WhilewaitingforReyainthecar,JunidlylookedupinformationabouttheRedLantern.Whathefoundmadehisstomachtighten.
Twogirlswhohadonceworkedtherewerelistedinthemissingpersonsdatabase.
Ofcourse,thatalonewasn''''tenoughtomaketheoeeofthegirlshadbeenanundotedimmigrant,theotherarunaway.Withnolegalstatus,nomoney,andurnto,theirchoiceshadbeenpainfullylimited.Apartfromwalkireets,woffthebooksataeserestaurant—waitingtables,washingdishes—wasohefewwaystheycouldstillearnaliving.
Thereweretoomanyyoungwomehemdisappearinginthiscity''''sshadows.Forthoseyoungwomenwithoutfamilysupport,withoutasafety,yetstillprettyenoughtodrawattention,thesocietyseemedtoofferendlesswaystthemdownward.
Itmightbeginharmlessly:afreemeal,aparty,adress,asparklingbracelet.Thehegifts,theluxurycars,themansions.Thatwasthegmorousversion.
Moreoften,itstartedwithsomethingassimpleasasmallloan—anewphone,alimited-editionhandbagthatftteredhervanity.Thehemaxed-outcreditcards,theipilingupfasterthanshecouldbreathe.
Ahetrapfinallysnappedshut,therewasalwaysa"friend"willingtohelp.A"goodguy"withajoboffer.An"opportunity."
Oothatabyss,andtherewasnoingback.
Junrolleddownthewindowanddrewinaslowbreath.Theairwasthick—exhaustfumestahthegreasysweetnessoffriedfood.Acrossthestreet,awomaninheavymakeupandashortjacketcaughthiseye.Shetuggedthehemofhercoat,adjustedherheels,andsauowardhim.
Hewasstilldeghowtowaveheroffwheeppedoutoftherestaurant.
"Ugh,I''''mdeadtired."
Shestretcheddramaticallybesidethecar,armshighoverherhead.Thewomanacrossthestreetpaused,watg.Junleanedoverandpushedopenthepassengerdoor.
"Haddi?"heasked.
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