The Man paused and kept staring at us as silence filled the room. It was a very awkward atmosphere and there were lots of emotions and facial expressions pouring out in the room. Jane was just staring at nothing in particular with a face full of confusion. I have to say everything still sounds like a lie to me as if it is all made up by The Man perhaps it is one of their tricks. For one, my father never told me any of those things he said about him and I don't think Mum knows about it too but the expression on The Man's face is very complicated. 

     He looks as if he doesn't approve of what is happening and is just being forced to do it but even if that's the case, he is not saying anything now so I broke the silence.

     "Why did you tell us all those things. We can't do anything or change anything and even if we can, you are holding us captive. So why?"

    "I'll tell you why I chose to tell you but you have to listen to me. I didn't say I was finished" he responded and sat upright in his chair having that 'I want to drop a bomb' look. 

   "I told you..." he said looking at Jane "that you would be useful. Well, they are not just capturing men to use them as meatshields, but girls and women are also captured as well. They use them as..." he paused here and seem to be thinking if he should tell us what he wants to say next. He has a look of pain and anger written across his face. He continued. "They use women as sex slaves"

      "What do you mean by sex slave?"  Jane asked this time.

    "Be calm, I'll explain" he answered. "You see, there are lots of dirty things going on underground that are fully funded by the upper-class men. It is not that the government is not aware of these vicious things but they scrap them due to the economic power of those behind them. Well, one of those things is the sex slave business. It is a kind of business where women and young girls are auctioned off in an underground auction house. This elite class gathers and bids on beautiful women and the highest bidder take the auction item home. Do you understand? He asked and we nodded in response.

     "The thing is these women remained slaves to the winner of the auction for life and they can be used to do whatever they want not caring for the feelings of the person and can choose to even kill them if they fail to satisfy their need. People like my boss kidnap these women and sell them to the auction house where they'll be auctioned off. It is people like my boss that also capture men for the military that will be used as meat shields in battle." he paused again and looked at Jane again, this time with a tinge of pity in his eyes.

    "I'm saying this because you will likely pass through the same situation. I tried to prevent my boss from finding out that we captured a little girl but someway somehow he found out and he will perhaps sell you to the auction house. I don't want this to happen and that's why I've told you all of this. The auction is still in three months and the auction house won't purchase any item until a few weeks before the auction. It is likely that you won't be set free even if Mase's father agrees to become the transporter and they decide to set Mase free. So we still have at least two months to get you out of this situation. I no longer trust my boys as they seem to be more answerable to my boss than to me now. So it will be hard for you to escape but we will try. The auction house is always heavily guarded so we can't rescue you at the auction house. I will let you know how things are going some other time." he said and it seems like he is not going to say anything again.

       All the information I received about my Dad and all that is happening in Silverland, some kind of battle going on somewhere, some men used as meat shields, some kind of transporter, then an anti-meatshield group, and then sex slaves again. It is all just so much stuff to take in. Jane came to my mind again and I looked at her wondering what it would be like not to have Jane by my side. I imagine being maltreated by one old man with a pot belly that can house the sun and moon, being used as a sex slave that can be pounced upon anytime like a lost kid antelope in the jungle.  

     I imagine that scene I saw on a television program some time ago of a group of hyenas devouring a pitiful antelope and I tried to compare that situation with Jane being amidst those vicious hyenas in one auction room where they are all cackling like a group of hyenas waiting for their share of a fat spoil. I imagined her being kicked and beaten when her frail little hands could no longer perform those innumerable works placed before her. I concluded that no matter what it takes, I'm not going to let Jane end up in such a situation. 

     "One more thing, I was doing all of those things to you so it could feel real that you are being tortured. I didn't mean to inflict pain on you. I don't do such things to kids. Well, I've been asked to make you both starve. In essence, my boss have instructed me not to give you food again. Guess your father is giving him a hard time. Food will be sneaked in to you for now and make sure you don't tell anyone a thing about our conversation. I don't trust my boys." he said before he started making his way out of the room.

   "Please wait!" Jane shouted. She was sobbing now. "Why are you helping us. Are you not working for your boss?" she asked

   "I have my reasons for being here and I have goals to achieve and revenge to take. If I stay longer, those boys might get suspicious, I'll tell you all you need to know about me tomorrow because from now on, we are allies". And he left.