Jericho enters the room where Morrigan is in the company of a woman that is hanging by her arms, with her clothes torn and signs of having been crying. Morrigan is sitting on a kind of wicker throne reading some notes, with her foots over the table. When Xes passes by, she gives to him a mischievous look at what he smiles flattered. Xes wears a net shirt that lets see his muscles and a military cargo pants. He is wearing a belt with his holster and his knife. On his right arm he wears a pair of leather bracelets with stones and another made of metal. He has medium-long hair and has his parasite-fungus cut. Morrigan is barefoot, has anklets on her left ankle and in the leg wears a leather knife holster. She is dressed in a long, black, net gown with an opening in her left leg and a dark green bikini underneath. Xes sits down on one of the chairs and says to Morrigan:

X— Finally, he is awake.

M— Come in! Don’t be shy! My house is your house. (Jericho enters followed by another man who brings beers for all. Jericho sits down and the man gives to him the beer). Thanks, Ben. Tell me, who are you?

J— My name is Jericho. That is all I know. I lost my memory.

M— That is wonderful! Now you are like beautiful white canvas, ready to be painted. (She caress his check with sensuality). And, tell me, have you already met the both sides of the coin?

J— Are there really only two sides?

M—All the reason of the world, there is never only two sides. (She laughs and before she can continue the conversation the woman who is hanging up, wakes up and starts screaming)

V— Let me go! Where I am? Oh my God, please! Let  me go! (She says sobbing)

M— Good morning dear, I’m glad that you’re finally awake. I was starting to worry. You need something? You’re thirsty? Do your arms hurt? Ben give her water, please sweetheart, thank you. Tell me, what’s your name?

V— Please, let me go… please. The SPTS is not going to pay for me…

M— Oh, dear. I already know that. We all know that in here. We are smugglers, who do you think we are? We know very well who we do business with. No, no. We’re not going to ask for a ransom for your ass, precious. We are going to sell you to the Radicals of the coast. (V then begins to cry and scream so much that spills the water that Ben was carrying) Hey! Do not be so rude. Do you want me to leave you without drinking the whole fucking week? Apologize to Ben, he has not done anything to you. Fuck! What a shitty manners teach you in the SPTS.

V— I’m sorry …

M— That’s better. Ben, bring to her more water, but if you throw it again, I will not give you more water in the rest of the week. Am I be clear?

V— Yes …

M— Well. Now, what’s your name?

V— Violet …

M— Violet, what a beautiful name, right guys? It fits her. It fits you. I like it. My name is Morrigan and he is Xes, when I’m not here, he’s the one in charge of this piece of land.

V— Why are you doing this?

M— What of everything?

V— Selling humans like they were pure meat.

M— Let’s talk clearly. What you want to say is, why do I sell YOU like you were pure meat (Violet looks at the ground with embarrassment)

V— No, I …

M— Come on, nobody here is going to judge you. Is it really the first news that you have of the sale of humans in these islands, miss? I do not think so. But you never cared or at least you looked to other way. Which for me is exactly the same, with the difference that, in the first case, at least you’re honest. The thing is, you had never given importance until it was your turn. That’s how the humans are, we do not give a shit, until the shit splashes on us and then we make a terrible scandal. But look, let’s make a deal. The truth is, I like you and since my clients have not seen you yet, they cannot be infatuated with you. With you, there was another soldier who escaped from us. I know he’s still around here, because my men have him cornered. If you go out and bring him to me, I’ll forgive your life. As simple as that. Your life, for his. Your freedom, for his. What do you say? (Violet is silent, after looking Morrigan in the eyes trying to find the truth on them, returns to look at the floor, indecisive). Interesting. Ben, let her go and bring her something to eat and a beer. You cannot make coherent decisions with an empty stomach and hanging like a piece of meat.

B— Are you sure?

M— Yes. She will be a good girl. Do you know why I know that? Because you are hesitating between going or not to look for your partner.

V—Maybe I’m devising a plan to escape and save both of us.

M— And why would you do something like that for someone who ditched you? Because is the fault of that asshole that you’re in this problem. The soldiers carry weapons. In the SPTS teach you to use them, no? Did he use his? Did he defend himself at least? You don’t need to answer, I already know that he didn’t. He ran away like a frightened chicken leaving you behind. You are an intelligent woman, I see it in your eyes, why would you want to risk your life for a coward? (Ben returns to the room with a dish with meat and rice and a beer) The only reason for you to doubt is that you are human and you have a heart. Which is not bad at all. (Violet takes the plate and thanks to him. Ben  smiles with kindness in answer. Xes is wrong sitting with one leg hanging from the armrest of the chair, while he prepares an inhalator and smiles mischievously, without stopping looking at Morrigan).

V— You have not answered my question.

M— Jesus! You’re right, forgive my manners. Do you think that knowing my motives will make you make a better decision?

V— Maybe.

M— Ok then. Well, you see, I was a slave like you are going to be. My master had me bound by hands and feet, and sometimes by the neck too. I was always drugged. The guy gave me more drugs as soon as the effect of the first dose was over, so I do not remember much of those days, you know? Is everything in flashes. But, what I do remember is one of my clients. The guy had a peculiar phobia: he could not bear to be touched. If someone touched his hand or arm by accident or if someone sat too close to him, the guy had a panic attack. Like his brain stopped to work, I mean it. That was a problem when he wanted to fuck with a woman, you know? So, he began to frequent my master, asking for a girl to dance for him or masturbate in front of him, but never touch him. He tried several girls and in the end, I was the chosen one. He came once a month at the beginning, then two, three, four… until he ends coming every week. Being such a loyal customer, he could afford to make demands as to my dress or the show I was going to do for him. One of those demands was that he wanted me sober. At first, my master objected, but he was afraid of losing such a faithful client, so he ended up yielding. My God, you cannot imagine how bad was for me to take all that crap out of my body… There were times when I swear to God I really wanted to die. But hey, I did it and the guy kept coming every week religiously. Over the months, I began to notice that each time he sat closer and closer to me, so I took the advantage. It took me six long months to be able to touch his cheek without his brain explode. Three months later, I was fucking with him and only a month later, the guy organized a party on a yacht full of whores to try to buy me. His idea was to find out how many whores were worth my freedom for my master, but I knew that, that asshole was not going to sell me for all the whores and drugs in the world. I gave him profitability, that guy was not my only client and not for sure the only one who had wanted to buy me and the answer had always been the same: it is not for sale. It’s mine. I knew I was screwed. So I waited for the night, when everyone was asleep and I slunk to the deck. My master had left me untied by customer demands, so it was my chance. I tell you, I was unable to see land all around the boat, but I memorized the maps and I knew that it could not be far away, so I jumped. At that moment I thought: I don’t give a shit. I prefer to end this by being eat by a fish to continue a second more in this fucking boat. What I did not expect was the fucking attack of the cailón. You know what they are, right? Fuck, we call them “maraxos” here. They are a small shark. But the sons of a bitch still have teeth (Morrigan laughs and touches her pendant made of shark tooth). The bastard got me in the leg. I couldn’t avoid it and I screamed, alerting the guards, who shot me. I guess they thought I was another girl. They continued shooting and I submerged and when I saw the shark coming towards me again, I let him. I just let that bastard drag me to the bottom. Once there, I hit him with all my strength until he released me and I began to dive in the opposite direction of the boat. Bleeding like pig, in fucking pain and scared as hell. At some point, I fainted and ended up on the shore dragged by the current.

X— It was a fucking luck that you didn’t die…

M— It’s true. Aloia would say that the “ancient gods had a plan for me”. So, what do you think Violet?

V— Is possible.

M— Right? Well the thing is that, this idiot that I have on my left, found me on the beach and saved me. He was already a smuggler, he was mostly selling home-made drugs, which I have to admit they’re fucking delightful, but it was a small business. So, I had a vision. The Santa Aloia had certain problems with certain Radicals and Jason wanted his cult to expand to all parts of his sacred island, so certain Rites were a problem. Do you know who killed all the fucking birds with a fucking shot?

V—I suppose you

M— (Morrigan laughs and looks at Xes) Well, I didn’t do it alone. We attacked a couple of Rites, we took the survivors and we gave them to the Radicals in exchange for weapons and to leave Aloia and her cult in peace. Then, we went to the other Rites and offered protection in exchange for not attacking Jason’s detachments. Then, we took the Radicals’ weapons and sold them to Jason in exchange for a piece of land to work on it. That is how you establish a chain of favors. Now everyone owes something to us and everyone is our client, whether they want it or not. Power is achieved like that, my dear Violet, with fear and gifts. Always in that order. Now look at me, who would say that I was a mere slave once? Would you like to be like me, dear Violet? (She nods) It’s okay. Tell me one thing, have any of my men raped you? (Morrigan’s eyes are on Violet’s eyes, giving her the confidence that she needs to open up. Violet nods again.) Did you see their faces? Could you recognize them?

V— I think so. I remember that one called the other Craig.

X— I know who they are. Craig and Don, they always go together. If it were not for these savageries, I would think they are couple.

M— Maybe is for that reason that they do the savageries… It’s okay. Ben, bring to me Craig and Don, please.

B— Yes, ma’am. (Ben leaves and returns with the two men)

M— Come Violet, sit next to me. If you do not want to be a slave, do not behave like one. (Morrigan’s tone changes and it becomes cold and hard) I want you two on your fucking knees (Ben points them with his gun forcing them to kneel, the men are confused, but they obey) I’ll not to ask you if you have raped this woman because I already know that you did it, I can read it on your dirty faces. How many times have I told you that the merchandise is not touched unless it is with my consent? (The tone changes again and looks Violet in the eye) Tell me darling, which of the two raped you?

V— He (says pointing to Craig)

M— And the other, what he did? Look?

V— And laugh … He kept laughing at my screams and my suffering.

M— It had to be horrible. It was horrible. I know better than anyone. They took away part of your humanity, they humiliated you and made fun of you while they stole something that only has value for you. That’s the worst, right? That what they took away from you, to them does not mean anything, it does not bring them anything, but for you … (Morrigan’s voice is motherly, sweet, holds Violet’s hand affectionately as she continues to look into hes eyes)For you is the whole world. You feel broken. I know (tears run down Violet’s cheeks) You must recover what you have been robbed and I want to give you that opportunity. (Xes looks at Morrigan curiously and smiles at hem, like someone who sees someone beating someone else in a chess match using a very good strategy. Pulls his gun out of the holster and hands it to Morrigan) Here darling. Kill one. Is your choice.

V— What? I… do not… I can’t…

M— They have stolen from you Violet! Do you want to remain being a slave all your life? A slave of the SPTS or the Radicals or of your own fears? What does it matter? Everyone out there is a slave to something, but here, here we are free. Is not that what do you want? I’m not asking for an inhuman act, I’m asking for justice. I do not even asking. I’m offering to you the opportunity to recover what is yours. Kill the one who stole from you, Violet. Snatch the life of who snatched yours first. At least, you will be merciful and you will not leave him dead in life as he did to you. (Violet pulls the trigger and kills Don. The looks of Morrigan and Xes cross. The game is over and Morrigan has won without effort). Why Don? The one who raped you was Craig, right?

V— I can handle an animal without a brain that believes that it has the right to use me as a container for its dirty sperm, but I cannot tolerate that someone is laugh of my cries and my suffering. I can still hear his disgusting laughter over the panting of this dog…

M— Good choice my dear. You see it? Now you are no longer a slave. Now go and recover the rest of your freedom finding the son of a bitch that let you behind. Because is his fault that you were raped and now you are in this situation. Bring it to me alive and I will make you free my beloved Violet. Follow her Ben. If something happens to her, something happens to you, have I expressed myself clearly?

B— Of course, ma’am.

M— Well, leave, I have things to talk about with my other guest. (Everyone leaves the room except Xes) Do you see? That’s how you get the power. With gifts and fear.

J— I thought it was always the other way around.

M— Come on Jericho, do not be and idiot. First, you give to them what they want and then, the fear of losing it will make them stay by your side all their miserable life. Now, the question is, what do you want?