The Prize of Dysprosium

Chapter VII: Bribery and Blackmail and All the Temptations In-between

I know it's early because the sun isn't shining in through my window, not even the grey light that signifies a rainy day. Still I'm being shaken awake by rough and calloused hands.

"Go away," I groan and pull the covers up over my ear. I worked for the first time since Father George last night which I believe entitles me to sleep until noon.

"We have visitors," Barooba says. It's the second time she's been in my room within the past week.

"Tell them I only work nights," I mutter fully intended on going back to sleep. I have a bag of gold she can have if I don't make this week's fee.

"It's Miss Bronze," Barooba says which catches my attention. "She's here."

"Alle Bronze?" I say, my voice husky from sleep and Barooba nods. "Why didn't she call?" The number of the Cave is plastered on every lamp post in a three-mile radius of the White House, and then every second in the rest of the city.

"She did," Barooba says. "I asked if she wanted to reserve you for sex. When she said no I told her to go wrut herself. Then she reminded me she can still report the Cave for hiding her. I told her to come over."

I let that information sink in as Barooba leaves me to get ready. Without really having a choice I get up and put on a pair of jogging pants. I consider brushing my teeth but ultimately decide I can't be bothered. When I descend the staircase, I hear Alle's level chatter from Barooba's office. I also hear that Alle isn't alone.

"Why is he always shirtless," Ridder grumbles as I step inside and close the door behind me. I can't help but smile. He is right. He's never seen me wearing a shirt.

"If you don't like how my employees dress you shouldn't have come," Barooba says which shuts him up.

"He wouldn't let me come alone," Alle says with a sigh.

"Why not?" I ask and sends Ridder a ravishing smile. "We don't bite unless asked."

"Yeah, I know, but after the segment everybody are running wild thinking their secrets aren't save with the prostitutes. And I can imagine your client base has grown," Alle says and looks at me. I scrunch my eyebrows and she shakes her head in surprise. "Haven't you noticed how inquisitive your customers have become?"

I don't answer. I've only had one single customer since the interview aired, and that was the regular who cries and insists on rubbing my shoulders. But from the tightening in Barooba's shoulders I realize that Alle must be right. Maybe the others have even confided in the owner of the Cave about how many questions their customers have begun asking, and maybe even how to please them when they don't know what to answer. I absentmindedly wonder if Garmen gets the same questions. If she does she haven't told me.

"Yes," Barooba answers finally. "It's bad for business."

"Oh please," Alle snorts and rolls her eyes. "Your brothel is probably making more money than ever before, and it's all thanks to you," she says and looks at me. "Which is why I don't see any reason not to make a second episode of Secrets of Our Leaders. It is, after all, supposed to be a show."

She's just so effortless in sliding from one topic to another, as if she was born with words instead of blood in her veins. As if it's all a part of some grand strategy. It's both admirable and intimidating at the same time.

And I'm considering it. I have a whole ocean of stories, and then there is this burning exhilaration, this new-found sense of power when I hear my own words quoted back to me by Carrie-Ann or Quills. But Barooba cuts through before I can accept or decline anything.

"No," she says shortly. "Too big a hazard, I can't risk it leading back to this place. No."

"I thought you might say that," Alle says with a small well-placed smile and looks at Ridder who, after only a little hesitation, brings out a tiny zip lock bag with something resembling silver inside it. If this is their attempt at bribing Barooba after giving her bags of pearls and gemstones, Alle is seriously falling behind.

"This is the periodic element Californium in its purest form," she says as she carefully takes the bag from Ridder and holds it out so it gleams in the light. "It's usually highly radioactive, but this plastic is specially designed so no chance of cancer as long as you don't open it. The street value is 25 million pr. gram, give or take a few hundred thousand dollars. Am I getting it right?" Ridder nods. He's looking as if he wants to grab the small plastic bag, throw Alle over his shoulder and just run. "This is 0,3 grams, which means it's worth-"

"7,5 million dollars," Barooba says, and I can't help but exclaim a laugh at the high number. No wonder Ridder looks uncomfortable – his father is the Minister of Economic Growth, and now he has been convinced to bring a fortune to a brothel and then offer it to us in exchange of a story. He probably doesn't even believe I'm telling the truth.

"You're kidding me," I say too loud.

"You have no idea how much the starving girls story has done," Alle says with an intensity only she can produce. "You have no idea the impact you've had. I know that for you, buying a few bodies and being incognito about it isn't cause of any real worry, but the Government and the rich and us luminaries, we live in a whole different world." Then Alle turns to Barooba. "You know Noah knows how to cover his own tracks, nobody has even mentioned your brothel with so many others in the country. Isn't that right love?"

"Yes," Ridder croaks.

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Barooba asks.

"I can't make you believe anything," Alle says. "I can only tell you the truth and hope you'll consider my offer."

She falls silent as she lets Barooba think the ordeal through, but the owner's eyes are too drawn to the small silvery bag.

"Fine," she snaps after a moment to my surprise. "If Noah agrees."

I stop short. Never in my life has Barooba asked if I wanted a job or not. You take what you can get, and you don't question who you're sold to. That's it, that is my life.

"Before you answer," Alle says and pulls out another bag which I immediately recognize as another bag of gold identical to the one in my closet. It has the same bulge, the same weight. "I was thinking this might wage in on your decision?"

I reach out and she puts the bag down on my hand. It feels heavier than the other, but then again – I haven't used any of this gold yet.

"When and where do you want me?" I ask, mimicking my own question from the last time we sat in this room together.

"Tomorrow," Alle says. "Same time and place. We are riding a wave right now, we might as well build on it."

"I suppose I'll see you then," I smile and rise to show the luminary and the Minister's son out. Ridder heads straight outside into the morning fog as fast as he can but Alle gives me a small wave before she leaves. I turn around to Barooba, expecting a reprimand of some sorts although I've technically done nothing wrong. Instead she just sighs as if she's a very tired woman.

"You're exempted from kitchen duty today," she says and closes the door into her office, effectively ending any conversation we might have had. And so, I am left alone.