I have finally reached my destination after a long and tiring journey on a night bus. At one point, I began to doubt if we would ever arrive. Now that I am off the bus, I find myself in an area where I spent much of my childhood. It's strange to think that I am now trying to conceal my identity here by pulling down my baseball hat and avoiding eye contact, hoping to go unnoticed.
I should also assume that my face was all over local news. It’s wise not to draw too much attention. Luckily, I know these streets very well. I don’t need to ask around and I surely won’t look out of place. Nobody will stop me today.
It's ironic, but I felt exactly that way on the day I left my mom's house. At the age of nineteen, I no longer needed a guardian, so nobody could stop me from doing what I wanted. I was free from my mom's control and abuse, and I didn't have to follow any rules set by teachers since I dropped out of school. It was like being a bird that can fly freely.
Although I was young, I was not naive. I understood that I needed to secure a source of income and a place to live; living on the streets was not an option. I had a few acquaintances from school, but only Ricky seemed like a suitable choice. He was one year older than me and had left school earlier. While I did not stay in touch with him much, I knew he had a spacious place and a decent income.
“Hey, Ricky buddy! It’s me, Chris. From high school.”
“Hey, dawg. How is it kicking?”
“Not much going on. I got out of school and my mom’s apartment and only have you standing between me and homelessness. What’s up with you, bro?”
“Haha you’re a funny dawg, Chris. Don’t worry. I can hook you up with something.”
It was a short discussion, but it gave me hope that I didn’t make a mistake. I went to the address Ricky had described. It wasn’t the fanciest area, it was Harlem after all, but his building was fairly new and his apartment was big and well equipped.
I was impressed and hopeful that I’ll get to the same status as him soon. He allowed me to stay with him until I could arrange something for myself. I thanked him and promised that I’ll go find a job first thing in the morning. He just smiled and nodded.
The upcoming days were difficult for me because I was aware that my limited qualifications would limit my job options. I decided to focus my job search on fast food chains as they usually have many job openings that don't require high qualifications. Unfortunately, I faced an unexpectedly high number of job rejections during this search.
In the end, I went to Ricky for advice.
“Oh dawg. You think it’s easy finding a job in this economy with no education? This is no use. I mean, the only good thing you got going on for you is not having a criminal record. Not even smoking weed.”
“And what can I do with that, Ricky?”
“Well, there is one line of business where having no criminal record is very valuable. The business of crime.”
“No, man. I can’t do that. I can’t prove my mom right. I’m not like that. I want to earn an honest living.”
Ricky winked “You’d only prove her right if you get caught.”
“Everyone gets caught eventually no matter how good they are. I don’t know, brother.”
“Indeed, you don’t know. Not everyone gets caught. The law was designed with intentional loopholes, so that the rich and powerful could slip through them whenever it was needed. You and I, if we do crime, we’ll do time. But we can’t live on minimum wage either. So, the only solution for us is to be pawns for those rich and powerful and do what they say. Then, we get their protection and we get to enjoy their leftovers. Do you understand now?”
“I’m not sure. Is there no other way”
Ricky caught me and turned me around “Take a look, dawg. Do you think I could have afforded all of this in this short time working at McDonald’s? There are laws in this universe and one of them is if you wanna get big, you gotta hit it big. So, what’s your final answer?”
I realized that Ricky would not let me stay with him for long if I refused to join his crew after our conversation. I attempted to convince myself that it might be worth considerin. Ricky was earning a lot of money quickly without being caught since he began, so perhaps I could join him for a while, save up some money, and then leave to start an honest life. It was a possibility.
“Okay, Ricky. I accept your offer. What will we be doing exactly?”
“Good decision, dawg. Now, before you start, you’ll need to meet the boss. He makes sure to examine all new employees himself. You need to earn his trust, if you want to join.”
I nodded, feeling unable to speak or act. Later that day, Ricky and I were scheduled to meet with the boss at his club. I couldn't understand why this boss was still involved in illegal business, especially considering the sizable profits that could be earned from the club. I wondered if he truly needed more money, despite already having a substantial amount.
We entered his office. He was reading through some documents and we had to remain silent, until he addressed us. Ricky had told me that he has to start any conversation he’s in. I guess this was his intimidation method of choice.
We stood for about ten minutes. I tried to whisper something to Ricky, but he firmly stopped me.
“Is your friend getting impatient already, Ricky?”
“No, sir. He just needs to learn the manners of being in your presence.”
At that age, I had a big ego. I was proud and didn’t like being called without manners, but I swallowed it. I knew I was not safe in this place.
“He looks upset, Ricky. Doesn’t he like it here?”
“He does. He has no other place. He only looks upset because he’s been through a lot lately. I explained to him and he’s willing to do anything to survive, sir.”
“Good, good.” He turned his gaze to me “What’s your name?”
“My name is Chris, sir.”
“Do you have prior experience?”
“I only did small jobs at school like newspaper delivery and…”
“Are you joking, boy?” The boss was steaming.
Ricky quickly jumped in “He isn’t, sir. He’s just still so green. I explained to him that we’re working in the dark. He hasn’t done anything similar before. His record is clean.”
“That’s good. It’s always valuable having an empty record with the blues. I’ll take you. You’ll learn eventually. It’s not rocket science for god’s sake.”
“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t mean to disrespect, but what will I learn exactly?”
“You didn’t explain in detail, Ricky?”
“I thought it’d be better to wait and see where you want to allocate him, sir.”
“He’ll work with one of the girls of course. Same as you in the beginning. Then, he might be used elsewhere if he proves his usefulness.”
“I’m sorry. What girls?” I asked confused, switching my eyes between the boss and Ricky.
“It’s very simple, dawg. You handle the girls. You go with them to their appointments. You wait downstairs. You stand by in case they send an SOS and only then, you’d intervene. You go in, get the girl, and get out as fast as possible. Rarely anything bad happens though, so don’t worry.”
“A pimp? That’s the job you got for me, Ricky?” I objected in disgust which irritated the boss who screamed at me “Are you raising your voice in my office, scumbag?”
I was frightened and took a step or two back. A huge buddy guard pushed me back to my place next to Ricky. I realized I made a huge mistake by voicing my opinion in this way. I tried to apologize, but kept stuttering out of fear.
“What? What are you saying? Get this idiot friend of yours out of here, Ricky. Then, come back here. You need to be taught the proper way of recruiting new meat.”
Ricky was as scared as me but he was able to drag me out of the office. He didn’t say a word, although I realized I couldn’t rely on him to be my friend anymore. He led me all the way outside of the club and closed the door behind me, without saying a word.
I walked aimlessly for a while, not knowing what to do. I couldn’t go back to Ricky after this. Finally, I entered a bar, as I needed a drink after all this. After calming down, I called Ricky with hopes that I can apologize enough to get myself a place to sleep tonight. He didn’t answer, so I left a message telling him where I was. I didn’t hear back from him though.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Later in the evening, I was beginning to accept my fate of being homeless, until that girl showed up. I thought she was an angel, sent to me from heaven to save me from the streets. I was so wrong. Now that I know the truth, she was actually the devil’s arm that dragged me to hell. But I'm free again, devil.
I’m here at your door.
Knock knock. Open up.
*******
As the sunset approached, Jonathan drove across the city like a madman. He was racing against time. It’s been over a day since Chris escaped. He must be so close to his target already. He needed to get there before it’s too late.
He had already called the movie production company and learned that the shooting had concluded. They didn’t have information about the woman in the picture, but they gave him the contacts of the casting director.
That second call also resulted in no address. The casting director had no idea who she was. He guessed that she was an extra and told Jonathan about the name of the agency which provided extras for that movie.
He arrived at their office as he knew that they deal with hundreds if not thousands of aspiring actors. Mentioning the article and describing the woman in a phone call wasn’t going to jog their memories. He needed a more hands on approach
At the front desk, they were preparing to log off work and didn’t want to waste time with him. However, he was firm and decisive. He forced them to give him access to their files and went through each actress who worked on that movie as an extra.
He asked them if someone else came and asked the same questions, but they denied and assured him they don’t give their clients’ information to anyone. Chris could have found her another way though.
He soon found the one he’s looking for. A much clearer photo than that in the magazine. In the beginning, he thought it might have been a lookalike, which Chris’s desperation blamed for his misery. However, he was now sure he was looking at Rebecca Jackson. No doubt about it.
Despite some changes to her appearance, such as shorter blonde hair with brownish highlights, a smaller nose, and her previous brown hair being gone, she still had the same skin tone, eye color, jawline, and overall features. It was unmistakably the supposed murder victim.
There are several unanswered questions about her disappearance. How did she vanish? Why was her blood discovered in the apartment? And where has she been all this time? Despite having many questions, he can only hope that she'll get the opportunity to provide answers.
He wrote her address and drove as fast as he could to her studio apartment. He parked a couple of blocks away, so he wouldn’t attract Chris’s attention, if he was indeed in the area. He walked hastily towards the building with his hand on his gun.
He circled the building first, for fear that Chris might be watching it from the outside, but he didn’t find anyone. He rushed inside and in seconds, he was standing in front of the apartment door. He tried to hear from the outside, it was dead silence. He rang the bell but without answer. Is it too late? Did Chris already get to her? He couldn’t wait any longer, so he decided to kick the door open.
He was able to scan the entirety of the small apartment right from the door, and there was nobody there. Only the bathroom was a possible hiding place. He walked towards it with his gun leading the way. Suddenly, the door to the bathroom opened “No please, don’t kill me!”
It was none other than the woman who was supposed to be dead a decade ago herself. Rebecca Jackson.
She was wrapped in a towel, just out of the shower. She was frightened and started to cry. She clearly thought Jonathan was there to kill her. He put down his gun and tried to comfort her “Don’t worry. I’m NYPD. I’m here to help you. Get dressed and I’ll explain everything.”
She remained scared, but grabbed her clothes, which were laying on the bed, and went back into the bathroom to comply. Jonathan used the time to lock the window and door.
Moments later, Rebecca came out dressed in her bathroom robe. She remained skeptical and Jonathan noticed, so he quickly showed his badge and put the gun back in the holster, to make her feel safer.
“What the hell was that? Why did you break into my apartment like this? Is the NYPD terrorizing citizens instead of protecting them now?”
“No, we don’t terrorize our citizens. Which citizen are you though? What would you like me to call you?”
“What? You broke into my house, and you don’t even know my name? What are you doing here then?”
“I know your name. I know both of them actually.You know what? I’ll call you by the original one. Rebecca.”
Rebecca shook and it was obvious she hadn’t heard the name being said aloud for long. Jonathan noticed she was nervous and decided that the best way to get her to talk fast is to attack “So, would you care to explain how you’re still alive, or should we do that at the precinct instead?”
“What? I’m being arrested?”
“For sure. What did you think the consequences of your actions were going to be? You falsified your own murder and someone got in prison for it. He lost a decade of his life. Did you think you’ll never get punished for that?”
“I didn’t know it would come to this.”
“Yes, you did. You’re not stupid. No stupid girl would try to make it in show business. Now, talk. Tell me what happened, Rebecca.”
She thought for a minute, realizing her secrets had been revealed. No point in hiding them anymore “Okay. Yes, I’m Rebecca Jackson. Ten years ago, I worked as a prostitute for a powerful man. He ran a big network of girls, who mostly were runaway teenagers, just like me. I didn’t want this life. Who would? But I didn’t have a choice.”
“I’m only interested in the fake murder.”
“I know. I just need to explain how it was for me at the time. We were all controlled like puppets. Either with drugs or stupid puppy love. We each had a handler who would pimp us, and take care of us. I got into this life because it was this or homelessness, but I wanted to get out from day one. I always dreamed of being an actress. Not this.”
“Why didn’t you run away like you did from your parents’ house? Why was it so hard?”
“Like I said, they had us on leeches. My leech was drugs. Also, our boss was very powerful. He had many people in important places under his control, either with money or with scandalous affairs with the girls. From police officers to judges. Anywhere I’d run, he would have found me. He also named a price for each of us, and if we could save up the money, he would release us. We had our fear of him, and hope of paying what we owe him and earning our freedom back to keep us obedient.”
“And? Did he ask you to frame Chris for murder?”
“No, I never had one conversation with him. We only communicated with our handlers. Mine was called Ricky. He was the one to agree with me on everything.”
“What was his deal for you exactly?”
“He said I could earn five thousands and use them alongside what I’ve saved up to set myself free. He also offered the services of a friend of his who could forge new documents for me. A brand new life free of everything and everyone.”
“And in return?”
“The boss needed me for a unique job. He wanted me to go to a bar and pick a guy up. He said this guy refused to work for the boss and was disrespectful. The boss wanted to teach him a lesson. I really thought this was just a way to control him, and force him to accept the job. I only knew about his whole trial a week after and only from the news. I had no idea.”
Rebecca buried her face in her hands and started to cry. Jonathan knew he had no time for her meltdown though, so he continued “Rebecca. Christopher escaped yesterday from prison. You probably heard about it in the news, but what we didn’t announce is that he left a note threatening to kill someone. We’re running out of time. We need to get to him soon.”
“Is..Is he out to kill me?”
“I can’t say for sure. Not until I know the full story. Please, continue.”
“Okay. I got to the bar and chatted with him for a while. He told me that his friend wouldn’t answer his calls, because he rejected a job offer earlier that day, and embarrassed him in front of his boss. He said he didn’t have a place to go. Ricky had already told me all of that. He told me he’d be vulnerable and prone to my seduction.”
“And then?”
“I got him drinking. Ricky wanted him to be hazy about what happened. Then, I started kissing him and offered him to come back to my place. The poor guy couldn’t have been happier to escape spending the night in the streets.”
“What happened when you arrived?”
“I slipped him a couple of sleeping pills in another drink and took him to the bedroom. He couldn’t fight for long and just slept. Then, I texted Ricky and he came into the apartment. He helped me undress him and then he made a cut in my hand with his knife. He wanted to spill some of my blood on the floor. I thought it was to scare Chris and get leverage on him. I thought the worst thing that would happen to him is be forced to work for the boss for fear that he would call the police on him if he didn’t. I never thought he’d go to prison.”
“Then what?”
“Then, Ricky gave me the money. He asked me to go to a motel and lay low for a few days, until he called me. He did after three days and gave me the money I needed to go pay up my ransom to the boss. I did and he gave me my freedom back. I couldn’t believe it. On the same day, Ricky gave me the new documents. A new identity and a whole new life.”
“A life that you had stolen from Christofer Jacobs of course.”
“I swear I had no idea. All I could think of is they wanted some leverage on the guy to get him to work for them. Forcing him to be a pimp is horrible I know. But it isn’t as bad as prison. And he would have been able to pay a ransom and leave like I did.”
“So, you didn’t call the cops and turn him in?”
“No. I didn’t even know the cops got involved until a week later from the news.”
“And you did nothing to stop it.”
“I couldn’t. I told you, he’s got many powerful men protecting him. That includes cops. I even remember seeing the district attorney at the time with one of the girls. He controlled so many people that could help him find me and ruin my life. I did call Ricky. He answered the phone and pretended not to know who I was. I got the message loud and clear. On the record, I was dead already. It wouldn’t be hard for them to confirm that status.”
“It might have been more honorable to die.”
“I know. I’m a monster. But I’m also a victim. I didn’t ask for any of this. I was the same age as Christofer.”
Jonathan stood up “How do I find this old boss of yours?”
“He owns a club in Harlem. It’s called The Black Rose.”
“Alright. I advise you to head to the police station now and confess everything.”
“Is he coming to kill me? Chris I mean.”
“I don’t think so. I think Chris knew when he saw you in that magazine that you don’t have the abilities to plan all of this yourself. I think he knows very well the dangerous man whom he crossed paths with on that day. He’s not after you. He’s after your former boss.”
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t know what would happen. Please, show me some mercy”
Jonathan walked towards the door “Go to the station and confess everything. That’ll help you get a reduced sentence. If you run away, I’ll come after you, arrest you, and you’ll get a worse sentence. That’s all the mercy I could show you.”
Rebecca resumed her crying, as she saw her life, once more, get turned upside down. Jonathan didn’t pay much attention to her as he exited the door. He was only thinking about getting to the Black Rose in time.
He didn’t care much for the well being of a criminal who enslaved young girls and trafficked them, but he cared for Chris, even though they never met in person.
He believed that Chris had a shot at redemption, but only if he didn't pull the trigger on this man.
Only then, he could be saved. The only question was, will Jonathan get to him in time?
Or will he lose this race to destiny?