Heather and half-listened as the two men fell into a contest of wills, bargaining for the sale of the hostages. Yes, she decided, the general would like this one, once she is washed and properly dressed. Samkit had seen the general buy women before. It was only a matter of establishing the price.
But the old man knew the value of his goods and was a relentless bargainer. Finally, he pounded his chest, insisting that the price Chiang was offering would never compensate him for the loss of his son who was killed by a sniper bullet during the transfer of the hostages. “What price is my family?” he wailed. But Chiang would go no higher. The old man ripped Heather’s wrap away and stood back, letting them all see the naked girl. Then he stripped the other girls. “They are all worth much more,” he insisted.
Chiang rose from his chair and circled Heather. “Are you truly Senator Courtland’s daughter?” he asked in English. Surprise crossed Heather’s face when she heard Chiang’s English accent. She nodded dumbly.
The old man’s face was impassive, but he could sense Chiang’s interest. He stroked her arms and made her skin ripple. “She has the most beautiful skin,” he said, “Very smooth and tight, without a blemish.” Besides being a shrewd broker, the old man was a gambler. He knew the price would tumble if Chiang spread Heather’s buttocks and saw the tattoo. But it was a chance he was willing to take. He lifted one of her breasts and let it fall. “Very firm. She is a rare beauty.” He touched the nipple that had held the diamond earring and pushed it in. It popped back out.
Chiang ran a hand over Heather’s body feeling her skin tone for himself. “Please open your mouth,” he told her. She did as she was told and he held her chin, smelled her breath and examined her teeth and tongue. Then he circled DC and repeated the examination. He gently wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he promised. He gave Nikki Anderson a quick inspection. Heather saw his face stiffen when he touched the two gold rings that were still dangling from her breasts. For thefirst time since she had been taken captive, Heather started to think.
“This one is of little value,” Chiang said and the hard bargaining started. The old man kept referring to his dead son. Finally, Chiang said, “You have other sons, but in his honor, I will make one last offer.” The old man knew Chiang had reached the limit he would pay before cutting his throat and taking the hostages by force. The deal was quickly done and Chiang agreed to pay him 7 million baht in gold—$280,000—for the five Americans.
While the old fisherman waited for payment, Chiang beckoned to the three servants in the alcove. “Samkit, take them to their rooms and have those two dress for dinner.” He pointed at Heather and DC. Then he spoke to the guards, who led Troy and Ricky away to a different part of the compound. Samkit picked up Heather’s wrap and handed it to her. Then she led the three American girls into the villa.
“Is your name Samkit?” Heather asked. “Do you speak English?” Samkit nodded in reply. “Who is that man?” Heather asked when they were well away from the men.
“General Chiang Tse-kuan,” Samkit answered.
“What were they doing back there?” DC asked. “I felt like a piece of beef at a cattle auction.”
“General buy you,” Samkit told her.
“No way,” DC protested.
“He buy all of you,” Samkit repeated. “You do what he says now.” She led them through a set of beautiful rooms in the house and into a huge and airy bedroom with a canopied bed. She motioned to a large and modern bathroom where they could hear the sound of running water. “Two hours,” she said and pointed at Heather and DC. “You be ready.”
“Ready for what?” Heather asked.
“To do what general says.” Samkit could not credit how dense the Americans were. She walked into a huge
But the old man knew the value of his goods and was a relentless bargainer. Finally, he pounded his chest, insisting that the price Chiang was offering would never compensate him for the loss of his son who was killed by a sniper bullet during the transfer of the hostages. “What price is my family?” he wailed. But Chiang would go no higher. The old man ripped Heather’s wrap away and stood back, letting them all see the naked girl. Then he stripped the other girls. “They are all worth much more,” he insisted.
Chiang rose from his chair and circled Heather. “Are you truly Senator Courtland’s daughter?” he asked in English. Surprise crossed Heather’s face when she heard Chiang’s English accent. She nodded dumbly.
The old man’s face was impassive, but he could sense Chiang’s interest. He stroked her arms and made her skin ripple. “She has the most beautiful skin,” he said, “Very smooth and tight, without a blemish.” Besides being a shrewd broker, the old man was a gambler. He knew the price would tumble if Chiang spread Heather’s buttocks and saw the tattoo. But it was a chance he was willing to take. He lifted one of her breasts and let it fall. “Very firm. She is a rare beauty.” He touched the nipple that had held the diamond earring and pushed it in. It popped back out.
Chiang ran a hand over Heather’s body feeling her skin tone for himself. “Please open your mouth,” he told her. She did as she was told and he held her chin, smelled her breath and examined her teeth and tongue. Then he circled DC and repeated the examination. He gently wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he promised. He gave Nikki Anderson a quick inspection. Heather saw his face stiffen when he touched the two gold rings that were still dangling from her breasts. For thefirst time since she had been taken captive, Heather started to think.
“This one is of little value,” Chiang said and the hard bargaining started. The old man kept referring to his dead son. Finally, Chiang said, “You have other sons, but in his honor, I will make one last offer.” The old man knew Chiang had reached the limit he would pay before cutting his throat and taking the hostages by force. The deal was quickly done and Chiang agreed to pay him 7 million baht in gold—$280,000—for the five Americans.
While the old fisherman waited for payment, Chiang beckoned to the three servants in the alcove. “Samkit, take them to their rooms and have those two dress for dinner.” He pointed at Heather and DC. Then he spoke to the guards, who led Troy and Ricky away to a different part of the compound. Samkit picked up Heather’s wrap and handed it to her. Then she led the three American girls into the villa.
“Is your name Samkit?” Heather asked. “Do you speak English?” Samkit nodded in reply. “Who is that man?” Heather asked when they were well away from the men.
“General Chiang Tse-kuan,” Samkit answered.
“What were they doing back there?” DC asked. “I felt like a piece of beef at a cattle auction.”
“General buy you,” Samkit told her.
“No way,” DC protested.
“He buy all of you,” Samkit repeated. “You do what he says now.” She led them through a set of beautiful rooms in the house and into a huge and airy bedroom with a canopied bed. She motioned to a large and modern bathroom where they could hear the sound of running water. “Two hours,” she said and pointed at Heather and DC. “You be ready.”
“Ready for what?” Heather asked.
“To do what general says.” Samkit could not credit how dense the Americans were. She walked into a huge
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