got it." I told them. Now I am scared. If this place is heavily guarded like they are making it out to be, how will the team get in? How will they stop someone from getting to me? I can't get the "client" off of me, they'll tell Dotante and the team will find my body a few days later. Now I am shitting my pants. 

It was now nine o'clock and we are waiting for Dotante behind the house. 
He came around the corner in his three piece suit and made sure to look at us each for a few seconds too long. "Damn! You're going to get daddy some good money tonight. Get in the car." 
And with that, we all pilled into the blacked out black vans seats, with a goonie behind us and driving with Dotante riding shotgun. 
"I expect you ladies told Dynamite my rules of the job." 
"Yes sir, we did." Penny stood up. I've noticed that she's the boldest. She's like the spokes person for the girls. She puts herself in front of them, answering the questions, speaking on behalf of us unless the other girls are directly spoken to. She deliberately puts herself in the line of fire to protect her "sisters" as they call each other. I respect that on the highest level. 

After the moderately short ride the van pulled into an extremely run down hotel that looks ready to be condemned with peeling exterior paint. He pulled around back and parked close to the exit. 
The back doors flew upon to reveal a heavy set man with Dotante's gang symbol poking out from his blazer collar. "Get out." 
"I will be waiting here for you." Dotante told us as the fat guy ushered us out of the van. 
"Oh and ladies." Dotante rolled down his window and called. "Have fun." He winked before rolling up the window and putting his phone to his ear. 
I know I've said this a million times but I cannot WAIT to take down this guy. 
We started making our way up to the floor and I could feel my stomach drop and my heart rate pick up to an unhealthy rate. Penny and Frankie must have seen the sweat bead my forehead and my hands opening and closing by my sides because they slipped one of their hands into each of mine and squeezed, reassuringly. 
I looked up at them and they had the apologetic look in their eyes, but nodded confidently, telling me I got this, promising to be together soon enough. 
And with that, the goonie started to break us up, pushing each of us into our assigned room.