Chapter 1

We planned to all meet later at La Corniche at the Four Seasons Hotel; for now, those that could were here at Casablanca’s Tit Mellil Airport. Every effort had been made by us to use a regional site and stay away from anything international, less scrutiny you see.

The last to arrive caused the most stir; Sam was not alone. His, “What was I supposed to do; leave her there?” caused a bit of a push.

The ‘her’ looked a bit worn. She could not have been more than 14 or 15; but very tall, thin also, blond with bluish eyes and looked more French than anything else.

“She followed me here, so can I keep her now?”

That got a bit of a laugh from those assembled. George, Marcel, Danielle, Viktor and Petris were with me. I’m well, it doesn’t matter, it was Sam who was under the microscope now; or was it his sidekick?

“I found her on the Rock.(Gibraltar) Say hello Mon Ami.”

“Bonjour, je m’appelle Michelle!”

That was all she said but now gripped Sam’s arm to her small body tighter than before.

“See, what was I supposed to do? Leave her for some other Perv to take. I had no option; so we ‘borrowed a fast boat’, got past any coasties and, voila, here we are.”

All started nodding their heads. Sam looked for a bit more sympathy than that.

“Now what are you doing to do, Sam?” Dani asked.

“Well I figured one of you would...”

“Whoa tiger! No one needs any slaves, this may be Morroco but what we don’t want is...!”

Pete broke in “a millstone around our chest.”

“Neck!” from George.

“That too!” from Viktor.

“Though she is kind of cute, with clean new clothes, a bit more meat on her bones and wash her up and...”

“Always the Frenchman Marcel. Never ignores a pretty face.”

Meanwhile Michelle just looked at Sam and Sam just looked at Michelle. “Enough jokes gang, seriously, what am I going to do with her?”

“Go to Nice, keep her naked, get a pension (A small apartment) to live in and no one will even ask anything. She will fit right in with the summer crowds. You and your, Ahem, young wife can then go...”

“Very funny you guys! Hell, really what am I going to do with her?”

Danielle’s “Slot A into Slot B then in 9 months...”

“I can learn to hate you Dani. Get serious.”

“I am, In France girls even younger than her are married, even have babies. No one will bother a pregnant mother. In time, you and your six kids will blend right in.”

I gave her a look.

“What, you want to blend in, you need a cover, she needs looking after so, you both win. It’s not like you can’t afford a wife or three, you cradle robber you.”

“Hey, I’m not like Mufti, I will only have one wife not three.”

“So tell me why this would not work? She’s not chopped liver, obviously she likes or at least trusts you and she would not be here if you already did not have something like that in mind when you took her with you.”

‘Yep!’ I can’t fool Dani.

“I’ll need papers for her, she probably needs a school. We need a place that’s year round, her papers and records need to be in order, a ton a stuff to do.”

Michelle must know some English since at Sam’s last remark she held his arm tighter and rested her head on him; a look of contentment on her face; or was it a smile?

Dani scooted over and spoke with her in French. Twenty or so minutes later, “She knows some English, Nice would be great she said. She is 13 almost 14, was on holiday in Malaga when taken but does not care to go back home, problems there with a Step father she said. Dani rattled on about how Michelle would be a good wife, knows how to cook already and, “Sam; she likes you.”

Sounds like problem solved, Right?

By mutual agreement today’s ‘opportunity’ was called off. It was too much like ones that we all knew had gone South. In Africa that usally meant a change in Dictators, an excuse not to pay the Mercs was found or the mine conglomerate deciding not to pay after-all. Any serious client knows to pay at least half up-front, any less raises doubts. This one had ‘no pay’ yet.

Back to more pressing issues, Sam’s problems were now just beginning. Michelle cleaned up too well, even leaving Casablanca Sam had three offers for her and nothing even identified her as a slave.

What choice did he have? When he looked into her eyes, Sam had his answer to that question. None. It was the same feeling he had when he first saw her. It was a 10 hour flight back to Durban, seemed longer.

The almost 70,000 MAD(Rand) ($7,300 USD) for two Business class seats which was more than double the regular fare but the UAE flight in Business was more like the First Cabin on other carriers; besides he had some experience, pleasant ones, with UAE. It would be a good experience for Michelle too, and there were not any questions she would have to answer leaving Morroco from The Emirates crew being with him with or without a collar.