07.3 - Easton Zed

                                    

                                          
            
                          
                When Maida tasted blood, she quickly let go to see a set of teeth marks on the outside part of the man's hand. Despite the nasty bite, Zed Easton did not flinch. Looking up into those similar dark eyes, the soul within Maida felt nervous. For the first time, she could not see any sort of emotion on the man's face.
                          
"How much for the girl?" Zed Easton asked the brothel owner even though his eyes were locked on Maida's dirty face.
                          
                Everyone heard his question and was both confused and surprised. The brothel owner was the first to recover from the shock. Seeing the opportunity to get rid of the troublesome little girl and making a profit, the woman immediately set a price for 100 gold coins. The Gobi members all frown at the owner's obvious swindle price for the little girl. But none of them dared to speak when their boss agreed to the price. On the other hand, Maida felt indignant at the value she was purchased for. Zed Easton who had not looked away from Maida's face naturally noticed the little girl's sharp glare.
                          
"What is your name?" Zed Easton, out-of-the-blue, asked Maida.
                          
                Startled, Maida opened her mouth as if to speak but only a faint, soft indistinct sound came out.
                          
"You dare to sell our boss a low class girl for 100 gold coins?" One of the Gobi members spoke out with irritation when everyone realized Maida could not speak.
                          
                The brothel house had three classes of prostitutes. Depending on beauty and quality of a girl, she will be ranked from first, second, or low class. The first class girls are considered most talented and beautiful. These girls, of course, only served the high ranked customers and lived on the highest floors of the brothel house. The second class girls were considered average and lived in the lower level floors. Their clothes and food are not as good as the first class girls, but their treatment was still ten times better than the low class girls. For a low class girl, she is considered flawed or physically damaged in some way. These girls are given a small bed in the basement of the brothel house where they serve anyone who could pay 1 silver coin. More than often, these low class girls are used and abused until their bodies are damaged beyond repair. 
                          
"I_ I..." The brothel owner was terrified while facing the group of treacherous men.
                          
                Unluckily, the owner was not aware that Maida couldn't speak. The truth was Maida had not entered the brothel house before she made her escape. If the little girl had entered, it would be a matter of hours before her condition was found out. And once the owner knew of Maida's "flaw", she would have been thrown in the basement where the low class girls lived.
                          
"100 gold coin for a mute..." Zed Easton chuckled was scary because his tone and dark eyes were void of any feelings.
                          
                No one could tell what the man was thinking. The brothel owner was visibly trembling with fright - wanting to return the money but was afraid to do so.
                          
"Your business must be doing very well," Zed Easton spoke leisurely while his eyes lifted from Maida to the brothel owner. "Seeing how you can hire your own guard dogs."
                          
"Mr. Easton_"
                          
"If that's the case," Zed Easton ignored the woman's alarmed expression while glancing back at his men. "From now on, no need to send men out to protect her business."
                          
"No, please Mr. Easton," The brothel owner panicked. 
                          
                The "protection" Zed Easton speaks of is the biweekly payments which business owners gave to the Gobi. The land within Inops is the hunting grounds for the mafia or gang groups. If an owner isn't well connected, he or she will always have difficulty running their business. There are cases where an owner is forced to pay multiple gang groups in order to avoid problems or troubles. This would not be the case if the owner has the Gobi as his or her backer. Everyone knows the Gobi is the largest, most powerful group; so many business owners are willing to pay them. Once they paid the Gobi, they did not have to fear the other mafia or gang groups.
                          
"Please Mr. Easton," The brothel owner held out the pouch with the 100 gold coins. "I meant no disrespect toward you. I didn't know the girl couldn't speak. She's new so I didn't know_"
                          
"Why are you returning my payment?" Zed Easton looked at the owner, not caring for any excuses she was giving. "Is it not enough for the girl?"
                          
"No!" The brothel owner was horrified. "Please, just take her as you like. No need for payment"
                          
                One of the Gobi members smirked and took the bag from the woman's trembling hand. Before the brothel owner could feel relieved, Zed Easton stated the protection fee is double for her from that moment on.
                          
"Mr. Easton_"
                          
                The woman stopped the pleading when Zed Easton's eyes look at her. She knew if she said another word, the man would end her business.
                          
"Go" Zed Easton casually dismissed the brothel owner and her people before he looked back down at the little girl. 
                          
                While the brothel owner rushed off, Maida studied the man in front of her. Even now, he still had tight hold of her wrist - refusing to let go.
                          
"Your name"
                          
                Maida slowly mouth the word Mai - da.
                          
"Maida..."
                          
                Hearing the handsome man speak her name, Maida felt conflicted. Yes, the man was dangerous, but what bothered her more was that she could not read any emotion on his face. The soul within Maida has come across many types of men. She's known men who are aloof, cold, quiet, calm, or stern. It doesn't matter how calm or cold a man was, Maida could always sense his frame of mind or read his expression. But Zed Easton was different in that she could not sense or read him. The man was dangerous because he lack emotion. The mafia boss was a deadly killer so he doesn't need to "feel". This was problem for Maida because how could she win a man's heart if he had none.