Chapter 1
Vanburdens voice echoed through the apartments amplified smartphone system. His thick Texan drawl was deep and warm with a hint of corny cowboy charm. He was calling to extend his now regular invitation for Steadman to join him at one of his 'get togethers' 'just me and a few of the boys' he said matter of factly.
Steadman felt a little uneasy listening to the Casual manner of the invite. He was tempted to connect with the caller and make some kind of excuse before declining the invitation . He had a mental flashback to the last 'get together' just thinking about what happened gave him an embarrassed flush, if anyone had been in the room His uneasiness would have been quite apparent. He was relieved when the call ended and the apartment fell back to its orderly silence.
Steadman sat quietly considering what to do about this latest invitation. He'd been telling himself why he really should cut back on attending Vanburdens little parties. The obvious reason being it could compromise his position at the Ministry for Regeneration Assessment, or department RegA. As it was more commonly known. As the ministries lead assessor Steadman was well aware of the importance of his position and why people like VanBurden and his business LifeGiver would want to try and influence him. These parties were to buy favors, he knew that, but he wasn't the only one being wined and dined, most of the guests where in the same business. He chose to tell himself that he was there to do some networking and to catch up with some old friends.
His position at RegA was too important for him to risk being compromised As the senior assessor he was responsible for making the final recommendation on who would and who wouldn't be granted the life re-affirmation protocol. Or as he was described in a particularly over the top tabloid article once, as the new age Jesus, the LifeGiver’s, the man with the power to decide do you deserve to be brought back from the dead.
Steadman knew that invitations like these were a perk of the job. Some people he knew liked to take advantage of the opportunities He on the other hand usually avoided contact with most of the schmoozers wanting his company . With Vanburden however it was different, maybe it was his hokey cowboy charm, or the fact that his parties were what you might call eye openers.
As corporate client control director for 'LifeGiver' the private life regeneration fund. He had Carte Blanche to show his guests a good time. His VIP party list was usually an eclectic mix of science, celebrity and of course the bizarre. Steadman had come to realize he liked bizarre in fact the more bizarre the better, and that scared him and that's why he was sitting alone in silence thinking.
Steadman was one of an elite group of decision makers who where described again in the tabloids as the movers and shakers in new life regeneration. Vanburden and his company LifeGiver was part of a multi layered business consortium that had invested heavily in the field of regeneration. They courted Steadman and his cronies for their power to grant approvals and licenses. All regeneration research was strictly controlled and monitored. Authorizations had to be obtained before any form of regeneration. And iit was Steadman who gave the final say on a life giving protocol.
Their was nothing they wouldn't do for these chosen men and particularly someone as influential as the head of RegA. Nigel Steadman
It was this over the top generosity that had always made him hesitant about attending. They called it a 'get together' but it was so much more. After reluctantly showing up at his first party and seeing so many familiar faces, It made it an easy decision to say yes to the next few phone calls from Vanburden. It's work he told himself. That was at first.....
A constant refilling of his glass meant he'd lost track of how long he'd been at the party. He stood unsteadily cupping his drink and watching the X rated floorshow amongst a crowd of familiar faces. He smiled when he heard a voice he recognized shout, mother of god I've seen everything now a girl two guys and a son of a bitch monkey were does Vanburden find these freaks
Steadman looked around the room like some superior voyeur, he told himself that tonight he was only here to observe nothing else. He acknowledged the nods from a few Regen, business acquaintances A waiter approached and without asking replaced the glass he was holding with another one full of vintage brandy. He accepted the drink without comment, he was trying to act bored and disinterested he’d turned his back to what was now becoming a very explicit floor show, but the roar of the crowd made it hard not to turn and watch, and he was soon engrossed by the spectacle before him. He was both excited and shocked in equal measures by what the quartet of performers were doing all in the name of entertainment. Of the family variety this certainly was not.
I'm surprised she can walk he heard someone say. Steadman watched for as long as he dare, before deciding it was time to move on and look for some other less guilty pleasures.
Vanburden seemed to have a sixth sense for these kind of things and as if by magic appeared at Steadmans side with a very young oriental looking girl.
you ready for some fun now, he said, one arm draped around the young girl the other holding a bottle of expensive looking Brandy he took a big swig then roared with laughter, before announcing
Steadman meet Fun
he presented the girl to him then took a step back and began laughing even harder Steadman looked hesitantly at His host unsure how to react, he felt clumsy and didn't know what to say or do, so Vanburden took the initiative and stepped forward and placed his arm around the pretty but petite looking girls shoulders. Sensing Steadmans reluctance he whispered cheerfully under his breathe relax amigo she's legal.
then resorted to his booming voice again even seen her papers He laughed loudly then took a swig from the bottle and deliberately topped up Steadmans glass, before continuing.
She looks so sweet because she bathes in asses milk every day, and then without warning spun her round and lifted her skirt. She wore no underwear, he bent her over to show off her nakedness more fully, the girl didn’t resist
see what I mean he stroked her flesh take a look at that ass he growled lasciviously then roared with laughter again then spanked the girl hard, which made her flinch before straightening her up and spinning her round then guiding her into Steadmans arms. The girl without hesitation draped herself over him then drew him towards her snd began seductively kissing his neck. . At first he wanted to recoil and to push her away, but he hesitated and feeling her warm body separated by the most flimsy of dresses and the warm intoxicating smell of her perfume he allowed himself to be entwined by the girl Vanburdens watched for a few seconds then roared again look at you two he cooed, before pulling a swig from the bottle he was holding. Steadman was no longer listening the girl was drawing him towards one of the sofas like a moth to a flame, he allowed her to push him down before she straddled him then began kissing him again
Enjoy your Fun….shouted van burden through a wide grin, their was no reply, so he watched them for a few more seconds before turning away. In that instant it was if a light switch had been flicked the smile was gone and a stern eagle eye scanned the room before picking out his next target. Then the switch flicked again. The eyes sparkled the smile returned. Jonesy he shouted you son if a bitch get your ass over here. From nowhere another young girl appeared she stood silently next to him, and waited whilst he threw his arm around the man
Jonesy he bellowed how about having some fun.
When Steadman woke his head was throbbing he was alone in his own bed he didn't know how he gotten there it scared him that he couldn't remember. He reached to the bedside table and searched around for some pain relief tablets he fumbled with the packet which spilled its contents onto the floor he managed to find a strip which he shoved into his mouth. He chewed at the edible packaging then swallowed the dry powdery beads. The pain left his head immediately but he still had a nervous churning in his stomach he felt scared, he felt like something might have happened last night, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember anything.
He lay in bed for long time trying to remember but it was no good. He remembered arriving at the party he remembered Vanburden asking him would he like to have some fun and then blank. He eventually decided to try and think about something else so he limply raising his hand and waving it like a wand at the TV wall before it flashed into life. He heard the familiar opening bars of LifeGiver - Second Chance the hugely popular regeneration show. The booming anthem pierced his ears, before the excited cackle of the presenter announced
Welcome to LifeGiver
This was followed by a Deafening round of applause from the packed stadium crowd the sense around sound amplified the noise and made the bedroom quake Steadman felt like he had been catapulted into the center of the crowd he waved his hand furiously to Change channels and the sound immediately subsided and was replaced to the more Somber tones of the news anchor Walter Cronkite as he reported the top news story of the morning
A grim discovery over on the East river this morning. The mutilated body of a young girl had been found, have an on site report coming up...
Steadman stomach took another role and his head began to throb again To be continued... |
