“Now Agent Janson… tell me what your orders were.”
Caroline heard the words spoken and yet somehow failed to understand them at a concious level. It was like he was talking directly through her instead of too her and her lips parted and spoke without her concent.
“I was ordered to investigate the club for any illegal activity, especially drugs and prostitution.” her voice echo in the small VIP room.
She was still staring at the strange device with the pulsing light that he was holding up in front of her. It seemed to sap her entire strength, both physical and mental, forcing her to stand there without moving or even blinking.
“And have you found any?”
Her head slowly nodded as she spoke again, “Yes… the coat check girl is selling various soft and hard drugs to the patrons and dancers… and as far as I can tell all of the dancers are selling sexual favours to anyone who asks.”
She’d only been working at the club for a few days, but it was all out in the open, no one was trying to hide anything.
“Alright, have you made a report to your superiors yet?”
This time her head nodded side to side, “No. My first check in isn’t until Sunday.”
“Good. Alright let’s set a few things straight. First of all, there is nothing illegal going on in the club. You suspect there might be something, but you currently have no evidence so need more time. When you report in on Sunday, this is the report you will give… understood?”
Her brow furrowed as the words sunk deep into her mind, “Y…Yes… nothing illegal… no evidence… need more time.”
“Good. Now second, you said that all of the dancers at the were selling sexual favours, correct?”
Her head nodded again, “Yes.”
“And you’re a dancer at the club, correct?”
Her brow furrowed again but her head nodded, “Y…yes.”
“Then that means you’re selling sexual favours at the club, correct?”
Her brow furrowed even more as she tried to resist the flashing lights but they seemed to become more intense as a shiver ran through her body.
After a moment she could hold out no longer, “Yes.” she replied flatly as a cascade of changes rolled over her mind.
Caroline blinked several times as Ivan came into focus in front of her, “Hey Betty, Chuck said you wanted to see me?” he asked.
She rubbed her forehead and shook the cobwebs from her brain before replying, “Uh, like, yeah.” she managed to get out.
Betty was her stage name, Betty Cocker, as terrible as it was. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to hear it for much longer, once her investigation was done she’d purge it from her memory forever.
Unfortunately said investigation wasn’t going all that well. She hadn’t seen any signs of illegal activity even if her gut told her it was going on all around her!
“So, what’s up?” Ivan asked.
“Uh, well, like, I was hoping to get some more shifts… ya know… at night?” she replied.
Ivan smiled and nodded, “Well, you know only the best dancers get the prime nighttime shifts. If you want some of them you’re going to have to show me you can perform.”
“Like, of course! Just tell me what you want me to do.”
“Alright… I have a friend coming in this afternoon… he’s kinda picky about the dancers he takes to the VIP. I’ll point him out to you and if you can convince him to take you back… for let’s say an hour… I’ll give you some nighttime shifts. How does that sound?”
A shiver ran through her… an hour… she’d never managed to keep a client for more than twenty minutes! She was going to have to go all out to keep him interested for an entire hour.
But if that was what it took to crack the investigation open… well, she’d do it!
“Ok, like, deal!” she replied and then bounced her way out of the VIP room towards the main floor. Perhaps she could find a couple of clients to practice on before Ivan’s friend arrived and she could figure out what it would take for a client to spend that kind of money on her.
