Page 93 of Caged
"That's fantastic." Gary smiled. "I don't know him well, but he seems like a good man."
Jeremy sat forward. "Marshall is one of the best. Seeing Danny and him together makes anyone want to be in love."
"So you know him?" Gary asked.
"We're all friends," Jeremy informed him.
Gary nodded. "Well, before we dig into anything too personal in front of Jeremy, why don't you tell me why you brought him along with you today? That way I can know what is safe to talk about and what isn't."
Danny took a nervous breath. "Jeremy knows everything. You can say what you want around him." He glanced at Jeremy. "Do you want to tell him why you're here?"
"Sure." Jeremy turned his attention to Gary. "When you heard about Danny's kidnapper's arrest did you hear all the details?"
"You mean how he was found in Colorado Springs?" Gary asked.
"More about his injuries when he was found," Jeremy said cautiously.
A slight smile played over Gary's lips, but he remained professional. "I did. I heard he was castrated."
"Correct." Jeremy glanced at Danny before folding his hands together in his lap and taking a deep breath. "The men who hunted down and found Larry and castrated him before calling the police in, are looking for a counselor. Someone who these men and women can talk to so they can deal with some of the…" He searched for the right word.
"Wait." Gary sat forward and looked at Danny. "You know who these men are?"
Danny bit his lip.
"Okay, I get you might not want to admit that. I can see why the people who did this wouldn't want names to get out, but how did you find them? Did you send them out to hunt this man down?"
Danny shook his head. "Not really. In fact, I don't think I was even supposed to know about them, but I accidentally found out."
Gary nodded, then glanced at Jeremy. "And these people need someone to talk to so they can deal with what they do?"
"In a way. I don't think any of them feel guilty for what they do. They don't want to stop. They help hundreds of children every year, and I could only guess how many future attacks they stop by castrating the monsters who prey on children." Jeremy glanced at Danny. "As the news reported, Danny's kidnapper was found living with two abused children. Men like them don't stop. This team that goes in and castrates them takes away their weapon. They change their hormonal balance. They weaken them. This isn't a group of murders. They aren't going after the guy down the street who is just viewing child porn. This group goes after repeat offenders and those who are creating the porn and actively abusing children. They aren't killers. The pedophiles live long after they are castrated. Maybe not happily, but they do live. It's up to the police and courts to deal with them, but as you must know, the courts can only do so much and many times fail at following up once a pedophile is released from prison and is back on the streets."
"Why wouldn't they just kill them?" Gary asked.
"Because that's too simple. They don't deserve to get off that easily. Do you know the effects of eunuchism? It's not a pleasant life. Hormones change, the body weakens, there are mental issues. Science can replace some of the hormones, surgery can repair the physical damage to a point, but they are never the same. The victims of the pedophiles deserve to see them brought to justice. Men like Danny deserve to face them, confront them, and help send them to prison if they choose to do so." Jeremy spoke with a passion that impressed Danny. "This group of people may take the law in their own hands. They may break the law in many ways, doing what they are doing, but the truth is, most of society supports this team's actions. When one of them was arrested in California, there was a public outcry for him to be pardoned. People praised what he did. The police simply can't focus on a problem this big. They try, but a team like this who focuses just on this issue can get more done and hand them off to the police after."
"How many in the group?" Gary asked.
"I'd rather not discuss that yet. I'm hoping you will become part of the team and counsel them when they need it. It would be mandatory for each one to sit down with you every month or two just to chat, but if something major happens, it could be more often. The team isn't large, and you would be paid well for working with the team. I promise you'd probably make more from the team than you do with all your other clients in a year, but you'd have less work from the team." Jeremy smiled. "It would have to be under the table though, but the team would have resources to help you—"
"Launder it?" Gary quirked a brow.
Jeremy shrugged.
Danny watched, trying hard not to be nervous, but if Gary decided to pick up the phone and call the police, things could get messy fast. Sure, it would be his word against theirs, but with Larry having just been castrated, and Danny sitting in the office supposedly talking about it, who wouldn't believe Gary?
"When you say I'd become part of the team, what exactly do you mean? I'm not someone who can go after these people. I can't do what they do." Gary stared intently at Jeremy.
"You wouldn't have to. You can be as involved as you want to. If that means you take the team on as patients and have no other ties to them, then that's okay. That is how another team does things. The counselor is there to talk to, but they never get involved in the details or what goes on outside the counseling session. You will have full knowledge of who the people are, and you would know what they do, so that would mean if you wish to, you could come to their headquarters and meet with them or just hang out. They are like a big family and keep things casual, so there are nights the team might go out together or meet up at someone's home for a party or something. The team holds weekly meetings and you could come to those if you choose. Your involvement is up to you, and the knowledge of each sting would be up to you. The goal here is just to make sure that what these men and women do isn't getting to them. To make sure that if someone is injured, they are in the right place mentally after the fact. You'd report to the team leader occasionally, not to tell them about what was discussed, but just to let them know if you sensed anyone is struggling and might need a break."
"I'd still keep seeing my normal patients?"
"Yes, nothing changes with that. This would only add a few more patients to your schedule. I'll warn you now, not all are happy to have to talk to someone, but they do it because it's part of the agreement they made when they joined."
"And my liability if these people are caught?" Gary asked.
"Hopefully, none. If things are done right, and if there isn't a paper or digital trail of your meeting with them, then there is nothing to tie them to you. I can't promise the team headquarters won't ever get raided, though the chances are slim. The team is careful to make sure that nothing links the people involved. When the man in California was arrested, they found nothing to link him to anyone else." Jeremy shrugged. "I won't lie, there is a risk, but for your part in this it would be slim."
