Though her hands shook, Alexandra dialed. “I have an emergency. I’m at Incognito nightclub in Crystal City, Arlington. The GM attacked a guest. A member tried to sexually assault me. I need police and an ambulance.” After a brief pause, she said, “My name is AlexandraMitus.”
Dracule’s wail made Alexandra jump. “Oh, my God,” Dracule cried. “No, no, it can’t be. Oh, sweet Jesus, what have Idone?”
In order to hear the emergency operator, Alexandra plugged her other ear with herfinger.
“Shut up,” Crockett yelled, but Dracule wouldn’t stop blathering andcrying.
“I’ll meet the police in the lobby of the twelfth floor and bring them upstairs.” After listening, she said, “We’re on the thirteenth floor, but they won’t be able to find us without myhelp.”
She tapped a button and set the phone on the sofa arm. “You’re on speaker and the attackers are in the room. My boyfriend was stabbed. I need to helphim.”
Alexandra yanked out a pillow from beneath Dracule, whipped off the case, and folded it. She hurried back to Crockett. “I’m going to remove yourjacket.”
When she slid it off him, his white sleeve was blood soaked. Alexandra folded the pillowcase in half, lengthwise, and wrapped the cotton around his arm. “Apply pressure where it’s bleeding.” She guided Crockett onto thesofa.
“The police have arrived at your location,” said the dispatchoperator.
“I kicked in the unmarked door,” said Crockett. “Be careful. Francois should be trapped in thatbathroom.”
With her phone in hand, she gave Crockett a quick peck. “I’m on my way downstairs,” she said to the operator before rushingout.
Applying pressure to the wound hurt, but Crockett didn’t give a fuck about his pain. The reality of the situation sank in as he eyed Jase andDracule.
He couldn’t stand being in the same room with those two monsters, so he relocated to the quiet hallway.Sage must have hidden thechildren.
A few moments later, Alexandra hurried toward him with three police officers and four paramedics in tow, one pulling a gurney. While the female officer approached him, the two male officers entered theroom.
“This is the man I was telling you about,” saidAlexandra.
With a hand on her hip, she eyed Crockett. “Mr. Wilde, I’m Officer Randolph. Can you tell me whathappened?”
“We need to tend to his wound,” said the paramedic. “Let’s move him onto thesofa.”
“I’m fine,” Crockettsaid.
“Please, Crockett,” Alexandra said. “You have a badgash.”
To appease her, he returned to the couch. While the paramedic tended to his knife wound and secured his arm in a sling, he spoke with the officers. “I feared for Alexandra’s safety and forced my way upstairs. There’s a man named Francois locked in a bathroom suitedownstairs.”
“We found him,” said theofficer.
“When I came upstairs, I saw several children waiting in reception,” Crockett continued. “They were posed like mannequins and dressed like adults.” A shiver ran through him. “Sickest thing I’ve everseen.”
“Ohmygod,” Alexandra said. “It’s much worse than I’dthought.”
Before continuing, he nodded. “There’s a young woman who works here. Her name is Sage and Alexandra has been concerned abouther.”
“Ms. Mitus told us,” said the policewoman. “Where isshe?”
“After she used her keycard to let me into this room, she ran to hide the children,” Crockett said. “I found Alexandra strapped to the bed, in her underwear. I assumed by the man on the floor.” A surge of fury rippled through him. “The other man—the one I’ve strapped in the bed—was removing hisclothing.”
“Aw, Christ,” Jase moaned. “My head hurts like a motherfuckingcocksucker.”
The larger of the two male officers approached Jase. “I’m Officer Jones. What’s your name,sir?”
“Jase Payne, GM. That member attacked me in my own club. I want to presscharges.”
“You keeping minors here against their will?” asked OfficerJones.
