Queen's Gambit Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Put me through to Balthazar,” she said into her cell phone. “I don’t have a directive number just put me through to him,” She continued. “Then you can tell him I’m not doing his little side project, he can get someone else.”

“Josephine,” he said with a chuckle. “Sorry to make you wait.”

“Don’t patronize me, and I’m not doing your little job. You and I both know these girls won’t be up to the challenge.”

“Now, now, don’t be so pessimistic. We already have a facility set up for you to use, where you will meet the girls exactly one week from today.”

“And what do you suggest I teach them? I can tell none of them have had any kind of training, and the average attention span of children is 30 seconds these days. I’m sure your efforts have yielded you plenty of candidates that will be better than these three.”

“I don’t care what the raw materials look like Jo, you only need to teach them how to survive; just like you were taught.”

“Like I was taught? You ripped me from my family when I was a little girl! These girls have had great lives so far, can’t you just leave them be? Or at least let them choose, they shouldn’t be taken from their beds too,” she said as her voice cracked slightly.

“No. They have been chosen, and they will soon understand many of the things that you do. I know it’s not fair, but destiny never takes your opinion of fairness into account. Be there in seven days,” he said as the line clicked and hung up.

She threw her cell phone into the seat beside her as she drove down the highway in her rented car. This whole thing was wrong. How was she going to teach three girls to not only play the game, but try to win?

Then there was the matter of teaching. Where to start? Obviously there was going to be physical training, but what about strategy? Who knew if these girls were intelligent enough to understand what was about to happen.

XXXXX

That weekend Savanna wanted to do something nice for her girls, so she took them all to a spa to have their hair and nails done. Esme and Stella were very excited to go, but it wasn’t exactly how Lena had wanted to spend the afternoon. Their mom thought it would be a great way to celebrate the end of the term and let the girls do whatever they wanted to their hair. Esme got red highlights, and Stella got blonde highlights. Lena opted for a simple cut but surprised everyone when she suggested they all get massages.

The following Thursday, the girls got off the bus for the last time. It was their last day of class and they were ready for the weekend, and summer to begin. The day had been odd, overcast and began to rain heavily that afternoon which was odd for the middle of May.

Lightning cracked across the sky as they made it home as fast as they could from their stop. They pushed open the front door to a dark house and walked inside shaking out their hair.

“Told you we should have taken this today,” Esme said taking an umbrella from the container by the door.

“Well maybe you can be a weather girl then people will care what you say about the weather,” Lena said making a face.

A light in the living room clicked on followed by a voice none of them had heard before. “Good afternoon ladies,” a voice said from the armchair. The noise startled the girls so much they began to scream hysterically.

“Whoa, who the hell are you?” Lena screamed as she lifted the umbrella over her head. The other two ducked behind her instinctively, not sure what was happening.

“What are you doing in our house?” Esme screamed from behind her.

“Ladies, please calm down. There are some important matters I need to discuss with you right away. Please sit,” he said gesturing to the couch across from him. The girls stood in fear, rooted to the same spot, not saying a word, hardly daring to breathe.

The man grew impatient at their lack of cooperation and snapped his fingers. Immediately two very large men grabbed the girls from behind and forced them forward towards the couch. Lena took a swing at one of them with the umbrella but he grabbed it a tore for her hands without a problem.

“Sit, I won’t ask again,” the man said menacingly. The girls sat on the couch huddled together in the space meant for two people, varying looks on their faces. Esme was scared, her eyes were half closed and she gripped Lena’s arm like a vice. Lena was furious, not liking that her only weapon had been taken from her so easily. Stella was clinging to Lena’s arm too, but the look on her face looked less scared and more of someone who didn’t understand the reason for what was happening.

“Congratulations! You have all been chosen by destiny to participate in something that will change you lives forever!” he said, completely different in tone than he had been before. This tone was happy and he had a creepy smile.

“Whatever you want to take, just take it and leave us be,” Lena said with a shaky voice.

“Oh I’m afraid it’s not about what we want, it’s about whom,” he said. “We need to take the three of you for a short time I’m afraid. You’ll all be participating in a tournament that will define your life from here on out.”

“And if we refuse?” Stella asked quietly.

“Unfortunately you don’t have the option to refuse. If you refuse we will simply take you, we have the power. If you do not participate we will kill your parents, simple as that.”

The girls let out small gasps, knowing that this strange man meant business. “You’re a monster,” Esme said, still cowering behind Lena’s shoulder. She knew they had no choice.

“No, I’m not a monster, I’m just a man who gets what he needs by any means necessary,” he said with an evil grin. Stella began to cry in quiet sobs and Esme had tears coming down her face. “Now girls, don’t be that way. This doesn’t have to be wholly unpleasant. Come with us right now, and your parents will remain safe, I swear.”

Lena pushed herself up to her feet, anger burning in her eyes. She wanted to take another swing but knew it wouldn’t do any of them any good now. She helped the other two get to their feet. “Can we change clothes at least?” she asked motioning to their wet clothes.

“You have five minutes and not one second more. I suggest you bring clothes that are easy to move in and durable if you can manage it. Oh, and if you have a favorite shirt or something unique to you, bring that too.”

Lena grabbed her sisters by their wrists and led them up the stairs as fast as she could. Five minutes wasn’t much time. She told her sisters to change into something comfortable and to bring a light jacket, not knowing where they were going to be taken. Stella moved quickly, understanding what she needed to do and went to her closet to grab some clothes. Esme, on the other hand, stood in the hallway with a look of utter shock on her face.

“Esme, come on, we have to move,” Lena pleaded with her.

“Why is this happening to us?” Esme whispered. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Come on, we can’t put mom and dad in danger, so we need to do what they say. You don’t want anything bad to happen to mom and dad do you?” Esme shook her head. “Then get some good clothes cause we may not be able to change for a while.”

The girls each found a pair of jeans, running shoes and a jacket and headed back downstairs. The men were already waiting, and they led the girls out the door and into the rain. A black van with darkened windows pulled up to the curb as they reached it.

The girls huddled together on the backseat; the windows of the van had been blacked out making it impossible to see where they were going. One of the men informed them that it was going to be a long ride and that they should get some sleep while they could. Lena moved to the middle of the seat and set her sisters’ heads in her lap. She decided right then that she would protect them as best she could, or die trying.

XXXXX

Josephine stepped into the factory that had been converted into a training area for her use. Thick rubber mats had been spread over the floor, ready for combat training. There were beds and a small chest of drawers against one wall and weapons on the opposing side. A stove, a table and refrigerator had been brought in and put in a corner, obviously they were not meant to leave the building. Though not luxurious, everything they would need had been provided, but that was the least of her problems.

She knew that however the girls were going to get to her was going to be traumatic for them. Balthazar wasn’t one for subtlety or lying. He took what he wanted, the way he taught her to. Then there was the problem of getting them to trust her before they would start taking what she said seriously. She only had four weeks to get them ready, it was going to be close.

In seven days she had only been able to come up with three things that needed to do for the girls. First she was going to have to teach them to fight. Hand to hand combat was essential for every candidate especially since most matched came down to it. Secondly she was going to have to help them find their identity. Not knowing who you are at your core makes it difficult to fight, and when the time came it would define the path they would be able to walk. Finally she would need to teach them to harness their chi, their life energy that they would use to fight.

She dressed into her workout clothes and decided to get a warm-up on the punching bag before the girls arrived. She set into a fighting stance a laid into the bag. As her fist and feet took turns hammering the bag, she was reminded of her own training days so long ago. She remembered being taken from her family, the pain it caused her making her angry. Then she remembered the smug look on Balthazar’s face, making her angrier. She became so focused on the bag that she didn’t notice the rain outside, or when the girls were led into the room.

“What is this?” she said angrily as she turned around to see the girls being led harshly by their arms. The rage in her mind and adrenaline in her veins caused her to act out of character.

“These are your students Josephine,” Balthazar said with a crooked smile.

“And look at the state you brought them in! They’re soaking wet and the look on their faces tells me you took them!” she said walking towards them, removing her gloves. “Get your hands off them!” she said as she shoved the men who were escorting the girls.

“This was not part of the agreement Balthazar!”

“There was never any agreement Josephine, and it’s not my fault if you were under the impression that there was one. Your job is to get them ready; I suggest you get to it. Come, we must leave now,” he motioned to his lackeys.

“Don’t forget you only have until the end of the summer,” he called behind him.

They men left swiftly, slamming the door behind them. Josephine turned around to get a look at her new students, now huddled together, shivering from the rain. This first night was going to be the worst.