The Gamblers

She turned around and obeyed. She stood there almost naked and tall, an obedient CELT; no sound, no movement, no false modesty. I took her arm and led her past the library, and down steps to the cellar. There was a faint hesitation in her body when we started down the cold, stone cellar steps, but no resistance. Jesse's story is a futuristic one; a future where it is legal for girls to contract with men for sexual services, even an extreme BDSM relationship. Jesse's contract is held by a gambler, a deceitful man who misuses her. Howard witnesses first-hand this abuse, and although not wanting to get involved is goaded into a sucker bet, and against the odds wins Jesse's contract. He tries to do the right thing by her, recognising the girl as an innocent victim, but his acts of kindness are frustrated at every turn. Slowly he begins to learn that something is driving Jesse, something fundamental and primitive, and he's set on discovering what it is no matter how much pain is involved.