4:30PM
 
Fernando has a drivers’ meeting out in front of the vehicles. Though General Jastrey would want to be there, she is not there. Random explosions go off in the background during the meeting.
 
“We will run to the junction of Lab Town 70 miles away and split up from there. General Jastrey and a couple of us will go into Lab Town to clean it out. The rest of you will continue another 100 miles towards flight Town and find a place to camp out for the night. I will need two (2) Motorcycle Riders to ride ahead a couple miles from the group, no more than 5 miles ahead. They will scout the highway and scout out for a camping area, perhaps an Indian Town can let us rest there for the night.” Fernando explains.
 
The Indians parked at the far end walks to Fernando’s meeting. Though they are carrying various food supplies with them, the Elder does the talking.
 
“How are you doing this afternoon as the city crumbles before our eyes?” The Elder says.
 
“Fine. We are discussing our escape plan we are going to do later in the afternoon.” Fernando explains.
 
“I heard you need a place to rest for the night before continuing to Flight Town? Our town is only 100 miles away from here. You can come with us, rest and continue afterwards when the sun rises.” The Elder says.
 
“You’re not that far from Lab Town.” Fernando points out.
 
“One of our trucks will break off to join General Jastrey’s fight with Lab Town. The rest of us will head into our village. We also protect our part of the highway, so you will not need motorcycles scouting ahead. We have plenty of room and space and resources if you need to recharge and fill your water tanks. You can stay as long as you need. You helped us, we can help you. If you need to stay longer, we can negotiate a deal.” The Elder points out.
 
“We helped you? Since when and how?” Fernando asks.
 
“The Slavers’ treaty for one, the fight against the Lynch you won, and now the fight to clean up Lab Town. In those things you have given us resources, opportunities and freedoms we did not have before. Anything you and your group needs, if we have it we can share it.” The Elder says.
 
“Thank you. People, you accept the chief’s invitation to his village area?” Fernando asks.
 
“I do.” The Elder Jeanette says.
 
“If she does, so do I.” The Younger Jeanette says.
 
“Anyone else?” Fernando asks.
 
Most begin to agree, except Jason.
 
“I don’t.” Jason says.
 
“I don’t care. You’re out-voted several times to one. Even your own driving partner voted against you.” Fernando tells him. “So the plan is simple – we split up at 70 miles where a few of us will go to fight at Lab Town. The rest of you will follow the Elder’s group another 30 miles to their village and park in the designated area where they tell you to park at. There you will lock down and rest up for the night. We should be back by morning, and after breakfast, we will continue to Flight town.” Fernando explains.
 
The Elder adds, “Like I said. We maintain the roads in our area so after Lab Town, things should be smooth from there on. We have water on several piped in spigots in our lot and fresh river water from the mountains nearby. We grow our own foods, maintain cattle, sheep, pigs, ducks and chickens – the natural kind, not the mutant kind. We do our own butchering of animals, hand pick our fruits and vegetables, hunt/fish with nature and don’t waste anything. We use the whole animal from nose to tail, use the plants from leaves to roots, make our own medicines and take care of our own to take care of others.”
 
 
“I’m sure that if we need anything that we can share or barter with what we have for what you have.” Fernando explains. He then goes back about the highway run they are going to do later that day.
 
“With or without General Jastrey, we are going to start leaving at 6:30, 7o’clock at the latest. IF General Jastrey’s group is with us, they head out first. Followed by the Indian group, then us. Jason, you take the lead, followed by Den Mother. Jeanette in the Beetle will be next, then Elder Jeanette in her bus and Moro in her truck. Mavis/Hikaru in the Gas camper, followed by Ruth and Joanna in their turcks and campers and then Val in Hondo’s camper – Val you will take care of Meeshie and Macey for me while I go deal with the situation at Lab Town. Discuss arrangements in taking Molly and Maggie as well. But you will be delayed with the rear group – we waiting for the teen’s vehicles to come in and they are late, you may need to take a majority of them with you as well, as the truck has so many seats.” Fernando explains.
 
“Might be a bit crowded but we can manage.” Val states.
 
“If the teens’ vehicles arrive, then crowding should not be an issue. We just have to wait to see if the come.” Fernando explains. Val nods before he continues, “Likewise – you Karl will also wait with us as we wait for Marvin’s truck to come in or not. At worst if it is late, then you will take the girls La La and Li Li along with Maribelle and Teri. Hondo, you are second to last in the Bronco and I am the last vehicle on the line. If Marvin’s truck and the teen’s vehicles arrive, they will be between Karl’s truck and Hondo’s Bronco. If vehicles do not arrive, Val will take 3 teen boys 4 teen girls and the two dogs.  Hondo will take Marin and I will take 1 teen boy and 1 teen girl – the group leaders. As always, the convoy radio channel is number 38. Any questions?”
 
Everyone seems to be at agreement at this point.
 
“Good.” Fernando begins, adding “When we get to the Lab town Junction, General Jastry’s vehicles will break off the line to get Lab Town, as well as that one Indian vehicle, and then Hondo and I. Everyone else is to follow the Indian convoy to their village and lock down for the night.”
 
“What about us?” Madison, the teen male leader, asks.
 
“You will be going with Hondo and I to Lab town, but we will hide our vehicles when we go off by foot with General Jastrey. You, Patricia and Marvin will stay behind and guard the vehicles and monitor the radio on channel 38. Hopefully the battle will not last long. But just in case things go wrong, you may have to leave without us. That order will come with a code word from General Jastrey, Hondo or I. I will tell you what that code word is later.” Fernando explains.
 
“Good. I thought we had to go into battle.” Madison says to himself.
 
“Every day is a battle, Madison. You may not see it now but you will later in life.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Since we will be protecting the vehicles, will we be armed?” Marvin asks.
 
“Hondo?” Fernando throws the ball to his court.
 
“Of course you will. I taught some of you the basics on how to use firearms. Hopefully you will not need to use them while we are gone.” Hondo explains.
 
“We’ll hand you the fire arms to protect yourselves with before we leave.” Fernando tell them, adding, “That is your rides never show up. If your rides show up, you all continue to the Indian town with the others in your rides.”
 
“Don’t know what is the delay.” Hondo says.
 
“We will find out soon enough.” Fernando points out.
 
As everyone discuss about who has what and their placement on the line, General Jastrey arrives in one of her military vehicles – an old military Jeep. She has her driver drive up to the group.
 
“Having a driver’s meeting?” General Jastrey asks as she steps out of the jeep.
 
“Just ironing out some details, general – sir.” Fernando says to her.
 
Hondo asks, “What you know about the trains? We are expectin’ Tom and the boys to arrive with a delivery and they are late.”
 
“We’re guarding the tracks to make sure the yahoo’s do not wreck the tracks. But they might be having problems further down the line. We do not know as of yet.” General Jastrey explains.
 
“Thanks.” Hondo says to her.
 
“So what time you guys leaving?” General Jastrey asks.
 
“I’m planning for 6:30, 7o’clock the latest.” Fernando explains.
 
“Hmmm... move it up a half hour,  this way we gather by 6PM and be leaving as you stated – 6:30.” General Jastrey explains
 
“OK. Any objection to moving the bug out at 6PM? That is less than an hour and a half from now. We will prepare then and start rolling out when completed, which would put it at 6:30.” Fernando says to the group.
 
Everyone agrees to the new terms.
 
“OK, with this, I declare this meeting over. Let’s start preparing, like the last time, sleeping areas inside the vehicles and not the trailers. Teens, Molly, and Maggie, connect with Val and set up the truck area for you guys. Macey, you and Meeshie will with be with Zoe, Tonya and Kitty. Everyone else – let’s do this!” Fernando tells them.
 
Everyone starts to pack up and set up their bedding and seating and sleeping areas.
 
-= To be continued... =-

As the vehicles turn off, three of the newer vehicles turn off to Lab Town with Ms Jastry’s troops. It does not go unnoticed by Fernando. Not knowing if they know how to handle a CB Radio, he decides to deal with the situation when they get to the set up point for Lab Town instead of switching around the channels and typing up the convoy’s main frequency with chatter others should not be hearing.
 
The military convoy stops just a couple of miles from their intended target and prepare for the attack from there. The area is sparsely populated with large trees of various kinds: Pine, Oak, Elm mostly.  Fernando parks his camper and trailer under a large oak with a just as equally large canopy. He gets his bus and trailer as close to the tree as possible. In the least, this hides his ride from view from higher points of view. Hondo parks his Bronco and trailer on the other side of the tree from Fernando. They get out to confront the others who haphazardly park their vehicles and trailers.
 
“Why you broke off from the rest of the group going to the Indian village?” Fernando asks as they get out of their vehicles.
 
“You requested that we go with you and do guard duty for your vehicles.” Madison points out.
 
“That was only of you did not get your rides.” Fernando points out, “You got your rides, you should be going with the rest of the convoy.”
 
“Then who is going to protect you and your vehicles, sir?” Marvin asks.
 
“I, Hondo and I, are not alone in this as you can see. If you did not get your rides, only a couple of you would be here with us. Not all of you. And you would be doing simple guard duty to protect the vehicles, not joining us in battle in Lab Town.” Fernando explains.
 
“Maybe they can still be good use in guardin’ our things while we are away.” Hondo throws in.
 
Fernando shakes his head, though he agrees with the idea. It is something he is not happy with but he has to make the best out of the situation.
 
“OK, Hondo. Help them turn their vehicles around to face them to go out on a moment’s notice. I’ll go find a few long arms in my camper for them to use.” Fernando tells him.
 
“OK Jefe...” Hondo replies. It only takes him a couple of minutes per vehicle to turn them around to face the road from which they came from. Fernando goes into his Dub Box camper and pulls out a three of the M1 Garands he has hidden in there, along with a couple of loaded clips per rifle. He leaves them on the floor at the door of the Dub Box.
 
Fernando then calls Marvin first, then Madison and Patricia. They gather about him at the box of the Dub Box. He hands them a clip of loaded ammunition, 7 rounds each. Then he holds out one of the Garands and demonstrates while he explains. “This clip goes into the rifle like this:  you hold open these jaws inside with your thumb and then drop the clip inside. With your other thumb press the clip hard until you feel it drop into place. Then remove your hands out of the area quickly as the rifle will close up and seal the area. If you are not fast enough, the jaws that hold the clip in place will bite you and it will hurt. It is something you need to get used to doing. Then you pull the bolt back and then forward and twist to load the first bullet. All other bullets you shoot will load themselves in automatically. When you shoot the 7th and last bullet, the rifle will open up and eject the clip. Reload the next clip you have like before, load the first round, and continue shooting. Any questions?”  
 
They seem to understand what was explained to them. Fernando gives them 3 more loaded clips of ammunitions each for a total of 4 before he hands them a Garand. “Put those other 3 clips in your pocket and load the rifle with the first one.”
 
They do as he explained and demonstrated, giving them a little assistance with the procedure until they got it right.  
 
He then continues to explain how to shoot it, “On the side is a lever that has F/S on it. Look at it and twist the lever up and down – S is for Safety, meaning that the rifle is locked up and cannot fire. F is for Fire, meaning that it is unlocked and shoot when you pull the trigger. For now keep it on S. Now you have a loaded and ready to shoot rifle that is locked up to prevent it from being fired accidentally. Not to shoot...” He lifts up his Garand and points out, “You use this tab in the front and this metal notch in the back. Putting the rifle stock on your shoulder and hold it with your left hand on the front wooden stock and the right hand around the curve of the rear stock to where your finger can reach the trigger.  Then lean you head to the rifle with your left eye closed. Line up the notch with the tab and then what you want to shoot be on top of the notch and tab. Squeeze the trigger and it will shoot. When it shoots, it will kick back into your shoulder, so be prepared. At the same time the rifle will eject the bullet casing and load in the next bullet. If you do it right you will hit your target every time. If you miss, just adjust your aim. But whether you hit or miss, if somebody is coming to attack you and this hear how load this rifle is, they will second think about attacking you. Any questions?”
 
“Where is the best place to shoot them?” Patricia asks.
 
“Since it is going to be dark, at best you will be seeing is their shadow. You shout to them as to ask who they are and why are then there. If they do not answer or they try to rush you, shoot in their direction. You want to hit them in the chest and stomach area as it is the biggest area to hit. But they might wearing some amour to protect themselves. Keep shooting them there, as amour wears down with each shot you hit it with. After a while they will either fall or run away.” Fernando explains. He adds, “No one will be coming your way and listen to your CB Radios. If Hondo, General Jastrey, her men or I are coming back here, we will call you first. Also, I have my daughters in my camper. They are not to be disturbed for any reason. Also and lastly...” He takes his cane and twists the crystal ball. For a second there is a faint blue flash. He pick up a rock and throws it out onto the road but it looks like it hits a wall and small blue lightning flash about the rock for a second before it falls to the floor, “The force field will protect you and the vehicles from anyone attacking you for much of the time I am gone. But in case the field goes down, prepare to fight.”  
 
Fernando then twists the crystal on his can and twists it, shutting down the force field. He tells them, “While Hondo and I are gone, check your trailers, and set up your beds. I maybe wrong but there might be more rifles in the trailer. Given them out to who will be awake on guard duty here. Tell me what you find when I come back. Do not play with the generators or the lights, that might bring unwanted attention. Have Lisa and her dogs outside the trailer. If something comes that is not friendly, the dogs will alert you first. Hope to see you before Dawn. Hondo, let’s go.”
 
“Right behind you, Jefe.” Hondo says. They both walk away, the force field being turned on after they walked away far enough. A half hour later the moon comes up on the dark skies, lighting the area as it can. Another cloudless night along the mountain roads saps the warm air that was around during the day to a goose-bump rising chill that seems to surround everything.
 
Madison order the teens to action, “Jordan, Robin, check out the trailer and take note of what it there. If there are rifles in there, take them out so we can set them and give them out. Francis and Dakota, check out our food and hand them out to the boys – Pat, get the girls going like I got the boys.”
 
Patricia acknowledges Madison with a nod before telling the girls basically the same thing, Lisa, Nancy, check out the trailer for guns and rifles and bring out the rifles for us to set up and give them out. Alice, check and give out the food we got.”
 
From inside the boy’s trailer, one of the boys yell out, “We got a bathroom in here!”
 
“What kind of bathroom?” Madison asks.
 
“It’s a small room with a toilet and a shower but at least it is private!” the voice replies back.
 
In hearing that the teens have firearms, Marvin explains what was taught to him to La La and Li Li before he goes into his trailer and finds a few firearms, taking out two of them for the girls. They set up rifles for themselves. Taking the bag of food given to him, he pulls out the items and gives them out to the girls. With the exception of Fernando’s girls, the camp relaxes down to having dinner.
 
15 minutes later Fernando and Hondo arrives to General Jastrey’s camp, overlooking a ridge where the entrance to one of Lab Town’s lower entrances can be seen. On top of the Mesa is a walled in area with a few buildings which marks the outdoor part of Lab Town. General Jastrey and a few of her men look over the area with their binoculars.
 
“That’s it?” Fernando asks.
 
“Yeah. The lights are on but the place looks empty. Nothing has moved from within it in the past 48 hours of observing it. Waiting for my scouts to report in.” General Jastrey says.
 
“Think they bugged out?” Hondo asks.
 
“Remember, they have technology that they can go in and out without walking out where they can be seen. Don’t know what the range is on their teleporters but even a couple of miles, we would lose them in all in a matter of seconds. I think they are doing what they do but in a lesser amount knowing that we are outside, ready to move out when we move in.” Fernando explains.
 
“Teleporters?” General Jastrey asks.
 
“Teleporter is a device or machine that can take you from your place and put you someplace else. There are many ways of doing this but it is something like this.” Fernando explains and then takes his cane and teleports one of the General’s men from where she stood to 10 feet away to prove a point.
 
“Do you have any more of these?” General Jastrey asks as she points to Fernando’s cane.
 
“It’s the only one but there are other devices, other machines that can do the same thing, just do it differently. And from the looks of it, ‘our friends in the cave’ have something like this and are using it to move in and out of the Lab. That is going to cause problems if we move in suddenly. We need to move in slow and silently, that means weapons with silencers.” Fernando explains.
 
General Jastrey nods.
 
-= To Be Continued. =-

“General Jastrey – have 2 teams per building, but only send one team in. The other team guards the entrance and exit of the building – no one goes in or out without identifying themselves first. Then have ten teams at the main front and rear entrance and exit of the base – eight goes in, one stays outside to secure entry point. Snipers around the facility will take down any overpowering force that might try to enter or leave. We go in all at once together. When we go in, nobody touches anything.” Fernando tells General Jastrey and her men, adding “I’ll take the front, Hondo you take the rear.”
 
“Alright Jefe...” Hondo says.
 
Another 15 minutes of preparation before the team groups set themselves up at the various entrances and exits throughout the compound. The signal was given for the troops to move in.
 
Fighting was very minimal, much of it against automated system and a couple of drones. Lab Techs that were found disappeared in a flash of light. Deeper into the compound they go, the fewer automated systems they fought, the more lab techs they met and disappeared. Several labs were infiltrated, finding shelves of jarred body parts in bubbling solutions. A couple of larger rooms had examinations beds covered in blood and reeking of spoiled meat.
 
It is not until they got to the lowest levels did they find locked cells housing various wessens. In the other end of the hall was several rooms containing large chambers with filled with a green liquid and people floating in it with a mask to give them air to breathe and chains on their wrists and ankles to hold them inside. They looked like they were going through some process of metamorphosis. In another room were three beds but one had a male sheep wessen strapped down on it with some kind of hear gear on his head. Arcs of electricity jumps from the electrode to electrode on the head gear.
 
Fernando finds some kind of control console in the room and looks it over. He presses a few switches and twists a few dials. The electrical flow to the wessen’s head gear ends and the headgear itself opens up to where one of the soldiers took it off the wessen’s head. Hondo arrives to Fernando’s side.
 
“What to do next, Jefe?” Hondo asks.
 
“Take a couple men with you and see if you can open those locked cells and free those within. I’ll see about getting those in those vats out.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Will do.” Hondo replies before pointing out to a few men, “You, you, you  and you, come with me.”
 
Fernando then orders the men with him to release the wessen on the bed. He then goes into the other room with the large glass tanks with the wessens inside. He walks about the room looking for controls but finds none. Going back to the room with the three beds has controls but nothing for the tanks in the other room.
 
“Alright fellas. I can’t controls for these tanks, so we’re going to blow them open. Aim for the top and bottom of the tank above and below whoever is inside. That should shatter the tanks and all that liquid should rush out. The drains on the floor should take care of the liquid but it may be not be fast enough to get it all so get what you can to stand up on as to not get your gear wet. And put on some protective gear to deal with taking down who’s inside!” Fernando explains.
 
The soldiers go about getting the other two beds and move them to the doorway for them to sit on and put on their protective gear, giving them a couple feet of space off the floor. They discuss amongst themselves as to when to shoot them all at once or one at a time. They opted for one at a time. The medic in Fernando’s group was taking care of the wessen they freed from his restraints on the bed.
 
The tanks exploded upon impact with the bullets fired at it, making the liquid surge into a wave that filled the floor several inches. It takes a few seconds for the drain to suck down the green foul smelling liquid from the room before they take down the first of several individuals from within the busted tank.
 
Hearing the explosion, Hondo calls on the radio, “Jefe! Are you alright!”
 
“We’re fine Hondo. rescue those in the cells but do not come into the area – we are dealing with some kind of bio-contamination. Here. There will be several more explosions like that last one to get those in the tanks out.” Fernando explains.
 
“We found what looks like a hose and shower on this end. If you need a clean up, it’s at the very end of the hall with the cells.” Hondo explains.
 
“Good. Get your medic to check who you find before getting them cleaned up. And continue searching, maybe we can find something useful.” Fernando says.
 
“Will do!” Hondo replies.
 
In the background of the radio chatter, somebody yells “Drone! Drone!” before several rounds of gun fire can be heard. Then silence.
 
“Alright everybody – troop leaders – head count!” Fernando says in the radio.
 
After a few seconds, everyone is accounted for. Several more minutes, and the bodies in the tanks were freed in much the same way as the first.
 
Hondo’s group finds a storage closet filled with clothes, towels and personal cleaning supplies, though not the best it is enough to get those they find cleaned up and clothed. A lot of the stuff looks personal but they are not going to sort what belongs to who as they are going to get those they find cleaned up and dressed to leave.
 
“Jefe, you there?” Hondo calls on the radio.
 
“I’m here.” Fernando answers.
 
“I think we are done here. We have about 20 older teens and adults, and 10 children and younger teens. They all in various states of wessen conversion of sorts.” Hondo says.
 
“We’re still gathering and cleaning up here. Go call General Jastrey for a personnel carrier to put those you find in for immediate exit.” Fernando explains.
 
“Gotcha!” Hondo replies.
 
“I heard all of you!” General Jastrey replies from her radio. She then asks, “Hondo, how many you have again, where are you in the compound and how long to extract them?”
 
“I have 20 adults and older teens and 10 children and younger teens in various states of wessen conversion. We’re at the bottom level of the compound. ETA is ‘bout 10 minutes.” Hondo explains.
 
“I’ll have an armored people-carrier at the entrance where you came in. Let me know when you’re half way out of the maze.” General Jastrey tells him.
 
“Will do!” Hondo replies. He then looks at his men and his rescued group, “It’s a long walk but we are heading out where we came in.”
 
A little girl about 8 years old who looks like much of her features were changed to a sheep/lamb wessen looks at him. She asks, “Excuse me mister, where are you taking us?”
 
Hondo gets down on one knee and holds her hands, “Some place safe, away from this nightmare. I’m sorry we could not get here sooner, though.”
 
“Do you have food and water where you are taking us?” The little girl asks. She adds, “We have not eaten or drank in days.”
 
“I’ll see about gettin’ somethin’ for you all to eat.” Hondo tells her before rising up his Radio, “General Jastrey, you still out there?”
 
“I’m here. You’re at the half way point already?” General Jastrey says and asks.
 
“No. But many of these poor folks are weak from thirst and hunger. Got somethin’ for them when we get them out, like field ration energy bars and water?” Hondo asks.
 
“I’ll see what I can gather. Let me know when you’re half way to the destination.” General Jastrey says.
 
“I will, but the condition of these people, it might take longer than the original 10 minutes.” Hondo stated.
 
“Noted.” General Jastrey replies.
 
Hondo looks at the little sheep girl, “It’s not much, but you will have a little somethin’ to eat and drink when we get out of here.”
 
“Thank you, mister!” The little lamb girl says as she pounces and hugs Hondo.
 
Hondo is just frozen in the moment of being pounced and hugged like Zoe does to him. On some level it is accepted since Val has been returned to him but he would prefer to be with her at the Indian camp and not fighting another war with some unknown enemy while rescuing people he does not know. He thinks about how much hate is in such a world they are in where one would snatch people and turn their into hybrid human animals. It reminds him of the African wars of the 1990s, the Tutsis vs. the Tootoos and the late 2010’s South African White Massacre where killing was wanton and non-discriminatory. People were just targets to make one reputation larger based on a body count one can make from those around them. And he wonders if he and Fernando are getting to be like that – owning a reputation based on the body count they are standing on.
 
The little lamb girl eventually lets him go and trots to the rest of the group, leaving him there on one knee. He slowly gets up and continues to follow his group.
 
Fernando takes longer, for except the one found on the bed, everyone found is in very bad condition and can barely move on their own without assistance. He takes them to the cell area where Hondo found the shower and hose facility and finds an open locker with soap, towels and left over clothes. He finds a jar of liquid soap that screw into the hose to make a power wash. Keeping the water pressure to minimum, the bio hazard material is washed off those who were in the tank and off the soldiers exposed to the stuff. The individual were then given some towels to dry off with and clothes to put on. Fernando does a head count of those they had rescued from the tanks and the one from the bed.
 
“16... 12 older teens-young adults- 10 females, 2 males, 4 children-young teens – all female, and that one older male found on the bed.” He says in his mind. He looks about the facility and the control room some more, taking what supplies and things he thinks would be needed, finding a leather binder notebook of notes. He looks it over, and its notes of individuals and the wessens they were changed into. He closes the binder and puts it under his arm.
 
The radio is silent and thus Fernando takes it to make his call.
 
“General Jastrey, are you out there?” Fernando calls to her.
 
“I’m here. What’s your status?” The General asks.
 
“With what was found, we washed off the bio-contaminate off ourselves and the victims we found. We have about 21 individuals, mostly young females. There are 3 males – including one older one. And they are near completion of their wessen transformation. They are all weak, probably from their ordeal of being in a solutions submersion tank for who knows how long they were in them, so it will take a while for us to get out. I also found something that I will show you in person.” Fernando explains.
 
“We’ll be waiting. There will be an armored people carrier waiting when you arrive.” General Jastrey  
 
“See you then.” Fernando says on the radio before turning his troops. “I got point, Benson and Wojohowitz, you got the rear. Everyone else gets a dance partner and help them get out of here!” He waits for a few seconds for the troops to organize themselves before telling them, “Let’s Roll out!”
 
Hondo’s team was almost at the half-way point when somebody on the radio started yelling “Drones! Drone!” It is followed by automatic weapons’ fire lasting for several seconds. In the commotion no one sees Hondo clutching at his neck as if something stung him. Whatever it was it was crushed by his almighty large hand, and remnants thereof looked like some kind of flying insect though there were too many silver metallic bits to make it natural. A couple of his men also got the insect bite treatment as well. Not thinking much about it, Hondo wipes his hand on the side of his leg and continues with his group.
 
In a few minutes Hondo and his troop reach the half-way point. He makes the call to General Jastrey of his goal arrival and continuation of extraction of the victims and his team. General Jastrey acknowledges his report. He and his men would be reaching the three-quarter point before Fernando and his group reaches the half way point.
 
Another 15 minutes later Hondo’s group reaches the exit. Hondo radio calls the troops at the exit to identify himself and his group as planned. With visual confirmation a couple of minutes later, Hondo and his team step out of the exit, the victims they extricated are given water and snack bars to hold them over. They were escorted to the armored vehicle where they are sent in to sit down. General Jastrey arrives and heads over to Hondo as she inspects his findings.
 
“Found anything else?” General Jastrey asks.
 
Hondo shakes his head, “Nothin’ out of the ordinary. Just some bugs biting a couple of us.”
 
“I see.” General Jastrey says as she signals the medic to look him over. They find nothing but a bump of a stinging bite on the back of his neck. Little was done to those bitten, a bit of lotion and a band aid was put on the bite wound.
 
Another 10 minutes Fernando radios ahead before revealing himself and his group to the exit. The troops guarding the entrance allowed him and his group to step out. The victims are given snack bars and bottles of water before being escorted to armor vehicle. They get in and sit down while Hondo, Fernando and General Jastrey discuss what was found and what is their next move.
 
“Your job is done. Time to send in a demolition team and flatten the place.” General Jastrey says to them.
 
“Don’t. Leave it be.” Fernando says to her.
 
“Can I ask why?” General Jastrey asks.
 
“We charged in and they left when we charged in, chances are we are being watched. If they think we came in to rescue people, then they would not be so angered with our actions. But if we destroy their place, they will get reinforcements and attack Center Town. At least as is we got their attention and perhaps, just perhaps, they would want to make peace with us. That would be the first step for them to do if they do something. So it is best that it is left alone.”  Fernando explains.
 
General Jastrey thinks for a while before Fernando interrupts her.
 
“General Jastrey, I found this in the control room. It has pictures and names of people and some link it to their transformation. If it helps to restore their identities of who they are despite being converted to wessens, then use it.” Fernando explains.
 
General Jastrey takes the binder and looks over a few pages, saying to herself, “Interesting.” She finds a couple of CD/DVDs in a back pocketed folder inside the binder. “These would be interesting to go over.”
 
“I would like a copy of those CDs.” Fernando says.
 
“So would I.” Hondo throws his voice in to be heard.
 
Fernando reaches out to get the binder from General Jastrey, “Our campers are on top of the top of the ridge, a couple of miles away. My laptop should be able to copy it into memory and I give it back to you. Should only take about an hour, if that.”
 
General Jastrey looks at them both. “Alright, get into the jeep.” She then turns to her officers, “Clean up and pull back to the sniper’s boundaries. We’ll be rolling out soon.”
 
“Yes ma’am.” Her officers say to her as Hondo and Fernando get into the jeep through the rear. They sit and hold onto the rear railing before being driven to the ridge where their campers were. Fernando requests use of the CB Radio on the Jeep, selected to Channel 38.
 
“This is Fernando calling to the Teens and Wessens at the camp. Come Teens and/or Wessens.” Fernando calls over the radio.
 
It takes several seconds before he gets an answer, “Madison of the Teen boys here. What’s the situation?”
 
“Hondo and I are returning to camp. We rescued over 40 individuals in the lab. General Jastrey is handling the reintegration of them back into society. We found some data discs that I will try to recover, that should take about an hour before they are given to General Jastrey. She will be with us as she is supplying the ride for us to get there. We should be there in five minutes.” Fernando explains.
 
“Understood. We will be waiting for your return.” Madison replies.
 
In a couple of minutes, General Jastrey’s Jeep makes it over the ridge and the camp comes into view. Fernando turns off the force field that surrounds the camp with his cane to allow them to enter the campsite.
 
-= To Be Continued... =-

“Yes Ma’am. It is claiming to be Reverend Jenkins.” Sergeant Smith says over the radio.
 
“Get him some food and water and make him comfortable. And tell him that I will see him in the morning to deal with what is going on. Right now we got to pack up and move out.” General Jastrey replies over the radio.
 
“Will go Ma’am!” Sergeant Smith replies.
 
General Jastrey hands over the handheld walkie talkie to her driver. She then turns to Fernando and Hondo, “Due to this new finding, I will be taking my men to the Indian village to deal with Maribelle about this. It will give you and your mini convoy protection to get there.”
 
“Thanks. We’ll prepare to go and wait for your group to pass by and we will follow you.” Fernando tells her. He turns to Hondo and the others, “Marvin, you go first after the General Jastrey’s men go by, Patricia, you will insert your ride after Marvin. Madison, you’re behind Patricia. Hondo and then I will take up the rear.”
 
Through everyone agrees, Patricia needs to ask why for that order, “Sounds great but why in that order?”
 
“Marvin, and Hondo have the stronger vehicles compared to you, Madison and I. If any of us breaks down, they can hitch up to us and tow us to the next destination where we will conduct repairs. It is how I have much of the convoy going though there are some personal preferences as to who wants to be behind who.” Fernando explains.
 
In the distance, one can hear large military vehicles being turned on but not yet moving, as they gathering themselves and putting away their weapons. “Alright. Get your things and then your rides ready. We’ll be going as soon as they pass by.” Fernando tells them.
 
Everyone goes to their respective vehicles, putting away their long arms before getting in to them and turning on their engines. Fernando walks up to Hondo who hesitated in getting into his Bronco.
 
“Everything alright? You look tired.” Fernando asks.
 
“Just tired, nothin’ more. These past several days without sleep and workin’ hard to get Val back, I’ll be better with a bit of sleep tomorrow.” Hondo states.
 
“Alright. I’ll have us stay at the Indian village for a day or two so you can rest up. I’m sure we all need it.” Fernando tells him.
 
“I’ll be fine.” Hondo replies.
 
The engine noise of heavy vehicles begins to get louder as General Jastrey’s troops started rolling out. It takes about 5 minutes for the military caravan to pass them for them to join up at the rear. Marvin pulls out first followed by Patricia and then Madison. Hondo was next with Fernando taking up the rear. In a couple of minutes they were back on the highway road, making their way to the Indian Village some 30-plus miles away.
 
3:30AM
No vehicles broke down so the trip went fast, arriving at the village just a bit over an hour later. The Chief was expecting us and during the night General Jastrey had a meeting with the Chief. Fernando and Hondo were invited but they both stated that they were tired and needed the rest. Hondo joined his family in his camper. Fernando closed up all the curtains in his camper and popped up the top tent for air. He strips down to his briefs before getting into the bed with the girls. He pats on the mattress and Meeshie jumps up onto the bed and curls up on top the blankets with them.
 
5:30AM
The camp begins to wake up with Ruth, one of the teen girls and the Sheep Wessen girls are gathered outside of Hondo’s camper. Ruth knocks on the door when she finds it locked. Tonya opens the door.
 
“Oh, sorry. I did not know it was locked.” Tonya explains, adding, “Hondo and Fernando came in late and he’s still sleeping. I do not dare disturb them, not just yet. Got the stuff?”
 
Ruth hefts up a paper bag of various items, including a Giant Mutant Chicken Egg, “Sure do.”
 
“Good. Let’s get cooking.” Tonya explains.
 
As the ladies begin to assemble the ingredients, there was a knock on camper door. Ruth goes to open it. There were a couple of Indian women at the door.
 
“How can I help you?” Ruth asks.
 
The older of the two reaches up with a leather bag, “As our guest, please accept this gift of food.”
 
“Thank you.” Ruth says as she receives the bag from them.
 
The younger of the two asks, “That white camper with the red cross on it is not answering when we knocked on its door.”
 
Ruth had to think, then look out the window. She sees the Electric camper by Hondo’s camper. “Oh, Fernando’s camper? He’s probably still sleeping but if you have something for him, we’ll give what you want to give him when he wakes up.” She explains.
 
“And that Brown and White Camper?” The older woman asks.
 
“That’s my camper.” Ruth says.
 
“It is?” The older woman asks.
 
“Yeah. We gather into this one to cook most of the meals here, and if need be, we can use the two camper behind the white camper and then my camper.” Ruth explains.
 
“So, and the others?” The older woman asks.
 
“Some of them are here helping to cook, while some others are still sleeping.” Ruth explains.
 
“So... can we give you all the food gifts and you hand them out to the others?” The older woman asks.
 
“We can do that.” Ruth says.
 
The younger woman pulls a pull cart closer to the door and start lifting leather bags of food into Hondo’s camper. There was a bag for every vehicle in the convoy. They were taken to the back where the truck and the camper connect.  
 
“Thank you for the food. It is greatly appreciated.” Ruth tells them, “We will make sure that the others will get it and say thanks for these gifts.”
 
“We will see you later during the day.” The older woman says to Ruth before signaling to the younger woman, “Let’s go. We got to help make the morning meal for the village.”
 
Ruth waits for them to walk away before closing the door. Tonya shows the sheep wessen girls and the teen girls how to prepare for breakfast, Ruth takes inventory of one of the bags, finding a dozen regular chicken eggs (large sized), small loaves of bread or large biscuits, and various fruits and fresh grains. Val climbs down from the sleeping area upstairs, with Zoe right after her. She looks at everyone in her kitchen.
 
“What’s going on?” Val asks as Zoe runs into the bathroom.
 
“Oh...” Ruth begins, “When you were ‘gone’ we gathered here to help make breakfast for everyone like you used too. We are just keeping the tradition alive.”
 
“Thanks.” Val says to her, adding, “First thing is first – coffee for Hondo and Fernando.” She goes ahead and puts a large pot of water to boil. “This water is for the coffee for them and also for tea and hot cereal. Just be careful. I do not anybody burned.”
 
“We’ll be careful.” Tonya says.
 
“I’ll be down in a bit after I wash up and get dressed.” Val tells them before she knocks on the door, “Zoe, honey. Let mommy in.”
 
The bathroom opens up a crack, Val opens it enough for her to walk in. Ruth looks over the pot of boiling water while Tonya shows how to crack open a giant mutant chicken egg into a large bowl without spilling a drop. An electric egg beater is used to scramble the egg. A frying pan is set up with a spoonful of oil. Peppers and onions are cut up into small squares, and some bacon is cooked on the frying pan extra crispy. It is taken out of the pan and crumbled up then put on a plate. Taking ladle full of egg, it is poured onto the frying pan and some of the pepper, onions and bacon are sprinkled over it as it cooks. Another frying pan it set up to cook more bacon and sausages. A slice of cheese is put onto one side of the omelet before it is folded. A couple of minutes more, it is put onto a plastic/paper plate along with a couple strips of bacon and a sausage. Ruth takes one of the bread biscuits and puts it on the plate with the egg. Another plastic/paper plate is made in the same fashion.
 
Val and Zoe step out of the bathroom a little bit fresher than when they came in. Zoe goes upstairs to get dressed to get Macey over for breakfast. Val goes over and makes the coffee for Hondo.
 
Tonya tells Val, “The plates are for you and...” She hesitates for a bit before finishing the sentence “Hondo.”
 
“Thank you.” Val says as she takes the plates of food and a sealed coffee carafe upstairs to their bedroom.
 
Zoe comes downstairs and tells Tonya as she leaves, “I’ll be back with Macey!” She hops out of the back of the camper and trots over to Fernando’s camper. There she gets up on the bumper and tow hitch to knock on the rear window. The curtain was closed and rear hatch locked, but her knocking gets somebody’s attention as Meeshie crawls up from under the curtain to see who it is.
 
“Meeshie! Get Macey!” Zoe says to her through the closed window.
 
Meeshie disappears for about a minute. One of the curtain panels slides open, and Macey gets up behind the window.
 
Zoe yells through the window, “Get dressed! Breakfast!”
 
Macey nods before closing the curtain. It takes her a couple minutes to put something on, fresh inner layers with yesterday’s outer layers. She then makes her way to the driver’s seat and leave through the driver’s side door. She goes to the rear of the camper bus where Zoe was waiting for her.
 
“Come on! Tonya and Ruth is making breakfast, you want to eat, don’t you?” Zoe tells her as she takes Macey by the wrist and hauls her to Hondo’s camper. She opens the door and takes her inside and then upstairs to her bedroom. “You stay up here while I get us some food.”
 
Before Macey could say anything, Zoe is heading out and down the ladder.
 
In Fernando’s electric camper, Meeshie is on the bed pawing at Fernando’s face to wake him up. Eventually it does.
 
Fernando wakes up looking right at the cat. It takes a while for reality to set it and for to sit up. He looks about camper, finding Ichigo sleeping but Macey nowhere to be found. He pets Meeshie on her little head, “Thank you, girl.” He sits up and gets dressed.
 
Ichigo slowly wakes up. “Where am I?”
 
“Go back to sleep. I’ll see about getting breakfast later.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Thanks...” Ichigo tries to go back to sleep, but then she sits up abruptly, “Who Are You And Where Am I?!!”
 
“You OK Ichigo? It’s me, Fernando. You dove into my truck after escaping Fight Town.” He tells her.
 
“OH... yeah. I remember now.” She says as she sits up and realized that she is in her t-shirt and panties. “Uhm... You and I didn’t do anything, Uhm, you know...” she asks as she makes a circle with her index and thumb with one hand and slid her extended index finger in and out the hole with other.
 
“No, we didn’t #$@!, nor I did not take advantage of you. You slept with Macey since last night and when I parked the camper in the Indian Village, Meeshie and I climbed into bed with you two and we all slept together.” He explains, adding, “Macey disappeared though I can guess where she is. I’m going to find her. You and Meeshie will stay here until I get back. Best for you to go back to sleep and I’ll get breakfast for us later.”
 
“Alight...” Ichigo begins, realizing that nature is catching up to her, “Uhm... is there a bathroom nearby?”
 
Fernando goes searching for a robe or long coat for her to cover herself with, finding a robe for her to put on. He hands it to her, “Put that on for now and put on some shoes. I’ll open the side after I check on something.”
 
Ichigo just nods.
 
Fernando checks the driver’s door, finding it closed but unlocked. He locks the door and then heads to the center area of the camper and opens the side door.  He stands outside for a moment before Ichigo steps outside. Leaving the door open, he walks to the Dub Box, opens its door and steps inside with Ichigo following him inside. Between the couch and kitchen shelf, is a closed box. He opens the box to reveal the toilet inside, and a roll of toilet paper hanging on the wall.
 
“There’s the toilet. Paper is on the wall. I’ll be outside. Flush and put the seat cover down when you are done.” Fernando tells her before he steps outside. There he waits for her to do her business.
 
Ichigo steps up to the door, “I’m done.”
 
“Alright, step aside so I can close it up” Fernando tells her.
 
Ichigo sits on the on the adjacent couch as Fernando steps in to close up the bathroom. He then steps out with Ichigo stopping at the door.
 
“Where can I wash my hands?” She asks.
 
“In the sink in the camper.” Fernando tells her.
 
Ichigo does not look impressed. Fernando picks up and takes her the few steps to the electric camper and places her inside. He points to the sink where a bar of soap and towel was visible from the night before. Miffed at being picked up and carried, Ichigo goes to the sink to wash her hands.
 
“I’ll be back. Fold up the rope and put it on the shelf by the sink. Then go to bed. I’ll be back.” Fernando tells her. He closes and locks the door before checking on Hondo’s camper for Macey. It only takes him a few seconds to get there. He knocks on the door.
 
Ruth opens the door, “Oh! Mr. Fernando! Anything I can help with? Breakfast, coffee?”  
 
“I eat breakfast last, but set up 2 because I have somebody with us I rescued last night. More importantly, is Macey in there with Zoe?” Fernando says and asks.
 
“She is. Want me to call her down?” Ruth asks.
 
“No. Just wanted to know where she was at. I’ll deal with her later. I’ll be back in an hour for that double breakfast, juice and coffee, after everyone eats.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Oh. OK. See you then.” Ruth says before Fernando steps away from the door, and she closes it.
 
Fernando goes back to his electric camper and lets himself in. He closes and locks the sliding door after he lets himself in. Taking his outer layers off, Fernando goes down to his briefs and goes back to bed to go to sleep again. Meeshie jumps about the camper and onto the bed and next to Fernando. Ichigo pushes herself up on extended arms, turning to face him.
 
“Don’t you sleep elsewhere, like in that back camper?” Ichigo complains.
 
“That camper is for emergency use only and the use of the bathroom because this one does not have one. I sleep here with Macey and Meeshie. If you do not like it, I can get you a sleeping bag to sleep on the floor.” Fernando tells her.
 
Ichigo lowers herself on the bed and crawls under the blanket with the pillow, saying, “Don’t try anything stupid or I’m going to scream rape.”
 
“One, I want to go back to sleep. Two, after tomorrow when we leave, you can stay here and hope no one in the village wants to collect the reward of your ass. Three, I own you – remember that. I’ll figure out what to do with you later – nobody rides for free.” Fernando tells her. He then turns onto his side facing the sliding door, covering his head with the blanket.
 
But Fernando could not go to sleep, Ichigo was softly crying. He slowly sits up.
 
“What’s wrong.” Fernando demands more than asks.
 
Ichigo just whimper softly under the blanket.
 
“Well...” Fernando throws at her.
 
Ichigo quiets down a bit but not fully. Fernando takes hold of the blanket and pulls it off her, leaving her there in just her t-shirt and panties as she holds onto a pillow.
 
“Either talk or start packing.” He threatens her.
 
“If you force me out and abandon me, they will find me and then kill me!” Ichigo lets out.
 
“Have you forgotten the past couple days?” He holds back from shouting at her.
 
“No...” She whimpers.
 
“Then what the #$@!?!! I swear... I do not stick my neck out for the liked of you or anyone else because I want to play hero.” Fernando gets up, taking a couple of steps to the center of the camper and pulls down on the pop-up section. He then gathers his clothes and sits on the edge of the bed to put them on. As he puts on each piece he says to her, “Since I am not going to get any sleep... I swear.” He turns to face her. “I do not care how you end up. You have choices to make and obligations to fulfill. Abandon any one of them and I will abandon you. It is that simple. Now I’m going to get some breakfast for us to eat, and eat it you will because it is all what we got and we do not waste food here.” He then turns to the cat, “Meeshie, guard the house. I’ll be back to feed you.”
 
Putting on his shoes, he gets up and heads to the sliding door, unlocking it, opening it and stepping outside. The door slides closed and locked. He just stands there for a second. “I #$@!ing swear...” He says to himself.
 
“So she’s in there?” An all too familiar voice says out loud.
 
Fernando looks down seeing the two Jeanettes, daring to ask, “Who’s where?”
 
“A certain strawberry blonde immortal little girl we made a bet with.” Jeanette tells her.
 
“And if she is? It is none of your business. And besides, she did not accept your bet for her ass, though she did accept mine.” Fernando tells them.
 
“Why you filthy disgusting pervert!” One of the two Jeanettes, presumably the younger one, yells out.
 
“What the #$@!... It’s not like I’m getting some ass from either of you. And if either of you were offering, I would not take it. I swear. Plus this was a personal bet between her and I where she lost and not has to pay up. Furthermore people are after her to kill her as to what happened in Fight Town.” He tells them. “I don’t care if you mind or not, but I need to get some breakfast.”
 
Fernando side steps around them and head to the rear of his camper and steps over the hitch to get to Hondo’s camper.  He steps over the hitch on Hondo’s camper and then knocks on the door. Ruth opens the door.
 
“Oh, hi, Mr. Fernando. Just wait one second, please.” Ruth tells him before leaving the door ajar. She comes back some few seconds later, opening the door again. She hands him over a brown paper bag, and a couple sealed vessels of liquid, “I had to ask around on what you usually eat, so I hope it’s to your liking.”
 
“I’m sure that it will be fine.” He tells her, “And thank you.”
 
Fernando steps away from the door and begins walking around to the front of Hondo’s truck to get to the driver’s side of his camper. He leans over to the passenger seat and places the bag of food and vessels of drink there. He then gets in and locks the door before picking up the food and taking it to the bed behind him. He gets a plate and a can of cat food from the cupboard, opening the can and pouring the content onto the plate and puts it behind the passenger seat of the bus. Meeshie jumps off the bed and begins eating it. A small bowl of water is placed by the cat food while she eats.
 
Fernando sits on the bed by the sliding door, opening the bag and pulling out boxes of food. They seemed to stacked together in groups, finding two egg, ham and cheese sandwiches each in separate boxes. He hands one to over to Ichigo who was curled up under the blanket. He pulls off the blanket off her.
 
“Time to wake up and eat, lazy ass.” Fernando holds back from yelling at her.
 
Ichigo takes her time to sit up though reluctantly does so. Fernando picks up the box with the sandwich in it and hands it over to her. She reluctantly takes it and opens it. Letting out a sigh, she begins eating it. He then checks out the vessels of liquid and gives her the one with the juice. He then begins to eat the other sandwich and drink his coffee in the other vessel.
 
Half way into their meal, Ichigo asks, “Where are my things and money?”
 
“I’ll show you after we finish eating and clean up.” Fernando tells her. “And you need to get dressed, you’re not going to hide in this camper all day every day.”
 
Ichigo just gives him a scowl.
 
“You work, or give up ass or both. After we eat and I show you where things are at, you are going to make the bed, sweep the floors and clean the counter. Then you can sit and rest until I got more for you to do.” Fernando tells her.
 
Ichigo just gives him a mean look.
 
“You better understand unless you under the age of 6 or sick and dying, everyone here earn their keep in order to get fed and a ride. You wanted to escape Fight Town from killing you, this is not a free ride and we do not accept money. Money we got.  Work and supplies we don’t. So everybody got to their bit to keep this convoy together. As it is, I lead where this convoy goes as I search out for the safest routes to get there. Hondo helps me in that task and does first contact with the towns he go into. Jeanette leads the group to its destination in Texas. Everyone else does cooking, cleaning, guarding, help getting supplies and things we need. We discuss plans and share knowledge that we may or may not know. We all work together or not at all. Do I make myself clear with that?” Fernando drops the law on her.
 
“Alright. I got it. But I’m staying in here as long as I can for protection.” Ichigo tells him.
 
“Daughter, wife, mistress, slave, whatever title you want to have on your ass that connects you to me, I will provide you with protection to the best of my ability. You would not be here if I could not.” Fernando tells her. He adds, “But that protection is not free. It comes with a cost that you are going to pay. Furthermore, there are rules for you to learn as well and accepted behaviors on top of that.”
 
“I get it already.” Ichigo complains.
 
“Then do not cop an attitude with me, Hondo, or the others. And unless it is necessary to act like a little girl you look like in front of a stranger, that little girl act is not going to work here. Everyone here knows that you’re an adult. An adult who’s freedom and protection thereof is based on my decisions.” He tells her.
 
“Is that all?” Ichigo asks.
 
“No.” He replies.
 
“Then what is there?” She asks.
 
“Welcome to the family.” He tells her.
 
Ichigo decides to remain silent at this point, looking over her sandwich before she gives it another bite.

Another 15 – 20 minutes and Fernando and Ichigo had finished their breakfast. Fernando tells her to put on some clothes, but with her things put away, there was not much she had to put on but the office suit she had on the day before. In the least she puts on the skirt and blouse for now. Seeing that Meeshie had finished her meal, Fernando picks up her plate to clean it in the sink, leaving her water bowl behind. He then opens the door slightly, just enough for Meeshie to hop outside and find a place to do her Kitty Business. She comes back a few minutes later.
 
Fernando tells Ichigo to get off the bed as he opens the rarely used Jump Seat behind passenger seat hanging on the cabinet that is there. He tells her to sit there while he goes through a few things. Meeshie had jumped up onto the driver’s seat and curled up into a ball of fur. With Meeshie back inside, the side door is closed. Fernando points out a few things to Ichigo.
 
“This part of the bed is a bench seat.” He explains before grabbing the center of the bar and lifts it upwards and then pushes back into there is a loud audible double-click. “Under the bench seat is the storage compartment, though it is not big, it is more than enough to hold stuff. Here is where your things are. There are two hooks to pull on in order to pull up the seat, here and here.” He explains and points out before lifting up the seat to open the storage area. He signals her to come over and look inside.
 
Ichigo gets up off the jump seat and walks to the open bench seat. She looks inside and sees her things neatly piled up to the side next to a small chest originally given to Fernando by the Indians when he received the camper. Ichigo takes her suit jacket and folds it up, placing it on top of her things in the storage area. Fernando puts the seat down to close the storage area. He then reaches to either side, showing a loop belt tucked between the seat and wall.
 
“You need pull both these belts at the same time in order to pull down the back of the seat to make the bed.” He says as he demonstrates pulling down the back of the seat. He continues as he pushes the back of the seat down to be flat, “Rarely the seat will be up. With the seat down the bed is big enough for 4 or 5 people. With the seat up, only 2 maybe 3 can fit in there. Now get on the bed.”
 
Ichigo silently complies, sitting on the bed facing him with her knees up and legs open as she supports her upper body on her elbows. Fernando gets up on the bed next to her, taking her by her shoulders and pushing her flat on the bed.
 
“Be gentle with me!”  She says out loud to him.
 
“Oh please... you think I’m going to #$@! you here and now? You must be joking.” He tells her.
 
“You don’t want to #$@! me?” She asks sheepishly.
 
Fernando sighs, “No. Now turn over and slide to the back near the window.” He crawls to the window before she does. He continues to explain as he pulls on the back of the mattress, “Right here against the mattress is the handle to open this rear door. It is a t-handle so it is easy to grab and you twist it to the right and then push the door out and up. It is locked from the outside so nothing from the outside can come in. But in case of emergency or on hot days, the door will be open to allow for air to flow through. To close it, pull hard and twist the handle to the left. The door will pop into place when the lock is fully activated.”
 
“Oh...” Ichigo says, then she points to the wooden shelf on the side of the bed.
 
Fernando reaches over and opens a couple of doors on it, “That is temporary storage, like for clothes and stuff.” He pulls out a plastic Tupperware box from inside, “This one has Macey’s socks, underwear and t-shirts neatly folded. I’ll get one for you to do the same. Just respect her stuff as she will respect yours. The other areas are for other clothes; shirts, skirts, shorts, pants, whatever. My clothes are at the top shelf. At the back against the door is where some tools are at for me to do maintenance and repairs with.”
 
Ichigo nods.
 
Just to mess with her head, Fernando puts his hand up her skirt and onto her smooth nylon panty covered ass. “Now lift up that ass so I can start #$@!ing it.”  
 
Ichigo grabs onto his arm tightly and cries out, “Please, be gentle with me! I’ll do anything but it’s been a long time since I had to do anything!”
 
Fernando smacks her ass before taking his hand out from under her skirt, turning onto his back to look up. “Please, if I wanted to #$@! you, I’d be balls deep in you right now. But that is beside the point. Now, turn on your back and look up.”
 
In thinking, Ichigo turns onto her back cautiously though keeping her distance from him. He turns onto his side and takes hold of her, pulling her towards him until she is against him. He tells her, “You are I are going to be close, very close. So you need to trust me as I need to trust you. Where we go from here is on you and me. Now, do you want to continue on other thing this camper has or do you want to talk things out before we continue?”
 
“Can we talk first?” Ichigo asks.
 
Fernando lets her go and the turns on his back to look up at the ceiling, “Then talk.”
 
“I mean, I do not know where to begin.” Ichigo states.
 
“Then how about you losing your bet against me and becoming my slave?” He asks.
 
Ichigo sighs for a second before she begins, “I did not expect this outcome, even if you won the fight. But when the riots started to happen, hearing about James getting killed in the streets like some rabid dog, running from the crowd that wanted to kill me... I had to find you for I somehow knew that you would save me. In saving me I knew that there was a price to pay, and that this is not a free ride. I knew that I lost my bet to you, but since you were leaving I thought that there was no way for you to collect on that bet, that is until now. I’m with you and you can collect on this bet anytime you want. You own me, now and forever. And what you intend to do with me scares me.”
 
“I am not going to do anything to you to harm you. But misbehave, act like some little bitch, and you will be bent over my lap and I’m going to spank you something fierce. But as for what you and I are going to do? What relationship we are going to have? That’s on you. Like I said, you can be my daughter, wife, mistress, slave, or whatever title you want to have on your ass that connects you to me even though through the bet I own you. I will provide you with protection to the best of my ability. You would not be here if I could not. But that protection is not free. It comes with a cost that you are going to pay. Furthermore, there are rules for you to learn as well and accepted behaviors on top of that. So do not cop an attitude with me, Hondo, or the others. And unless it is necessary to act like a little girl you look like in front of a stranger, that little girl act is not going to work here. Everyone here knows that you’re an adult. An adult who’s freedom and protection thereof is based on my decisions.” He tells her.
 
Ichigo takes a long while to respond, “I know. And thank you. I will do what you ask of me if I can do it when you needed it done. And I’m sorry now if I act up and be a little bitch, because it is what I am. I will admit that I will work hard because in the past I had, but in these recent years I have been spoiled in getting what I want. But for you and the protection you will provide me, I will do what you tell me to do, as you daughter, wife, girlfriend, slave. If you want sex from me, I will say yes but I need you to take it easy with me...”
 
“You have your old bunny suit in your bags of things?” He asks.
 
“Maybe. I don’t know. I just stuffed my bags with what I could get and ran with it. Why? You into bunny girls or something?” She asks.
 
“No. Just need to know if you do, because my two campers have an outdoor shower. It is a fold out tent so you will get some privacy but for going in there and coming out, it is best that you are covered... a bunny suit or bathing suit would be good for that.” He explains.
 
“Oh. I see. Uhm… does anyone has an indoor shower?” She asks.
 
“There are a couple indoor showers, but we cannot share such resources all the time.  Macey is allowed to use Hondo’s indoor shower. I shower at what hotels the towns and cities we go to might have. Karl, Marvin and the teens have indoor showers in their campers. But it is theirs and you have to clean up after yourself when you are done. Plus, you have to go out later in the day and refill their water tanks for the water you used. It is better if you use what we got or I talk to Hondo about you using his shower later today. You still have to clean up after yourself and refill the water tank to replace the water you used at the end of the day but you will do so with me.” Fernando explains.
 
Ichigo nods, thinking that this is not the perfect situation to be in, it is better than the situation she would be in.
 
“Now. What do you know of the areas we are in? What towns offer what, who’s in charge? Things like that. Maribelle Jenkins knows some things but she is no expert.” He asks and then points out.
 
“I do not know anything other than hearsay. I have not been out of Fight Town for over 15 or more years...” She tells him.
 
“It’s OK. If you know or not it does not matter. We can figure something out later.” Fernando points out. He then asks, “Anything else I should know about?”
 
“I think that is it.” Ichigo replies.
 
“Then before I have my way with you and force you to practice making babies with me, let’s finish this tour.” Fernando says to her. He gets up from the bed and to the center of the Camper area. He reaches up and unlocks and then pushes up on the pop-top. He then tells Ichigo, “Come here.”
 
Ichigo slowly complies. He bends down to her, taking her shoulders and turning her around. He then takes her by the waist and lifts her over his head, into the pop-top area. She grabs onto the ledge of the pop-top area and climbs in. Fernando looks up as she climbs in. He takes the step ladder to get up to his head and shoulders into the pop-top area. Ichigo is sitting there with her legs open and crossed at the ankle.
 
“What’s this up here?” She asks.
 
“It’s a ‘Kid’s’ room of sorts. But I do not use it for anyone and Macey and I are too big to be up here. It might be turned into a small storage area. I do not know yet. But...” Fernando explains, he then unzippers the main ‘tent window’, “You open this up for more air on hot days. And there are two smaller side ones to either side of you. The mesh screen on it will keep the bugs out but you can take out the mesh if need to get out from up there. On cold days, this pop top remains closed.” He then zippers the pop-top door closed before climbing down the step ladder. “OK, come out and I’ll help you down.”
 
Ichigo works her way out, dangling her legs over the edge.
 
“Push yourself off and I’ll catch you.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Step out the way and I can jump off.” Ichigo replies.
 
“Don’t. I’ll explain after I catch you.” He tells her.
 
“Explain now.” She almost demands.
 
“Under the floor is where the battery and water tanks are. Jumping down, and you can dent the floor and damage the water tanks or short out the battery.” He explains.
 
“Oh.” Ichigo says almost to herself. She then adds, “Alright. You ready?”
 
“I’m always ready.” He tells her.
 
“Alright.” She replies before throws herself onto his direction.
 
Fernando manages to catch her and hold her against him, “Hmph... You could have warned me before you jumped.”
 
“But you caught me!” She tells him as she wraps her legs around him and holds onto his shoulders with her arms.
 
“Never mind.” He says as he steps over to the bed. He then places her on the bed.
 
Ichigo falls back on the bed, with her knees up and legs open, supporting herself on her upper arms in a semi sitting position. Fernando can see her panties from under her skirt, though he has been seeing them through most of the day so far. For now he shakes his head before sitting on the bed.
 
“What else is there?” She asks.
 
“Sink – cold water only because hot water takes too long to set up here, propane stove, cabinet under stove and sink has pots, pans, area propane heater used on cold night, plumbing, electrical, and canned and dry foods. Cabinet behind the jump seat has more canned and dry foods. Cabinet behind the driver’s seat is the refrigerator. Cabinet above the refrigerator, sink and stove has plates, dishes and cat food for Meeshie. The two top shelves are where the first aide and medical supplies are at. Lastly, the front passenger side is where a few electronics and communications equipment is at. There is nothing on the driver’s side other than vehicle controls. Behind the seats are the spare tires.” Fernando explains.
 
“That’s it?” Ichigo asks.
 
“That’s about 95% of it. Only thing left is to understand that this is an electric vehicle. There are solar panels on the roof and a generator in the engine bay. The batteries are good for 200 miles and then they need to charge up. It takes about a couple of days to charge up through the solar panels. There is a smaller back up battery good for 50 miles and the generator or solar panel can charge them. The generator can also charge the main batteries to speed up in charging them. We can talk about the other camper later but it is tied to this camper’s electronics as well. That’s it for this camper.” Fernando explains.
 
“What about the cat?” She asks.
 
“What about the cat? Meeshie is my cat, I take care of her. No one else does. Furthermore she is trained and will attack on demand. She can also retrieve and behave on my command. And she is more than capable of holding down the fort and defending you when there is no one else around, like last night. And she takes care of the kitten in Hondo’s truck named Kitty when she is over there.” He tells her.
 
“And Macey?” She asks.
 
“What about her? She is my adopted daughter since her mother did not want her anymore. She gave me her papers and signed her over to me. Period.” He tells her. He then throws at her, “What is with all the personal questions?”
 
“Just want to know where I fit in.” She answers, adding, “If you’re doing your adopted daughter lovely...” Fernando’s big hand cover’s her mouth.
 
“Don’t even joke like that. I’m entrusted to raise her up as if she is part of me and my family and I will. I’m not one of those disgusting fathers that take advantage of their little girls no matter the excuse. It does not matter how many times we slept together, or I seen her naked or helped her shower in the outdoor shower tent or whatever. A father does what he can for his girl and gives her what she wants so she won’t go to some stranger and get it from them and get hurt in the process. If you were my daughter, I would not take advantage of you either in that way and I would do my best for you as I would for her. Do I make myself clear on that?!!” Fernando growls at her.
 
Ichigo nods.
 
“But you are not my daughter.” He tells her.
 
She nods again.
 
“Then you have your place.” He tells her.
 
She nods again.
 
“Macey’s place is beside me. You place is under me. Understand the difference?” He tells her.
 
She nods again.
 
“Then explain it.” He tells her, slowly removing his hand off her mouth.
 
“With me, it’s sexual. Anything goes as per your desires and wishes.” She explains.
 
“There is more to it than just that.” He tells her.
 
“More?” She asks.
 
“Daughter, wife, girlfriend, slave, whatever, you are now part of this family and as a member of this family there are high expectations of you to hold up to because you are representing us as well as yourself. I’m giving you total freedom to do as you need to do for yourself and for us but ultimately you are to follow what I expect you to do from what I tell you to do. I tell you dress up professional and act as a negotiator to make and finalize deals, you will do that. I tell you to dress up like a little girl of your apparent age in order to hide you from the public’s view, you will do that. I tell you to drop those panties and have me go to town on your ass or pussy, you will do that. I am not going to force you to do things you cannot do but you are going to do those things I tell you to do because I need you to do them and there will be no excuse for you not doing them.” He explains to her sternly.
 
“I see...” Ichigo says.
 
“Do you agree?”  Fernando asks.
 
“As your slave, I have to agree. But to give me a choice...” Ichigo begins.
 
“In ancient Roman Times, slaves were as free as anyone else. In fact a Roman’s slave had more rights than his wife or his daughters, even his female slaves. That is done because eventually slaves can buy or earn their freedom over time and have to act as free men that they learned and expected to be once they are freed. Therefore they had free will and free choice as slaves, things were not forced upon them like in other civilizations. Why? In the public view, slaves represented themselves first and their master second. They negotiated deals for their masters, and they did what they could for the master’s family because they were part of that family. Just like you are to me. That is why you will have free choice to take and choose on that is right for you and what is right for me and my family which you are now a part of.” Fernando explains.
 
Ichigo sits there thinking.
 
“With that in mind, do you agree or not?” He asks.
 
Ichigo looks at him for the moment. She lets out a sigh before saying, “I agree, but I agree in the basis of I have no other choice to decide on.”
 
“You have a choice, it is you do not want to contemplate that other option of leaving and try to make it on your own because people out there are willing to hunt you down and kill you. So you decide the easy way out in being my slave and part member of my family and hope I will be nice to you and not abuse you though even if I did, it would still be better than being hunted down and killed. In short the choice is simple: your ass or your life?” He explains.
 
“That is pretty crude and simplistic on those choices. But in those terms, I will always choose my ass.” She says.
 
“Well then. You know what you have to do.” He tells her. There was a short moment of silence between the two before he says, “Suck my dick.”  
 
“You want me to suck your dick?” She asks.
 
“Are you going to comply?” He asks.
 
Ichigo sighs before saying, “I will...” before she sits up and leans towards him. She reaches over to undo his belt and zipper, he stakes her hands and stop her from going any further.
 
“That’s enough.” He tells her.
 
“But you said...” She begins to say.
 
“I know what I said. I also know what you are not happy or accepting of your situation. But a deal is a deal, you are mine and I will do with you as I please. But that does not mean that I am to abuse you. Slave or not, I want to know, if given a choice, what or where you want to be in the relationship we have? You and I.” He tells her and then asks.
 
“The relationship I want is not the relationship I have.” Ichigo says as she lifts up her skirt to show off her panties and what she is offering to him, “All this time I do this is because I am testing on what level of perversion you are on because almost everyone out there only wants young girls and view us like fresh meat at the market. If I were to ever find somebody who is willing to accept me as who I am and not what I look like, I would do for him anything he would like, even little girl fantasies. In truth I do not know why I am attracted to you but I know I do not want to be your slave though I would want to be your girlfriend, lover and wife. I would try to fulfill your sexual desires if you want, be that little girl grown men what to thrill, anything – Father/daughter, uncle/niece, student/teacher, school girl and stranger in the park, so on and so forth.” She says as she looks away from him for a moment in saying it. She then throws at him, “Look, whether you admit to me that you are the Time Walker or not, I know you are. In that I have to say that long ago when I was a bunny girl during the Time Walker’s first match with the Lich, he said to me that in the future that he ‘would take me and protect me for then on if I accept the terms of our relationship from then on.’ I thought he meant something along the lines of girlfriend/boyfriend or even husband and wife. Back then it was not a Death Match but the Lich had been known to kill opponents in the ring. That night you and I, or I should say he and I spent it together as a man and woman would in getting to know each other intimately. Let’s just say that because of my condition, I cannot get pregnant that he – you did not become a father. But he said that when we met again, that he – you would be more vicious to me until things calmed down.”
 
“If I did not know better, I’d say you’re in love with me.” He tells her. “Look, sometime in the future, I will reveal to you a secret about the Time Walker but I can’t now. Maybe then you can get your head straighten out.”
 
“And if I am in love? Can you really blame a girl for falling in love with her rescuer?” She asks.
 
“It’s more like what are you going to do deal with it? What if I do not meet your expectations? What if I am not the Time Walker?” He asks.
 
“You’re stuck with me because I’m not leaving the protection you can provide.” She tells him.
 
“Then stay dressed. I’m going to step out to see what is going on. And maybe afterwards, I might go back to sleep, I need the rest.” He tells her before he gets up from the bed. He takes a couple steps to the side door and steps out. He closes the door behind him.
 
Things look normal for a lazy day so far.