“Here’s the deal, girls,” Mike said. “I’ve been trying to figure out how much money you’re making in the bordello. I’m still not sure but it’s not more than ten euros a day, average. Anybody disagree?” he asked, looking at Katya.
“I’ve made more than that,” the blonde said, sadly. “Is that what you’re going to be paying us.”
“You’ve made more from time to time,” Mike said. “And I’m talking about after your split to the house. But on average, you don’t. There are days when you don’t have any customers. So. What I’m doing is paying Yakov ten euros per day to, well, ‘rent’ you. But you’ll be earning thirty euros a day, working.”
“That I can live with,” Katya said, raising one shapely eyebrow.
“Yeah, I bet,” Mike said. “However, besides what you’re experts in, you’ll be expected to act as general house help and hostesses. There are going to be about twenty people staying here for several months. We can get help from the Keldara for cleanup, especially heavy cleanup, but you’re going to be doing some of that, for sure. Notably, room cleaning of the visitors, making beds, things like that. Then there’s being general party girls. You’re getting paid a flat rate, don’t go fishing for tips,” he added, looking at Katya who raised her eyebrow again.
“Room and board will be provided; there’s no kickback. And the board will be better than at that fleabag you’re staying in. On the subject of fleabags, you know how I am about vermin; don’t get a lice attack started. Shower every day, check yourselves for lice and treat yourself as needed. If you suspect bedbugs, see Mother Savina and she’ll work on it. If you see fleas, expect a major assault. This place is clean, now, keep it that way.
“Your rooms aren’t particularly pretty,” Mike continued. “And you don’t have much in the way of possessions. There are some magazines around that have room furnishings, pictures, things like that. There are others that have clothes, including lingerie. I’ll set up two funds. Each of you will be allowed to order from the magazines to the limit of your funds each month. The first month you’ll have about six hundred euros, apiece, to buy things for your rooms. Those will be staying. You’ll also have about five hundred euros to order clothes. Shipping will not be included. After the first month it will go down a bit to two hundred for stuff for the room and two hundred for clothes. If you don’t use one month’s, it rolls over to the next. But use it or lose it; when you leave you don’t get what’s left to have as cash.”
“For that I will gladly stay here for some time,” Katya said, raising an eyebrow. “What about jewelry?”
“That falls into the clothes budget,” Mike said. “Anything you’ll be leaving with.” He looked at the girls and shook his head. “I’m going to rename you all. Expecting troops to keep up with Katya and Illya and Latya will just be too tough.” He turned to Latya, a young brunette, and pointed.
“Flopsy,” he said, then pointed at Illya the slightly “older” all of sixteen, brunette, “Mopsy, and…” he looked at Katya and smiled. “Cottontail. I know you are.”
“Very nice,” Katya said, smiling thinly. “A nursery rhyme?”
“Something like that,” Mike said.
“What about me?” Inessa said, raising an eyebrow and ducking her head coyly.
“Bambi,” Mike said. “She was a good friend and so are you.”
“Bambi,” Inessa said, wrinkling her brow. “I like that.” One of the things Mike liked about Inessa was her simple approach to life; as long as she didn’t have to think too hard, she was happy. That and the fact she could suck a golf ball through forty feet of cheap garden hose, kinks and all.
“Okay, go get settled in,” Mike said. “All of you except… Cottontail. I need to talk to her.”
When the others had filed out he looked Katya squarely in the eye.
“Katya, you’re one hard, cold bitch,” Mike said, frowning. “And you’ve been a pain in the ass to everyone who’s tried to keep you. You know it and I know it so don’t deny it.”
“I won’t,” she said, raising an eyebrow and looking at him coldly.
“I don’t have time for it,” Mike said. “I’m going to have enough on my plate as it is. I’d put you in charge of the girls, except you’d make their lives more of a hell than you already have. And I won’t have it. I want happy young ladies in this house, or at least a semblance of it. You’ve got two choices, a binary solution set as they say in math. You can go with the flow for while you’re here, or I’ll put you down like the rabid bitch you are. I won’t beat you, I won’t rape you, I won’t make you clean the floor with your tongue. I’ll put a bullet in the back of your head and dump you in a grave. Am I clear?”
“Yes,” Katya said, with a voice like ice.
“But I’ll throw you a bone,” Mike said. “What do you want in life?”
“What?” Katya asked.
“What do you want?” Mike asked. “You’re smart; you couldn’t be as dangerous as you are without being smart. So you’ve got to have an idea what you’d rather have in life than this. What is it?”
“I never want to spread my legs for another man,” Katya said.
“Can’t oblige you right now,” Mike admitted. “I need you. But how are you going to do anything without spreading your legs, have you thought about that?”
“Yes,” Katya said, warily. “I need to go to school. Get a job.”
“You’d kill your boss,” Mike said. “You’re going to have to think bigger than a job. Okay, you need to get educated. Stick with me for a while, until I’ve got things a bit more settled, and I’ll either send you to a school or, more likely, get a tutor. You’re not socialized enough for most schools; you’d lose your temper and get kicked out. But you have to work with me or all bets are off and I’ll put you in a grave, understand?”
“I won’t step out of line,” Katya said.
“That includes tormenting the girls to get your kicks,” Mike said. “I need them happy and joyfully ready to jump in bed. And I need you to at least play the part. I may not be able to get a tutor until sometime in the summer, maybe even the fall. Just bide your time in the meantime. Can you read?”
“A bit,” Katya said.
“There’s a library,” Mike said, shrugging. “It’s not much of a library, but it’s got some books in Russian. Knock yourself out. When you’re not otherwise busy. Being able to really read is the first step to learning.”
“Good to see you again, Chief,” Mike said as Adams came up the steps.
He’d sent some of the less insane Keldara drivers into Tbilisi to pick up the trainers. The group had been staying in Tbilisi taking a Berlitz course in Georgian. They’d have to get used to the Keldara dialect, though.
“Good to see you, Mike,” Adams said, shaking his hand. Mike and the chief had gone from BUDS to the same platoon when they started off as SEALs, New Meat as they were called. After Mike left the teams to be an instructor they’d halfway lost touch. On the other hand, the chief had been on the platoon that went into Syria where he’d recognized his old team-bud “Ghost.” Since then they’d kept in a little better touch.
“This is Colonel Nielson,” Adams said, introducing the short, slightly paunchy man who had followed him. The man had black hair and green eyes that were bright with intelligence and maybe a hint of mischief. “He’s got good background for this. Former SF officer, Civil Affairs experience.”