DAVID AND A Sex Trafficking GOLIATH 

~ Part One ~ 

Chapter One

Tuesday, May 3

Washington, D.C.

8:20 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time

the White House residence

“Dad, I need a car. Can I get a car?”

“Why do you need a car, Joseph?”

“Daaaad!”

“I think that’s a reasonable question. You can get a ride anywhere you want to go.”

“Dad, I’m about to graduate from high school, and everyone’s getting their own car. I know, I know, if they were jumping off a cliff . . . but I really want one. It’s great that Brad has a car and we can double-date when we take out the twins, but there are times when I’d like to go somewhere with just Jill so we can be alone. It’s bad enough that the Secret Service follows me everywhere I go; they make me feel like I’m three years old with a babysitter constantly watching me. Brad and the girls are getting pretty sick of that too. I really want a car, Dad. Can I get one? Please?”

“Well, what kind of car are you thinking about?”

“I’m not sure. I have a friend from school who has a black-on-black Camaro convertible that would be awesome. I’d love to have a car like that. You should see it, Dad. He’s in a wheelchair so he has it set up with hand controls. Something like that would be great.”

“Nice cars are expensive, Joseph; I didn’t know you had that much money. Did you win the lottery and forget to tell me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, cars cost money to buy and maintain, sometimes quite a bit.”

“Dad, you can afford to buy a car.”

“Yes, I can, but I don’t need one. Did you know that U.S. presidents aren’t supposed to drive on public roads for the rest of their life because of their Secret Service protection? I still remember buying my first car, though. It wasn’t all that great, but I had worked hard and saved my money, so I was proud of it. How much money do you have for a car?”

“Daaaad!”

“What do you mean, Daaaad? Are you asking for my permission to buy a car, or are you asking me to buy you a car? Those are two very different questions.”

There was a knock on the door and a Secret Service agent entered.

“Mr. President, could I speak with you in private for a moment, please?”

“Agent Jackson, this is my son’s time and we’re discussing something that’s important to him. Unless we’re going to war, can this wait for thirty minutes or so?”

Whispering in the president’s ear. “Mr. President, your daughter is missing.”

Because of Agent Jackson’s demeanor, the president could tell this wasn’t a casual notification. Something out of the Secret Service’s control had happened, and they weren’t happy about it.

“I’ll be in my office in five minutes.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Joseph, I’m sorry. We’ll have to continue our conversation later. Please find your mother and ask her to come with you to my office at nine-thirty.”

“Ok. But what if she isn’t here because she has some sort of breakfast meeting or something?”

“Check with the Secret Service, they’ll know where she is. If she’s not here, you can both come when she gets back.”

The Oval Office

8:30 a.m.

“What happened, Sean? How did you lose her?”

“As you know, we keep Beth under loose surveillance, or Esther, as you call her. Her security team was following when she was driving to work this morning, and she stopped at a pharmacy. They waited in the parking lot for fifteen minutes, but when she didn’t come out they went inside to check. The agents turned the store upside down, but Beth wasn’t there, and none of the staff had noticed her either. Agent Carmine asked the manager about cameras, which they have, but only aimed at the pharmacy counter, the cash registers, and the front door. She must have gone out through the rear emergency exit, either voluntarily or not, because the only other option is the front door, which the cameras showed she didn’t use. Would you like to speak with Agents Carmine and Winter directly, Mr. President? They were on duty when it happened.”

“Not right now, maybe later. What are you doing to find her?”

“We’re looking at footage from traffic cams near the store, but there’s nothing conclusive so far. There are thousands of cars passing by at that hour because people are driving to work, but none of those cameras show the store or its parking lot, and the pharmacy doesn’t have any exterior cameras. We checked with the security staff at the Homeland building where she works, but she hasn’t been there today. We also tried calling her cell phone, but she didn’t answer. We can’t investigate too intensely, though, because it will raise questions about our interest, and since she’s living under an assumed name and identity, we don’t want to expose her.”

“Any theories, Sean?”

“None of our agents have noticed anyone following her or watching her, and no boyfriend or close friends have been seen around either. There’s no evidence of foul play, although it’s still too early to rule that out, and there’s no indication she’s in any kind of trouble. Is there anything happening in your political life right now that would warrant an abduction if someone became aware of her connection to you?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary. So, where do you go from here?”

“We’re hoping someone in your family might have talked with her recently; maybe she mentioned something that could point us in the right direction. The D.C. police are involved now, but I’m not quite sure how to explain why our agents were following her. I’ll have to talk with them to find out what they told the police.”

Joseph on the phone with Brad

8:30 a.m.

“It doesn’t look good for me getting a car, Brad. I was talking to my father about it, but he got interrupted by some national emergency or something, so he had to leave. He told me to come to his office with my mother, which is not a good sign. They always want to tell me bad news together so I won’t go to the other one if one of them says no. Do your parents do that?”

“Yeah, don’t they all?”

“It’s not my fault that my father decided to run for president. I’m so sick of Secret Service this and Secret Service that. I’m so sick of being told ‘it’s for your own good, for your safety,’ blah, blah, blah. I can’t wait until he isn’t president anymore and we can go back to living a normal life. It better not be like this when I go to college. If they think that Secret Service agents are going to follow me around everywhere like they do now, they’re in for a big surprise. All I asked for was a car. They can afford it, but nooooo, that would be too easy. They have to teach me a lesson or something. My dad wanted to know how much money I had saved, then he told me about buying his first car. Who cares? He knows I don’t have any money. I don’t even have a job. How could I have saved any money? Anyway, it looks like Jill and I will be hitching rides with you and Jody for the rest of the summer, if not forever. It will be four more years before I can buy a car, not until after college and I get a job. I hate this.”

“You know you can always ride with me, Joe. We do everything together anyway. If you had a car, the only difference would be that sometimes I’d drive and sometimes you would, so don’t worry about it. I think Jody and Jill like being together; it’s probably a twin thing. We might even have to share a wedding and honeymoon if things go that far. Hopefully, they’ll let us live in separate houses.”

“You’re a great friend, Brad . . . the best. I’m sorry for venting, but it seems like every time I want to talk to my father about something, our conversation gets cut short and I come out on the losing end. It’s just not fair. Sorry again. I’m still whining. I’m just really angry right now and I’m taking it out on you. I apologize for being an anchor around your neck all the time, always asking you to drive me everywhere with my Secret Service tail wagging behind. I should ask your father to talk to mine about a car. After all, he’s my father’s lawyer, so my father must listen to him.”

“It’s no problem, Joe. That’s what best friends are for. We’ve known each other since the first grade; how many times have I complained to you about stuff? Are we still on for dinner and the baseball game with the girls Saturday night?”

“Yeah, sounds good. I’ll talk with you about it later, though. I have to find my mother and go to my dad’s office so they can tell me I can’t have a car. Maybe I’ll try to get her on my side before he has a chance to talk with her about it. I’ll call you when we’re done.”

Mexico City, Mexico

the Goliath cartel meeting at a secret location

 8:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. EDT)

“All right, everyone, let’s get started. I run the largest criminal enterprise in the world, and you’re the directors for your respective countries, so I don’t want you all in one place for any longer than is necessary. I’m sure you’re aware of others in this room, at least by reputation, but none of you have ever met; Duster and I are your only common links. That’s why you were secretly taken from your home countries and brought here on separate planes. That’s also why you’re in booths that allow you to see only me and Duster, not each other, and why you have to wear a mask while being escorted to and from your rooms. Some of your people might think you’ve been arrested, or kidnapped by one of my enemies, which could make for some interesting power struggles while you’re away, and should expose any disloyalty from within your ranks. Let’s hope nobody starts a war with another cartel before you return.

“Your microphones are connected to a computer that will alter your voice and translate your words into English, but you’ll hear everything in your own language through your headphones. These precautions ensure that you can’t identify others in this room by sight or sound. You might not understand why we have to meet like this, but I believe it’s become necessary, so I don’t want to hear any complaints. I’ll replace you if you do.

“I started my business here in Mexico exporting marijuana to the United States, although I now have a much wider variety of drugs to choose from. However, it’s the sex division of the business that’s become my most important source of money and power. I have multiple streams of income you need to be aware of, and I control hundreds of prisons worldwide that are used for information and enforcement across international borders. My business is now global, and I have annual revenues in the hundreds of billions of dollars; more income than many multinational corporations generate, and larger than the entire economy of some countries where I operate. If you have any unique products or techniques in your country, you’ll be asked to explain them so others can apply those ideas too, and you’ll be hearing about some effective methods of persuasion as well.

“The most substantial pushback I’m getting right now is from the current U.S. administration about my sex operations there. Not only is sex profitable, but that business, even more than drugs, allows me to control people who can be useful in the future, which is why it’s so important. It’s amazing what someone will do to avoid exposure that could destroy their precious reputation, so I need to make the American government look the other way, starting with the president.

“This meeting will be limited to three days, so let’s make the most of that time. I’ll give you a brief overview of the topics we’ll be covering so you can prepare comments or questions.

~ “The oldest part of my business is the substance division. You’ll be hearing about several new products, but I’ll use marijuana as an example. While that’s still profitable, it has two fundamental flaws: it’s bulky to transport and has a distinctive smell. I’ve eliminated those problems with concentrated extracts that are much more potent than the leaves themselves. These extracts have a better high and are essentially odor free, so there’s less chance for our deliveries to be intercepted or for the users to be discovered; a win-win. Plus, I’d have to move several times the volume of traditional marijuana to get the same amount of final product to my customers.

“Another item using that same principle is fentanyl; it’s synthetic, and fifty times stronger than heroin. I have enhanced products in every category: smokes, pills, powders, and injectables. You may only have limited access to some of these now, but they’ll all be available within the next year, so pay attention during the session on this topic.

~ “Girls: I provide boys, too, of course, but over ninety-five percent of my sex business is with girls. I’ll get into more detail during that session, but I’m looking to expand this segment in a big way. Not just because of the potential profit, but also for the entrapment possibilities. I want to use twelve-to-fifteen-year-old girls for porn, stripping, and prostitution. Some of my girls, mostly the older ones, will be made available for outright sale, or for one of my next two topics.

~ “Employment Services: I offer the same type of service as any traditional employment agency, which is providing people to work for companies or individuals who need them. However, my workers are employed without the usual government regulations and protections, making them much more versatile and cost-effective for any potential employer.

~ “Organ Harvesting: I’m sure you’re aware of the lucrative market for healthy organs. I currently get them from girls who are past their prime for generating income from sex, but I plan to expand my sources significantly. In some countries, ISIS runs secret clinics where they harvest human organs. They initially did it in Syria using tents that were easy to move, but they’re now using actual hospitals as well. People are admitted for any reason, such as a broken leg, but they mysteriously disappear and then their organs are removed and sold. The Chinese are doing massive amounts of organ harvesting too. I’ll be using this business model to fulfill an ever-increasing demand. This is especially true for children’s organs. A parent will pay anything to save the life of their child . . . low cost, high profit.

~ “Weapons: My arms business is relatively small, but it plays a significant role in maintaining my power. I supply weapons to many government and private military forces who all want to keep their sources secret, which gives me a considerable amount of leverage over anyone who's aware of our relationship.

~ “Influence: I offer the service of ‘explaining the terms’ in any negotiation where someone is being uncooperative. The terms are translated into language that can be clearly understood. Sometimes we only use words, but usually choose to take a more physical approach. When proper leverage is applied, the message is always received loud and clear. You’d be surprised at how convincing my translators can be. I expect each of you to recruit clients for this service.

~ “Protection: My critics call this extortion, but I prefer to think of it as insurance against some potentially unpleasant realities in life. My clients don’t always understand the need for this product until the terms are properly explained, and they’re sometimes not as appreciative as they should be when we request payment for this valuable service.

~ “Oil: You might not be aware that in Mexico I make more money from oil than I do from cocaine; oil that’s taken directly from the refineries’ pipelines. Since Mexican-owned oil companies provide a significant portion of the country’s revenue, the government isn’t happy about my involvement. The army now sends soldiers along with oil company employees to find and repair our siphon points. I’ve had to use extreme measures to ensure success in this venture, but it’s very profitable, so I want to expand it to as many other countries as possible. I also want to apply the same techniques to water. If I can control its supply in countries where I do business, I’ll be in a position of absolute strength when dealing with law enforcement and other government agencies.

“I could continue to describe the profit centers we’ll be discussing, such as gambling, money laundering, identity theft, assassination services, and so on, but at this point I want to let you know about something that will apply to all revenue streams.

“Everything I’ve been telling you about will be available through my upcoming website, which will operate on what’s often referred to as the darknet. Some of you might be familiar with the name Boulders, which was the first website to take advantage of the darknet’s anonymity in a significant way; they sold over a billion dollars of illegal drugs directly to consumers.

“I’ll be using the same basic theory but will improve on technique. I learned from the operator’s ultimate mistake, which was getting caught while being logged in to the administrative section of the Boulders website. This happened after agents discovered his username, identified the master computer, which was a laptop, and determined his location. The person in charge of my site will change IDs, computers, and countries every month.

“Each of you will be required to host him when asked, and you’ll be responsible for his anonymity, security, and anything else he might need. I expect you to do whatever it takes to keep him happy. Other than me and Duster, he’ll be the most protected person in my organization. The penalty for exposing his identity will be swift, severe, and also applied to the family and friends of anyone betraying this trust. Think of a lawn-mower haircut . . . group rate . . . friends and family included for free.

“That’s all for now since I’m sure you’re ready to eat, so we’ll take a break until eleven. Let me remind you not to communicate with others because you won’t return home if you do. For the next three days you’re only allowed to speak through your microphones. Even your escorts will be wearing masks and aren’t allowed to talk. I’ll be checking their bodycams to see if anyone breaks that rule. Don’t test me on this.”