Fernando and Macey finish up their breakfast and he takes the dirty dishes and utensils into the sink. After cleaning them up, he returns those items that belong to Hondo and Val.
 
Returning to his electric camper, Fernando takes off his outerwear and crawls into bed, under the covers. Macey, though already dressed for the day, crawls to the bed and lays on the bed next to him.
 
"You OK, uhm... father?" She asks him.
 
"Just tired. Did not have that much sleep last night. I'll be fine in a couple of hours." He tells her her.
 
"A couple of hours?" She asks.
 
Fernand takes out his arm from under the blanket and shows her his watch. "What time is it?" He asks.
 
"Uhm... it says 7-49" She answers.
 
"OK. By the time the clock says 10, I should be fine. Now. Your choices are, go out and be with Ms Valentine, be with Ruth and the girls or here with me. But if you are to stay with me, all the windows and doors needs to be closed and locked. Those little pins on the doors need to be pushed down to lock them. and the curtains pulled across to block out the windows." He tells her.
 
"OK..." Macey says as she gets up and closes the side door. The curtains are then drawn and she takes off her outer layers before crawling into the blanket with him. Before she could turn to face him and ask personal questions, she find him asleep. With nothing else to do, she gives him a kiss before closing her eyes and snuggle up to him to go to sleep.
 
For the most part went out of their way look for or to disturb them. Though it was not two hours, they wake up at around 9:10, feeling a little better than before. Still tired and run-down but at least better to deal with the day.
 
Fernando orders Macey to get dressed first as he gets his things to get dressed as well. He gets dressed faster than she does though she had less to put on. Without something being there to challenge her, Macey is beginning to fall into a docile way of life, which she needs to be broken out of before she gets deeper into it. For now Fernando does not pay attention to the pattern she is taking too.
 
The side camper door opens and he steps out first from it before helping Macey to step out of the camper as well. Though he wants Macey to go do as she thinks she needs to do, instead she follows him about. He looks at the Slavers' vehicle - an SUV about the same size as Val's Bronco. Fernando needs his alone time to figure out a few things and Macey is not going to give it, as a girl has certain needs for attention and affection that needs to be fulfilled.
 
He turns to face her, "Look, Macey. I need some alone time to think a few things through. in fact I should be with Hondo figuring out those things." She looks at him as if he deserted her. He continues, "I'll make it up to you tomorrow."
 
Macey sighs before she leaves towards Hondo's camper. He follows her to look for Hondo himself.

Quote from Fernando on Jun 9^th, 2016, 8:10pm:

Moro removes the Acetaminophen from the list. "I removed the Acetaminophen. As for Mexico and beyond, we were planning to expand in those areas later on. Right now we're focusing on the United States and Canada. We may be a race of engineers; we're from Texas where cotton is king. We've heard about cotton. We environmentalists need to learn about crop rotation and recycling, got it. This is not for making new kits. This is to refill existing medical kits. Povidone-Iodine is already on the list. I'll remove all WaterJel products from the list." Moro removes them from the list. "About the QuikClot, do we remove from the list or leave it?"
 
The list as it is now:
 
Quote:

Jeanette Isabelle

Valentine finished eating and before everyone else except Hondo. She got up and move to the opposite side of Ruth, away from Zoey and Tonya. She whispered to her what they planned to do about Zoey and Tonya and ask if she, her sister, and cousins would take care of things after breakfast or at least until she could get back to help.
 
Ruth: That's sweet of you two. Don't worry about anything. We'll take care of everything using our camper. We'll even handle supper too.  
 
Valentine: Thank you. We appreciate it.
 
Ruth: It is a small thing for us to do amidst all you folks have done for us.
 
 Valentine went back to the girls and sat down. The girls soon had finished and once done Valentine told them that she and Hondo needed to talk with them in the camper.
 
Tonya: Is something wrong?
 
Valentine: Not at all. Go on. Wake him up if he is asleep.
 
Tonya: But he was so tired. You sure he wants woke up?
 
Valentine: I'm sure.
 
Zoey: Can we sneak up on him?
 
Valentine: We can try.
 
Tonya: We are naturally quiet and we we're taught to be quieter.  
 
Zoey: I snuck up on him yesterday.  
 
Valentine: We can try, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
 
The three of them walked quietly around the camper and entered the open door. The camper was stabilized with jacks so it didn't sway and they made no noise. Hondo laid part way back k in the recliner with his hat over his eyes. They got up beside him and thought they had succeeded.
 
Hondo: Zoey, Tonya, Val, You three need to try harder.
 
Zoey jumped as she was sure he hadn't heard them.
 
Tonya: damn. How did you do that!
 
Valentine: I told you it might not work.
 
Zoey: But we didn't make any noise and you we're asleep.
 
Hondo: Mostly asleep.
 
Tonya: But how did you know it was us?
 
Hondo: I smelled you, though.
 
Zoey: Smelled us?
 
Hondo: I know my wife's scent. I smell her and three women using her shampoo. And she is wearing that perfume I bought her two Christmases ago.
 
Valentine: You're right.
 
Hondo: One of the others has a more woodsy smell and I smell blood from a wound.
 
Tonya: I bumped it in the shower and it started bleeding a bit again but it's stopped since.
 
Hondo: The last one smells of my Cologne.  
 
Zoey: Sorry. It reminded me of you. I like how you smell.
 
Hondo tipped his hat up and sat up a bit more, though not all the way so he was still comfortable.  
 
Tonya: Valentine said you wanted to talk to us.
 
Hondo: Yeah. Zoey first. Then you and I will take a walk and talk. We have a lot to talk about.
 
Tonya (meekly): OK.
 
Zoey: Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry about your Cologne!  
 
Hondo: No, no. You did nothing wrong. I am not worried about the Cologne, but let's use less an' maybe try to find some special for you later. For now sit.  
 
Hondo patted the recliner arm. She sat down and turned her head towards him  
 
Hondo: Now, I've never done this before so it's new to me. I just want you to understand that the world is full of things good and bad. You can always get the good an' often the bad happens no matter what you do. I said I'd protect you an' I will try but I may fail. I hope I don't but I will try.  
 
Zoey: Is something bad gonna happen?  
 
Hondo: Someday it will. Hopefully not anytime soon though. I just want you to know that even if I fail I'll never stop trying to save you again.
 
Valentine: We know you have had a hard life and you miss your parents.  
 
Zoey looked down at the talk of her parents and just nodded.
 
Hondo: I know no one could replace them. I am sorry you have had it so hard, little lady. But we want to help. I talked with Fernando again. He is going to check on some things that in will explain to you more about later, when it is time but he is going to help me fight for you.
 
Zoey: How?
 
Hondo: I can't explain it now. But there are things that might try to keep us apart. I want you to know that and that we will never stop fighting for you.
 
Zoey: Why? Why fight for me.
 
Valentine: Because we love you.
 
Hondo: I know I said I needed more answers but I don't care about that now. No matter what comes we want to be your parents. We want to adopt you.
 
Zoey: Adopt me?
 
Hondo: I know we can't replace the folks you lost and we aren't trying to take their place but . . .
 
Hondo didn't get to finish his sentence as a crying, pre-teen wesen girl had thrown herself onto him, held him tightly and cried into his chest.
 
Zoey: Daddy! Oh thank you!! I . . . love you, daddy!
 
Hondo had to hug back a bit.  
 
Hondo: I love you too, little angel.
 
Valentine was teary eyed and Tonya was smiling but her smile faded into a sad look. She started to leave the camper. Hondo called out to her as he held Zoey.
 
Hondo: Where you headed, Tonya?
 
Tonya: Just outside. Want to give you guys some space. Sure you have a lot to talk over as a family.  
 
Hondo: Stay.  
 
Tonya: No I'd . . . I'll be outside.
 
Hondo: OK. Give me a couple minutes and we'll talk.  
 
Tonya: Take your time. I'll. . . Be outside.
 
Tonya tried to hide her feelings. She walked around the camper, away from everyone and found a tree to sit under. She looked up at the sky for a moment. . . she couldn't hold it in any longer. She took a deep stuttering breath and started to cry quietly. She was so happy for Zoey but now she felt completely alone. When she had Zoey and Karl she felt like she had a part of a family at least. Karl up and left her and Zoey now had new parents. What was she to do?
 
Back inside Zoey started to calm down.
 
Valentine: I got you something in town yesterday. I was waiting to hear if we could take you in or not before I gave it to you. But. . . here.
 
Valentine got up and grabbed a box out of a cupboard and handed it to the teary eyed Zoey. She sat up but stayed in Hondo's lap. She looked at the box for a moment, a bit overwhelmed at the moment bit she slowly brought her thoughts together and opened it. It was a thigh length replica of Hondo's motorcycle jacket in her size.
 
Zoey: This . . . for me? Like dad's? Oh thank you!
 
She hugged Hondo again.  
 
Hondo: It was her idea. You need to thank Val.
 
Zoey: Thank you, Miss Val.
 
Valentine was disappointed she didn't call her mom right off.
 
Valentine: You're welcome.
 
Hondo: Now, that's not fair. You called me Dad.
 
Zoey: I'm sorry. I. . . I just.
 
Valentine: It's alright. If you don't want to. . .  
 
Zoey: No, I just. . . Can I call you momma?
 
Valentine started tearing up again.  
 
Valentine: Momma is fine. Momma, mom, any of them are fine. Even if you don't feel comfortable calling me that now, know I'll love you no matter what you call me.
 
Zoey got up and walked over to Val and wrapped her arms around her neck and whispered in her ear.
 
Zoey: I love you too, Momma.  
 
Valentine (whispered): Thank you, sweet heart.
 
Hondo sat up: I'd better go. . .
 
Zoey: Can I go with you? Please??
 
Hondo: Not right now. You stay with Val, uh, I mean your Mom.
 
Both VAL and Zoey smiled at that.  
 
Zoey: Where you going?
 
Hondo: Well if things go right I'll be back with your older sister.
 
Zoey: But I don't have a sis. . . Tonya?!?
 
Hondo (nodded): It will be her decision, that's why I need to talk to her alone. She's old enough to live alone if she wants to but I don't think she does. If she will have us, we will gladly take her.
 
Zoey: I hope she does stay.
 
Hondo: Me too.
 
Hondo went outside as Valentine and Zoey excitedly talked about their new relationship. Hondo knew they needed bonding time now. Later he would spend time with her but she had taken to him. She liked Valentine but he wasn't sure that she accepted Val like she did him. Hondo looked around for a bit until he found Tonya. She sat under a tree away from camp, her head between her knees, her breath catching every so often. He knew she had been crying. He felt bad. He had planned it this way but didn't plan for her to think she was being left alone and he knew right away that's how she took it. He cussed himself out in his head for been so thought my. The poor lass had been through so much. . . The best laid plans of mice and men, though. His had failed he just didn't have Valentines thoughtful, sensitive touch.  
 
Hondo walked up by Tonya and sat down beside her.  
 
(To be continued )

Moro has heard "cotton is king" in reference to Texas as well. Moreover, where Charlton is now, cotton fields existed in another time line. The Dallas Cotton Exchange Building was in Dallas and the Cotton Bowl is named that for a reason. There are more important things to talk about. There is one thing that Moro feels is worth mentioning. "At different times in Charlton history, we needed to put knowledge on what grows well in the area, and crop rotation, to practical use.
 
"You are right in saying we can learn anything we want to learn if we put our minds to it. You just cited one example. We're not making it; cough medications are being made." Moro gets to the list and what Fernando said about nitroglycerine. "Nitroglycerine? I understood the complaint to be about the lack of emergency medicine and first aid supplies.
 
"You are right in that I should have said something. How could you possibly know what we know or don't know? We know about the bus and train yards you mentioned. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. As for the accusation of not recycling, let me paraphrase old Geico insurance commercials, 'If you are an environmentalist, you recycle, it's what you do.'
 
"If we are nothing more than just a bunch of carpetbaggers with no diplomatic means, though we are the government of the city state of Charlton, then we should just go home after our current projects are complete and play with our electric train set we just built. If we're just carpetbaggers then I don't need to ask for your input on stopping the meteor that landed in the Atlantic ocean, creating a wall of water exceeding 300 feet."
 
Moro drops the sarcasm. "We disagree on the time loop. We understand you know more about time than we do. From our point of view the time loop is tied in with Jeanette's fifty-six year journal, not the mission. We are not trying to get Jeanette on our side. We just want her to see everything through. If the time loop is not tied into Jeanette's journal then why does it appear that way? Why did the time loop break when Jeanette returned to her time when the mission was over? We did not reset it.
 
"Are you referring to the two crew members who went AWAL? They are being court-martialed. Though I did not go AWAL, if I did you would be talking to my replacement now, I did get a reprimand for not reporting the incident. If any of us have actually done our job, you may not have even seen the faces of the slavers.
 
"If you really want a safe passage, get on the Interstate. That was the route we drew for you on the map. Actually we're glad you chose the dangerous route since you will be with the people who need the most help. Every group has their respective way of doing something. Everyone's way is different and every way is good. Building things is what we're good at so we're involved in the infrastructure. The U.S.P.S. is not a government agency but a group of human volunteers raising the U.S. flag and delivering the mail. That may not sound like much but it's the biggest morale booster this world has. The Sackett Clan and others like them are taking out the bad guys and the evil Spirits.
 
"Our little performance yesterday morning is not helping our image at the moment. We did not want Jeanette to know that Penny was genetically engineered and raised for her. With that cat out of the bag, we did as Jeanette asked." Moro goes into her brief case and retrieves paperwork. "Jeanette asked to exchange the bill of sale for an adoption certificate. It's all here, two copies ready for her to sign. One is for her to have with her. The other is to be filed at the Charlton court house."
 
Note: Get Moro drunk as Fernando suggested. Then he will know Moro is telling the truth and that the skeletons in their closet are small in their significance and little in number.
 
Jeanette Isabelle

"The only asteroid of that size on record is 2002 NT7 and it was supposed to hit in 2019. If it missed, it has another chance to hit the earth in 2032. Being Aliens from space and with the technology you have, you could have sent it to the sun so do not give me that Ying and Yang that you could not have stopped it." Fernando begins.
 
"Like I said, the more you talk, the more it sounds like you are covering up. So to preserve your life, and my insanity, unless it is something really important or intelligent to say, Shut Up! If you think your kind has all the answers, we would not be here. You need us, I do not need you. Remember that." He tells her, "As I figure, we are at least one or two towns - some 50 to 100 miles away from the closest interstate, and it is not a guaranteed safe ride. As you seen, the basic infrastructure is maintained by the people and towns they connect, and not by outer worldly entities like yourself. If it were maintained by you or other spirits, the mutant circus show out there would not be there and the ribbon of asphalt would be better paved and this would not be an adventure on careful white-knuckle driving or we fall of a cliff or attacked by a road gang. So unless you have a hidden yellow brick road up behind your tail, let us do our job of avoiding mutant hating towns, the raiders and slavers and get to Charlton in one piece. All you need to do is tell me is when and where this 'Gabrielle' going to be and I will get us there. Until then you are still under arrest. So know your place around me." He tells her.
 
"Now if you excuse me, I got things to do and chew bubble gum, and I'm all out of bubble gum." He says before walking away from her.
 
Fernando walks to the the SUV Karl came in with the girls, looking at it and thinking. Unless there was some sort of electronic identification on it, he does not know how they would separate it from any other out in the public unless they are identifying the driver. He looks under the vehicle, for the most part things look normal until he spots a dim flashing light by the gas tank. Inspecting the area, He finds a partially covered circuit board there that does not belong. It takes about a minute to trace the wires to and from it, disconnect them and remove the device from the vehicle. He sits up by the rear bumper of the SUV and examines the device closely.
 
"I'll be. A Mad Max Car Self-Destruct Unit." He says to himself. He thinks to himself a bit longer and then makes a realization. He get up and looks for Hondo, finding him heading back to the camper area with Tonya from the field. He heads out to intercept them, doing so quiet quickly.
 
"Where are you two going?" Fernando tells them as he approaches.
 
"Back to 'our' camper." Hondo says.
 
Fernando hands him the device he pulled from slavers SUV, "We need to talk."
 
"I see, Jefe." Hondo says as he looks over the device. He then turns to Tonya, "Go to Val, something came up that we need to take care of."
 
"I... see..." Tonya says in reply before heading off slowly. After a few steps, she quickens her pace to get to their camper.
 
Once she was out of hearing range Hondo almost whispers, "Where you found this?"
 
"Next to the gas tank in slavers' SUV Karl came in on." Fernando answers just as quietly.
 
"Found any others?" Hondo asks.
 
"No. But, it poses the question, what about the girl's panel van camper? It too is - was a slavers' vehicle." Fernando points out. He then asks, "How many fuel tanks does such a panel truck vehicle has?"
 
"Depen's on the configuration, one, sometimes two." Hondo answers.
 
"Lets go check it." Fernando says, "You take the right side, I'll take the left side." Fernando tells him.
 
They get the girl's camper van in a couple of minutes. They enter it and glance inside, seeing nobody inside, and nobody inside the trailer behind it. They were all by Hondo's camper. This gives them a chance to look over the camper van. After a quick search of the inside of the passenger section, they go under the vehicle. They found several tanks for water, propane, and vehicle fuel. The fuel tank was between the vehicle support rails above the drive shaft. Hondo finds another similar device but it was deactivated. After removing it, he hands it over to Fernando.
 
"Look." Hondo says as he hands over the device, "It was on my side but it was disconnec'ed."
 
"Looks like your friends who did the camper mods did us a favor." Fernando replies.
 
"Could be." Hondo says as they get from under the vehicle. They meet at the Slavers' SUV Karl came in with. "What's the day's plans?" Hondo asks.
 
"We gather some Intel. First we need some fuel." Fernando says as he points to the SUV. "Arm up and take the Garand with you too. I'll get some empty fuel jugs to fill up, you talk to Val about arming up the girls and get them ready in case somebody decides to retaliates. Karl is to stay behind and guard the girls. Get some lunch too. It's going to be a long ride. We'll meet up here in fifteen minutes."
 
"Alright..." Hondo says.
 
They separate into their ways. Fernando gets the fuel jugs from the girl's camper, which were empty for the most part. The four five-gallon fuel jugs from his electric camper for Jeanette's reserve fuels and his back up generator were full and taken. He then gathers his M1 Garand and other items, setting them up in the SUV. While he does this work, He goes into his camper and switches the charging system to the recharge the other set of batteries that were drained from the journey two nights before.