In a remote part of Turkmenistan a small compound that in many ways was built up like a palace stood quietly and was presently under long range observation from a hill that was far enough from the compound that someone would need binoculars just to get any indication that there was anyone eying the compound. Those watching it did have binoculars and were well hidden against the brush with a series of trucks parked on the other side of the hill and out of line of sight from the compound. For the moment, things seemed quiet enough. There were a few guards posted along the roof of the compound but there weren't many, and from what could be seen through the binoculars, none were actually looking toward the hill.
"You're sure this is where they've been tracked to?" a Turkmenistan law enforcement official, who looked more like he belonged in an army than any police force asked to the other man with him.
Admittedly the man with him was dressed in black and was wearing gear that would enable him to take a few rounds, but much of it was arranged to look like a SWAT uniform and the logo for Interpol was emblazoned in silver on his right shoulder. At the same time, they were also tying up another series of cases that also seemed to go through much of the region in central and southern Asia. They'd earlier run into a series of issues in which an organized ring of perverts had been kidnapping teen girls and on occasion killing their male guardians if there were any. It was large and spread across several countries, and while that case was going on it was assumed to be something that came out of the problems that related to the Covid 19 pandemic. When that ring was broken and those part of the ring moved to Heiya Island, there was some hope that these sorts of things would become less of an issue.
However, there then came reports that reached Interpol from various countries that despite the breaking of the ring and the rescuing of a large number of prisoners of that ring, all of the "missing" weren't found. What drew the most attention that the Interpol agents soon found is that the list of "missing" were all male and that lead to a series of conferences in which they found that what these countries were reporting were not missing people from the earlier ring but a NEW group with a similar, yet, new mode of operation. It set things in motion in trying to find out what was going on and how it was working, and WHY this new ring was targeting young men. Many of the cases were non-violent, but they were still being removed from society and reportedly against their will, and that set about the present "manhunt."
"This is where your Assembly man reported that he'd seen one of the kidnapped teens," the Interpol agent answered as he looked over to his partner, "and our means of surveillance have reported a number of trucks have come in with enough supplies to feed the number of people that were kidnapped."
That had been part of a tip that had come from a man from Turkmenistan's Assembly on this compound, and ultimately after one of his secretaries was identified as being in the area of where one of the young men had been kidnapped. The reports that this ring was smaller than the earlier ring was "good news," but that was more a guess on the fact that the number of men being grabbed were fewer in number, which had created the theory that the present ring was similar in that looking to give homosexual men living in countries where that behavior was often frowned on a means to exercise some act of "dominance." Thus why the targets had been male and why so few had been taken, as that sort of thing wasn't easy to hide, particularly when many countries had laws or cultures that at the very least looked down on homosexuality. The tip that this compound was the site where they were being taken was the first real break in the case and Interpol and the Turkmenistan government couldn't pass it up, thus the coordinated rescue effort.
The combination of Interpol and the Turkmenistan government had presented the hope for the present case to be broken. Now they were moving into position to make sure that his compound, which according to paperwork was supposed to be a military compound, but no one in the army knew of it and the compound didn't look like a military facility. It looked more like an apartment complex and the only thing that made it look like a military facility were the guards on the roof of the building. It was for that reason that they'd also arranged that detachments would come from all sides. There was a push from the government that the move be made in a military type action, which the Interpol Agents countered, or watered down as much as they could. Largely on the basis of trying to find a way to rescue those that had been kidnapped and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
"Guards?" the Turkmenistan officer asked.
"Only four on the roof," the Interpol answered, "when we're ready... a barrage of tear gas should give us the cover to get to the various gates and secure them."
There was a grumble, but the suggestion was accepted and the men began to move on foot around the hill in order to make the approach on foot. The trucks would only come in once the building was secured. The only thing they could do was then hope and pray that the intelligence was correct. The lead Interpol Agent taking part in the raid watched as things progressed as the lower ranking agents and Turkmenistan officers then advanced. As they got halfway to the compound, tear gas grenades were launched into the air and landed on the roof. The lead agent looked through the binoculars that had been fitted to see in the night and was able to see the guards on the roof paused and coughing, it was almost as if they were there as guards but had not been prepared for anything more than some lost herder or traveler with no weapon.
From there the two men observing the compound listened in over reports given by walkie-talkie like radios that updated them on the progress of the move. The doors were barred and had to be beaten in, there were at least two armed guards at each door and one Turkmenistan officer was wounded in the resulting fire-fight, but reports again indicated that most of these guards seemed to be more trained to deal with people who were unarmed. Then came a room to room search, and it was reported that there were several rooms that were made out like honeymoon suites, sickening both men that were commanding the operation. They eventually found about fifty young teens and young men, the youngest being no more than fifteen and the oldest being only twenty. They were quickly moved out and toward where the trucks would be waiting for them. The last report was that they'd found the headman in an office on the upper floors of the compound, who'd committed suicide before he could be arrested. One of the Turkmen officers reported that he was also a known associate of the Assembly member that had given them the tip about the buildings location.
"The President will be most displeased," the Turkmenistan lead officer said to the head Interpol agent, "as this will draw attention back on him and his government."
"The reports would indicate that this ring has gone through a lot of Central Asia and into parts of Southern Asia as well," the Interpol Agent answered, "one or two from Mongolia as well. So this wasn't all on your government. All the reports indicate that they were talked into coming here with vague promises of work and keeping contact with their families..."
"And none followed, yeah, I know," the Turkmenistan officer answered, "and that's why we're here... but with the clues that we've gotten that they were gathered to be raped by homosexual men... there may be some that cannot return home because of the act committed, even if it wasn't willing. Some because of government laws. Others may be shamed by it."
"That we can only determine through taking statements from those involved," the Interpol agent answered. "Hopefully most can be returned home."
"And if not?" the Turkmenistan officer questioned, "My President will take all of this a failure on HIS part to police his country and keep criminals out. The victims that were from my country may face penalties just to keep them from mentioning it. What can you expect then?"
The Interpol agent sighed and then looked to the trucks that were now driving around the hill to reach the compound. He then looked back to the Turkmenistan officer and answered, "if circumstances develop in which we can not send them home as this story develops... they may have to rely on International Charity and those that would give them a safe place, regardless of the details. The Animalian colonies of New Zerzura, Heiya Island, and Maelewano. They would either fit for potential geographic location or for religious similarities..."