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  Jake moved around her to stand next to Sasha again. “What the hell are you doing, Martha? And what are you wearing?”

  Only then did Sasha notice Master wasn’t wearing her usual school uniform. Her ripped black mini and striped leggings showed off scrawny hips and legs. “You look like one of those zombies on TV,” laughed Jake. “What do you think Sasha?”

  Sasha knew Master better than Jake. She knew the head of the CREW did not accept insults without a comeback.

  Jake was still going on. “You don’t scare me, Martha. Or whoever you are today. Come on Sasha, I’ll walk you to class.”

  Sasha caught Master’s glare. “Uh, I really have to see the secretary first,” Sasha said. “Something about how long I’m in the country. I’ll, um, see you later.” And she hurried away from both Jake and Master.

  “See you tonight at the meeting, Sasha,” Master called out.

  Sasha realized that Master always got the last word.

  Chapter 11

  I Own You

  That night at the meeting Master was quiet. Sasha felt her silence was even more disturbing than her angry rants.

  The leadership role was left to Fringe, who explained how they would catch perverts online from photos that Sasha would set up. “Then . . .” she finished up, “we ask for the money. We get what we can in one week and close it down. And everything disappears. Right, Sasha?”

  Sasha nodded. But she was checking an Instagram link that had just been sent to her. On her screen was a cartoon showing a heart with an arrow through it. At the end of the arrow was a stick figure with long blond hair hanging from a rope. It was a clear threat.

  Sasha dropped her phone and ran out of the room. As she fled, she heard Master’s voice saying, “Oh, come on, Sage. It’s only a joke. Can’t you take a joke? BB, go after her. She’s going to have to learn to suck it up.”

  On the way out of the room, BB picked up Sasha’s phone. She looked at Master and shook her head. Then she went to find Sasha in the bathroom.

  “Look, Sasha,” said BB. “It’s just Master and her jokes. She doesn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Why does she do those things?” asked Sasha. “She’s out to get me, I know it. I like you other girls. But this is getting to be too much.”

  BB sighed. “Hey, just go along for now. Maybe you could tone it down with Jake? At least when she’s around. She’s just jealous, but she’ll get over it.” BB pulled tissues off the counter and handed them to Sasha. “Just remember, we are doing some good. So have some fun with it. We do have fun with the CREW, don’t we?”

  Determined not to be put down by Master, Sasha walked back to the room with her head high. She thumped down on the couch. She looked up, straight into Master’s smirk.

  As Fringe talked about timing for getting pictures taken, Sasha continued to glare at Master. Then Sasha said, “Listen, I want to stop these guys as much as you do. And I can do that. But we don’t have to fight. Just to be clear, I will set up the photos. But if you want my computer skills, you have to keep me out of the public eye.” She folded her arms.

  Master turned toward Sasha. “What you don’t understand is that I own you, Sage. Maybe Sage wasn’t the right name. You’re not being so wise. Maybe your name should be Sissy. Do you know what a sissy is, girl? It’s someone who is afraid of everything. And who can’t be relied upon to do what she says she’ll do.

  “You chose us, Sissy,” Master went on. “And now you’re one of us. If you don’t go along with our plan, I will make sure you regret it. Like, your mother will get a note that says her daughter stole from a certain old lady. And I’ll include a picture to prove it. Or Jake will be questioned by immigration officials about a friend of his they suspect of fraud.”

  Sasha felt her bravery cracking under Master’s threats. Her only friend was BB. When Sasha looked at her, BB shook her head slightly, telling Sasha not to react.

  “Okay,” Sasha said lightly. “We don’t have to fight.”

  “See, that was easy,” said Master. “But come on, at least one more vodka in friendship. Here, I’ll get it.” She took Sasha’s glass to the counter. Sasha walked up behind her, just in time to see Master holding a couple of pills over Sasha’s drink.

  “What are you doing?” Sasha shouted. She grabbed the glass away from Master, who simply smiled.

  “Just having a little fun,” said Master. “You should try this stuff. It’ll loosen you up.”

  Sasha slammed the glass down on the counter, spilling the vodka, and then gathered up her things. For once, she had the last word. “Na zdorovie!”

  ***

  Her mother and father were Skyping when Sasha got home.

  “We’ll have to get a bigger house if that happens,” she heard her mother say.

  If what happens? Sasha wondered. She slipped upstairs, thinking that she had a lot of other things to worry about: her school, the CREW, the old woman’s computer. Jake. She didn’t have time for her parents’ mystery.

  ***

  For the next two weeks, Sasha concentrated on the Internet porn scam. When Jake asked why she couldn’t see him after school, her excuse was that she was busy with a fundraiser her mother was planning. She told him she was expected to coordinate all the invitations and responses.

  But Sasha still saw Jake at school, where they were becoming bolder in front of people. They held hands in the halls. They went to lunch together at the popular café on the corner. They kissed goodbye at the end of the day. A couple of times, they saw Master lurking nearby. It just made them more open with their feelings. They figured Master would back off if she understood they were really together.

  At night and on weekends, the CREW posed for Sasha’s camera without showing their faces. Fringe was shot from the waist up. Her breasts were very visible in a see-through tank and her face was out of focus. BB was shown from the back in a onesie that exposed her ass. Pretty Zorro, dressed in a very short, frilly dress, sucked her thumb, her hand covering her face. Sasha had no doubt she’d attract anybody looking for an eight year old.

  In keeping with her image of Master, their leader posed in a net body suit with nothing underneath. Her face was covered with a net hood and she held a whip.

  At one point, Sasha caught Zorro taking pictures of her as the photographer of porn. Sasha just stopped dead. “I’m out of here if that keeps up,” she warned. Master took Zorro’s phone away and showed Sasha how she was deleting everything Zorro just took.

  When the photos of the girls were ready, Sasha sent them to the men. They were attached to a message that Master had prepared, asking them to send their own sexy pictures back.

  The men responded eagerly. But what they received in return were photos of themselves with half-naked girls — and a message demanding money. The answers came back right away. Some begged for mercy. Some threatened to call the police. But most sent the money — an e-transfer to a numbered account. There were a few who vowed that their own hackers would catch the person behind this. But Sasha was pretty sure her methods were too good to track.

  Chapter 12

  Or Else

  Master ordered a CREW meeting on a Saturday afternoon. They all met in Master’s downtown apartment. This time there was no concierge and no fancy front lobby. Sasha pressed the code and was buzzed up. Everyone was there. Master sat in a large, worn corduroy armchair like it was a throne. She was smiling and waving a shot of vodka. A small, scraggly dog sat on her lap.

  So this is the Master’s den, thought Sasha. It was clear that Master’s confidence didn’t come from privilege. BB had said Master’s life wasn’t easy, and this confirmed it. The furniture and the carpet were clean but showed years of wear. The kitchen, though spotless, was dingy and full of decades-old appliances.

  “Help yourselves to the juice,” Master said, pointing to a bottle in a bucket of ice. Zorro handed Sasha a shot of vodka.r />
  “Are your parents here?” Sasha asked. She was feeling a little sorry for Master, and it must have shown in her voice. “Don’t be sad for me, little Russian doll,” said Master. “This is my place, my very own. As soon as I turned eighteen in January, I got this place of my own. It may not be fancy. But it is all mine.” She motioned at the dog. “And Munchy here is my best friend. Except for the CREW, of course. Now, let’s get started. Fringe?”

  “Okay,” reported Fringe. “This week nine thousand dollars were deposited from eighteen bad boys. As we agreed, the whole thing will now be shut down. Sasha, you close off any connection to them. So this is a celebration! Let’s party.”

  More vodka was poured and joints were pulled out. This time, Sasha had brought some Russian vodka as a show of goodwill — and to make sure the vodka was okay.

  Finally, when everyone was ready to leave, Master said, “Sage, I think we’ve kind of gotten off track. I need to say one thing.”

  Sasha was glad Master made a move first. In her friendliest tone she said, “I agree. It’s best if we work together.”

  “We can work together just fine, as soon as you tell Jake you’re through with him. Tell him tonight. I don’t want an argument, just split up.” Then she turned to the CREW. “We’ll meet again tomorrow night, here at seven. Oh, and Sasha. I’ll be watching you.”

  Where was the undying sisterhood? What about Sasha’s work and the money it brought in? Sasha’s surprise swiftly changed to anger.

  “I don’t think that’s for you to say.” She was angry, but she spoke quietly. “Unless Jake tells me he’s out.”

  The rest of the CREW watched the contest. Their eyes switched from Master to Sasha. Sasha even saw a little smile on Fringe’s face. Was that support or was she just enjoying the show?

  For once, there was no pushback. Master just shrugged as Sasha led the way out, with the others close behind. Sasha pushed the button for the elevator. Then she pushed again and again until her finger stung. BB put her hand on Sasha’s shoulder. “Take it easy.” Finally, the elevator came.

  Out on the street, Sasha walked to the nearest corner and grabbed a cab. She couldn’t stand the thought of a long bus ride or the CREW’s recap of the meeting.

  In the cab she couldn’t sit still. The tension felt like little needles sticking into her body. Every time she thought of Master’s words, she almost screamed.

  “Are you okay, Miss?” asked the driver. “You look pretty shaken up. Can I do anything?”

  “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll be okay.”

  The driver continued. “It’s just that I have a daughter about your age and she got into drugs last year. It’s taken the whole year to go off of them. I hope you’re not doing that.”

  Sasha laughed. “It’s not drugs, for sure.” It’s much, much worse, she thought.

  As she got out of the cab, Sasha could see someone sitting on the steps of her house. Sasha’s heart raced as Jake stood up and walked toward her. All her anger and defiance was gone. Sobs came from the bottom of her belly.

  Jake held her tight and told her it was going to be all right. And for a minute she believed him. Then a text came in: I told you I’d be watching you. Tell him. Now!

  Sasha pulled Jake through the door. “I can’t be seen with you right now,” she said. She curled up in the corner of the couch like a scared puppy. Jake sat beside her and tried to put his arm around her. She shook it off and said, “I think I’ve gotten myself into big trouble. And I don’t want you to be part of it.” Then she broke down in tears.

  By the time the front door opened, Sasha had cried herself calm. She’d just decided to tell Jake the whole thing when her mother walked in. “Well, this is pretty,” Sasha’s mother said. “Who are you, young man?”

  Jake rushed to stand up. Sasha stayed where she was. She was too tired to play her mother’s games.

  “This is Jake, Mother. He’s my boyfriend.”

  Both Jake and her mother were at a loss for words.

  “I had a bad day and asked Jake to come over,” Sasha lied. “But he has to go now. Right, Jake?”

  Jake smiled and pulled his stuff together. “Glad you’re feeling better, Sasha. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Asinov.” And out he went, leaving Sasha smiling and her mother with her mouth open.

  “I’m going to do my homework, Mother,” said Sasha, heading for her room. “I have a test tomorrow, so please don’t come up.”

  “Wait a minute. How do you know that boy? What about his family? I’m calling your father,” her mother rattled on.

  “You do what you have to do,” answered Sasha.

  Sasha lay down and thought of Jake. Her boyfriend? Where did that come from? But Jake seemed okay with it. She couldn’t wait to see him at school tomorrow. And if she did, what would Master do?

  The next morning Sasha’s mother was waiting for her in the kitchen. All she got out was “I talked to your father —”

  Sasha grabbed a banana and left her with, “We’ll talk tonight, Mother.”

  At school she went straight to her locker. Jake was waiting there.

  “Oh, shit,” he said. “Did you get into trouble?”

  “No, I don’t think so. Mother said she told my father. But I don’t think she did. I would have heard from him. Besides, she likes it too much here to ruin it.”

  Jake took her hand. “More importantly, am I your boyfriend?”

  “I think you are,” she answered.

  Before she completely lost herself in his eyes, her phone buzzed. She had an email. It said: Do you think I can’t see you? Then it showed a scanned bank statement from a bank in the US. The account was in the name of Sasha Asinov. There were deposits made on two dates. Beside each deposit the source had been handwritten: $500 — Grace’s transfer to Seniors’ Advice, and $9,000 — porn photography and blackmail of eighteen men.

  These words were followed by: And I have more. There was a short video of Sasha taking the porn shots of the CREW. The other girls’ faces had been blanked out. But Sasha’s was very clear.

  A text followed: I can show the world who you really are. LEAVE HIM ALONE! OR ELSE!

  Sasha texted back: I know who you are, Martha or Master. Do you think this will stop me from seeing Jake? You’re wrong!

  Whatever happened, she wasn’t giving in and she wasn’t giving up.

  After school, she told Jake she was sick and had to go home. Her head was pounding. Her fluttering stomach threatened to bring up the banana, which was the only thing she had eaten all day. Her hands shook. All this because of one bully. But, Sasha realized, Master was a bully who needed her.

  Chapter 13

  Power Play

  When Sasha got home, her mother was out, as usual. So Sasha had the house to herself. A bath and trash TV was what she needed. She had to have all her strength for the CREW meeting that night.

  BB called, saying she’d received word that they were meeting at another apartment. She and Sasha planned to meet at the subway exit so they could walk to the address together.

  As soon as Sasha got there, BB started talking. She said that Master was completely obsessed with Sasha and Jake’s thing. “Everybody but you has been getting texts from her, calling you a traitor and pushing us toward accusing you of serious crimes. She’s not really leading anymore. Zorro and Fringe are fighting over who should be the next leader. I want out. I think you do too.”

  “But,” said Sasha, “what if we get Master out and someone else takes over? We’ll be right back where we started. They have the evidence of our crimes. It would just get worse and worse. How do we defend ourselves?”

  “What about you as our new leader?” asked BB.

  Sasha shook her head. Sasha knew that Master’s time had to come to an end. She also knew she was the one to make it happen. But take over? No thanks.

  When they re
ached the lobby of a new luxury apartment, BB rang the buzzer code again and again. They were about to leave when the main door buzzed open. The guy at the desk was dealing with the delivery of several packages. The girls slipped by unnoticed. They took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor.

  As they stepped off the elevator, they heard loud voices. Zorro opened an apartment door and stuck her head out, motioning for them to come quickly. They hadn’t even stepped in when they heard something big and heavy crashing to the floor.

  They found Fringe lying on the floor, her wheelchair tipped over. A glass-fronted bookcase lay in pieces all around her.

  BB ran to her. “Fringe, are you all right? What happened? Fringe? Talk to me.”

  Finally, Fringe moved. “I’m fine,” she groaned. “Just get me back into my chair.” Sasha and BB each took an arm and lifted her, carefully avoiding the shards of glass to one side of her. When she was settled, she looked at Zorro. “Well?” said Fringe, glaring at Zorro.

  “Don’t ‘well’ me,” cut in Zorro. “You did this to get attention. You got it. Now what are we going to do about this mess? The owners will be back tonight and poor little Fringe is too weak to clean it up by herself. Or replace the cabinet.”

  “Where’s Master?” interrupted Sasha in a quiet voice.

  Zorro turned to her like she was seeing her for the first time. “Master doesn’t need to know any of this,” said Zorro. “Master isn’t interested in us since you joined our CREW. She’s only interested in you and Jake. So,” she said, looking up at Sasha, “I’m taking over. It’s logical, isn’t it? I’m the smartest. I get by the best with my little girl act. And,” she said, looking back at Fringe, “I can get into most places on my own two feet.”

  Fringe’s beautiful face had turned into a mask. “You will regret that, Zorro,” she said. “You’re on your own with the cabinet and how to explain it to Master. I’ll just tell her you’re trying to take over.” She pushed herself over to the door.