Quantril put his arm around Bauer's shoulders. "Oh, Deke," he whispered, "I'd like to look over the stock, if you know what I mean."
"I think I know," Bauer said.
"After all, I can't give away gifts without seeing the merchandise first, can I?"
"No, sir."
Quantril's gaze swept over the roof. "How about a little dress parade, Deke? Here on the roof."
"Right away, sir."
"Without dress." He winked. "Got me?"
"Gotcha, sir." The major raced down the stone steps toward the prison.
They appeared in single file, like a vision in a dream: 180 beautiful young women, stark naked, their bodies ripe and inviting as they were marched past the rows of armed guards.
Quantril looked them over carefully as he passed down the line, brushing his hands against their soft breasts and bellies.
"A little soiled, but acceptable," he said approvingly.
"They've had the best of care, sir," Bauer assured him.
Quantril stopped in front of Consuela Madera. "This one is especially nice." He fondled the mass of black curls on her head. "Yes, especially. I may keep her for myself."
Consuela stiffened. "What have you done with Karen?" she demanded.
"Who?"
Deke Bauer answered. "Karen Lockwood. The blonde that got out. This is the Mexie bitch that helped her."
Quantril's eyebrows rose. "And she went unpunished?"
"Body blows, sir." Bauer chuckled.
Quantril saw the bruises on Consuela's abdomen and traced them with his finger. "Ah, yes. Good work, Bauer." He felt himself being aroused. "I'm glad you didn't touch her face. I so despise ugly women."
"What did you do with her?" Consuela shrilled.
Quantril yanked her hair, snapping her head backward. "You speak when you're spoken to like a good girl, understand? Or should I teach you some manners?" He jerked her head back farther. Her defiant eyes welled with tears of pain. The sight made Quantril's erection throb. He moved close to the woman. "Your friend is dead," he whispered. "And you're mine."
Consuela spat in his face.
With a howl of disgust, Quantril pulled back his arm and cannoned it across the woman's mouth. She fell backward, her back scraping against the broken tile of the roof.
"Slimy foreign bitch." He pulled out his chrome-plated revolver, then yanked her by her hair to her feet. "Let's see what your face looks like after this." He cocked the weapon and held it dead center against her eye.
She trembled with fear. The smell of her excited him. "On second thought," he said, "I think another way may be even more interesting. Bauer!"
"Sir?"
"Escort the lady to the wall."
Bauer led Consuela to the notched wall that surrounded the roof. With the butt of his Uzi, he forced the naked woman to step into the space between the battlements.
Below was a sheer drop of 1,500 feet into the valley. The wind whistled forbiddingly through Consuela's hair. She shivered as Quantril approached her from behind. "You're going to jump, muchacha," he teased. "By the time we're through with you, you're going to want to jump."
He turned back to Bauer. "Have your men bring up some stones."
"Stones, sir?"
"About the size of baseballs, maybe smaller. Nice round throwing stones."
Bauer's face broke into an expectant grin. "Yes, sir." The major sent off a half-dozen men, including Corporal Kains, the women's guard. While the other men scurried to the stairwell, Kains stood rigid, his eyes on the floor.
"You waiting for a personal invitation, Corporal?" Bauer boomed.
Kains blinked rapidly. "It's not right, sir," he said quietly. "He wants to stone her."
Bauer bristled. "He is Mr. Quantril, and whatever Mr. Quantril wants, Mr. Quantril gets, understand?"
"Not from me, sir," Kains said, his beast's eyes looking frightened but stubborn.
Quantril came over.
"I'll straighten him out, sir," Bauer began.
Quantril waved him away. "It's all right. Your man just has principles. Isn't that right, soldier?"
Kains was sweating profusely. "I don't know, sir. I only know I'm not going to help torture Consuela."
"So it's Consuela, is it? Maybe she's something special to you?"
Kains flushed.
"Well, well. I think we've got a real loverboy here, Bauer. What do you think?"
"He's been trouble from the beginning, sir. It was Kains who let the Lockwood girl escape."
"Well, well," Quantril repeated. He walked over to the parapet where Consuela was standing and looked over. "It's a long way down there," he said. "Maybe Corporal Kains would like to show his lady love what the trip's going to be like."
Kains's face turned white.
"Let's have an escort for the corporal, Bauer," Quantril said.
Bauer barked an order. Four men with the expressionless faces of born thugs stepped forward to grasp Kains's arms. The soldier's feet skidded as he tried to stop the momentum of the men leading him to the wall. When they reached the parapet, Kains looked up at the horrified woman standing on the brink, and his eyes filled with sudden tears.