We were all nervous when we approached The Club and were very glad to see the dark figure lurking in the doorway of the building next door. As we approached Jon stepped out of the shadows and took Kane by the arm, guiding him around the corner to a door half way along the street, leaving Riz and I to follow.
The door led to a set of stairs which opened out into a surprisingly pleasant flat. There was a large spacious living room with two floor to ceiling windows dominating the far wall. One corner of the living room was an open plan kitchen appointed in black laminate and granite surfaces.
There were a number of miss matched chairs and sofas and colourful rugs on the polished wood floor. It looked as though there were more than one person living here because of the clashing styles, but it was comfortable, warm and welcoming.
Jon motioned them to sit and went into the kitchen to pour himself a shot of brandy. Although he asked, none of us was interested in a drink.
As he was settling himself in a chair in front of the window, facing us, one of the many doors which led off the room opened and a young man entered, his hair tousled from sleep. He was rubbing his eyes and practically naked. Noticing us he froze and raised his eyes to Jon.
"It's okay Ben, just some friend. Go take your shower, we won't be long."
Ben was staring at me, his eyes wide. He glanced up at Jon again and then back at me. He was very young, very sweet and very frightened.
"It's alright Ben. Don't involve yourself. Just shower." Jon's voice was surprisingly gentle but it didn't seem to have any effect on Ben, who still looked terrified, so much so he was starting to shake.
"You... Who... who are you?"
"I'm..."
Ben shook his head as if he was afraid of my answer. "You... you look... you look like..."
A lightbulb went off in my head. Of course; Nye and I look very much alike.
"You know my brother, I suppose. Aneurin... Nye?"
Ben opened and closed his mouth a few times, and shook his head then, almost as if a switch had flicked he seemed to draw himself up.
"Nye is my friend. He's everyone's friend. Are you going to save him? Please... don't let Adam..."
"Ben! That's enough. Go take your shower."
Ben jumped, startled, although Jon's voice was still calm and affectionate. Then he nodded and scuttled off.
"Well that was touching. What was it all about?"
"As Ben said... Nye was everyone's friend."
"Was?"
Jon shook his head, annoyed at himself and at my reaction. "You have to understand that it is... different for us. We live in a different world and it's hard for people on the outside to understand. Most of us are here completely consensually... we do what we do because we want to."
"Most of you?"
"There are always exceptions. In many ways it's a brutal world and it's easy for people to get... lost, especially when our stock in trade is pain. But they really are the exceptions." He turned introspective. "Or so I always thought."
Looking up, directly at me Jon went on, eagerly as if almost desperate for my understanding. "You have to understand that... people come to us for all sorts of reasons... because they are curious, because they want something different, because they have already started walking down this path. Many of them have no real idea what they are getting into until they start training. When they do they often freak and have to be... carefully handled. A lot of the time they 'seem' to be doing things against their will but they keep coming back and in truth they want more.
"Also there are some people who want to be abused, there are those whose fantasies involve violence and rape. We cater to them all and sometimes it's hard to tell if the resistance is real or not."
"How old is Ben?"
Jon looked startled by my question but he answered freely. "He's a couple of weeks short of his eighteenth birthday."
"And he's 'trained'?"
"He's in training. It's not complete."
"And he is tortured and raped and abused?"
"Sometimes."
"How can a seventeen year old truly consent to that? Oh I suppose it's not illegal but... he's a child. How old was he when he started?"
"Sixteen."
"And is that the youngest you take them?"
"Here yes."
"Here?" I shuddered. "Alright. I don't want to know. Just tell me about Nye."
"Look... one thing you should be aware of. These kids are mostly runaways who have been abused most of their lives. They are brought to this life... or worse ones... by people they meet on the streets. Pretty boys are very much in demand out there and one way or another they are going to get fucked.
"Here we offer good training, and not just in how to take a beating, but in all the intricacies of the world including things like aromatherapy, massage, business skills, literacy, computing, electronics... a lot of useful skills. The most important lessons they learn is how to keep themselves safe. They get a warm clean room, plenty of food and there is a strict no drugs policy. They are taught self defence and they are protected."
"From everyone but those who pay well eh?"
"That's different. No one is forced to do anything they don't want to do."
"So how do they pay?"
"What do you mean pay?"
"For the training. If they are street kids with no home, no job, no money how do they pay for the training, the accommodation... how do they pay?"
"They have to work... behind the bar here or in other clubs, driving, cleaning, all sorts of things and yes... if that is what they want, once they are trained enough... they provide sex to clients. But it is safe... they are protected both health wise and with muscle if things go wrong. We pick our clients carefully and we are very careful with hygiene and safe practices. There's no point turning up your nose at this... it happens everywhere and at least here they are well cared for."
