CHAPTER 24
Having finished her chores for the morning, Polina followed Branson down the stairs to the dorm and stood by while he unlocked the door. He held the door open long enough for her to enter, his expression dour as always, then closed and locked it again. Polina noticed the girls gathered in a group near the far end speaking excitedly in Russian—not the customary broken English they had adopted since being brought here. She sensed that something serious must have happened and ran over to join them.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Katya said, “Nina said she overheard Master telling Mr. Branson that we would be leaving soon!”
The expression on their faces told Polina that there was more to this news—that it wasn’t good news.
“But we aren’t going to be allowed to go back home,” Nina cried, her shoulders heaving uncontrollably. “He told Mr. Branson that we were going to be sold again!”
Polina’s felt her knees grow weak. “Oh, no! Please tell me this isn’t true—I miss my family so much! I thought we were only to be here for six months then get to go back home!”
“That’s what we all thought, but it was lie!” She turned to Nina. “Are you sure he didn’t say where we would be going?”
“I couldn’t hear what he said after that. I was cleaning the foyer bathroom and heard them as they walked by. They must have forgotten I was in there.”
“Shit!” Sveta cursed in English. “I knew this was going to happen. I knew that they have been too nice to us all this time. They have just been using us and now they’re going to ship us to a whorehouse like the others!”
Polina said, “No Sveta, that can’t be true. Master has promised that we would never come to any harm. He would never let them do that to us. He likes us too much!”
Katya said, “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Polina. I know that most of you trust him but I never have. There’s something very scary about him—something that he’s been hiding from us all along. I mean, how many old men have this many young girls live in their house just so they can take pictures of them posing as ballet dancers? This is the craziest thing I’ve heard! There’s more to this than he’s told us. And now it’s all going to come out.”
“I’m scared!” cried Sveta, who was the youngest of the girls at twelve. “I don’t want to stay in this country any more—I want to go home!”
Katya took hold of the girl’s hands and squeezed them firmly. “Don’t cry, Sveta, we’re not going to let them sell us—we will escape instead!”
“Yeah, sure. And how are we going to do that, Katya?” Nina said. “We’re locked in here all day and night except to do photo shoots and the chores. He has video cameras all over the place. There’s no way!”
“All I know is that I’m not going to be sold into prostitution like the older girls! I would rather die trying to escape any day!”
Polina thought of her sister and wondered for the hundredth time where she might be. She had tired to convince herself that Elena was okay, that they hadn’t harmed her since separating them in Germany. But somehow she knew that hadn’t been the case. She and Sveta’s older sister had been sold to pimps—there was little question in her mind.
“I am with you, Katya,” Daniela declared. ”If what Nina heard is really true, then we must assume that we are not going to get another job like this. We are going to be sold to men who want us as their whores. Master has known this all along, I am sure of it. We must get out of this place before it’s too late!”
“Okay, let’s think about this for a minute. Before we try to escape we need to find out how much time we have. That way we can start making our plans. Can anyone think of a way we could find this out?”
“We could try to get Master to tell us next time we see him. Just ask him how much longer we will be here and see what he says,” Daniela suggested.
“That is the dumbest thing you’ve ever said, Daniela!” Katya chided. “Like he’s going to give you one straight answer to such a question!”
“Maybe it’s not so dumb,” Nina said. “I mean, why not try it? The worst he could do is refuse to answer.”
“That is true,” Polina said. “Master has always answered our questions before, as long as he knew the answer. Maybe we should just see what he says.”
“Okay, we’ll give it a try. But know that if we aren’t careful and he starts getting suspicious, we will never have a chance of getting out of here.”
“Okay then, so who wants to be the one to ask him?” Olga asked.
“Polina, why don’t you do it? He likes you the most.”
“That’s not true!”
“Of course, it’s true—you just don’t want to admit it! I can’t tell you how many times he’s told me that you are the most talented one here and says things like ‘why can’t you do that like Polina’s doing?’ The man adores you!”
Polina blushed. She hated being the center of attention and all five girls were now staring at her expectantly.
“Okay, I’ll ask him. But when shall I do it? I’m not sure when I’ll see him again.”
“I’ll bet you’ll be seeing him sooner than any of the rest of us will. You’re the only one he’s still photographing, in case you haven’t noticed,” Katya said.
“That’s true—he hasn’t shot anyone but Polina in the last three days,” Sveta said.
“That doesn’t mean he’s going to shoot me again anytime soon. You know, I have a feeling that he’s done with what he wanted to photograph us for now that I think about it. He’s been doing less shoots in the last week or so. This is beginning to make sense now.”
“Exactly. That’s why we must move fast. We can’t wait until another shoot to ask him. Let’s think of a way we can get him by himself and talk to him. Anyone got any suggestions?”
“One of us could say she’s not feeling well. He’s always been concerned about things like that,” Polina said.
“That’s good! Then you’ll be the sick one!” Nina said.
“Oh, okay. So how are going to let him know I’m sick?”
“Let me tell you how. You will work on making yourself sick looking and I’ll beat on the door until someone comes. We need to make this convincing and serious. I know—tell him you’ve become blind! That all of a sudden you can’t see anything—that will get his attention!”
“Good idea—we’ll pretend that I stood up, got really dizzy then realized that everything all of a sudden got real blurry. He’ll think I’ve had a seizure or something!”
“Great! Okay, let’s all get in our places. Polina, you sit on your bed and the rest of you stand around her. I’ll go beat on the door.”
Once the girls were in place, Olga ran to the door and started beating on it with both fists.
“Help us! Polina can’t see!” she shouted. “Please, I think she’s gone blind!”
Olga kept beating until the door opened a few moments later.
“What’s all this racket about?”
It was Mr. Branson.
“It’s Polina, sir! She seems to have suddenly gone blind! Is Master around?”
“Let me see the girl,” Branson said.
Nina frowned as Branson brushed past her and went over to where Polina was sitting on the side of her bed.
“Now what seems to be the trouble here, young lady?”
“I, uh, can’t see. I was starting to stand up then suddenly I got all weak and the room started spinning. The next thing I know is everything got blurry. Now I can’t see anything!”
Branson held up two fingers. “How many fingers do you see?”
“None—I’m blind!” Polina cried.
“Why, this is most unsettling. Perhaps—”
“What is going on here?” Master said from the doorway.
“It seems this youngster has gone blind. At least, that’s what she says,” Branson said.
Master walked over and looked down at Polina. “What has happened, Polina? Is it true that you can’t see?”
“Yes, Master. I can see nothing—I’m so scared!”
Master made a clicking sound with his tongue and gently placed his hands on Polina’s shoulders. “Now, now let’s not get all excited. This is probably only a temporary thing. What were you doing when this happened, child?”
“I stood up and almost collapsed and realized I couldn’t see anymore.”
“Okay, let’s get you to the kitchen where the light’s better. I’ll take a look at you and if we need to, we’ll get a doctor here. Come along now.”
He took the girl’s hand and led her out of the room. Branson joined them as they made their way to the kitchen. The Collector helped Polina into a chair at the table, leaned down and peered directly into her face.
“Branson, bring me a flashlight.”
Branson went over to one of the drawers and returned with a maglight. He handed it to the Collector. He turned it on and shone it into each of Polina’s eyes.
“Pupils are responding. Can you see this light at all, Polina? When pupils constrict like this, it suggests that the eyes are working properly.”
The light was nearly blinding her. “Uh, yes, a little,” she replied, straining to keep her eyelids open against the harsh glare.
“Excellent. The fact that your pupils are constricting and dilating properly indicates that this is probably nothing serious.”
Without warning, he made a motion like he was going to strike her with the back of his hand but stopped himself just short of her cheek. Polina whipped her head backward to avoid his hand.
“What—!” she screamed.
At that moment, Polina realized that her little act had failed.
“Just as I thought,” the Collector declared knowingly, his smile forced. “There isn’t anything wrong with your eyes, Polina. You’ve been lying to me, haven’t you?”
The girl nodded her head slowly.
“Branson, please leave us now,” he told his assistant.
“Very well, sir,” he replied.
The Collector waited until Branson had left the room before speaking again. “And why, may I ask, have you lied to me?”
Polina hesitated, her head spinning.
“Come on, girl, tell me the truth!” he demanded.
“I, uh, was supposed to try to get your attention so I could talk to you,” she said barely audibly.
“Okay, so now you’ve gotten my attention. What would you like to talk about?”
“Um, we were sort of wondering how much longer we’re going to be here.”
“I see. And why are you all of a sudden asking me this now?”
“No particular reason. Just happened that way.”
“Are you lying again? You know it’s not nice to lie, Polina.”
“No, I swear! I’m not lying!”
“I see. What if I told you that I know exactly why you decided to ask me this now?”
Polina could feel her heart racing now. Master was standing very close to her, almost touching her, and his face was right in hers. He was grinning in an odd way.
“Uh, what do you mean, Master?”
“What if I told you that I heard everything you girls talked about this evening in your room? And that that isn’t the first time I’ve heard your childish rantings and ravings?”
“But how could you?” she asked, turning away.
He placed his hands on either side of her head firmly and forced her to face him.
“Let’s just say that I have my ways of knowing everything you girls are doing in that room. And that I haven’t missed a beat since the very first day you arrived here.”
Shit! she thought. Their room had been bugged all this time!
Polina was speechless. Her mind raced back to moments ago when they had all began plotting this ill-fated plan. Master had heard and maybe even seen everything that had happened! Then her mind went back to earlier that day, to yesterday, to last week, to last month—
He had always known their every move!
Suddenly she realized that the girls’ worst fears were real. They were not going home. They were never going to see their family or friends again. They were not going to ever be safe again.
They were all going to be sold as whores.
“Please, Master—don’t sell us to pimps! You promised!”
“Now Polina, there’s no reason for you to fret. I really don’t know where you got the notion that I am going to sell you into prostitution. Your little friends are simply being paranoid. Have I not always given you girls the best treatment since you’ve been here?”
“Yes, you have.”
“Then why would I suddenly subject you to something as appalling and heartless as that? I care too much for you—all of you. I’ve gotten to know you and I’ve grown very fond of each and every one of you. So I want you to go back to your room and tell your friends what I just said. Okay?”
Polina forced a smile, but it was a weak one. “Okay, Master.”
He kissed her gently on the lips—not on her cheek. It was a lingering kiss that lasted much too long.
“There, do you feel a little better now?”
She visibly shuddered as her face flushed. She barely managed a reply. “Yes, Master.”
She wanted to spit in his face; let him know how gross and disgusting he was. Whatever this strange man got out of all of this—the ballet lessons, the posing, the make-up, the meticulous sets, all of those pictures he took—she had no clue.
All she really knew was that in some way it was evil. That he was evil.
Master walked her back to the dorm, opened the door long enough for her to enter then closed and locked it behind her. The girls rushed over.
“What happened?”
“Did you find out when we get to go?”
“What did he say?”
Polina brought her finger to her lips in a hushing gesture and looked around the room. She peered up at the ceiling, in search of a hidden microphone or video camera. The dorm had a dropped acoustic ceiling that always looked out of place with regard to the rest of the mansion. The other ceilings were either vaulted or ornate in some way, not low and plain like this one.
She motioned for the girls to huddle around her. She kneeled down on the floor and whispered.
“This room is wired! And that means he has always been able to hear and maybe even see everything we’ve ever said or done in this place!”
“We are so stupid!” Nina cried. “There are video cameras everywhere else in this house, so why wouldn’t they be in here as well?”
“But you can see those cameras,” Katya said. “If there are any in here, they’re hidden!”
“This is why we need to find them and destroy them now!” Polina exclaimed.
“But he’ll know if we do that! He will be very angry!”
“I don’t care if he’s angry,” Olga said. “He has no right to eavesdrop on our every conversation and watch us get ready for bed! “That’s why he never touches us—he probably watches his videos of us and plays with himself!”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Daniela said.
“He just told me that he isn’t going to sell us to pimps and that I was to tell you that. But I don’t believe him—especially now that we know he’s been spying on us! So I say we find those cameras and microphones and get some privacy!” Polina said.
“I’m with you, Polina,” Olga said. “Let’s do it!”
The huddle broke and the girls spread throughout the room. They looked under the beds, in the closets, in the bathroom and everywhere else that was within reach. But after ten minutes they had found nothing.
“We need to check the ceilings,” Nina said. “But they’re so high up.”
“Let’s stand on a bed and boost the smallest girl up. Okay, Sveta?”
“Okay, but please don’t drop me!”
“We’ll start in the rear and work our way forward,” Katya said. “But we need to hurry. He may be watching us right now!”
She led the group t
o the back of the room. “I’m the tallest so you guys help me get Sveta up on my shoulders.”
The girls managed to lift up Sveta and position her bare feet on Katya’s shoulders. Polina and Daniela helped spot the girl as Katya grasped her ankles to keep her from falling.
“Push up that ceiling tile and look around!” Polina said.
Sveta gingerly pressed up on the acoustic ceiling tile and was able to stick her head through the opening.
“Nothing up here. Can you guys turn me so I can see in the other direction?”
Katya carefully rotated her body until Sveta was facing toward the front of the room.
“Hmm. I don’t see anything here—just a bunch of wires where the lights are stuck into the ceiling. And there’s some vent things like for the heat.”
“Okay, let’s go to a bed that’s closer to the lights,” Katya said.
They chose a bed centrally located in the room and boosted Sveta up again. She looked around a moment and then suddenly gasped.
“I see it!”
“What do you see?”
“A camera! It’s right there by the light thingy. It’s angled downward toward the room!”
“Can you touch it?”
“No, it’s too far. I need to get closer.”
They inched Sveta down and then she pointed at a light fixture in the ceiling.
“It’s right up there—you can almost see it from here!”
All of the girls went over and stood under the light fixture. Near the edge, they noticed a small hole cut out that was nearly obscured by the framework.
“So it’s true! Master has been spying on us all this time!” Daniela cried.
“Not for much longer, he isn’t,” Nina declared.
The girls assumed their positions on top of another bed. Sveta was able to lift up the ceiling panel nearest the light fixture just enough to slip her hand through it. She struggled with something for a moment then gingerly pulled out a small video camera, mounted on a tiny tripod. There was a tiny red light flashing on top behind the tiny lens. A cord was plugged into its side.
“It’s got this wire running out of it—I wonder where it goes.”
Katya said, “It doesn’t look like it’s for power—more like the kind of wire you hook up to a computer. Here, hand it down to me if there’s enough cable, Sveta.”
Sveta pulled out enough cord to enable her to hand down the camera to Katya. The girls looked it over and discovered that there was no sign of a memory card or tape in the camera. There was a small hole near the lens that probably served as an opening for a tiny microphone.
“My father used to work at a television station. I think this is what they call a closed-circuit camera,” Nina said.
“Closed-circuit? What does that mean?”
“That the camera is hooked up to a video monitor somewhere else in this house. That’s why we don’t see any tape or anything in it.”
“So all we have to do is unplug it,” Polina said.
Nina pulled out the plug. “Yes, just like that!”
The girls laughed nervously then stared down at the camera.
“He is going to kill us, you know,” Daniela said.
“Not without a fight. Now we can do whatever we want, but we don’t have much time. So how can we get out of this place? Anyone have any suggestions?”
The sound of the door opening stunned them into abrupt silence. The Collector stepped inside and cleared his throat. His expression was grave.
“I’m afraid the party’s over, girls. I should have known you would do this but I wanted to think that you would be sensible instead. But fools that you are, you have defied me. And now you are going to have to pay for it.”
“Please, Master! We’re sorry!” Sveta cried. She grabbed the video camera out of Nina’s hand and ran over to him.
“Here’s the camera! You can hook it up again. We don’t care, just please don’t hurt us!”
The girl was sobbing hysterically. The rest of the girls simply stood there, dumbstruck and frightened.
The Collector snatched the video camera out of Sveta’s hand, looked it over, then hurled it as hard as he could against the floor. The sound it made as it broke into tiny pieces was horrific.
“I don’t give a fuck about this camera, kid! What I do care about is how you girls could turn on me like this. And after all I’ve done for you. You have had a good life here this past six months. I have fed you, clothed you, coached you in dance and asked for only one thing in return: to allow me to photograph you. And this is how you thank me?”
The girls ran over to him in unison.
“We are so sorry, Master! We appreciate what you’ve done for us and we are very grateful, aren’t we girls?” Daniela said.
“Yes, we are!” Nina said. “The only reason we did this is because we are afraid of what you are going to do after you’re through with us. We’re afraid you’re going to sell us instead of letting us go back home.”
The Collector gently patted Daniela on the head and gestured for all of them to sit down.
“I’m going to say this one time and one time only. I would never sell you girls to anyone who would harm you. In fact, you are not mine to sell in the first place—I’ve only been renting you for your services. Someone else actually owns you. And it will be up to that person to decide your fate once I let you go. So you see, it’s actually out of my hands.”
There was a moment of silence as this sank in.
“So you lied to us!” Polina shouted. “You said that we would be going home after this was over. Now you’re saying you don’t know where we’ll be going or what we will be doing!”
The Collector stared at Polina for a moment, a look of pity in his eyes. “I’m afraid I did mislead you into thinking that, yes. But had I told you the truth, you would have been totally unable to model effectively for me. Don’t you see—the only reason you girls have been happy and able to perform for me all of this time has been the prospect of going home afterwards. Wouldn’t you rather find out the truth now instead of before? That would have made your time here absolutely unbearable!”
“I hate you!” Polina spat. She turned around and walked away.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Polina. You know that you’ve always been my favorite. You have more talent than all of these girls put together! In fact, I have been considering keeping you indefinitely if you’re interested. You could keep modeling for me and not have a care in the world. What do you say?”
Polina stopped suddenly and spun around. “Get fucked, old man!”
The Collector laughed heartily. “Fine, I will take that as a ‘no.’ Sorry, Polina, but it looks like you’ll be going to the same place as the rest of your friends are going. Where ever that may be.”
He took one final look at the girls, turned around and left the room, making sure to lock the door behind him.
The girls burst into sobs.