Sold Into Freedom - 6. Chapter 6

Once Andrew stopped daydreaming, he got out of bed and padded to the adjoining bathroom to shower. He turned on the water and rubbed his head. Oh, man, too many wee drams with Papa last night! He chuckled a little. I'll ask Mum for some painkillers.

Refreshed from the shower and ready for the day, Andrew made the bed and packed his things. Carrying the small bag downstairs, he could hear his parents talking in the kitchen. The writer dropped his overnight case by the back door and joined his parents.

"Morning, you two." Andrew kissed his mother's cheek. "You don't happen to have any painkillers, do you?"

Doreen gazed at her son. "Painkillers? Yes, we have some." She turned to Robert. "Since this is your fault, perhaps you can fetch your son some please?"

Robert looked up from the folded newspaper on the table before him. The sharp HB pencil he held in his right hand rested on the small square printed there. He was doing the daily crossword. "My fault? I asked if he wanted a wee dram, not do you want half the bottle!" Andrew's father lay down the pencil and stood. "But I'll fetch the paracetamol, frankly, I can use one myself."

Andrew and Doreen shared a warm chuckle as Robert made his way out of the homey kitchen.

"It wasn't his fault, Mum. Well, not entirely!" Andrew's stomach rumbled. "It smells good in here."

"I've made bacon, sausage, beans and tomato. The bread is ready to toast. Once your father's back, I'll do the eggs." Doreen stirred a pot on the stove. "Pour yourself some tea. There're fresh scones on the table. Start with one of those."

The comforting atmosphere of the kitchen enveloped Andrew.

"That's a lot of food, Mum." Andrew sat at the table laden with tea, butter and fresh, warm scones.

"Eat. You and your father have a bit of traveling to do today."

"It's not that far. Only about an hour's drive." Andrew took a warm scone from the basket on the table. He could smell the orange rind and see the plump raisins. He sliced it open and slathered it with butter. "Oh, Mum. God these are glorious."

Smiling, Doreen put the frying pan for the eggs on the stove to warm. "I'm glad you're enjoying them."

Robert returned at that moment with a bottle of white pills. "Here we are." He put them on the table and spied the scones on Andrew's plate. "I've had two of those. Your mother's scones are legend."

Doreen's face flushed with pleasure. "Oh, stop it. It's my Gran's recipe. They always come out well. I'm going to start the eggs. How many do you want?"

Considering all the other food, the men decided that two eggs would be plenty.

"We'll have to stop for a nap, Doreen," Robert said as he accepted his plate several minutes later. "We'll be stuffed."

Doreen placed Andrew's plate before him and then sat down with her own. "Then you won't have to stop for lunch," she said.

Andrew took a pill from the bottle and swallowed it with some tea. He then dug into the fry-up on his plate.

The kitchen was filled with a comfortable silence as the family savoured their meal.

Robert leaned back first. "Doreen, that was wonderful, love. Please don't cook like that all the time!" he said with a smile. Gazing at his son, he continued, "I think we should leave about three."

"So early, Dad?"

"Mmm, yes. We'll find a place here to buy you a cheap phone-to-go, get that set up, then drive down and find the place I booked. We need to scope out the area where they'll pick you up." Robert explained. "And you should have a nap, son. You're going to be up for some time. A nap is a good idea."

Andrew nodded. He stared at his father as he realized his mother knew. Suddenly, the weight of his actions and choices felt like Atlas' burden. He was about to embark on a journey that would change his life forever. Assuming I live through it.

Doreen sat listening. "I'm worried about this, Andrew."

Robert and Andrew continued talking, not hearing his anxious mother.

"Andrew!"

"Mum? Sorry, did I miss something?"

"You've missed your mother being awfully worried about you." Doreen sat back and crossed her arms.

Andrew glanced at his father and then turned to his mother. "Mum, there's nothing to worry about."

"Why can't you use your own phone?"

Robert reached out to touch his wife's arm. "He can use his own phone but a throwaway phone will be better. We can wrap it in a plastic bag and hide it. It won't matter if it gets wet or ruined, will it? Or if it's lost or something. That's the only reason. I'm going with him, to make sure he's all right, Doreen."

"Fine. Fine if you say so." She placed her silverware on her plate with a shaky hand. "I am going to go and meet Jane. I promised to walk with her today. Will you two clean up, please?" Doreen rose hurriedly to her feet. I will not cry in front of them. "I'll be back before you go."

"Sure, Mum. Dad and I will clean up. Thanks for such an excellent breakfast and for keeping me overnight." Andrew rose to hug and kiss his mother.

Doreen grabbed her son's shoulders. "You listen to me. This thing you're doing isn't a game. These people are not your friends. I want you back here until Saturday morning. Please."

Andrew gazed into his mother's face and saw fear in her eyes. "I'll come back with Dad and stay until Saturday for sure. I promise. And we'll call as soon as I am back."

"No matter what time!" Releasing her son, Doreen smiled a little bit. "See you about two."

"See you, love. You and Jane take care." Robert walked his wife to the back door.

Back in the kitchen, Andrew rinsed and stacked the plates and other dishes in the dishwasher. He cleared all the food, saved what he could, and put the remainder in the recycling bin.

Robert returned to the kitchen. He slid the lace tablecloth back on the table and replaced the large vase of roses and peonies.

"Is she okay, Dad?" Andrew turned from the counter.

"She will be. It's good what you did, saying you'll come back until Saturday." Robert faced his son. "It means a lot to us both."

"Why did you tell her?" Andrew stared at his father. "She didn't need to know."

"I didn't. The woman has the ears of a bat!" Robert shrugged. "She's no fool, your mother. She heard yesterday when you were telling me."

Andrew nodded and sighed, then finished wiping down the counter. This isn't what I wanted.

The two spent the remainder of the morning in the garden. Together, they weeded the vegetable patch and the flower beds. At about one, they went into the kitchen to make tea.

At two, Doreen returned home and found the pair still chatting in the kitchen.

Robert got to his feet as his wife came in. "Hello, love. Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?"

"Mmm, yes please. I couldn't get Jane to stop for one. That woman is obsessed with water." Doreen slipped off her jacket and sat at the table with Andrew. "Won't stop for a cup of tea or coffee, but will spend £3 on a bottle of what is, essentially, tap water. Insane."

Andrew smiled and rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure where or why some people have become so obsessed with it. Crazy to pay for bottles of stuff you can get for free."

Robert returned to the table with a scone and a cup of tea for his wife. He sat down, and the three spent an amiable twenty minutes chatting.

"I think, Son, we'd better start to get ourselves ready to move." Robert pushed himself away from the table. "We have some shopping to do and I think you should rest."

"You're right, Dad."

Doreen's stomach flipped, and she gazed at each man in turn. "Robert, you'll call me later?"

"Yes, my love. I'll call when we arrive and once again when I return from dropping Andrew off at his rendezvous." Robert smiled at his wife and reached out to take her hand.

"Thank you," Doreen said. His palm is damp.

"And I'll call once I'm back on dry land, Mum." Doreen's only son bent to kiss her cheek. "Don't worry. I'm not doing anything stupid. I'm gonna follow their exact instructions."

What are you saying? The whole thing is a fool's errand! Doreen rose to follow the men to the back door. "I love you. Which car are you taking?"

"We'll take Andrew's." Robert didn't add, just in case they are watching. Watching for what?

The men readied themselves and opened the back door. They kissed Doreen once again and stepped out.

Doreen followed but remained standing just outside the door. Worry made breathing hard, and she rested a palm on her chest.

The two men walked together, and Andrew pulled the keys from his pocket as they neared the car. "Hang on, Dad and I'll get it open."

Robert smiled again at his worried spouse while waiting for the passenger door to be unlocked. "Right, Son." Hearing the door unlock, he reached for the handle.

Glancing back at his wife, he called, "Love you, m'eudail." He slid onto the passenger seat and closed the door.

Andrew turned to his father. "She's worried." He turned the key to start the car.

"Aye, she is, but I'll keep in touch with her. She'll worry until you are safe and sound in her kitchen." Robert smiled at his son. "Are you ready? Are you one hundred percent sure?"

"I am." Andrew glanced at the rearview mirror with lying eyes as he put the car in reverse and turned around.

The two men waved as they drove by Doreen.

 ⸛

It took just over an hour to drive to Eyemouth, the town nearest Green Ends Gully. The rendezvous place was a two-minute drive from the Airbnb rented by Robert.

Robert and Andrew were warmly welcomed by the landlady, who graciously took them on a small tour. As the tour concluded and with the page of rules in hand, Robert expressed his gratitude to Mrs. Tzeng and closed the door behind her, feeling welcome in the new place.

Andrew put his bag in the small bedroom and returned to the living room to sit with his father.

"I've just had a look in the fridge. There's a whole meal left in there she's made for us! The comments online about her place and her kindness were true."

Robert settled on the sofa.

Andrew smiled. "That's so nice of her. So, Papa, eh, I guess you can't trash the place now like you usually do!"

Robert laughed. "I'll try to behave myself. Now that we've gotten the tour, let's drive to town and get you that phone. I'll buy some milk for tea. Your mother sent supplies, like the makings for tea and coffee and a few other things to see me through."

"Right, Dad. Let's get going."

They decided to walk into the small town as it wasn't far. They found a mobile phone shop and bought an inexpensive 4G phone.

Andrew amused himself with the new mobile while his father ran into a corner store to purchase milk and cream. He'd set up his father's number when Robert came out of the shop.

"I'm ready and treated myself to some crisps and chocolate." Robert grinned like a schoolboy. Do not tell your mother."

"Do you think she doesn't know?" Andrew teased his dad as he flipped open his new toy. "Flip phones are fun." The playful banter brought a smile to their faces.

"Good grief, Andrew." Robert tugged on his son's bicep. "She may know, but let's not confess, right?"

"Right. Okay, yeah. Let's get back. I'll nap before dinner and get my bits and pieces together.

The two men walked shoulder to shoulder. Robert turned to look at his progeny. "Are you okay?"

Andrew stared at the sidewalk as they moved along it. "Yes and … no. I mean sometimes it really hits me, you know? That in a few hours I will be alone on a boat full of criminals. These guys are not jokes or from a writer's imagination. They are real, and tonight, I'm going to watch them sell people."

"I've wondered about that. My question again is—why are they allowing it?"

"I have wondered the same thing. He knows who I am. Why allow me in?"

"Ego. I bet that's most of it. He's flaunting his wealth and power. What else could he get out of it?" Robert lifted his eyes from the pavement and glanced at Andrew.

"He is all of those things. He's been around for some time. He's a monster." Andrew looked over at his father. "Still, it's weird. But I think Black doesn't think he's doing anything wrong."

Robert remained quiet.

"And yeah, Dad. I'm a little afraid." Andrew gazed at his parent. It's a relief to say it.

The two men turned onto the street where their temporary residence lay.

Andrew continued, "I'm afraid, but I'm also prepared as much as I can be. They likely know that I've told someone, so maybe that offers me a little protection." Andrew stopped suddenly. "Dad—"

"What is it?" Robert took a few steps back to where Andrew was stopped.

"Dad, if something does happen to me. I need you to finish the book."

"What?" Robert's eyes widened. "Me? I was a soldier, not a writer!"

"Yes, you. Find help if you need to. It's mostly done. But if I go missing, you need to write that and then hand it over to my publisher. I've made arrangements for the profits to go into an account to help people who have been trafficked already." Andrew nodded to himself. "Yeah, finish it, Dad, promise me. Maeve knows where the manuscript is and it's on some USBs as well."

Robert wiped the tears from his eyes. He struggled to find his voice. "All right. I promise, but I refuse to believe you won't come back."

Andrew smiled. "Thank you. Their story needs telling. They need help these people; I don't want all that I'm doing to be a waste."

"It won't be, son." His son's selfless bravery buoyed Robert. "If needs be, I'll get the book finished. I promise."

"Thank you, again. I know … this is hard to talk about. I'm sure it will all be okay." Andrew smiled at his father. "Let's get home, eh?"

"Right, yes. Let's go."

As promised, Andrew lay down to have a nap. He turned onto his side, sliding his left arm under his pillow. His mind raced, thinking about what might happen once Mr. Black's men came to pick him up. Stop it! You are supposed to be sleeping. I'm never gonna get to sleep. My brain is on full alert, and my stomach is helping out.

 ⸛

"Hey, Andy."

Andrew cracked open his eyes. Evening's gloom had replaced the sunny afternoon. The writer reached up to rub his face. "What's the time?"

"It's getting on. You need to come and eat a little." Robert leaned over his son. "It's about seven-thirty."

Andrew pushed himself up. "Okay. Wow, I guess I was tired."

"I guess. I'm heating up the food that Mrs. Tzeng left. Have a wash and come out when you're ready." Robert smiled and left the bedroom.

"Okay. Be right there."

Andrew jumped into the shower, washed quickly, dried and dressed. He gathered his allowed paper and pencils and then joined his father.

"Smells good in here." That was too loud. I'm more nervous than I thought.

Robert lifted his gaze from the container of noodles he was dishing up. "Are you okay, Andy?"

"I guess I'm a little nervous." Andrew leaned on the counter next to his dad. "Make that a lot nervous."

"That's to be expected." Robert put down the container and turned to his son. "In the army, we prepared before an exercise. Planned it, analyzed it, compared and then took action but no matter how much you prepare, you can't know for certain what is going to happen. At some point, you have to accept there are unknowns and do your best to anticipate and be ready for them."

Robert handed Andrew a plate, and they sat at the table together. "You've been given the order; you've accepted it and planned. You're as prepared as you can be. Now is the time to either go forward or choose to stay put." The older man picked up a forkful of steaming noodles. "At some point, every soldier simply trusts his training and puts himself into the hands of God."

"There's so much you've done that I don't know about, Dad." Andrew stared at his father, again feeling like he didn't know this man. Who was he?

Robert smiled. "That's the way of the world, son. We are so busy with our own lives that we never truly know who our parents were. Now and again, we can offer some advice our children actually hear."

The two men ate in silence for several minutes.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Andy?"

"Once this is done … maybe we can take some time. Go somewhere, get to know each other better?"

Robert looked at his boy, now a man. He smiled. "I should like that. Very much."

⸛

Dante looked over the boys they were putting on the auction block one last time. They look good and are calm, but the right pills will do that.

Smiling grimly, he closed the door and moved along the passage to the room where they would stream the auction. One of his men was completing the setup of the camera. "Is everything ready? Have you tested it?"

"Hey, D. Yeah. It's all working perfectly. This just needed tightening. It's all cool."

Dante sucked in air through his parted lips and nodded. "Fucking A. Good. Show time in two hours. Test it again in one."

"Yep. Consider it done."

Dante peered down at his watch and increased his speed. With a final nod, he stepped into the passage and closed the door. Gonna see Mr. B and then head out to pick up our guest.

⸛

The inside of the rental car was quiet. Each man's thoughts were his own. They sat in the darkness, looking out over the inky water.

The blue-green of the digital clock was their only source of illumination. Andrew stared at the numbers as they slowly changed. I wish they'd move faster.

At nine-fifty-five, Andrew looked at his father. "It's time." Finally.

Robert's eyes closed briefly, and he drew in a calming breath. "Right, Son. You be careful. You remember where your phone is, right?"

"Yes, I remember." Andrew's new respect and desire to know his father kept the usually impatient and superior tone from his answer. "Okay, Dad. I'll see you tomorrow. Get some sleep, okay?"

"Right. Call me as soon as you can when they bring you back."

Andrew took his father's offered hand, shook it, and impulsively leaned over and kissed the weathered cheek. "I will. Love you, Dad." He opened the car door and got out. He heard his father's reply before closing it.

"I love you too, Son." Robert let the few tears fall unheeded. He stared up at the roof of the car and shook his fist. "You fucking keep my boy safe."

Andrew had been clear in his instructions, so Robert reluctantly started the car and drove away.

Andrew carried the plastic bag that contained the pencils and paper he was allowed. He walked away from the car. If I look back, I won't be able to go on. So, the writer continued to the shoreline to wait. He felt calmer when he heard the car's engine fade.

Just past ten, the sound of a boat engine made Andrew look up. He knew they were close when the noise stopped. The writer climbed down from the rock where he'd been sitting and moved closer to the water.

After several minutes, the rigid inflatable craft drew close enough to see.

"Andrew?" A voice came from inside the boat. It was a whisper.

"Yes, I'm Andrew. You're D?"

"That's right. Get in."

Arms steadied him as Andrew clambered over the side. One of the crew pushed the writer gently onto a seat.

The one called D spoke again. "Let's get out of here. Andrew, you brought only what was told to you?"

"Yes, that's all I have other than my watch and a few pounds."

"Good. Let's go." Dante retook his seat.

The other two men used oars to push away from the shore. They paddled for several minutes and then started the engine.

Andrew, who had been silent, said, "Can I ask—"

Dante interrupted. "No. Don't ask. I don't want you out here, Andrew, but Mr. Black feels different. So, you and me, let's not talk."

The writer pushed down the niggle of fear that resided in his belly and nodded. "Okay."

From the shore, Robert watched the small boat move off slowly; it disappeared quickly when its engines engaged. He turned away and returned to the car he'd parked some way out before jogging back. Once he'd settled again in the driver's seat and started the engine, Robert whispered one desperate word – please.

****