Dignity's Worth

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

The next morning Mary went to meet Sal down at the local café. And they came back smiling and giggling and with their hands entwined.

And I knew now that she was safe.

Sal came into my house a little later in the morning and filled me up on the details of what had happened after we'd left Martin the previous night.

"He's in the hospital," said Sal, "he's gonna be okay."

"I don't know what to say to that."

"Well it's okay if you say nothing at all. We have to go meet Vinny."

"Right now?"

"Yeah."

"Wait," said I, let me get my coat.

"Why do you need a coat?"

I went to my jacket and removed Martin's wallet from it.

"Is that..." Sal began.

"Yes it is. I had to pay Vinny for the guns, so..."

"God you're crazy. Come on, let's go."

On the way, we started talking about something a little more interesting.

"You know how you said that last night our job was finished?" he asked me.

"Yeah."

"You know how you said that from today our lives were gonna be normal?"

"Yeah I remember."

"Well I don't think so."

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Now please don't be mad at me for telling you this."

"I won't be." I promised.

"So you know how there's a small marketplace south of town?"

"Sal, there are small marketplaces everywhere in this city. Which one are you talking about?"

"It's called the South Spot. Heard of it?"

"Not to my recollection, no."

"Well it's the place where all the High Enders and the rich guys and the big shots go."

"Wow. Must be an expensive area."

"It looks like any other ordinary marketplace."

"So? What's so special about it that all the rich bastards go running up to it? What're they selling?"

"Girls."

I stopped walking.

"Come again?" I asked him.

"Girls, Alex." he repeated, "Fourteen year old, fifteen year old girls. You've read about the abductions that take place in the country. Where do you think all those girls go? They come here, Alex. In Tokentown. And then they're bought by the High Enders. Kept as workers in their houses or exported to other countries. Most of them end up in foreign lands where they're made into some big shot's personal sex slaves. And those who manage to run away, they end up as prostitutes."

"How- how do you know this?" I asked.

"It was a rumour I heard a long time ago. I never believed it but after what happened last night, I've been reconsidering. It makes sense, don't you see? Look at it this way. Why did Martin drug girls? Why do you think? I mean he could've forced them either way, but why drug them first?"