WhilewaitingforReyainthecar,JunidlylookedupinformationabouttheRedLantern.Whathefoundmadehisstomachtighten.

        Twogirlswhohadonceworkedtherewerelistedinthemissingpersonsdatabase.

        Ofcourse,thatalonewasn''''''''tenoughtomaketheoeeofthegirlshadbeenanundotedimmigrant,theotherarunaway.Withnolegalstatus,nomoney,andurnto,theirchoiceshadbeenpainfullylimited.Apartfromwalkireets,woffthebooksataeserestaurant—waitingtables,washingdishes—wasohefewwaystheycouldstillearnaliving.

        Thereweretoomanyyoungwomehemdisappearinginthiscity''''''''sshadows.Forthoseyoungwomenwithoutfamilysupport,withoutasafety,yetstillprettyenoughtodrawattention,thesocietyseemedtoofferendlesswaystthemdownward.

        Itmightbeginharmlessly:afreemeal,aparty,adress,asparklingbracelet.Thehegifts,theluxurycars,themansions.Thatwasthegmorousversion.

        Moreoften,itstartedwithsomethingassimpleasasmallloan—anewphone,alimited-editionhandbagthatftteredhervanity.Thehemaxed-outcreditcards,theipilingupfasterthanshecouldbreathe.

        Ahetrapfinallysnappedshut,therewasalwaysa"friend"willingtohelp.A"goodguy"withajoboffer.An"opportunity."

        Oothatabyss,andtherewasnoingback.

        Junrolleddownthewindowanddrewinaslowbreath.Theairwasthick—exhaustfumestahthegreasysweetnessoffriedfood.Acrossthestreet,awomaninheavymakeupandashortjacketcaughthiseye.Shetuggedthehemofhercoat,adjustedherheels,andsauowardhim.

        Hewasstilldeghowtowaveheroffwheeppedoutoftherestaurant.

        "Ugh,I''''''''mdeadtired."

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