Survivor

Chapter 5

Dylan's POV:

It never seems to get any easier, picking up the chosen ones. I have strict orders, younger the better. Homeless people are my first choice but if I have to kidnap them from a home then that's what I do. I prefer not to because then there's a family out there looking for them. I know quite well that these kids never go to happy loving homes but I can't get out, not anymore. Death is the only option for me if I ever want out. I've watched several come into this thinking they are going to rise above the collector position only to find themselves six feet under.

My position as a collector is higher than the bodyguards, higher than the infantry but not higher than the boss and a few others. I'm still lower than the advisor, tracker, or second in command but still pretty high up on the food chain in the mafia world. I, and any others with a higher ranking than me, are considered ones to be trusted and can live outside of the estate. We can have our own lives if we so choose to while all the others below us have to stay at the estate and are guarded at all times.

Not all mafias are run like this one, some don't kill you if you want out. This just happens to be one of them that once you are in, you're in for life.

I look over at Julianne as she leans up against my shoulder as we travel through the heart of New York City. She's quite beautiful. Even if she's too old for the type of inventory my boss goes for, he still would want to make money off of her by putting her in one of his brothels. The only way I can do with her as I pleased is if he were to reject her, which very seldom ever happens.

Only then could I sell her myself or keep her. I wouldn't keep her as a wife but a maid around the house who also pleases me sexually. That would be more of the way I would want her for. I've never wanted marriage and regardless if I were to fall in love with someone, I still would never marry them.

I sigh as I look at the slightly wavy blonde locks of her hair with her darkened roots. She could really clean up nicely and maybe she will get lucky and get sold to someone who will treat her with luxury. That lifestyle would more or less make her a mistress but that's about the best of a life she is going to get. Either that or a forced marriage and even those are questionable.

I hadn't even realized that I had started to run my fingers through her hair till she turned her head and looked over at me. I could see it in her eyes that all she saw in me was disgust and hatred. She just rolled her eyes and turned away from me. I, in turn, sighed and pulled out my phone to let my boss know that we will be there in just a few minutes.

---

Julie's POV:

I felt disgusted when I started to feel him play with my hair. I even shifted my body to make myself feel as if I was farther away from him when really I wasn't. Just his touch alone was enough to make my skin crawl.

"Go around to the back gate." I heard him say.

"No problem, Sir." I heard the driver say through the intercom.

I wasn't really focused on anything or paying much attention but when he said something about the back gate, I moved and looked out one of the windows.

A large modern mansion was visible to the side of the long drive. It looked like a house you would see in Beverly Hills, California but a whole lot more guarded and secured. The gate that ran along the front was tall and appeared to go all the way around the property. As we drove past the gate in the front, I could see guards stationed to check anyone who was to try to enter.

The car we were in, drove around the property till we were in the back, pulling up to the rear gate. Several guards walked around the vehicle and all the windows rolled down as they inspected the inside.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wright. Just one today?" One of them asked.

"Yes." Was all Dylan responded back with.

I jumped when I heard the trunk of the limo open and looked behind me through the window.

"Just a routine check," Dylan said to me and I sat back down in my seat.

The guard that was at the window was no longer there and was walking around to the other side of the limo. Everything about this felt unreal. It was something that you would normally see in movies and gangster shows, not real life.

Once the guards finished their check, the one who spoke to Dylan waved his hand to the guards in front and the gate opened. The sounds of the gate indicated it was strong and heavy. Not one that you could easily move with a car. I turned again and looked out the back window after we passed the gate and that's when I saw the spikes in the drive move upward. They really don't want anyone getting in if they aren't welcome. Those would definitely pop the tires of your car.

My heart was now beating harder the closer to the house we got. Regardless of how elegant it looked with its well-manicured landscaping and luxurious pool, it screamed power and danger. The only types of people who would live in a place like this surely had to be the mafia. I know I knew this but I guess I was hoping I was wrong. Really hoping.

The car pulled around to one of the many back entrances and the driver got out of the car. I watched him as he walked around the car to Dylan's side. His jacket moved just enough for me to catch a glimpse of his gun. I suspect everyone in this complex to be carrying a weapon or two.

Dylan got out of the car and before I could try to move away from him, he had a hold of my arm and pulled me out of the car.

"Trust me, there's no one here that will save you." He said as he started to walk me towards the house.

"I already figured that out," I told him with attitude.

We walked into the door and were quickly met with a long hallway with no doors. At the end of the hallway were two guards standing, one on each side of a lone door. They nodded to Dylan and one of them opened the door. It opened up to another long hallway but this time it was much darker and was lined with doors. We walked a few doors down before we stopped. He pulled out his keyring with several keys on it, flipped through it till he got to the right one, and inserted it into the keyhole.

"You will be staying in here until it is time," Dylan said as he walked me into the room.

"Will you be taking the ropes off?" I asked him, thinking that maybe if I had my hands free that I might be able to find a way out of here.

"I was planning on it." He told me as he walked around behind me and started to untie the ropes around my wrists.

"Trust me, you won't escape. There are guards all over the estate and they all know that you are here." He told me and I looked back at him in surprise.

"How do they know that I'm here or who I am or why I'm here?" I asked him.

"Because I'm the collector." He said and I just continued to give him a blank look.

"I collect people for the auction." He continued when he noticed that I was lost with what he told me.

As soon as he had my hands free, I took off towards the door. I know, it was dumb, and trust me, I was really wishing I hadn't reacted without a thought before running. He was quick in his movements and his hands pushed me hard in the middle of my sprint and I stumbled over my feet and fell to the ground. He grabbed me by my arm and lifted me up off of the concrete floor.

"You aren't going to last long if you can't just listen and learn from what people say." He told me and pulled me towards a narrow cot and sat me down on it.

"Wouldn't you try to get away if you knew you were going to be sold in an auction?" I asked him and he looked over at me.

"I would have enough brains and sense to know when a good time was to try to escape versus the wrong time. I would also take any advice I was given to survive even if that advice that was told to me was, do anything they ask you to do." He said and we both shared a moment of silence as we looked into each other's eyes.

I just nodded after the few seconds had turned into awkwardness and looked away.

"It shouldn't be long and you will be taken in to be cleaned up and put into a clean pair of clothes. I will be back then to take you to be inspected." He said and shut the door behind him and walked away.

I looked around the room, all in concrete with no windows. The door didn't have a window either. It was just a box with just this cot in it. No toilet or sink or anything. I was really wishing for something because let me tell you! I have to pee like crazy right now. I don't remember the last time I used the restroom but I was really wishing for that toilet even if it was out in the open.

I laid down and pulled my knees up to my chest and closed my eyes. I didn't know what to feel other than I couldn't let myself break down. I needed to stay strong and I needed to continue to be a fighter. I will do what he said, obey to my fullest but I will always look for that one chance to get away.

---

Just like he said it really wasn't all that long before the door opened and a guard with a belt with guns, walked into my room.

"Stand up." He said and I obeyed.

He walked over to me and grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the room. I didn't dare to say anything and I didn't try to get away either. He walked me down that same hallway that had all the doors but in the opposite direction of which Dylan brought me in. At the end of the hallway, there was another door that he opened. On each side of that door was a guard, just like the other door at the other end.

That room must be where all the captives are kept which explains all the guards. We walked up a flight of stairs that opened into another hallway. Once we got to our destination he walked me into the room. It was a pleasant-looking room. Looked like a dressing room in one of those wedding dress shops. It had a stool with mirrors in front of it, a place for your hair and makeup to get done, and a large rack full of clothes of various styles and sizes.

"Thank you, I will take her from here." I heard a feminine voice and looked in the direction of where it was coming from.

A middle-aged woman walked into the room. She wasn't any more my hero than the flight attendant was. Clearly not one that would help me out of here either.

The guard walked out of the room and shut it behind him.

"Now, let's get something that will fit you. Dylan doesn't usually bring back ones of your age." She said and it suddenly reminded me of what Dylan had told me, the younger I look, the safer I will be.

"Can you make me look younger?" I asked her and she looked at me in confusion.

"How much younger do you think you are going to look? You already have breasts, an hourglass figure designed for giving birth. There's only so much makeup can do." She said sarcastically.

"Dress me as if I was 14 or 15," I told her and she looked me over.

She walked over to the rack of clothes and pulled out a school uniform type of outfit that had a navy blue blazer, white button-down shirt, and a navy blue skirt. She walked over to a drawer and pulled out some kind of wrap and walked back over to me.

"Strip." She said.

"Can I use the restroom first? I haven't gone to the bathroom in over twelve hours...I think." I said as I looked away in thought as I tried to figure out how long it actually has been.

"You can't be alone." She said as she started towards one of the doors.

I kind of figured she would walk in with me and she did. I literally had to pee with her standing right there, watching to make sure I didn't try to escape. Once I was done, I used the sink to wash my hands and we walked back out to the main area of the dressing room.

She waved her hand at me to continue with the order she had given me. As she had requested, I started to get undressed. I wasn't ashamed of my body, I knew I had a body that most men would drool over but it still didn't make me feel any less uncomfortable. How could being told to undress in front of a total stranger so they could dress you appropriately for an auction not make you feel uncomfortable? I don't think there's anything she could do to make this feel any better. It's just going to get worse from here on out.

She took the wrap that she had in her hand and she started to wrap it around my chest, pushing my breasts down as much as she could with my large B cup size. She wrapped pretty tightly until she felt that she had squished them the best that she could. She handed me the uniform and I got dressed.

She walked me over to the vanity and had me sit down as she started to do my hair. Nothing fancy, just two french pigtails that rested to the front of my shoulder. She took a ribbon and then tied a small bow in each braid at the end. She did soft makeup and then took a brown eyeliner pencil and started to place little freckles around my nose area. She put on a soft shade of pink lipstick on my lips. She pulled out a pair of black buckle shoes in my size and a pair of crew-style white socks.

I put them on and stood up to stand in front of the full-length mirrors. I almost didn't recognize myself. I practically had no breasts at all, at least not ones that anyone would really notice. The bows in the braids with the style of uniform, socks, and shoes really made me look like I was in junior high, ninth grade at the most. The freckles and light makeup also appeared to take a few years off of my age. I was pleased with how young she managed to make me look with just a basic outfit.

Just at that moment, the door opened and I turned to look at who was there. Dylan was standing in the doorway, practically taking a double look at me. I couldn't tell with his expression if what he saw was a good thing or a bad thing.

"I think you just might be able to pull it off as being a younger teenager." He said and walked over to me.

"Not exactly the look I would want, even though seeing you dressed up like a schoolgirl does make me want to rip the outfit off of you." He said, causing my body to shiver in disgust.

He was not at all one that I wanted to touch me, not after knowing who he was and what he does for a living.

"Touch me and I promise you, I will cut your d**k off." I threatened him and he smiled.

"You're lucky I'm not the type to take you up on that. Be careful what you say around some of these sickos." He told me and another disgusting taste of bile filled my mouth.

He put his hand around my arm and pulled me out of the room and headed to our next destination.

"Remember, just because the person who buys you isn't interested in chopping you up into little pieces, doesn't mean they won't have some sick fetish. Those can almost be worse than being chopped up." He said as he opened the final door.

We walked into some type of office. There were a couple of guards along the walls and a middle-aged man sitting at the desk, staring at me with his hands folded in front of him.

"Julianne, this is Tony Straley, my boss."