They pulled into a baseball field parking lot just outside of St. Clair, Michigan, and everyone gathered in the larger RV to go over the plan.
"Derrick's brother and sister-in-law live on a farm a few miles from here." Mina explained. "They have four kids: three boys and a girl, Elizabeth. Liz is 17 or 18, and she was stunning when I last saw her. But, unfortunately, she doesn't have a lick of common sense. Smart girl, but put a wooden cutting board in the oven because, and I quote, "there's no fire! I didn't think it would burn!" Mina shook her head. "There are numerous other incidents, but that's the one I was in the room for."
"Derrick and his brother are often at odds. His brother thinks he should be able to move somewhere else, there's no land connection here, and he'd like to be closer to his twin, who is in North Dakota; he hates his sister-in-law because she has been slowly pulling the brother out of Derrick's web."
"What are their names?" Joe looked up from his note-taking.
"Sorry, William and Megan Talbot."
"So how are we playing this?" Eric asked.
"We will be taking Mina, who will be acting drugged up, and visiting them. We'll be showing them a picture of Mina with bruises on her neck that she sent me this morning, and explaining we're checking out the people he's offering as payment and will be sending along the information to Draco." Asher explained. "Mina will be watching for a chance to talk to the sister-in-law and tell her to take her family and run."
"We're going in at supper time, so we'll hopefully catch them off guard and all in one place." Les added.
"Alright, let's eat and then gear up."
They pulled up in front of the farmhouse just after five o'clock. Asher had sent Eric ahead to confirm all six were eating dinner, and when they got the confirmation, Joe and Eric entered through the back door, and Les and Greg entered through the front, wearing tactical gear and carrying handguns. Mina could hear the Talbots yelling and screaming and the guys telling them to sit down and shut up.
"We're secured." Les's voice came over the walkie-talkie.
"Ready Princess?" Asher grinned at her.
"I hope so." Mina blanked her face and followed Asher in.
"Mina?" Megan's voice was high and stressed. When Mina didn't respond, she started freaking out. "What have you done to her? Let her go!" Mina felt a pang. She liked Megan, and it hurt to cause her stress.
"Shut up." Asher snapped. He turned to Mina and stroked her cheek. "Go have a seat, like a good little pet." Mina nodded and walked over to an empty chair next to Liz, staring blankly at the table.
"Aunt Mina?" Liz whispered, reaching for her hand.
"She doesn't know who you are or where she is right now." Asher smiled and came over to Liz. "You're Elizabeth?" He put his hand on her chin and forced her to look at him.
"Get your hands off her!" William started to stand up, and Les put a heavy hand on his shoulder, forcing him to sit back down.
Asher smirked. "Forgive me. I should explain why I'm here." He paused and glanced at the three boys. "Joe, take the boys to the living room and find something for them to watch." Megan let out a whimper, and Asher raised his hand. "No harm will come to them; I don't think they should hear this."
William hesitated. "Boys go to the living room and put on a movie."
"But -" what looked like the oldest began to protest.
"I said go!" William glared at them, and they got up and filed out of the room, Joe close behind them.
"Thank you." Asher nodded and sat across from William. "I believe your brother Derrick was here a few days ago?"
William looked at Mina, still staring at the table. "What did you do to her?"
"She's fine, just a sedative to keep her compliant."
"Yes. He was here." Megan snarled. "What does he have to do with anything?"
"Derrick has gotten into some… trouble with some nasty people. He owes them four million dollars."
"What the hell?" William whispered. "How?"
"He strangled some very high-priced call girls to death." Asher pulled up some pictures on his tablet and held them up. It was a picture of Mina with apparent handprint bruises on her neck. "He has himself a bit of a strangulation fetish." Megan gasped and closed her eyes
"I told you something was off about him!" She hissed at her husband.
"Anyway. He has to come up with four million dollars or replace the call girls he killed. He's already given them Mina. I picked her up a few days ago. Fortunately for her, I've decided to keep her as my payment so she won't be sold into sex slavery. She's not very grateful though, so we keep her compliant." He reached out and pushed her hair back. "I'm sure she'll grow to love me one day."
"Why are you here?" William asked, looking sick to his stomach.
"Is it not obvious? Derrick has suggested your daughter as another replacement. I'm here to see if she's acceptable."
"Mom!" Liz started to cry.
"No!" Megan said faintly. "William, you can't let them take her!"
"Look, whatever that ass has gotten himself into, it has nothing to do with us! You can't just take our daughter -"
"Oh but I can." Asher cut him off calmly. "However, you have nothing to fear." He waved his hand and Les, Eric, and Greg left the room. "She's not acceptable. Come on pet, time to go." Mina nodded and stood up, swaying slightly as William and Megan ran to Liz. Asher turned his back and left the room and Mina grabbed Megan's hand.
"He's lying." She whispered. "Run. Hide. There will be others." She quickly dropped her hand and put a confused expression on her face as Asher came back, walking loudly.
"Mina! I said come!"
"Yes sir." She mumbled and went to him. He gripped her upper arm tightly and guided her in front of him.
As they left the room, Asher heard Megan tell Liz to go get her brothers and take them to pack a bag. William followed Asher and Mina.
"He just gave you Mina?" He was watching her sadly. "You're not going to hurt her are you?"
Asher paused. "Yes, he did, and believe me, nothing I'll do to her will come anywhere close to what he was doing and what Draco Consuelos had planned for her. She might be unhappy, but she will be undamaged."
"I'm sorry Mina." William said quietly as Asher led her firmly from the room. Mina looked over her shoulder and mouthed "Run!" Before stumbling out the door.