board with her plan, she found it easier to convince the rest of the men.
“Sierra explained they’re using a modeling agency as a front to lure the young women. They sign a phony contract thinking they are going overseas to become fashion models for six months to a year, and then they’re immediately locked up and put up for sale,” Noah explained.
“Who thinks up something like this?” Sarah asked.
“This happens in my country,” Niko said. “We have many of our young women lured away and never seen again with this kind of trap. I never thought American women would fall for it. Our girls want better lives for themselves and want to be able send money to their families.”
“Sometimes it’s for the same type of reasons, Niko. There are plenty of families in America who are really struggling,” Cyrus defended.
“But you have to admit, a lot of these girls go into this with stars in their eyes. They want to become famous models or actresses,” Kali said. Cyrus nodded in agreement.
“Sarah, you asked who thinks to have girls sign up to be models and then sell them into slavery. Well it would be Labado’s right hand woman, Leslie Gordon,” Noah answered. “She has been working with him for over twenty years. She must have seen what was happening as his profits were taking a nose dive with the DEA busts, and wanted to help him shore up his business. This is her brainchild.”
“A woman is behind this?” Kali asked, aghast.
Noah put an arm around his petite wife. “Yes, she is.”
Kota spoke up. “I don’t like the idea of Annie doing this. But I didn’t like the idea of Kali going into the field last year either. I’ve had to learn to put my gut reaction to protect these civilian women to the side. Annie, if you feel like you can help put a stop to this horror, I’ll back you.”
“Well I won’t, she has no place in the field. She has no training, and she doesn’t have the team she needs to back her up, because everybody in Florida is spread too thin. The very idea is crazy. It’d be like letting Sarah go.” The room went deadly quiet.
“What did you just say, Cyrus?”
“I’m not taking it back Sarah. There is no way I would ever allow you to do something like this. I’m not ever going to mom and dad and tell them their baby girl is dead. It’s not happening.”
“It’s not your call to make. I will decide what chances I will, and will not, take.”
“Yes it is. I will decide what risks you’ll take, Sarah. What’s more, I’m not allowing Annie to make such a foolhardy decision either, and Noah will back me up on this. There is no way he will allow the mother of an infant to infiltrate a group making a bunch of women into sex slaves. He’s just not going to do it.”
Annie could easily see how Cyrus could lead task forces in Atlanta, but he sure didn’t know how to interact with his sister.
“Enough. Cyrus, you’re wrong. I’m going to listen to Annie. I’ll determine the best decision for the good of the team, and the innocents involved. Right now, we’re faced with a lot of shitty options. You’re right, I hate the idea of sending Annie into danger. But you want to know the truth? I think this is something, with a hell of a lot of planning, has a damn good chance of bringing down the whole operation.”
“Fuck, you can’t be serious.” Cyrus looked at Noah, and then around the table.
“He is serious, and if you could take your foot out of your mouth, and pull your head out of your ass, you could be a help instead of a hindrance,” Sarah said, as she nudged her brother with her shoulder.
“I’ve worked a lot of prostitution ring cases in Atlanta, and those can get really violent and abusive. I can only imagine this will be worse. Won’t you reconsider?” Annie looked into Cyrus’s worried brown eyes, and tried to give him a reassuring smile.
“I’ve made up my mind. You have to understand. I have a daughter of my own. I can’t imagine the hell the
“Sierra explained they’re using a modeling agency as a front to lure the young women. They sign a phony contract thinking they are going overseas to become fashion models for six months to a year, and then they’re immediately locked up and put up for sale,” Noah explained.
“Who thinks up something like this?” Sarah asked.
“This happens in my country,” Niko said. “We have many of our young women lured away and never seen again with this kind of trap. I never thought American women would fall for it. Our girls want better lives for themselves and want to be able send money to their families.”
“Sometimes it’s for the same type of reasons, Niko. There are plenty of families in America who are really struggling,” Cyrus defended.
“But you have to admit, a lot of these girls go into this with stars in their eyes. They want to become famous models or actresses,” Kali said. Cyrus nodded in agreement.
“Sarah, you asked who thinks to have girls sign up to be models and then sell them into slavery. Well it would be Labado’s right hand woman, Leslie Gordon,” Noah answered. “She has been working with him for over twenty years. She must have seen what was happening as his profits were taking a nose dive with the DEA busts, and wanted to help him shore up his business. This is her brainchild.”
“A woman is behind this?” Kali asked, aghast.
Noah put an arm around his petite wife. “Yes, she is.”
Kota spoke up. “I don’t like the idea of Annie doing this. But I didn’t like the idea of Kali going into the field last year either. I’ve had to learn to put my gut reaction to protect these civilian women to the side. Annie, if you feel like you can help put a stop to this horror, I’ll back you.”
“Well I won’t, she has no place in the field. She has no training, and she doesn’t have the team she needs to back her up, because everybody in Florida is spread too thin. The very idea is crazy. It’d be like letting Sarah go.” The room went deadly quiet.
“What did you just say, Cyrus?”
“I’m not taking it back Sarah. There is no way I would ever allow you to do something like this. I’m not ever going to mom and dad and tell them their baby girl is dead. It’s not happening.”
“It’s not your call to make. I will decide what chances I will, and will not, take.”
“Yes it is. I will decide what risks you’ll take, Sarah. What’s more, I’m not allowing Annie to make such a foolhardy decision either, and Noah will back me up on this. There is no way he will allow the mother of an infant to infiltrate a group making a bunch of women into sex slaves. He’s just not going to do it.”
Annie could easily see how Cyrus could lead task forces in Atlanta, but he sure didn’t know how to interact with his sister.
“Enough. Cyrus, you’re wrong. I’m going to listen to Annie. I’ll determine the best decision for the good of the team, and the innocents involved. Right now, we’re faced with a lot of shitty options. You’re right, I hate the idea of sending Annie into danger. But you want to know the truth? I think this is something, with a hell of a lot of planning, has a damn good chance of bringing down the whole operation.”
“Fuck, you can’t be serious.” Cyrus looked at Noah, and then around the table.
“He is serious, and if you could take your foot out of your mouth, and pull your head out of your ass, you could be a help instead of a hindrance,” Sarah said, as she nudged her brother with her shoulder.
“I’ve worked a lot of prostitution ring cases in Atlanta, and those can get really violent and abusive. I can only imagine this will be worse. Won’t you reconsider?” Annie looked into Cyrus’s worried brown eyes, and tried to give him a reassuring smile.
“I’ve made up my mind. You have to understand. I have a daughter of my own. I can’t imagine the hell the
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