FIFTEEN
Tested
Teresa and I were playing volleyball against Marta and Gregorio. Despite the fact all four of us sucked, we were playing hard, dripping sweat, and were covered in sand. A game didn't last long because we were so bad, but after a couple of games, we'd decided to spice up the matches by electing to play the best three out of five... with an adult twist. The games had started with the four of us wearing swimsuits, but each time a team lost a game, one of the members had to remove an article of clothing. First team to lose all three pieces of clothing lost the match. Gregorio and I were already nude, Teresa only had on her top, and Marta her bottom. This was the fifth and final game because one of the ladies was going to lose their last piece of clothing. Because Gregorio and I were playing hard, I don't think any of us doubted that when this match was over, the ladies would join us in a new match, one where it was boys against girls, where sucking was considered a good thing.
Teresa had just slapped me on the ass for scoring a point on Marta when I noticed Valencia approaching across the lawn. Marta and Gregorio noted we were watching past them and turned to see what Teresa and I were looking at. Gregorio tossed the ball back over the net to me, but I didn't setup to serve.
"What does she want?" Teresa murmured under her breath.
"Marta... Anders... come with me," Valencia growled, seemingly more pissed off than normal.
Marta and I glanced at each other. "Both of us?" Marta asked, her confusion obvious.
"Yes, so come on. Voice is waiting."
We glanced at each other again before we moved to the grass, picked up our swimsuits, and put them on. The moment I finished tying Marta's top, Valencia pirouetted on her toe and stomped away.
"What's her problem?" Marta whispered as we followed.
"Seems like she's always this way to me," I murmured in reply.
"Yeah... but today she's worse than normal."
We followed Valencia until we popped out from behind the concealing greenery, and I could see the main house. She stopped and pinned Marta with a no-nonsense look. "Go into The Room. Voice is going to explain the game to you." Valencia turned her attention to me. "Follow me."
As Marta continued to the house, Valencia moved smartly away, leading me into the grass. I followed her as she led me to the very back of the lot and into the corner where there was a large expanse of open grass. Six men were waiting, three looking uneasy, three others standing almost at attention, their faces impassive.
She stopped eight to ten feet from the men and spun on me. "You were holding back with Víctor," she said, her voice hard. "Why?"
I shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"
"I want to know why you didn't break his arm. You had the chance. Twice."
"Because there was no reason to. I made my point."
She held my gaze a moment. "I'm not sure he'd have given you the same courtesy." I shrugged again. "Before you were invited here, we looked into you," she said, switching to English. "I know you trained at TTS and then went to work for ORSS."
"Yeah... okay? So?" I replied, also in English, when she didn't continue.
"Why'd you leave TTS? ORSS seems like a step back."
"ORSS offered me more money."
She continued to hold my gaze, perhaps searching for a lie. "Virgillio said you seemed to be able to handle a weapon. I watched the video and agree." She paused, but I waited her out. "You seem very well trained to be just a security guard."
"Like I told Virgillio, some of the places I've been, you'd better know what you're doing. You know, places like Mata de Juárez. I was there one day, minding my own business, fucking this whore, when a couple of goons tried to jump me. Maybe you heard about it?"
For the first time, a tiny smile cracked her lips. "Yeah, I may have heard something about that. You clearly have some skills, so why are you here? Why--"
"You told me to follow you," I said, speaking over her.
"Don't be a smartass. You have a DPT from the University of Texas. You've clearly got enough skills to do more than guard gas wells, so why are you?"
"Look, when I graduated, I was up to my ass in student debt. I went to work for TTS, then ORSS, to start making a little money. I still had my residency to go, and that doesn't pay shit. In case you didn't notice, I'm not a doctor," I said as I made tick marks in the air on the last word. "Working for ORSS I was making as much money as I'd have made after I finished my residency. I figured I'd work for ORSS a few years, pay down some of my debt, bank a little money, then go back, do my residency, and then settle into my career."
She was quiet a moment. "And now? Here?"
"Voice made me an offer I couldn't refuse."
She continued to hold my gaze. "Pussy and money?"
I scrunched up my face as I rocked my head side to side. "The money, mostly. The pussy... that's just a benefit."
"So, it's all about the money?"
I grinned. "Yes... but the benefits package isn't bad either." I paused, but when she didn't say anything, I continued. "Why don't you tell me why I'm here... and what they're doing here?" I asked with a jerk of my head toward the goon squad.
She said nothing for a moment before she turned her attention to the three men that looked anxious. "These three assholes," she said, switching back to Spanish, "were discovered drinking on duty yesterday. The only reason I didn't kill them on the spot is because they weren't intoxicated... yet." She turned her attention back to me. "Voice has left it up to me to determine their punishment... so I've decided you're going to administer it."
"Me!" I squawked. "Why me?"
"Because I want to know more about you. I have a feeling there's more to you, Mr. Kraten, than you show. Therefore, I've decided that you're going to punish these three men for me, and I'm going to watch."
"Not going to happen," I said firmly.
"Yes, Anders, it is." She turned her attention back to the men. "You three should consider yourselves fortunate that I'm feeling generous today, so I'm going to give you a chance to redeem yourselves." She jerked her head at me. "Kick this man's ass. If you can, whatever lumps you receive in doing so is all the punishment you'll receive. You fail..." She let the implied threat linger in the air.
"No. I'm not doing it," I snapped.
"Then that will be most unfortunate for you."
"Fuck you. I want to talk to Voice. He said I didn't have to do anything I didn't want to. He won't like it if I can't compete in a couple of weeks because I got the shit kicked out of me."
"That only applies to his game, but very well, if that's what you want. He's given me a free hand in this matter, and you speaking to him will change nothing."
"And if I get my ass handed to me?"
"Somehow, I don't see that as likely... but if it happens, I'm sure Voice will understand. I won't let them injure you, not severely."
