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."
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