Hondo dug through the Bronco and found his old cutlass stashed under one of the seats. He had acquired it more for show, though he had made sure it was usable, but he had not quite imagined a use for it until now. He had a shotgun, but being full length, he though it was too long to maneuver in a tight area if needed so instead he opened up a hidden compartment in the truck which revealed several guns, and pulled from it an AF 2011-A1 .45 pistol. Being as he had to left hand it, and had no left draw holster, he just threw a couple spare mags in his vest pocket, and stuck the pistol in his waist band. Seeing as these creatures had sharp venomous claws and teeth, he threw on some long leather wrist cuffs, and a leather motorcycle jacked as well.  
 
As he armed up, Molly grabbed a pair of Valentine’s shooting gloves, leather wrist guards and a leather duster of hers from the bronco and threw them on, along with a pair of her leather riding chaps.  Hondo paused and gave her a quick glance, as though she was well covered where it mattered, she was uncovered in other places that are normally covered. He knew she did not do it to draw attention, but it still drew his attention. She was not shy about her body, which was obvious, and things needed to be done in a hurry so she did what she had to do. Hondo chastised himself for the thoughts that ran through his head. She was a friend and he did not want to ruin that, nor hurt her. He also did not want to ruin any chances he and Valentine might have of fixing things, but the stress and loneliness were getting to him.  
 
If there were any lingering thoughts from either of them, the thoughts were gone as the older Valentine rushed back into the hanger.  
 
“I’ve checked all the rooms, she’s gone.” She said
 
“Gone? Where? Why?” Molly asked in a worried tone.
 
Hondo cussed, “Damn!... She was on the couch when that message came through.”
 
“You don’t think she went to go see him?” Molly asked
 
“I’d like to think she’d trust me that he’s bad news, but folks do stupid things for love an’ I think she’s fallen for his bullshit!” Hondo said with a growl.
 
Valentine nodded, “I know our’s did…. Hondo, we can’t let him take her if he takes her….”  
 
Her voice trailed off a bit and she looked at the floor with a sad expression on her face.
 
“What happens?” Hondo asked firmly.
 
“I can’t say exactly, but it will be bad. We have to find her.” She said
 
About then a couple shots were fired. Hondo carefully moved to the man door. He turned off all the hanger lights and peaked the door open a crack. As he did another shot went off and one of the outside lights shattered. He closed it back and shook his head.
 
“Someone shot out the lights. They want to draw us out, but don’t know that we know night vision is useless.” He said as he turned back to them.
 
“What do we do, then?” Molly asked.
 
“There is a second story window in the back that you can drop down on from onto that lean-to out back. Might could make it if there was a distraction out front.” Valentine said
 
Hondo nodded, “That sets it, then. You two go out that window and find Tonya. I’ll go out the front an’ make some noise.”
 
“I’m coming with you!” Molly said firmly.
 
Hondo shook his head, “No you’re not! You’re goin’ out the back an’ findin’ Tonya!”
 
Molly shook her head and put a hand on his arm, “Boss, I care about Tonya too, but I can’t let you go out alone. That’s suicide! Besides, if what you said is true about them wanting Tonya, they want her alive.”
 
“She’s right.” Valentine said
 
Molly turned to her a bit surprised, “You’re agreeing with me?”
 
Valentine frowned, “I don’t hate you. I just know what Hondo and his version of me could be. I also know what could happen if they separate…. I don’t wish you unhappiness, Molly. I just want to see them have as little pain as possible… see them make it better than we, my Hondo and I, did. Besides, I can find Tonya. Things are different in this timeline for some reason, but some things start out the same. I believe there is enough similarities that I can find her faster alone, but I need you to take care of the others then come find us.”
 
Molly nodded, “Understood… Boss?”
 
Hondo sighed and gave them both a half-hearted glare, “Don’t reckon I have much of a choice, now do I?”
 
Valentine shrugged, “You work with what you got. Now, don’t get killed out there.”
 
“That’s number one on my daily agenda, avoid gettin’ killed.” He replied snarkily.  
 
Valentine grabbed a tighter fitting leather jacket she had on one of the benches, and pulled it on.
 
“Glad I grabbed this in town today. My other jacket was falling apart… I’ll give you a few minutes before I sneak out.” She said as she finished zipping it up and resettling her weapons.  
 
Hondo nodded,” Alright.”  
 
He walked back to the bronco and grabbed a small leather bag and a couple lighters as well as that shotgun.  When he returned he handed a lighter and the bag to Molly, taking three large firecracker looking objects out of the bag for himself.
 
“What are these?” She asked
 
“Long burning phosphorous strobes. Meant for celebrations an’ such, but handy for deals like this.” He replied.
 
“You had planned for deals like this?” She asked incredulously.
 
“I meant night operations where you want to get attention. Ruins a body’s night vision an’ makes night vision scopes an’ thermal goggles almost useless. They should level the playin’ field. I’ll step out light an’ throw these out a ways, then I’ll start randomly shooting with the shotgun into the dark. It’s a bit dangerous but there shouldn’t be any innocent folks in range. Once I start shootin’ you light off the rest an’ throw them in a wide arc. Don’t look at the light directly or you’ll be as blind as they will be. Got it?” He asked
 
She nodded, “Yeah. Let’s get it done.”
 
Hondo nodded and lined the three strobes up in his hand. He lit all three, dropped the lighter and stepped out the door, throwing them as fast as he could, one to the left, one to the right, and one straight ahead. It was a second delay from the time they landed to the time the strobe went off, but the pulsing white light caused beings to stir. Some moved slower, and Hondo could identify them as some of the wessens he had seen around normally, others though, 4 at least, maybe more, moved fast, but what he could see of them told him they were taller than the rest, even taller than him by a good bit.
 
He took his time and fired the shotgun in between the puddles of light. Molly stepped out after his first shot and started lighting and throwing more strobes. Between the blinding light and the shotgun blasts an occasional shout or scream was heard. But the pure chaos did not keep them distracted for long. They realized their stealth advantage was gone, but that was not their only advantage.  
 
Hondo swallowed a bit hard as figures appeared approaching through the strobes. They moved slower and more menacingly, now. There were five assorted regular wessens, all under six-foot-tall and four very large, wessens with them standing well over seven foot in height, all with massive arms, and well-defined muscles. The hiss they gave off as they slowly approached in and of itself would cause shivers to run down the spine of even the most hardened veteran.  
 
Hondo leaned his empty shotgun against the building and pulled the cutlass from his belt and the 2011 from his waistband. He looked over at Molly who had the curved knife in her left hand held so the blade was pointed down and her double barrel shotgun pistol was in her right, hammers eared back. She saw his glance and looked his way momentarily before turning back the advancing threat.
 
“You ready?” He asked
 
“Do I have a choice?” she retorted.
 
He shook his head in response, “I reckon not.”
 
About then, just as some of the strobes were starting to die down, the wessen’s started at them ad a sprint. Hondo used his pistol and blew large holes through two of the regular wessen, big enough that once their bodies hit the ground they would never come off the ground under their own power ever again. One of the Cold Ones was cocky and charged Hondo straight off, but a flash of Hondo’s cutlass relieved the monster of its head, causing its headless body to crash into the hanger door and fall to the ground twitching and writhing harmlessly.
 
At the same time a second Cold one and one of the other wessens had charged Molly. The one wessen wielded a pair of corn sickles, while the snake wessen came bare handed. The rushed her, coming in from almost opposite sides.  The Cold one had his hand flat and took a swipe at her as he charged, using his claws as a slicing weapon. She managed to jump back, roll, and steer clear of the snake, though she came up in the path of the corn-knife wielding wessen, who could have been a wolf or coyote like herself.  As he rushed in she brought up her shotgun pistol and shot him right in the face, removing his face from his skull and his life from his body. The Cold one had spun around then and charged her again. She jumped clear, but it was close, as it’s razor sharp, poisonous claws ripped through the tail of the leather duster she wore tearing it to shreds and ripping a good portion of the back of her robe away with it.  He spun and hissed at her again, as he ran at her, but this time he expected her to roll away and instead she lashed out, taking one of his hands clear off. He howled in pain as he gripped his stump of an arm and spun at her with rage. Molly, though, had jumped to her feet and had the shotgun pistol pointed at his face. She shot and the blast hit him, ripping his eyes to shreds. He thrashed in pain but she leaped at him and sliced his head off his shoulders, before rolling clear of his still deadly fangs. As she came to her knee again she broke the pistol open and thumbed in two new shells, barely having time to ready it again as another wessen came at her with a machete. She fired twice into him, dropping him just short of her. She sighed and reloaded again, looking Hondo’s way to make sure he was still on his feet.  
 
Having dispatched the first so quickly the last two came cold ones and the fifth wessen came at him at the same time. He shot the first that came at him in the knee, slowing him down only a bit. He managed to roll out of the was as the second charged him, but it was his bad shoulder he hit so he tumbled wrong as he hit it due to the weakness in it and a wave of pain that went through his body. He groaned loudly and grabbed it with his right arm momentarily. The wessen leapt at him, but when he saw Hondo’s gun come up, he rolled off to the side and out of harms way, leaving Hondo’s shot to lodge harmlessly into the ground. HE swore under his breath that his reflexes were so slow, but the weak shoulder was not allowing him to move as fast as he should. The distraction the wessen gave, though gave one of the cold ones a chance to attack from Hondo’s blind side. As big and as fast as they were, they moved nearly silently. Hondo’s attention was turned when he heard someone yell out his name. It was Molly.
 
“HONDO! LOOK OUT!” She shouted causing him to turn.
 
He turned just in time to see Molly dashing his way, and the cold one who was not wounded yet almost on top of him. He lashed out with the cutlass, slicing the creature’s fingers off one hand. This afforded him time to jump to his feet, but not time to move away. The creature howled in pain the lashed out with a savage back hand that hit Hondo. Hondo was a big man, but the force of the blow picked him up off his feet and sent him crashing through an old wooden fence that was a good twenty yards away! The blow and crash dazed him momentarily but he shook it off quickly. As he regained his senses he saw Molly swinging wildly at the fingerless creature while the one with the wounded knee made his way in to take her from the rear. As he jumped up and ran towards her, the wessen charge him from the side, hoping to buy the cold one’s time. As bad as it hurt, Hondo managed to drop his weapon, grab the wessens arm, and throw him into the fingerless creature, knocking him down and allowing Molly to retreat a bit. He hurriedly scooped up his weapons and charged the fingerless one again. As he leapt in the creature swiped out with his good hand, slicing through Hondo’s coat, vest, and shirt, and raking his skin just enough to leave burning blisters from the poison on its claws. Hondo’s action was not wasted though, as the creature had to swipe across his body, which left his neck exposed and vulnerable.  With one swift chop, the creatures head rolled away from it writhing body.  
 
Molly jumped back, thanks to Hondo’s intervention, but the creature continued to lumbered forward at her, though slower than the other due to barely having any knee left. It lashed out viciously at her but she jumped out of its strike zone and raised her pistol again. Before she could fire, the wessen hit her from the side, sending the pistol flying. He grabbed this pistol and turned it on her. The light from the moon lit his face enough for her to see he was a coyotal like she was.
 
“You’d kill one of your own kind who’s done nothing to you? Is that what your wessen superiority group is about?!” She said with a snarl
 
“Bitch, #$@! them. I’m killing for money, a whole pile of money!” He said with an evil grin as he raised the pistol at her.  
 
A boom sounded from somewhere further back and the pistol fell from the wessens hand as his head exploded in a burst of red mist. As he fell, Molly could see Hondo standing not far off with his 2011 in hand. He gritted his teeth and limped towards her and the remaining cold one. The Cold one looked between them and expressed a definite willingness to flee, but that was not afforded to him. As Hondo limped towards it he started to into a limping trot, raising his sword in the process, drawing the creature’s full attention for a moment. At yell of a female voice made the creature turn its head. Molly was charging from the side, but the creature’s body was pointed at Hondo, which left it in an unbalanced stance. It tried to lash out at Molly but she dropped into a slide and slashed with her knife, plunging it deep into the creatures remaining good leg, causing it to stumble and fall to its knees. Seeing Hondo move in it raised its hand defensively, only to find its arm sliced off by his sabre. It grabbed its stump or an arm and howled in pain. It Swiped at Hondo again. But he threw himself backwards to avoid the swipe, throwing his sword into the air and past the creature as he fell. The creature grinned, thinking it had made progress but the feeling of cold steel against his neck made him stop cold.  
 
As the creature fell to it’s knee’s Molly had scrambled back to her feet and positioned herself behind the creature, but now without a gun or knife, other than a small dagger she had strapped to her leg. As Hondo fell backwards and threw his cutlass she managed to jump and catch it in midair. She stumbled as she landed but managed to right herself and place the cutlass at the creature’s neck, safe from his claws and teeth in this spot. Hondo sat on the ground for a moment, pistol pointed at the creature as he tried to control his breathing. After a moment he stood, groaning as he did so. It was not until he had fallen again that he realized he had been impaled with pieces of wood from the fence he went through. The pills were wearing off and his whole body started to hurt with every movement, but he got to his feet and stood tall before the monster.
 
“Who #$@!in’ hired ya an’ why?” He snarled.
 
“Go ssssscrew yourssself!” The creature hissed.
 
“Was it Hector? Hector De La Cruz?? What does he want with my girl?!? Talk!!” Hondo growled.
 
“Jussst kill me or let me go. I’ll tell you nothingsss!” He hissed
 
Molly frowned, “You aren’t gonna let him go, are you boss?”
 
“Lisssten, Let me go and I’ll let you both live, after I sssscrew your wesssssen here, and ssscrew and kill every woman in your camp!” He hissed as a cruel smile crossed his lips.
 
“What kinda #$@!in’ incentive is that!” Hondo asked.
 
“It’ssss either that or you all die! SSSSSSSSS!” He said with a his that could be only taken as an evil laugh.
 
“Molly.” Hondo said
 
“Yeah boss?” She asked
 
“Do it.” He replied
 
The creature grinned evilly, thinking it meant he was to be freed, but that was not the understanding between Hondo and Molly. As Molly withdrew the cutlass she swung it back and chopped down hard, severing the head from the creature. As the head fell into the grass and the life slowly drained from it, the grin turned to a look of horror.  
 
Molly grabbed her pistol out of the grass and pulled her knife the thigh of the creature’s lifeless body before trotting over to Hondo.
 
“You alright, Boss? She asked.
 
“Might need some help rebandagin’ and removin’ some wood chunks from my back and backside but I’ll live…. You alright?” he asked, panting a bit.
 
“Got a few new bruises, they ripped this jacket to shreds and I think the only part of that robe left is on my shoulders, but I’m doing okay.  
 
As they stood there a tall creature ran past them and around the building.
 
“#$@!, not another!” Molly said.
 
A scream was heard from behind the building and they both turned to each other and spoke at the same time, “TONYA!”
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,
-
 
As the radio that Hondo was working on crackled to life, the voice that came over it was extremely familiar to Tonya’s ears. As he talked about his flower and paying respects she knew it could only mean he knew she was here and he was coming to see her. He had called her his flower last night, so there was no doubt in her mind it was him.  Hondo seemed busy with the radio and it’s message and the others were busy elsewhere so she put her book down on the edge of the couch and slipped away to the back bedrooms. Once far enough away she knew Hondo would not hear her she went upstairs and climbed out the rear window, and slid down onto the lean-to roof. She cautiously walked to the edge and sat down, not seeing anyone yet, other than a couple wessen off in the distance. She wondered if those were the ones Hector had watching her. She never questioned why they were watching as she was sure he had sent them to make sure she was safe.  
 
Had this been anyone else she would have seen trouble and told them to stay away, but it was her in this and she was falling fast for this dark, Spanish stranger. She sat there for several minutes looking out into the night before a familiar voice called up to her softly.
 
“Bonita! How fair my evening flower looks in the moonlight.” Hector said, his dashing smile seeming to pierce the night with its brilliance.
 
She smiled, “Hector! I hoped you would come!”
 
He held out his arms, “Come, Bonita, I will catch you.”
 
She hopped off the roof and landed in his strong arms. He just held her there and stared into her eyes for a moment. His eyes and mouth seemed to draw her in and once again she found herself leaning in to kiss him, but unlike last time he did not pull away, but leaned into her kiss, returning it was a passion and voracity she had only though possible in a dream. After a bit he pulled away gently, let her up for air, and set her down on the ground. She stood, staring at him as her breasted heaved up and down as she panted for air. She felt high as a kite and words escaped her at the moment.
 
“Bonita, such a kiss I have not had in my life. Thank you.” Hector said with a bow.
 
She blushed and giggled slightly, “I..I did not believe anything could feel so wonderful.”
 
“It can only be so when two people are meant for each other, such as we are.” He replied
 
She nodded, “Yes… That has to be it.”
 
He offered her his arm with a partial bow, “Would the señorita care for a stroll in the moonlight?”
 
She took his arm and nodded, “I would like that very much.”
 
They talked about life, hopes, dreams, and plans, he told her about how the wessens were the chosen and why they needed to take their rightful place and she told him about her time as a slave and a ring fighter. Her face was sad as she spoke about her past, causing him to stop and kiss her again. She leaned into him, pressing her smaller, firm breasts into his chest, as she thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of touching another in this way. After he let her up again she smiled at him, but could not help but notice the frown on his face.
 
“Is something wrong?  Did I do something wrong??” she asked in a worried tone.
 
He sighed, “It is not you, Bonita. I have bad news and it pains me to say it to you.”
 
She frowned, “Is… is there someone else?”
 
He looked at her confused at first, “Some else?... Oh! No, no, no. It is not that… You see, I must be leaving wessen town.”
 
“What? No!... Why?” She asked in a panic searching you face for an answer.
 
“It is because…” He stopped with a sigh and shook his head, “No… no, I cannot burden you with why.”
 
She grabbed onto his arm and held it tightly, “Please, Hector… I must know.”
 
He shook his head, “No… it is too great a burden for your shoulders. Besides, who am I that you should take on such a burden for me?”
 
 She frowned and spoke softly, “Please, if you care about me, tell me. You do care about me, don’t you?”
 
He sighed, “Si, Bonita I do. And you? Do you care about me?”
 
She nodded vigorously, “Yes… I care … I think … I think..”
 
“Si?” He asked
 
“I think I love you.” She whispered.
 
“Only think, Bonita?” He sighed, “No, think is not enough to burden you with this.”
 
He started to turn away but she held on tightly. He hid his smile from her. He thought to himself as how it was all almost too easy.
 
“No, there is not think, Hector. I know. I love you! Please tell me!” She begged.
 
He made sure his face wore a frown before he turned back to her. He looked at her then at the ground grimly then back at her.
 
“Si, for love I think I can tell…. I pains me to say but I must leave as I am in fear for my life.” He said
 
“You are afraid of someone killing you? Who could? And why would they want to??” She asked half angry and half scared for him.
 
“You may not believe me, Bonita.” He said with a sad tone to his voice.  
 
“I’ll believe anything you tell me, I promise!” She said pleadingly.  
 
He frowned, “It… it is your papa, Hondo and his friend in the medic jacket.”
 
“Papa and Uncle Fernando?” She asked in disbelief.
 
He turned away, pulling free from her grasp as he did so, “I said you would not believe me.”
 
She moved around to face him, grabbing his arm again, “I.. I do believe you. I… I just do not understand why.”
 
“Because of Os Animas and … and you.” He said
 
“What! Why?” She asked
 
“They believe those of us who know we are chosen are dangerous as they believe they are higher than we wessens and we are just fit to be their servants.  Maybe your uncle and papa do not realize they think they are better but they will stop at nothing to break us down as they believe there will be too much fighting if we take our rightful place.   They are right, but if they would help us we could stop the fighting together, under my leadership.  Sadly, they have chosen to destroy me instead.  They have tried a couple times already.  I barely survived each time, I’m afraid I will not survive again.  They too have killed many of the lawmen who now blame us and hurt us, saying it has to be the wessens killing us as humans would not. Sadly the lawmen have rounded up may of our kind to be sold as slaves, yet you papa and uncle have done nothing to stop it.” He said
 
“No… It’s… it’s..” She stammered
 
“I know it is hard to believe, but ask them. Your uncle knows of the slave ship in town and they both have killed lawmen and let Os Animas take the fall!” HE said
 
“But… what do I have to do with it?” She asked
 
He sighed again, “They are jealous that you like me and want you to secretly like them in a way a daughter or nice should never like a father or uncle. To them you are a wessen and they want to take from you what you have and keep it for themselves. Your happiness to them does not matter as long as they have you.”
 
She looked at the ground and shook her head in disbelief, “I … I do not know what to think.”
 
“I should have not told you. It is too much of a burden.” He said sadly
 
“No! if it’s true I need to know but, … please… please don’t leave. Just give me time to figure it all out!” She begged.
 
“I cannot stay, mi Bonita, but I will see you soon. Look for me in the towns that lay ahead, and I will find you once more.” He said.
 
“If it’s all true will you take me with you then?” She asked
 
“Si, bonita, and we will be together forever!” He said with a smile
 
About then bright flashing lights and the sound of gunfire erupted from the front of the hanger.
 
“What’s happening?” Tonya asked in a panic.
 
Hector frowned, “I do not know, but stay behind me and I will protect you!”
 
(to be continued… (should be able to finish it tonight))

Tonya helped Hector up off the ground as Hondo stood over the dead creature’s body.
 
 
“Thank you, Amigo. We are happy you came to our assistance.” Hector said
 
 
Hondo turned to hector with a snarl and murderous intent in his eyes.
 
 
“You #$@!in’ bastard! I’ll gut you for this!” Hondo roared as he raised his pistol.
 
 
He was stopped, though when Tonya stepped in front of Hector, blocking Hondo’s shot.
 
 
“No, papa! Please!” Tonya cried out in desperation.
 
 
“Out of the way, Tonya. He’s a murderous bastard who needs put down like the dog he is!” Hondo growled
 
 
“He’s not a dog! He’s a wessen like I am! Just talk with him! He’s a good man.!” Tonya pleaded
 
 
“Out of the way, darlin’, please.” Hondo asked in a half growl.
 
 
“No! I promised I’d not let him get hurt if he tried to talk with you. I told him you’d talk to him because I love you! Don’t you love me? She cried out, as tears started to fill her eyes.
 
 
“Bonita, For your safety, do as your Papa says.” Hector said softly.
 
 
“This has nothin’ to do with me lovin’ you! He’s the one who brought these snake assholes down on us!” Hondo half yelled
 
 
“How do you know, Papa?!” She asked sounding more desperate by the moment.
 
 
“That was him on the radio sayin’ the Cold ones were coming! You heard him!” Hondo snarled
 
 
“He did not say he sent them!” Tonya cried.
 
 
“He said they were goin’ to the fake time walkers camp and that they would fear his group because of them! It’s clear he sent them!” Hondo growled
 
 
Hector raised his hands and stepped to the side, but Tonya stepped back in front of him.
 
 
“Please, Bonita, this is my problem.” Hector said.
 
 
“No! There has to be an explanation, tell him! Please!” She begged.
 
 
Hector sighed, “Señor, hear me out. I knew the cold ones were coming but you and your compadre’s hatred for me is known so I could not warn you. I sent my men out to fight them. It was these Cold one who were suppose to fear us. I fear they are the hired killers for these lawmen.”
 
 
“You lie!” Hondo growled.
 
 
“Papa, just listen!” Tonya begged again.
 
 
“I know you do not trust me, but this is true. I heard the fighting earlier but stayed to protect your daughter. Did my men not help you fight them?” Hector asked
 
 
“There were five other wessens who attacked us with the cold ones!” Hondo snarled.
 
 
Hector shook his head, “They were attacking the Cold ones. Other wessens never fight along side Cold ones, this is well known.”
 
 
Hondo turned and looked at Molly who shrugged.
 
 
“Normally they don’t but there is always a first time.” Molly said in a half questioning tone, as even she was questioning herself now.  
 
 
“That’s all Bullshit! They attacked us and we took them out!” Hondo said.
 
 
“You killed my Compadres?” Hector asked in fake disbelief.  
 
 
He sighed and hung his head, “You see, Bonita, they hate any of us they cannot control. My men just tried to help and now they are dead.”
 
 
Hondo walked up and yanked Tonya to the side and at the same time placing his 2011 into Hectors chest.
 
 
“You lyin’, manipulatin’ #$@!! I know what you are an’ I’ll not allow you to brainwash my daughter!” Hondo yelled.
 
 
Hector sighed, “Forgive me Bonita.”
 
 
With a flick of his wrist a small knife shot out of hectors sleeve and into his hand where he plunged it into Hondo’s thigh, causing him to momentarily lower the gun to try to grab his leg. Hector then bought both fists down on his bad shoulder. It did not knock Hondo down like Hector had hoped it would, but it did cause him to stagger back and momentarily daze him from the pain. Hondo tried to right himself and swung out at Hector, but Hector dodged Hondo’s wild swing, and circled around him forcing Hondo to turn around with a wounded leg.
 
 
“Please, papa, stop!!” Tonya wailed.
 
 
She tried to get in between them But Molly sprang forward and pulled her away. As Hondo turned he tried to bring the 2011 to bare again but Hector kicked him in the chest and sent him flying back into the side of the hanger, leaving a dent in the building where he hit. As he hit the ground her groaned from the pain. His head spun as if he had a mild concussion and he fought blacking out. He tried to bring his gun up again, moving slower each time. Hector fanned of a shot that deeply grazed Hondo’s side causing him drop his arm almost instinctively. Hector moved to cock his pistol again but the loud thumbing of a shot-gun’s hammer made his freeze in place. He turned his head slowly and just enough to see Molly pointing her shotgun pistol at him. He raised his hands slowly and turned to her.
 
 
“Molly, please, don’t hurt him!” Tonya cried
 
 
“He almost killed Hondo!” She growled
 
 
“I was only defending myself. If I had wanted to kill him that last bullet would have done so as would have that knife. Bonita, I hope you understand. I told you I was afraid this would happen. Some men will never listen nor accept us.” Hector said
 
 
Hondo growled as he tried to get up, but Tonya moved over to him and tried to keep him down for now.
 
 
“Don’t move, Papa. You’re hurt.” She said.  
 
 
Hondo shook his head, “Don’t listen to him. This has nothin’ to do with bein’ wessen.”
 
 
Her eyes were full of tears as she looked at him, “Why won’t you trust me then and just listen to him?”
 
 
“You don’t understand.” Hondo half growled.
 
 
Hondo slowly stood up, his pistol in hand but down at his side. Hector lowered his gun too and then Molly did. Hector smiled this annoying smile that pissed off Hondo even more.  
 
 
“Señor, for the love of your daughter, let us talk.” He said with a smile.
 
 
Hondo grit his teeth, “I’ll do anythin’ I can to protect my girls an’ my family. Even if they hate me for it!
 
 
With that Hondo snapped the pistol up, even though his whole body hurt like hell, and fired. The shot was off a bit, but still him Hectors gun arm half spinning him around. Tonya grabbed Hondo’s gun and yanked it down.
 
 
“No! Hector!” She screamed.
 
 
Hector turned back to him and snarled, “You don’t love a daughter, you are possessive of a slave!”
 
 
He turned to Tonya with a frown, “I’m sorry Bonita. I must go, but remember what I said.”
 
 
With that he pulled a ring from his pocket, that looked a lot like one the older Valentine wore but instead of a green light, it glowed red. He pressed the red, glowing jewel on the ring and moments later he was enveloped by a sphere or crackling red energy.
 
 
 It was only then that Hondo remembered the cane, not being used to it. He tried to will it to appear but he had not done it enough and was a bit slow at it, especially when upset it seemed, so by the time it materialized Hector was gone. He tried to get him back or see where he had gone by twisting the canes top and pressing down but every time he tried he would get a small jolt of electricity as if he was being blocked from Hector by some unknow force. After a couple tries he stumbled back and leaned against the building as extreme fatigue seemed to overtake his body. With a frustrated sigh he put the cane away and started to fall to the ground but Molly rushed up and helped him stand.  
 
 
Molly looked at Tonya with a frown, “A little help here?”
 
 
Tonya just stood looking at Hondo with this horrified look on her face.
 
 
“He told me… he told me you hated us and would do this but… I begged him… begged and promised him you would talk and not hurt him because you love me!” She said shakily.
 
 
“You are bein’ blinded by him, love. You don’t see what I see… I’m only tryin’ to protect you.” Hondo replied wearily.
 
 
“Protect me? Protect me?! That’s what you call this?! I love Hector! How is shooting the man I love protecting me?!?” She half yelled half cried.
 
 
“You don’t know him! He’s a vicious animal!” Hondo half shouted.
 
 
“IS that all we are to you? Animals?? Are Zoey and I just pets with pussies that you’re wanting to screw when your ready?!?!” She sobbed.
 
 
Molly gasped, “Tonya! You know better!”
 
 
“Do I? DO I?!? We are all just monsters to them! He’ll do you the same, Molly. Run before it’s too late! RUN!! Run, our you’ll just be a slave to the humans all over again…” She fell to her knees sobbing hysterically. Hondo tried to reach out to her but she pulled away, trembling as if she was terrified of him. He shook physically, partly from fatigue and blood loss, but also from his heart breaking inside of him at her sorrow, terror, and disbelief in him.  
 
 
“Boss, we need to get you inside. You’re losing more blood and you can’t afford to lose much more.” Molly said.
 
 
He shook his head and spoke softly, “No. Take care of Tonya first. I’ll be alright.”
 
 
Molly looked at him, wanting to argue, but the determination in his eyes told her not to. She helped him lean against the wall then bent down to help Tonya up. Tonya swatted at her at first, but finally gave in and let her help her up. Tonya then clung to molly like her life depended on it and sobbed into her chest as Molly carefully walked her back inside and got her settled into a room.
 
 
Hondo sighed and shook his head. This was not at all how he would have imagined this going, and he was started to feel like he could not bare much more. First Valentine and then Tonya. Who would turn on him next? He was not sure his heart and soul could take losing anyone else.
 
 
He summoned the cane once again, but his mind was too clouded to make it do anything at the moment, so he used it as a cane and hobbled back to the hanger. As he entered Molly was just coming out of the room that she had gotten Tonya settled in. She gasped at the sight of him.
 
 
“Boss! You should have waited… you’re bleeding worse from moving.” She said in a worried tone.
 
 
“If I don’t live it’s no great loss.” He said flatly.
 
 
“Please don’t talk like that, Hondo. You wouldn’t let me give up on myself I’ll not let you give up on you either. You hear me?” She said firmly.
 
 
“Where is Valentine?” He asked changing the subject.
 
 
“I don’t know. Never saw her after she slipped out the back.” Molly replied
 
 
Hondo’s frowned deepened, “We need to find her.”
 
 
“Not until you’re well.” She said.  
 
 
About then a jeep squealed to a stop out front of the hanger. The door flew open and both Hondo and Molly raised their pistols. The sight before them was the older Valentine. She was dirty, her eye was bruised badly, and there was drying blood on her hands and face.
 
 
“What happened?!” Molly exclaimed as they lowered their weapons.
 
 
Valentine sighed, “I slipped out and saw Tonya with Hector. He kissed her and I tried to slip in behind him to take him out… unfortunately I saw jumped and knocked out. They tried to haul me off.”
 
 
“How did you get away?” Hondo asked
 
 
She shook her head but then held it as it made a wave of pain shoot through her when she did that.  
 
 
“You don’t want to know…. Unfortunately, one got away, so I got to get out of here.” She said
 
 
“You need to rest first!” Molly said.
 
 
“I can’t. I think they were on the lookout for me, in part. I don’t think they figured to find me here, but they were cackling about the reward money and how proud their boss would be that they got me. I’ll endanger your group if I stay….” She stopped short as her vision finally focused enough to see how bad a shape Hondo was in.
 
 
“Damn, Hondo you’re bleeding bad.” She said
 
 
He sighed, “It’s not news to me.”
 
 
“We need to get you patched. That kit is running low on supplies.” She said
 
 
Molly frowned, “And I think we need someone who is better at this than we are.”
 
 
Valentine frowned, “We need Fernando.”
 
 
Hondo growled, “No! He will not be bothered! I am not his problem nor will I add to his stress!”
 
 
“Then who do we get?” Valentine asked angrily.
 
 
“What about Maggie? She’s not a doctor but I’ve heard she’s pretty handy at wounds.” Molly suggested.
 
 
“Someone needs to stay with my Val then.” He said
 
 
Valentine sighed, “I can for a bit, but I need to leave before daylight.”  
 
 
Molly nodded, “Okay. Let’s get him to the bedroom then …”
 
 
Hondo cut her off, “I can walk myself. Just go.”  
 
 
Molly sighed and looked at Valentine who shrugged.
 
 
“You heard him. Let’s go.” She said
 
 
Molly nodded and opened the hanger door so she could get the Bronco out and Valentine limped back out to the jeep and fired it up. Hondo stood there for a moment and watched them go before turning and hobbling towards the master bedroom. As he entered he felt his head spin and he dropped to his knees to keep from falling over completely. But that was not enough. Darkness threatened to take over his mind and he fell forward, barely catching himself with his hands. He growled at the darkness and found it taking him, but he was too weak so the darkness one and he passed out on the floor.
 
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
 
Molly and the older Valentine pulled their vehicles up to a screeching halt. Marvin heard them and came running up with a couple of the soldier.
 
 
“What’s going on?” Marvin asked, seeing only Molly as Valentine ducked down behind the jeep to not be seen.
 
 
“It’s just me, Marvin. Hondo sent us for a few things. Had a run in with some of those Cold ones and needed a few items in case they returned, she lied.
 
 
“You need any help or anyone else at the hanger?” He asked
 
 
“No, we’re going to lock down once we get back so we should be good until morning.” She said, trying to stay calm but wishing they would leave so they could get Maggie.
 
 
Marvin nodded, “Alright. If you need anything don’t be afraid to ask, though. We all help each other, remember.”
 
 
Molly nodded, “Okay. Thanks!”
 
 
Marvin nodded again and he and the soldiers turned and went about their business.
 
 
Molly sighed a sigh of relief and turned to see Valentine pop up and limp over to her after they were gone.
 
 
“That was close.” Valentine said.
 
 
“Too close.” Molly replied
 
 
They went up to the camper door and knocked. They had to knock a few times before a groggy, half-asleep Maggie showed up at the door wearing one of Valentine’s robes which was almost too  
long for her and with a shotgun that looked like it would blow her over if she shot it.
 
 
“Molly?... what’s wrong?” She said sleepily.
 
 
She looked at the older Valentine and then did a double take, before looking between her and the bedroom for a second.
 
 
“How..? How did you get out?” She asked nervously.
 
 
Valentine shook her head, “I didn’t.”
 
 
She pushed past Maggie and entered the camper, plopping down on the sofa and sighing wearily.
 
 
“But..but.. I.. I don’t understand.” She said.
 
 
“I’m Valentine’s twin, Maria. No time to explain, though. Hondo’s hurt bad. Neither of us are good with wounds and he doesn’t want to involve Fernando. We need your help.” Valentine said, lying to her about herself as it was easier than explaining the truth.
 
 
“But, what about Valentine?” Maggie asked
 
 
“I’ll stay with her. I’m a bit beat up and need to rest anyway.” The older Valentine replied.
 
 
Maggie looked at Molly who nodded, “Trust her. Hondo wanted her to stay here and watch Val.”
 
 
“Alright. I need to change first.” Maggie said
 
 
“No time! Hondo needs help and you can’t tell me you’re that shy after what you’ve been through.” Molly said.
 
 
Maggie clutched the robe a bit tightly around her, “Shy?... no. Ashamed? … yes.”
 
 
Molly shook her head, “No time for that either. He’ll bleed to death if we don’t hurry!”
 
 
Maggie nodded, “Okay. He has a med bag in the closet there.”  
 
 
Molly went to the closet Maggie pointed to and grabbed the large red bag before heading to the door. They both left quickly and a few moments later Valentine heard the Bronco fire up and take off to the hanger.
 
 
Valentine sat back and sighed again. She laid back as her head throbbed and found herself soon asleep.
 
 
 
She did not know when it was but her eye's popped back open after a while. She listened carefully but heard nothing. She looked at the clock and frowned. She had been asleep for four hours and it would be daylight in a couple more. She looked around for a moment before standing back up and going to a cupboard to look for a bottle of whiskey. It took a couple tries but eventually she found one. She pulled it out with a smile.
 
 
“Some things are always the same.” She said as she smiled at the bottle and thought of good memories with her Hondo.
 
 
Behind her she heard a very familiar voice in deed.
 
 
“What’s going on? Who are you?” The voice said almost more timidly than she had ever remembered hearing herself speak to anyone other than her husband once or twice.
 
 
“There is a lot going on and it’s our fault, unfortunately.” The older Valentine said without turning around.
 
 
“Your voice… it’s so familiar. Who are you and what’s wrong?” Val asked
 
 
The older Valentine turned around with a frown on her face as she looked at the younger version of herself. She looked beat down, timid, and weak. Her eyes were blood shot and her face tear stained. A surprised look came across her face though as she looked on at the older, blood stained, dirty, and busied version of herself.
 
 
Valentine sighed, “I guess you could say I am you, and we have a lot to talk about.”
 
 
(to be continued)

Fernando could not sleep, something deep inside would not let him. He sits up on his makeshift bed and puts on his clothes. He looks at his watch, only 20 minutes had past. At least the girls were asleep from their heavy breathing and soft snoring. In under a minute he is fully dressed and stepping out of the electric camper quietly. He checks his guns, extra clips, his samurai blade and the fire extinguisher he had in his fight. He then searches and ‘pockets’ two of his Tanto blades to his belt and his medical kit with the snake anti-venom dried serums. He was about to step out and take one of the Lawmen or Hector’s Wessen’s jeep. But stepping to the front of his electric camper bus somebody steps out in front of it he was not expecting.
 
“Leaving?” A Red Haired Hamster Wessen tells him.
 
“Minerva, I need to check on Hondo.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Where is he and why?” Minerva asks.
 
“He is at the hanger.” Fernando says before taking out a deep seated sigh, “While you and the others were getting the kids to sleep, the camp was about to be overrun by Lizard Men.”
 
Minerva’s face fell into awe and fear. She then started to ask “Tall, taller than this camper, green scaly skin, muscle bound build...”
 
“And dumb as a bunch of rocks in a bag. Yes. I fought them all. Eight in all – dead.” He tells her.
 
“How you know you got them all?” Minerva asks.
 
“When we recovering the bodies, somebody tried to contact them on their vehicle’s radio. Sounded like Hector. I managed to fool him to think I was one of them, and he said ‘Just do not be seen or captured. I paid for the eight of you to do your job! So Do Your Job!’ Since he said eight, and I killed eight, they are all accounted for.” He explains to her.
 
She just looks at him.
 
He throws back at her, “What about you? Why are you awake, and not with the children?”
 
“Once the children go to sleep, they will remain sleep until morning. I go out and check on things before going back to them, then I saw you.” Minerva explains. She then throws in, “I’ll go with you.”
 
“And if we run into Lizard Men at the hanger?” Fernando asks.
 
“I’m not a fighter. Damn it, I’m a Hamster – look cute, expect others to give me things, don’t scavenge like the rats and mice do. But like the rats and mice, lizards eat hamsters, and I would be tasty to those cold blooded ones.” Minerva explains.
 
“But as a Wessen, your senses are better than mine or supposedly. Can you use a long gun or a large blade?” He says and asks.
 
“No...” Minerva replies.
 
“Then scream when you need too. I’ll take care of the rest.” Fernando tells her as he grabs her arm and takes a confiscated jeep. He drops one of his two Tanto Blades to her lap, “Hold on to that and use when necessary.” He turns it on and drives away with it. The jeep drives nearly perfectly, hardly a sound came from it. It is too quiet, as if it were brand new. He knows that the Spirits technology can restore mechanical metal devices but who has the technology to do the same to this jeep? The only thing they cannot restore is organic resins and polymers, thus things like gaskets, rubber coatings and even tires were not possible for them to restore and must be obtained through different means.

 
They drive through the various paths and roads to get to the hanger. The roads and drive-in paths to the hanger looks like a battle has been fought here, with dead Wessens and dead lizard men litter the path to the hanger. He takes the jeep and uses it to block the hanger large door.  He then helps Minerva to step out of the jeep and head to the regular door. Standing Minerva towards the large hanger door, he hits on it hard with coded rhythm that Hondo would recognize: 1, pause, 2, pause, 3, pause, 5. (The first 4 prime numbers of real positive numbers.) If Hondo was there, he would return an incomplete “Shave and a Haircut” beat for Fernando to finish the last two knocks. But nothing. Just an eerie silence.  
 
“I don’t like the way this looks.” Fernando says mostly to himself. He turns to face Minerva, seeing a shadow rise up behind her with a raised arm and a heavy object in its hand. Fernando acts fast, drawing both his guns out on extended arms on top of and behind her shoulders, releasing a volley of 6 shots at the shadow, hitting it from head to mid chest. It staggers back before it falls on its back with a disgusting squishy thud.
 
Fernando and Minerva stay still for a moment, looking at each other.
 
Minerva finally says, “Can I scream now?”
 
“You can but I rather you did not.” Fernando tells her.
 
“I’ll... try...” She replies, then asks, “Was it a cold blooded Lizard Man?”
 
“Doesn’t look like it, but it was about to hit you with a large club.” Fernando tells her.
 
Minerva nods. She then wraps her arms around Fernando and holds on him tightly, with her body nervously shaking against his.
 
The small door they stood in front of slowly opens with a double barrel of a shot gun inching through the crack.
 
“Hondo?” Fernando calls out.
 
The door opens quickly with Molly standing there with the shot gun in her arms, “Finally, you are here.” She hesitates for the moment before saying, “Come in...”
 
“Where’s Hondo?” Fernando asks as he guides Minerva in.
 
“He’s in the main bedroom.” Molly says as she locks the door. She hesitantly says, “He’s... not in good shape.”
 
“Seeing the dead out there, I’m expecting it.” Fernando tells him.
 
“You are expecting it?” Molly asks.
 
“I am. Now where is he?” Fernando growls at her.
 
“Follow me.” Molly replies.
 
Fernando and Minerva follow Molly to the main bedroom. To get there they have to pass a couple minor rooms, though the blimp in the hanger was mostly ignored. Hearing the footsteps echoing in the hanger area, Tonya steps out to see who was out there.  Her attention focuses on the near human looking Wessen Minerva was as she was wearing her cut-off Daisy Duke shorts and mostly open flannel cut-off short sleeve shirt.
 
“What Is This? You Brought A Sex Kitten For Hondo?!!” Tonya yells out.
 
Though they stop in their tracks, Fernando steps up to Tonya, “What was that?”
 
“You Dare Bring A Whore For Dad?!!” Tonya lets out loud.
 
“Don’t You Take That Tone With Me, Miss. I’m Not Your Father, I Will Teach You To Respect Those Around You!” Fernando tells her.
 
“I won’t respect you! This Just Proves What Hector Says!” Tonya lets out.
 
“You dare mention that name?!!” Fernando tells her. He takes his cane lashes at Tonya, the both disappear in a flash of light.
 
2100ft and falling fast in the freezing cold of -10 degrees, Fernando just relaxes but Tonya is in a panic, flaying her arms and legs thinking that she could get some lift from them as they plummet down.
 
“Where Are We!!!” Tonya yells out loud.
 
“Three miles high and falling fast.” Fernando tells her. “Now you are going to listen to me or you are going to learn the hard way about Hector.”
 
“You got nothing to show me about Hector!” Tonya tells her.
 
“Then have it your way...” Fernando tells her. He then prods her with his cane and they both disappear from the skies in a bright flash of light.
 
 
She wakes up in a fancy bed as the sunlight hits her face.
 
“Aye, Mi Bonita... You could have remained sleeping the whole day...” An all too familiar voice says to her.
 
But she notices her arms are the wrong color, Instead of reddish orange fluffy fur, it was short and white with a couple orange spots on the elbow and the back of the hand.
 
The Spanish Fox walks up her bed and sits on it. “Mi Minerva, I’ll get the staff to get you something to fill your belly.” He then leans to her and plants his maw against hers for a very intimate kiss. When the kiss end, he gets up, “Pretty you-self up while I geet your comida.” He then leaves the room.  
 
She gets up and trots over to the mirror, instead seeing her Vixen self, there in the reflection stared back the very one she called a six kitten and a whore. She stands there staring at the mirror looking at the reflection of the mirror. She touches her face, pulls her hair, opens her mouth and checks her teeth, twists and turns her body and grabs her short stubby tail, then turns to face reflection on the glass and grab at her breasts. The calendar on the wall says it is June 2058, some 8 years before present date.  
 
But this was only the beginning. She lives out the days Minerva had with Hector, nearly 5 years worth in a matter of minutes. The first three years was of her spoiling her but that spoiling came with a price that can only be paid with what she had between her legs. The more she gave up her private intimate self, the better things became. This was the price of Love a girl has to pay she thought. But all of the sudden he was quick to anger and lashed out at her for little to no reason at all. First it was the name calling, then the physical violence starting with slapping around and then punches and kicking. Then less than a week later from when all the bad started, one day he brings in his men and dragged her out to the barn, ripping off her clothing and tying her up to a saddle horse rack.
 
“Aye, mi bonita fea... que puta tu eres... que embustes tu me dijo... ninguno hace embustes en mi!” (“Oh my pretty ugly... what a whore you are... what lies you told me... nobody ever lies to me!”!) He tells her. Then the stinging of the bull whip crash onto her back over twice of a dozen times.  After 10 minutes of being whipped, it stops.
 
“Take her away, I do not want to ever see this filthy half breed again.” Hector says to his men.
 
As soon as he walks out of the barn, the men take turns on in raping her limp exhausted body racked in pain. Her semi-conscious brain only made her into a reluctant yet obedient partner to their lustful whims. Too tired to fight, too much in pain to move, there was nothing for her to do but let her body run on auto pilot as they have their fill of sex from her from which ever hole they decide to use on her.
 
After more than a couple of hours of this abuse as the men brought in their friends, they put her body into the back of the jeep and dump her body into the merchant area by the blimp parking area. Some of the humans and Wessens kick at her, some pour various liquids on her, one even lowered himself to her and grabs her by her hair. A tall older teen with a group of younger teens walk up to her.
 
“Get off her hair...” A voice is said.
 
“Who the fu...” The hair grabber says before looking up and decides to be silence. He gets up and quickly walks away.
 
The younger teens gather around her as the elder teens yells to those around them, “Anyone claims this Wessen as theirs? Well anyone?!!?” No one dare answers. She then yells out, “Then I, Bruce Lee, Claim This Wessen as Mine!”
 
The teens pick up the body and take her away to an alley between the buildings and down a basement to one of the buildings. All she knows is that her world fades to black.
 
Reality comes back.
 
“Welcome back Tonya... or should I say Minerva.” Fernando tells her.
 
Tonya could only sit on the floor looking up at him.
 
“Before you, Minerva was Hector’s ‘Mi Bonita’ until he found out that she was a half Wessen half human hybrid. Then he tried to destroy her, not once, but twice. You only seen part one of Minerva’s memories. He never cared about her. All he wanted was what was in between her legs, feeding her the same garbage about Los Animales, and how Wessens are superior than humans. They are not. If they were, then Human / Wessen Hybrids would not be a thing. Wessens are humans, forced to be one by the actions of a lab town kidnapping and purging families and sending them through the Wessen process. But that is beside the point. Hector has done this to dozens of girls out there like you. Now you are his Mi Bonita and like all the others, he will tire of you, make excuses, start slapping you around and one day, you will be lucky if you survive his farewell treatment from his whip and his men.” Fernando tells her.
 
Tonya begins to cry, saying to herself, “It can’t be true!”
 
Minerva kneels next to her as Fernando says to her, “Care to relive Part two? It gets worst from there.”
 
Tonya looks at Minerva, like she was a reflection in the mirror, but there was no mirror as Minerva nods.
 
Fernando continues “You think you’re all cute and that he’s the only one you are to give that of yourself to him. Let me tell you – you need to treat that virgin pussy between your legs as if it is a gold coin you found in a mud puddle, because once you give your virginity away to some asshole like Hector, that pussy you have will not be worth the mud you found the coin in.”
 
Tonya sees Minerva nodding, and turns to Molly, who is nodding too.
 
“You think Hector loves you? Go ahead – like everyone in the convoy, you have the right to leave anytime you want. But when you leave, you can never return. Hell, I’ll give you a confiscated jeep and a bag of gold coins to leave if you think you giving up your tail to that idiot is worth giving up those who truly love you, because since the day we, and when I say we, I mean Hondo, saved you, Karl and Zoey from the slavers, we never lied to you, never tricked you to make a decision, or forced you to do anything you did not like to do. Anything you do at the camp is a job to earn the right be with the camp and get those things we work hard to get – a warm bed, good food and shelter from the storm. But you have more than that – you have a family that took you in when there nobody to take you but some slavers who were about to turn you into a subservient sex puppy. You have a family that loves you despite the good and the bad that is happening to them right now. You think Hector is going to be that nice to you? Look at that face in front of you – you lived through her years with Hector. You think that’s cute? You think that’s love? He’s just going to use you as a personal whore, a collared sex puppy – that is all you will be to him and one day he is going to tire of you and then he’s going to do to you as he did to her and many others before her. Oh... you think Hector is in his 20s? He’s been around since the nearly the beginning of the Chaos, using Mojo, Black Magic, Evil Lab Tech to keep himself young. He is not an immortal, but he is been around and killing babies to keep his eternal youth. And in that time he has destroyed the lives of many girls out there, including Minerva in front of you and now you are next.”
 
- To Be Continued -

Setting up breakfast and handing them out to the kids, convoy members and Major Moynihan’s troops was easy. There were even extras to store away for lunch to those who want it. Odd to some, Val stepped out and got a double breakfast to bring into the camper. Fernando was in his camper setting up food for Kitty and Meeshie when Ichigo enters the camper with something for the both of them. She sits on the bed waiting for him.
 
When Fernando is done setting food for the kitties, he sits down on the camper’s entrance step. Ichigo steps up to him and hands him a sandwich and a coffee.
 
“Here, enjoy.” She tells him. She then leans against the doorway, “Anything happened last night? I noticed you were not in for most of the night.”
 
“I can’t tell you right now. But first I need to neutralize this.” Fernando replies as he takes ring out of his pocket and drops it on the floor, then waves his came over it, making it age a couple hundred years until it dies out and the crystal goes dark. He then picks up the ring and looks at it. “Who in hell would use a Brown Dwarf Material to power a Temporal Stone?”
 
“What are you talking about?” Ichigo asks.
 
“Temporal Mechanics. This ‘Time Traveling’ Ring’s crystal was powered up with a very poor energy source. It’s like feeding a Sheep Wessen meat to try to get it strong. All you will get is a sick Sheep Wessen that can barely work.”
 
“And the jar with the hand in it?” Ichigo asks.
 
“Somebody who needed to be taught a lesson. It’s in a pickle and alcohol solution to kill it inside and out so it can never be reattached to its owner ever again.” Fernando explains.
 
“I see. Since you said, ‘Time Traveling’ so did it belong to a Time Traveler?” Ichigo asks.
 
“No. Far from it. It was on somebody so evil, they probably stole it from a Time Traveler to get it.” Fernando explains.
 
“And that has something to do with last night?” Ichigo asks.
 
“You could say that.” Fernando says to her.
 
Meeshie trots over to Fernando so he can pick her up. He picks her up and checks on her collar, signaling to Ichigo to get closer. He shoes off the bell and the crystal next to it. “Meeshie has such a crystal which is tied to me and my cane so she will always be around me when the time is needed. It is why her crystal and my crystal are green.” He holds up the crystal on the ring, “But this one was red. And a Time Traveling crystal that is red is an unstable one that might leave you stranded out in the past or in the future.”
 
“What’s to stop anyone from getting Meeshie’s collar? Even if they have to kill her for it, they can take it from her.” Ichigo says.
 
“Well first off, you need two hands to unlock her collar, and it is tied to her and my DNA to remove it. Anyone else tying to get it, will be shocked with 10,000 volts of electricity. They will be lucky if it does not kill them. If they try again to take it off, then it will kill them. If they try to take it off with protection or technology, whatever device they use to try to remove it will be destroyed and them with it.” He explains to her. He then looks at her, “Do not even think of trying to get her collar.”
 
“I’m not!” Ichigo says.
 
“In time I might give you such a thing that would protect you throughout time while I am not around but until then, all you got is just me and this little group to help you as long as you help them.” He tells her. He sees her nodding in a non-verbal reply. He then says to her, “Thank you for the work you done helping out with cooking and Ms Ruth, and the things I told you to do for me.”
 
“I’ll do what I can, but you know I need your protection and will go into hiding if I feel threatened.” Ichigo tells him.
 
“Yes I know, and Meeshie knows as well.” He tells her. He then throws at her, “If you want to hide the day away, go ahead. I’ll be around checking on things.”
 
“Alight...” Ichigo replies.  
 
Fernando continues to eat his food, she goes to the bed and sits down on it. After a few bites, he looks up at her, “While I am out, check on Macey and Zoey for me once in a while.”
 
“Will do.” She replies.
 
Fernando finishes up his breakfast and gathers his large medical kit and the mason jar with Hector’s hand in it before leaving for his personal patrol of several areas and checking on various people. Minerva finds her way to him during his patrol and latches herself to him.
 
“Where are you going? Minerva asks.
 
“Just walking around before I go see Hondo at the hanger and make sure he is OK.” He tells her, throwing in, “Come. You might as well follow me.”
 
For the next couple of minutes they walk around as he checks out a few things. He reaches the Major conferring with her men.
 
“Good morning Major. How are things today? How are we dealing with the bodies in the field?” Fernando asks.
 
“We found a local carrion pit to dispose of the bodies into. The flames would dispose of any poisons these ugly bastards have.” The Major tells him.
 
“Thank you.” Fernando tells her.
 
“No. Thank you. You saved the men and possibly the camp as well. You need to teach us how you did it.” The major tells him.
 
“Looks like I will have to, in order for you to deal with these creatures.” Fernando tells her, adding, “But now is not the time. If you do not mind, Major, I’m taking one of the confiscated jeeps to the hanger.”
 
“Oh, please wait. Some of my men will go there to fill up water containers to refill the tanks here.” The Major says.
 
Fernando nods. “Alright. I’ll take that jeep and wait for your men to gather.” (It is the same jeep he took to go to the hanger last night.)  
 
The major nods before he starts to walk away. In less than a minute he is there and leaning against the hood of the jeep. Marvin and Karl walk up to him.
 
“Good morning Mister Fernando. How are things?” Marvin says and asks. Karl nods his head as he looks around.
 
“We lived through another night, that’s important.” Fernando tells him.
 
“What is this rumor I heard about what happened last night, of Cold Blooded Ones trying to take the camp?” Karl asks.
 
“Well...” Minerva tries to say something but Fernando covers he mouth.
 
“Only I talk about such matters with my guards, Minerva.” He tells her sternly.  He then lets her go. He then looks at Karl, “They tried to infiltrate the camp last night. We found out through Hondo who intercepted a radio transmission of two groups, 8 cold ones to attack this one and 4 along with a few Wessens to attack the hanger. I took care of the ones over here and Hondo took care of the ones at the hanger. But he did not fare better than I did, so I need to check on him soon.”  
 
“How in hell you defeated 8 Cold Blooded ones?” Karl asks.
 
Fernando pulls out one of his Tanto Blades from his medical carry sack, handing it to him.
 
Karl asks, “What’s so special about a knife?”
 
Fernando takes the blade and puts it onto the near center hood the jeep, and pushes down on it. The tip punctures a tiny hole into the sheet metal, and then the hole grows and the blade sinks into the metal with a groaning squeal. The only force Fernando gives is pushing the blade downward onto the hood of the vehicle. He then grabs the handle and slowly pulls up, lifting the blade out of the hole. He gives it back to Karl to inspect the blade’s sharpness. Karl hands the blade back to him, giving a nod.
 
The Major’s men begin to gather about Fernando in their vehicles with 3 or 4 large drums in the rear area.
 
“You ready to go, Mister G. Sir?” The officer in the closest vehicle asks.
 
“Yeah, let’s go.” Fernando says as he signals Minerva to get into the passenger side while he gets into the driver’s side and placing the medical bag and the mason jar in the back area. He then tells Marvin and Karl, “Get in the back.”
 
Marvin and Karl hop on into the rear of the jeep as Fernando turn on the engine. They were seated securely as Fernando puts the vehicle in gear. In a few minutes Fernando leads the group to the hanger. He gets on his radio to call Hondo, though knowing Molly or Maggie might answer.
 
“This is the Medic calling Righteous Cowboy, you out there Righteous Cowboy?” Fernando says into his radio.
 
It takes a few seconds for Hondo to answer “Righteous Cowboy here...”
 
“Righteous, you sound awful. Get Red Molly to open the hanger doors. I got the Major’s men to gather some water for the camp and they will be in and out for most of the day.” Fernando tells him.
 
“It will be done.” Hondo replies.
 
“Thank you. We have the hanger in sight, will be there in a couple of minutes. Medic Out.” Fernando says before putting away his radio.
 
In almost no time they reach the hanger door. Molly was there getting the hanger door open just enough to lets the jeeps to drive in. Fernando drives his jeep as far into the hanger as he could, parking it behind Hondo’s Bronco. The major’s men go about filing the containers with water as Marvin and Karl begin guarding the hanger entrance with Molly. Fernando takes the Mason jar and the Medic bag with him.
 
Minerva follows Fernando as they make their way to the master bedroom. Hondo was in bed half asleep at best, shivering from the cold of not having enough blood in him to keep him warm. Maggie was sitting in a chair next to the bed, wondering what to do as she did not have the supplies to give proper medical care other than the minimum to keeping him warm and comfortable. This would have killed a normal person under normal circumstances.
 
“Alright, what is the situation here?” Fernando asks Maggie.
 
“Huh?” Maggie replies.
 
“I said, what is the situation here? You know – how is the patient and how did he get in this condition?” Fernando throws at her.
 
“I do not know, he was already in bad shape to begin with when I saw him.” Maggie says, tying to hide what facts she knows.
 
“Don’t bullshit me, Maggie. If it were not for his stubborn will to keep on living, he would be dead by now. Now, get me two large glasses of water.” Fernando tells her.
 
She just sits there looking at him all confused.
 
Fernando almost has to yell at her, “I said to get me two large glasses of water – now!”
 
Maggie leaves as if she was in a hurry. Fernando points to an empty seat in the room for Minerva to sit in. He then puts the Mason Jar on the bed stand and the medical bad on the bed. He starts going through the medical bag.
 
Hondo manages to barely say, “Hector is still out here...”
 
“What was that?” Fernando asks.
 
“Hector... he attacked the hanger with some Wessens and lizard men. He escaped by teleporting.” Hondo says, with anger giving him the strength to complain.
 
“Looks like you killed quite of few of them yourself. There was a Wessen crawling around that I killed last night. As for Hector, he’s regretting crossing my path. He’s lucky I missed. I was going for his head before he teleported away.” Fernando tells him, putting the mason jar next to him.
 
Hondo sits up, taking the mason jar and looking at the hand inside. “This is Hector’s hand?”
 
Fernando goes into his jacket pocket and pulls out an old but well kept revolver, tossing it on his lap. “That was his gun he was going to shoot me with connected to that hand. Merry Christmas, by the way.” He pauses for a second, “Once it is pickled through, he will never be able to put that hand back on his body ever again. Now, as for you. The Lizard men bit or sliced you with their claws?”
 
“No, not that I know.” Hondo replies.
 
“Well, I’m not taking any chances. You look like you’re low on blood so you need at least a couple days or rest. You can get up and move around, eat, go to the bathroom and that is about it. No fixing of vehicles, not charging in while fighting. You need to relax and get your body to heal and blood count up. You’re also quite dehydrated from the blood loss, so I’m preparing an IV as soon as Maggie gets here with some water. After you recover, we got some poison medication to take care of what poisons you picked up along the way. It won’t cure you of everything, but you will feel a lot better afterwards.” Fernando explains.
 
“You’re going to give me poison?” Hondo asks.
 
“Just enough to make you throw up and shit out the poison in your system. It’s going to be a rough ride, but afterwards, you are going to feel like you want to kick some ass because it is there. But this will clean most of you out, not all of you. Who knows how deep the poisons are in you, but it should clear out most that is floating around in you.” Fernando tells him.
 
Hondo sighs, but at least if he is going to get better, he needs to rest for a day or two and be in better shape to kick some ass. Maggie arrives with some water and places it on the end table by the bed. Fernando takes out an empty IV Bag and a packet of salt, pouring the salt into the IV Bag before pouring the water in. He takes the IV Bag and shakes it. Lucky for him somebody put a nail on the wall above the bed, so he hangs the IV Bag on it. He then runs tubes down to the bed, squeezing out the air bubbles out of them. Once at Hondo’s side, Fernando hooks the needle into the inside of Hondo’s elbow and secure the tubing with some medical tape.
 
“There. That should empty out in an hour.” He turns to Maggie, “If there is any food and sweet water juice, let him have it after this bag is empty so he can get his strength up.”
 
“What is this good for it is only water with whatever that powder you put into it?” Maggie complains.
 
“It is a tiny amount of salt in the water to balance his electrolytes and give his blood fluid some balance. The water is to give him some blood volume to make it flow easier and get his organs rehydrated.” Fernando explains.
 
Maggie stands there worried about what possible consequences.
 
Fernando signals to Minerva, “I’ll be back to check on you, Hondo. Let’s go Minerva.”
 
“Yeah, hurry up, I need to git out of this bed!” Hondo replies.
 
Fernando gets out of the main bedroom, leaving his medical bag and the mason jar with Hector’s hand inside it with Hondo. He makes his way to the front of the hanger. Molly, Marvin and Karl were there as the Major’s men went in and out with filled containers of water.
 
“Karl, Marvin, I need one of you to go back to camp and tell Ms Ruth to talk to Major Moynihan about making lunch for the kids. If they need money to get supplies, give them this.” Fernando talks to them and holds out two small bags of gold and silver coins.
 
The two look at each other and then nodded. “I’ll go.” Marvin says.
 
“Take the jeep with you, and come back. Things should be fine over there. Don’t speed, in fact follow the Major’s men as they go in and out. Take a couple of men with you coming and going.” Fernando tells him.
 
Marvin nods before heading out to get the jeep and then slowly drive out. The next Jeep with the major’s men was heavy with water and men, so he got the men into the jeep with him and followed the jeep with the water containers back to camp.
 
Fernando stands around for the moment, Minerva steps over to his side.
 
“Fernando, sir, if I can ask a personal question, when did you two became a couple?” Karl asks.
 
“A couple?” Fernando asks.
 
“Well, let me explain... when a female Wessen gets close to a male, human or Wessen, like she is to you, she has attached to you as her mate even if you already have a mate, girlfriend or wife.” Karl explains.
 
“OK, I think I understand. I think it is Stockholm Syndrome, you know – when somebody in danger falls in love with the one who rescues them, because I save her life a couple of times and the lives of the children she cares for, that she has gotten a crush on me.” Fernando explains. He pauses for a second, “I’m not going to disrespect her into taking advantage of her, her feelings or her body despite what she feels for me.”
 
“No way. No man would refuse free pussy like that! Even from a cute Wessen like she is. You must like men.” Karl begins to say. He is quickly put onto the floor and his rifle taken away from him.
 
“I’m no faggot, snake charmer, cock sucker, anal pirate, man lover or any words you can think of as one man being attracted to other men and doing sexual things with them. Nor am I screwing my daughter Macey, Ichigo, neither of the Jeanettes or any other female in the convoy. Why? Because I was burned by a female who I thought I could trust and love only to have her trying to destroy my life before the Spirits swiped my ass into this Time Line. So excuse me if I do not have a love interest – neither male nor female. Who I stick my dick into is my business, not yours.” Fernando tells him before reaching out to help him up. He then returns Karl his firearm.
 
“My apologies, Boss.” Karl tells him.
 
“Don’t call me ‘Boss’ either. We work together for the same objective and help others along the way. We are equal, and I appreciate the work you and the others do. We could not have gone this far without you helping us.” Fernando tells him, offering his hand to shake. Karl takes his hand and shakes it, with Fernando saying, “Who you end up putting your dick into is your business – as long as such relationships does not cause problems for the rest of us, and you are not forcing anyone into something they do not want to be in, and he, she, it have to be of age – 18 years old or older.”
 
“That does not leave much.” Karl says.
 
“We got a long trip ahead of us. Maybe until we get to Texas, you will find somebody. But I’ll tell you this much, there is somebody out there for you in this world. You need to find who ever that person is.” Fernando tells him.
 
Karl nods.
 
“I’m going to take a walk. I should be back after I clear my head.” Fernando tells him, adding, “Help guard the place and check on Hondo once in a while in my absence. He has a radio on him to call me if there is an emergency.”
 
Karl nods, “Alright, I’ll see you later.” He then adds, “What about lunch, since we are not at the camp?”
 
“That is what I’m going to check out. I’ll be back soon.” Fernando replies before he starts walking away. Minerva trots behind him to catch up and slows down when she is at his side.
 
She waits until they are some considerable distance from the hanger before she says anything. “What you said, about some female tying to destroy your life, is the reason why you won’t take me?”
 
“It is one of many reasons. Frankly, I want to be left alone. I do not want the drama, I do not want gossiping and I do not want the bullshit. I do not want a woman who thinks she is better than I and tries to undermine what I worked for. I’m not saying that you are one of them, but this world is full of petty bitches out there that will do a man wrong because of ‘her feelings’. I know the truth about women, many of them do not want a dull and boring life, so they go about to get excitement and end up getting hurt and burned by her own actions and then try to blame the man for that. She’s not willing to take responsibility for her actions, then she is not worthy of a man’s heart – any man and his heart. She is not worthy of mine.” Fernando explains to her.
 
“But I am not like that.” Minerva says.
 
“Knowing who you are as I seen and know, I know you are not. I just want some time for myself as I gather my life together in this mess or a world. Like I said before to Karl, the Stupid Spirits took me away from my time and dropped me here for some stupid mission to rescue one person. I made this mission my own and started saving who I can, and my friend Hondo agrees with me, thus we built up the convoy we have today. In time we will rescue that person the Spirits want us to save but that time is not now.” He explains. There is a pause between them for a moment before he adds “If we have a possibility of having such a relationship, then it will happen in its own time. Not because either one of us rushes the relationship into being.”
 
Fernando then takes her by the arm and twists the crystal on his cane before pressing it. They disappear in a flash of light and end up in front of Moondog Maddie’s Place. They walk in and take a seat at the counter.
 
“Hey, Fernando, how are things! What can I get for you today?” Maddie walks up to them  
 
“I’m going to need about 12 sandwiches, 6 meat sandwiches and 6 vegetable salad sandwiches. Both sets with cheese, and if you have ham, ham for the meat sandwiches, if not roast beef. And 12 plain sweet water juices.” Fernando explains.
 
“I have ham so ham it is.” Maddie says to him.
 
“Thank you.” Fernando replies.
 
After a few minutes, Maddie returns. She asks, “Have you went to my sister’s flight school?”
 
“Not yet. It has been a very busy day.” Fernando explains, “If I do not go today, I’ll go tomorrow.”
 
“Well, seeing you bring Hector’s hand in this morning, I bet it has been a very busy day.” Maddie says.
 
After a couple of minutes, the sandwiches are put into a medium paper bag, and 2 cases of six bottled sweet water juices per case are put on the counter.
 
Fernando asks, “How much for everything?” He then points at Minerva, “She’s paying.”
 
“Well, OK, $15 for everything.” Maddie says.
 
Fernando puts a silver $20 coin on the counter before handing the bag of sandwiches to Minerva and he takes hold of the two cases of sweet water juices, saying “Keep the change. We’ll be seeing you around.”  
 
They both head outside of the restaurant and take a few steps away from it before Fernando uses his cane to teleport them to several steps away from the hanger. With the roads clear, they walk the rest of the way to the hanger. Inside the hanger Marvin as returned from the camp with the message of “Thanks” from both the Major and Ruth. He tells Molly, Marvin and Karl to go with him to the back, handing out the sandwiches and drinks to them before going to the master bedroom. He gives Maggie a sandwich and drink before giving Hondo the food and drink as well. He then gives Minerva a sandwich and drink before taking a meal for himself.
 
“How are you doing, Hondo?” Fernando asks.
 
“Feelin’ better.” Hondo replies.
 
Seeing the IV Bag nearly empty, Fernando prepares a bandage before removing the needle from Hondo’s arm. He then bandages Hondo’s arm.
 
“There, you’re free though you should stay here and rest. You must be on empty for the IV bag to run out so fast, they usually last about an hour or more.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo sighs.
 
“Hey... you relax.” Fernando tells him. He then realizes, “Maggie, do me a favor and give Tonya a meat sandwich and a drink. I do not know where she is exactly.
 
“She is in the other bedroom.” Hondo says.
 
“I do not want to deal with her.” Fernando says before turning to Maggie, “Do me that favor and thanks.”
 
Maggie gives a quick small nod before getting up, getting a sandwich and drink and head to the other bedroom. While she was gone, Fernando confronts Hondo.
 
“Hondo... I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I know Val had shot you while I was rescuing Minerva and the kids from the Lawmen. Too many witnesses to what happened and they all told me. You need to rest a couple of day to get your strength back from such an injury. This is what – the second time you got shot in the shoulder? First by the Grey Lady and now by Val. Disputes between you and your wife is your business, so I am not doing to saying anything about it. But I do want you to heal.” Fernando tells him.
 
Hondo can only let out a frustrated sigh.
 
“I tell you what – if you feel better tomorrow morning, you can go to the camp. Just give yourself the time to rest up and heal. You cannot be my right-hand man pushing up daisies.” Fernando tells him.
 
Hondo nods.
 
“And thanks. If it were not for your warning, the camp would be dead. We killed 8 lizard men about to attack the camp. Everyone, the Major’s men, the convoy and I all owe you one.” Fernando tells him.
 
“It was nothing.” Hondo replies.

Molly sighed and leaned against the wall for a moment after they left. She was still exhausted but she was pretty sure she was not going to get any further rest today. As she let her body relax a bit she realized she had to pee so she headed back to Hondo’s bedroom to use the master bathroom there. As she passed through the room she checked on Hondo quickly again. He looked terrible but was alive. She frowned as she watched him shiver in his sleep. She closed her eyes for a moment, half begging the almighty, of who she had pretty well turned her back on in the last few years, to preserve the man who lay in front of her. After a moment she sighed, tossed Val’s robe on the end of the bed and continued to the bathroom.  
 
As she entered the bathroom she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and stopped suddenly to study her reflection. She grimaced at the sight and looked down at herself again to make doubly sure it was not some sort of illusion. She only then realized how dirty and banged up she appeared, thinking to herself that she must have appeared as quite the unusual sight to those around her. She shook her head and then continued on to finished up the call-of-nature that brought her here in the first place. Once done she went back to the bedroom to grab a towel out of the closet and Valentine’s robe from the bed. She picked up her clothes from the chair she had laid them on the day before and looked them over.  
 
The jeans would make it another day or two but her panties, soaks, and shirt would need a wash. She did not wear a bra, which was partly by choice and partly as they were expensive and hard to get. She tried one once but found it too restrictive and uncomfortable, plus it was one more thing to wash. She did not need one really anyway as she had a fairly firm set and they were seen as something only rich women, overly endowed women, or those in the sex trade wore to enhance their endowment. She left the jeans folded on the chair but took the rest and headed for the shower.  
 
Once in the bathroom she threw her shirt, socks, and panties into the shower, hung up the robe and towel, started the shower, stripped the tattered garments off and threw them into the trashcan. She looked herself over again, making sure she had not missed any wounds, and once satisfied she gingerly stepped into the shower and readjusted the water until it stopped just short of scalding her skin. She gave off a contented sigh and then moaned slightly, as the hot water caressed her sore body. It felt extremely good, but as she stood there the thought of sharing the shower with the man in the other room crossed her mind. She blushed a bit at the thought then shook her head trying to get it out. She was pretty sure it was never to be, but she could not help but want him still. The thought came back and she touched herself for a bit, imagining it was him.  
 
After a bit she forced herself back to reality and picked up her wet shirt, socks, and panties from the floor. She washed them with soap from the shower and hung them on the curtain rob before finishing washing herself. Once washed she stood there a bit longer, trying to clear her mind while letting her body relax more. She could have stood in the hot water a lot longer, but she forced herself to get out as dawn was fast approaching and she knew someone would be coming by sooner or later. She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing her towel as she exited. She toweled off and then stood there looking at the mirror for a moment with a frown. She looked like an abuse victim, but the bruises would heal in time. That was not what she was looking at, though. She looked at herself and saw the wessen she was and frowned at it. She told herself she was not pretty enough or strong enough for a man like Hondo or any man such as him, if there were such as him. She looked down after a moment, wishing she was prettier, but resolving herself to the fact that she would always be ugly as she was a wessen. She pulled her thoughts out of herself after a bit, threw on the robe and walked out of the bathroom as she finished toweling her hair. She checked on Hondo again, but his status was unchanged. She then went over and pulled her jeans on and sat down to pull on her boots.  
 
Maggie stirred and woke up with a groan and yawn. She looked over and saw Molly sitting in the chair wearing jeans, and open robe, and putting on her boots. She shook her head a bit at the sight but wished she was more like Molly. Molly was strong, determined, and had this attitude of not giving two #$@!s about herself or her body, while caring about others. Though Maggie had been exposed a lot, cut, beaten, and brutally raped, she had never felt comfortable in her own skin. She was not sure if she was like this before becoming a wessen or not, as she did not remember much of that as they had wiped her mind of the memories of what she was before. Still, she was ashamed of her body and ashamed of the scars, but she still dreamt of finding the right man to share herself with, one she was not ashamed to show herself to. She envied Molly’s bravery and flippantness towards modesty, but was sure she could never be that way herself. She wondered how different things might have been is she was as pretty, brave, and strong as Molly was. She caught herself staring at her when Molly looked up at her with a questioning glance.
 
“You alright?” Molly asked.
 
“Hmm? OH! Yeah… I’m fine.” Maggie said timidly.
 
Molly smirked, “Sorry if you see something you like, but I don’t swing that way.”
 
Maggie’s eyes got wide, “NO! It’s not that at all I was just..”
 
“I guess we could fool around in the shower a bit if you really wanted to.” Molly said teasingly.
 
Maggie closed her eyes and shuttered a bit, “No… I’ve… I’ve been forced to before… pleasure women.”
 
Molly frowned, “Maggie, I didn’t mean to..”
 
Maggie cut her off, “I know but… You don’t understand what its like. Men, women,  both together, groups of men, some who got off and being violent and hurting me… plus the experiments… I just…”
 
Molly walked over and knelt beside Maggie, taking her hand. Maggie opened her eyes in surprise to see Molly looking at her sadly.
 
“I did not know. I was just teasing. I’m sorry.” Molly said.
 
Maggie shook her head, “You don’t need to be sorry , and..and please don’t pity me. I know I’m broken. I was just looking at you and wishing I was more like you.”
 
“Like me?” Molly asked in a surprised tone, “I’m nothing special. Just an ugly old coyote bitch.”
 
“Don’t say that! I wish I was as pretty as you!” Maggie said
 
Molly chuckled, “I’m not pretty. I wish I was. You are, though, and extremely cute. You have to have a guy somewhere who wants someone as cute as you.”
 
Maggie blushed, “I’m not cute and no, I don’t have a guy. I was not allowed to in the lab. I was a medical tech but I was owned by the lab and just a tool to the doctors.”
 
Molly frowned, “You are cute and that’s over…. Let me ask you, has anyone ever pleasured you before? You know, to make you feel good?”
 
Maggie shook her head.
 
Molly’s frown deepened, “You poor thing. I know you don’t want pity, but that makes me sad. You deserve to have someone try to make you feel good. I take it you are into men, right?”
 
Maggie nodded, but looked at the floor.
 
Molly patted her hand, “We will find you a good man, then. That Marvin is kinda handsome.”
 
Maggie smiled and blushed a bit, “He kinda is, but… not being prejudice or anything, just not sure I could go vegetarian for someone.”
 
Molly nodded, “I understand. I’m sure you could make it work, though, but we’ll keep looking. Just don’t write him off yet.”
 
“Karl’s not bad either.” Maggie said blushing a bit more.
 
Molly shook her head, “Maybe not but he’s a bit of a punk and has a lot to learn yet. Plus, I’ve heard he’s had to get a few respect lessons from Hondo and Fernando. Something about manipulating Tonya after they were first rescued.”
 
Maggie frowned, “I don’t want someone like that.”
 
“We’ll find you the right one.” Molly said standing back up.
 
She nodded at Hondo, “Anything more you can do for him?”
 
Maggie shook her head, “No, and he has me worried. I don’t know what else I can do with what I have.”
 
Molly nodded, “Well, hopefully Fernando will stop in soon.”
 
“You think he’s coming here?” Maggie asked.
 
“I’d expect it.” Molly said.
 
“The sooner the better.” Maggie replied, “But what should we tell him? You said Hondo did not want him bothered.”
 
Molly shrugged, “That’s up to you. Maybe try to leave out the details on how it happened and just tell him what happened?”
 
Maggie nodded, but was stopped from saying anything as knocking was heard at the door. It was odd, as if a specific rhythm. 1, pause, 2, pause, 3, pause, 5. Molly and Maggie looked at each other a moment.
 
“I should probably see who it is.” Molly grumbled.
 
About then shots were heard outside. Molly secured the robe around her and grabbed the shotgun.
 
“Stay here.” Molly said as she went to investigate.  
 
She trotted to the door and waited a moment, but no new sounds were heard. She then carefully popped open the door and stuck the shotgun barrel out in front of her. A familiar voice called out, though.
 
“Hondo?” The voice asked.
 
She opened the door quickly and saw Fernando and that young women who was with the kids at camp, Minerva she thought she heard her name was.  
 
“Finally, you are here.” She hesitates for the moment before saying, “Come in...”
 
“Where’s Hondo?” Fernando asks as he guides Minerva in.
 
“He’s in the main bedroom.” Molly says as she locks the door. She hesitantly says, “He’s... not in good shape.”
 
“Seeing the dead out there, I’m expecting it.” Fernando tells him.
 
“You are expecting it?” Molly asks.
 
“I am. Now where is he?” Fernando growls at her.
 
“Follow me.” Molly replies.
 
Fernando and Minerva follow Molly to the main bedroom. To get there they have to pass a couple minor rooms, though the blimp in the hanger was mostly ignored. Hearing the footsteps echoing in the hanger area, Tonya steps out to see who was out there.  Her attention focuses on the near human looking Wessen Minerva was as she was wearing her cut-off Daisy Duke shorts and mostly open flannel cut-off short sleeve shirt.
 
“What Is This? You Brought A Sex Kitten For Hondo?!!” Tonya yells out.
 
Though they stop in their tracks, Fernando steps up to Tonya, “What was that?”
 
“You Dare Bring A Whore For Dad?!!” Tonya lets out loud.
 
“Don’t You Take That Tone With Me, Miss. I’m Not Your Father, I Will Teach You To Respect Those Around You!” Fernando tells her.
 
“I won’t respect you! This Just Proves What Hector Says!” Tonya lets out.
 
“You dare mention that name?!!” Fernando tells her. He takes his cane lashes at Tonya, the both disappear in a flash of light.
 
Molly and Minerva look at each other, both in surprise, but there is more astonishment on Minerva’s face.  
 
Molly shook her head, “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that.”
 
“I wish I knew what and how he does it!” Minerva said.
 
Molly shook her head again, “Don’t ask. If he wants you to know he’ll tell you, but whatever it is, I know with something like that just don’t ask!”
 
A moment later Fernando reappears with Tonya, who lay as if out cold on the floor. He explained to the quickly what Tonya was forced to see, which caused Minerva to blush a bit in shame. They both nodded when he finished then he toughed Tonya with his cane again to bring her mind back to the present.
 
“Welcome back Tonya... or should I say Minerva.” Fernando tells her.
 
Tonya could only sit on the floor looking up at him.
 
“Before you, Minerva was Hector’s ‘Mi Bonita’ until he found out that she was a half Wessen half human hybrid. Then he tried to destroy her, not once, but twice. You only seen part one of Minerva’s memories. He never cared about her. All he wanted was what was in between her legs, feeding her the same garbage about Los Animales, and how Wessens are superior than humans. They are not. If they were, then Human / Wessen Hybrids would not be a thing. Wessens are humans, forced to be one by the actions of a lab town kidnapping and purging families and sending them through the Wessen process. But that is beside the point. Hector has done this to dozens of girls out there like you. Now you are his Mi Bonita and like all the others, he will tire of you, make excuses, start slapping you around and one day, you will be lucky if you survive his farewell treatment from his whip and his men.” Fernando tells her.
 
Tonya begins to cry, saying to herself, “It can’t be true!”
 
Minerva kneels next to her as Fernando says to her, “Care to relive Part two? It gets worst from there.”
 
Tonya looks at Minerva, like she was a reflection in the mirror, but there was no mirror as Minerva nods.
 
Fernando continues “You think you’re all cute and that he’s the only one you are to give that of yourself to him. Let me tell you – you need to treat that virgin pussy between your legs as if it is a gold coin you found in a mud puddle, because once you give your virginity away to some asshole like Hector, that pussy you have will not be worth the mud you found the coin in.”
 
Tonya sees Minerva nodding, and turns to Molly, who is nodding too.
 
“You think Hector loves you? Go ahead – like everyone in the convoy, you have the right to leave anytime you want. But when you leave, you can never return. Hell, I’ll give you a confiscated jeep and a bag of gold coins to leave if you think you giving up your tail to that idiot is worth giving up those who truly love you, because since the day we, and when I say we, I mean Hondo, saved you, Karl and Zoey from the slavers, we never lied to you, never tricked you to make a decision, or forced you to do anything you did not like to do. Anything you do at the camp is a job to earn the right be with the camp and get those things we work hard to get – a warm bed, good food and shelter from the storm. But you have more than that – you have a family that took you in when there nobody to take you but some slavers who were about to turn you into a subservient sex puppy. You have a family that loves you despite the good and the bad that is happening to them right now. You think Hector is going to be that nice to you? Look at that face in front of you – you lived through her years with Hector. You think that’s cute? You think that’s love? He’s just going to use you as a personal whore, a collared sex puppy – that is all you will be to him and one day he is going to tire of you and then he’s going to do to you as he did to her and many others before her. Oh... you think Hector is in his 20s? He’s been around since the nearly the beginning of the Chaos, using Mojo, Black Magic, Evil Lab Tech to keep himself young. He is not an immortal, but he is been around and killing babies to keep his eternal youth. And in that time, he has destroyed the lives of many girls out there, including Minerva in front of you and now you are next.”
 
“It’s not possible!” Tonya lets out.
 
“Guys like that only care about getting into your pussy. You’re just a piece of meat to them. And you think that you are old enough to make adult decision. Unless you are ready to have a job, own a house, run a business, take responsibility for your actions and care of a family, you are not an adult. You’re a kid, a child – it does not matter if you are a late aged teen – you are not an adult. Hell – there are 30-something year olds that because they cannot abide to those simple rules are not an adult. And let me tell you this – Hector is no adult. He is a spoiled brat, one who is constantly running to somebody to rescue him from the situation he put himself into – adults take care of their own problems because they have no one to run to help them. When have you seen Hondo run from a problem? (He then point to his Emergency Medic Patches on his jacket) You think I run? Hondo is my best friend and right hand man because I know he would never run when we face situations that would make others run. But Hector ran. Hector runs all the time. Real men – Wessen or Human – Stand up to the problem until either a) They eliminate the problem or b) the problem eliminates them. So you as a problem are going to behave and do as you are told or you can go to Hector, get abuse and realize that you can never come back to us because we are gone and those who leave the convoy never come back.” Fernando tells her.
 
“You do not know what Love is! You just use people as well!” Tonya yells at him.
 
Fernando raises his cane at Tonya and presses the crystal on the end of the shaft, putting her in a muzzle, handcuffs and ankle chains. He then lifts her up and puts her over his shoulders. “Minerva, Molly – come with me.” He tells them
 
“What about Hondo?” Molly asks.
 
“Hondo needs his rest more than anything else. Right now follow me.” Fernando tells her.
 
Not liking where it is going, Molly follows them to outside the hanger. Fernando puts Tonya on the back of the jeep. He then turns on the motor of the jeep to give it power to turn on the electronics. He turns on the radio and begins imitating the voice of one of the lizard men.
 
“SSS-Zorro Loco, Disss Isss Camp Killer 1. SSS-Zorro Loco, Disss Isss Camp Killer 1. Yousss out there SSS-Zorro Loco?” Fernando says over the radio.
 
There is no answer for the moment, just static over the airwaves.
 
Fernando repeats his call, “SSS-Zorro Loco, Disss Isss Camp Killer 1...”
 
“What Due You Want – I’m Extremely Busy!” Hector’s voice comes over the radio.
 
“SSS-Zorro Loco, We Killed over 50 of their peoplesss, including all of the children there... Now we want our money.” Fernando mocks.
 
“You will get your money at the rendezvous.” Hector replies on the radio angrily.
 
“Nose. You will get ussss our money now, or we will kill your girlie friend.” Fernando threatens.
 
There was a pause.
 
“Where are you?” Hector dares to ask.
 
“Weesss are at the hanger. I do not like ssseeing my nest matesss all dead ssso we killed everybody in the hanger except for this cutie becaussse she sssaysss you’re her boyfriend. You want her, you pay usss double or we take her.” Fernando tells him.
 
“You keeled everyone in the hanger?” Hector asks.
 
“Everyone... Evenss the cowboy and another female human who wasss hiding in the hanger. We want our money now or we take the girl.” Fernando threatens.
 
“Give me time to get the money and I’ll be there in a few minutes. She better be unharmed!” Hector replies.
 
“Wesss will be waiting.” Fernando mocks.
 
With little time to act, Fernando clears the area of dead bodies with help from his cane and then gathers the bodies of the lizard men to stand around, putting their heads on their necks making it look like they were alive around the jeep.
 
It takes Hector longer than Fernando thought but it gives him more time to prepare.
 
“Molly, you hide around the corner of the hanger and when I come out you will shoot what men come with Hector, as he will not be coming alone.” Fernando tells her. Molly nods before she checks her guns and goes to the corner of the building to hide. “Minerva, I need you lying on the hood of the jeep with your arms tied up. They will be tied up loosely so you can escape from the easily. When Molly comes out, roll to between the jeep and the hanger and hide there. I’ll be on the roof.”
 
Minerva nods and Fernando ties her wrists loosely and helps her up on the hood of the jeep and lies her down on her belly down. He then gets up on the roof of the hanger and from up there takes hold of one of the dead lizard men with his cane to animate him. A few minutes later, Hector arrives two men carrying bags of money in a flash of red light. He notices a body on the hood.
 
“Who is she?” Hector walks up to the jeep, “And where’s my girl?” He grabs Minerva by her hair and immediately recognizes her, “Where you found her?!!”
 
“At the camp with the army menss. SSShe will make a tasty meal.” Fernando manipulates the lizard man to move his arm and throw his voice.
 
“No! I’ll take her too! I’ve been looking for her for a long time.” Hector tells him without looking at him. He then throws out “Where’s mi Bonita?”
 
“She is back here, sleeping.” The lizard man moves his arm, “Where’s our money.”
 
“I’ll take both girls. Men, give them the money and get the ladies.” Hector tells him.
 
Hector’s men step up and put four canvas bags on the floor before stepping to the girls.
 
The lizard man complains, “No! Hamster Girl Is Our food. Hamster Girl is Yummy!’
 
Hector draws out an old revolver and puts it to the lizard man’s face, “No one gets between me and my sex puppy slaves. No one!” He nudges his gun to the lizard man’s nose, just moving his head slightly, but enough for its head to fall off his shoulders. Hector sees the lizard man’s head fall to the floor. “What is this?!!”
 
Fernando jumps off the roof and behind Hector, swinging his samurai blade to Hectors wrist. Molly comes out from the corner of the building and blows away Hector’s men with her shotgun.  Hector screams as his hand with the gun and the ring somersaults past his face.  Taking his cane, he envelops Hector and his detached hand in a cocoon of energy but something takes hold of Hector’s body and teleports him away. Fernando focuses his energy on Hector’s detached hand.
 
“Molly. Untie Minerva and you two check the bags for money.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Will do boss.” Molly replies. In a couple of minutes Molly reports, “One bag of going coins, and three bags of useless sand.
 
“Alright.” He then takes the radio from his pocket, “This is the Medic calling Major Moynihan. Repeat, this is the Medic calling Major Moynihan.”
 
“This is Major Moynihan. Where are you, Medic?” The Major says and asks.
 
“I’m at the hanger, had to deal with a situation here. Come pick us up to get breakfast. And I’ll need a couple extra men for a teen who needs a PINS (Person In Need of Supervision).” Fernando tells her.
 
“Understood. We will be right over.” The Major replies.
 
“Thank you.” Fernando replies. He then turns to Molly, “Go check on Hondo and as soon as the Major arrives with her men, we are going to get breakfast for everyone.”  
 
Molly nods before going back to the hanger.

She shook her head as she walked into the bedroom. Maggie saw her looked and gave her a questioning glance.
 
“What’s wrong?” Maggie asked.
 
“What isn’t? I’m so pissed at that damn fausbau for scrambling that poor kids mind like that!!” Molly said with a snarl.
 
“I heard her shouting, then crying, then I heard a commotion outside. What happened?” Maggie asked.
 
“Long story short, Tonya insulted Fernando, that young hamster woman he saved, and Hondo by spouting off that bullshit that the leader of that wessen supremacist asshole filled her mind with. Fernando tried to show her what a fool she was being and then tried to trap that asshole, Hector I think his name is.” Molly said.
 
“You guys get him?” Maggie asked.
 
Molly shook her head, “No. Just his hand, unfortunately…. How’s you patient?”
 
Maggie shrugged, “Same, though I think he’s resting a bit better. He keeps shivering, though. He lost way too much blood.”
 
A jeep was heard pulling up outside causing Molly to turn and look out the door then back at Hondo.
 
“If there is any change let us know. I gotta go help get breakfast for everyone. I’ll be back soon.” Molly said.
 
After Maggie nodded in reply Molly headed out to join the others.
 
  Molly steps out of the hanger, closes the door, and it locks into place. After a discussion with everybody, they head out to Mad Moondog Maddie’s Place.
 
Fernando leads the group in, “Hey Maddie! I’ll take the usual order but double it!”
 
“Alright!” She goes back to the kitchen.
 
It takes a while to make such a large order so they wait. Meanwhile Fernando gathers his money to pay for the meal. While the meal was being prepared, Fernando asks for a large mason jar and some pickle juice or rot-gut rum.
 
“Why do you need that for?” Maddie asks.
 
“The mofo who owned this sent some cold blooded killers after my group. I want to make sure his hand can never be sewn back on.” Fernando tells her.
 
“You survived an attack of cold blooded killers?” She says, adding, “That looks like a fox wessen’s hand... No... That’s Hector’s hand?”
 
The group in the room nods their heads.
 
“I’ll be right back.” Maddie says. She comes back in about a minute with a large gallon sized mason jar filled with pickles and pickle juice. She opens the jar and starts pulling out the pickles and hurriedly wraps them in wax paper until the Mason jar was just half filed with pickle juice. “Here. Put Hector’s hand in here.”
 
Fernando puts the hand into the Mason jar but it needs some more liquid. Maddie pulls out a bottle of rot-gut whiskey and puts the bottle into the Mason jar until it covers the submerged hand. She them caps the jar with its top.
 
“How much?” Fernando tells her.
 
“For doing this to Hector, it’s free. He destroyed the lives of hundreds of people, Humans and Wessens, he needs to be dead and his body dragged through town until there is nothing left of him at the end of the tow rope.” Maddie tells him.
 
“NO!!!!” Tonya lets out.
 
“Oh, who is this? One of his little ‘Mi Bonitas?’ you rescued her from his bedroom of lust?” Maddie says out loud.
 
“That is my niece Tonya. And you can say she is rescued but she is still brainwashed with his crap.” Fernando tells her.
 
Maddie gets out of her counter and walks over to Tonya, “Listen Miss. Hector is bad news. Forget about him. He would have made you into one of his drug fed sex puppies like he with many other girls and he almost made of this one.” She then points to Minerva. She continues, “Because of that poor excuse of a man, people – both humans and wessens – have been hurt and killed. Properties were destroyed, merchant stores burned. This was a peaceful town until he came and started strife and grief, destroying the games we had with the air races. In short, if he could not run it or own it, he would destroy it. And I hope to dear god he has not gotten too deep into you, because he would have used you and destroyed you.”
 
Tonya begins to cry.
 
“Tonya... Not once did Maddie separate Wessens and humans when she said ‘People.’” Fernando tells her.
 
“Of not! Wessens are humans – we all know that. And we all know that many Wessens were forced to become what they are through the Lab Towns - purged families taken into slavery, those who resisted were turned into Wessens and the females were sold as sex puppies and sex kittens. We all know that. I wish there was a way to fight the Lab Towns and put a stop to this.” Maddie explains.
 
Major Moynihan steps up to Maddie, “We already captured 3 Lab towns and rescued many who being converted to Wessens thanks to this man and his partner.”
 
Maddie turns to Fernando. “No... You did? Where’s your partner?”
 
“He’s not doing well. He’s been shot up and maybe a cold blooded one got him with poison. I do not know, but I got a medical person with him.” Fernando points out.
 
“You hold onto that thought right there. I’ll be right back!” Maddie runs out of the dining area and into the kitchen. Two minutes later she comes back with a First Canister that was more rust than canister. She opens it and pulls out an envelope.  She gives it to Fernando, “Here, give him this with some sweetwater or tea to cut the bitter taste. Just use a tiny pinch.”
 
“Grandma Marge’s Cure-All and Rat Poison?” Fernando asks.
 
“You never heard of fighting one poison with another poison?” Maddie asks.
 
“Yes I have but it’s hard to get such things.” Fernando says.
 
“Then take it. I got more in this box.” Maddie says to him.
 
“I don’t know what to say, but thanks.” Fernando says to her.
 
“You did us more of a favor with eliminating those Lab Towns than that one packet of poison will ever cure.” Maddie tells him. “Just follow the instructions on the back and he will get violently ill but he will throw up and crap out all the poisons in his body and get better within a day.”
 
Fernando nods.
 
The cook begins to stack up the sandwiches he has made so far. Fernando slides his money to Maddie on the counter but she refuses, “For what you had done, the meal is free.”
 
“You got to be paid for your services.” Fernando says.
 
Major Moynihan steps in, “I’ll pay for it. How much for everything?”  
 
“Well if you are paying for it...” Maddie begins, “Let’s see, 100 meat and cheese sandwiches, a large bowl of scrambled eggs, 20 oatmeal bowls, and 20 bowls of fruit. $600 should do it.”
 
“Sounds like you are under cutting yourself.” Fernando says, “Yesterday’s order was for $400.”
 
“Consider it a discount. The more you get the less you pay.” Maddie tells him.
 
“Well, let me add, You got any sweet water juices like Apple and Orange?” Fernando asks.
 
“I’ll give you something better.” Maddie says, before coming back with two large 5 pound cans of powdered juice. She explains, “Two scoops for a gallon of water and you got juice.”  
 
“How much?” Fernando asks.
 
“For you – nothing. For your friend - $20, $10 a can.” Maddie says.
 
Major Moynihan puts $650 in gold coins on the counter, “Keep the change. This will serve us well.” She then adds, “I will be back in the day to discuss a contract with you to make our men’s meals along with another place closer to us. Together you two will feed us well and we will offer protection on top of paying for your services.”
 
“Sounds great. I’ll be seeing you later today then.” Maddie says.
 
Another half hour the meals are done and Fernando takes 5 meals and puts them in a separate bag, handing them to Tonya “That is for you, Maggie, Tonya and Hondo at the hanger. I’ll check on you later after we drop you off and I go help feed the kids. If you need too, keep Tonya locked up in one of the rooms. Also, give this to Maggie, she will know what to do with it.” He then hands the packet of poison to her.
 
Maggie looks at it and nods. The major’s men pack up the food. Fernando requests “Major, have a couple of men get off with Molly, and search the area for a vehicle to confiscate and bring it back to the camp. If they find nothing, to go back to the hanger and wait for us to get them but I doubt those who attacked the hanger came on foot.”
 
“Will do.” The Major says.
 
In a couple of minutes, Fernando, the major and their entourage have into their vehicles and drive away. At the first stop was the hanger where Molly takes Tonya, their food, her shotgun and the poison into the hanger.
 
As Molly enters the hanger she sees Maggie pop her head out.
 
“Molly! He’s awake!” She said.
 
Molly’s ears perked up at his news. She nods to Maggie and then nods at Tonya.
 
“Good! I’ll be there as soon as I get our lost one here secured.” She replied
 
Tonya walked in front of Molly with her head down, tears starting and stopping randomly. Once at Tonya’s temporary room Molly hands her some food.
 
“Here’s your breakfast, Tonya… I wish you’d listen to us.” Molly said
 
Tonya looked up at her with tear stained eyes, “I wish you’d believe me! Believe Hector!”
 
Molly shook her head, “He’s a bad one. Trust me.. I’ve know a few. Your adopted dad and Fernando are the good ones. Trust them!”
 
Tonya grabbed Molly’s arm, “No, they will use you! Hector said so! You don’t understand!! They just want to use us, that’s all any human wants! Run, Molly. Run before it’s too late!”
 
Molly could only look at the nearly sobbing teenager and shake her head. She was half angry but at the moment all she could show was a look of pity.
 
“And what was your Hector doing when he talked you into pretty well betraying the one who saved you and took you in as his own daughter? What was he doing when he nearly killed him?” Molly asked.
 
“Hondo tried to kill Hector! He deserved to get hurt!” Tonya said defensively.
 
“And he deserves to die too, after all he did, huh?” Molly asked starting to lose her cool.
 
“Die? He just got a could small wounds.” Tonya said hesitantly.
 
Molly shook her head, “No. He was hurt badly.”
 
Tonya shook her head, “No. I saw him and... and he was upright and… I heard him walk in. He was fine!”
 
Molly frowned and shook her head, “No. HE was bleeding badly and his wounds were a lot worse than he made out. Us taking you in and letting him walk in almost cost him his life. When I got back with Maggie he was passed out in a puddle of his own blood… He’s alive and seeing as he woke up, that’s a good sign but… honestly, we don’t know how he’s still alive.”
 
Tonya could only shake her head in disbelief but the look on Molly’s face said it was no lie. Tonya sank to her knees and just sat there shaking her head and mumbling about how it could not be true. Molly shook her head again at her.
 
“It’s you who does not understand, Tonya, but I hope for your and Hondo’s sake you figure it out soon. You broke his heart last night. I like you, Tonya, but I’ll not let you do this again. You do this to him again and I’ll kill you myself.” Molly says coldly.
 
Tonya just knelt on the floor, looking down as tears fell from her face, but she said nothing more. As Molly shut and locked the door, two military officers, a man and a woman, approached Molly.
 
“We found two vehicles, but one had two of it’s tires shot out. We put on the spares from both to get it here but need one spare back, so we will leave it here until we find out if we are to get it repaired.” The woman said.
 
Molly nodded, “That’s fine. Can you park it on the other side of the air-ship?”
 
The man nodded, “We already did, but we were also told to stay and help watch things here and make sure the wessen fox girl does not try to run.”
 
Molly nodded, “She has her breakfast and I locked her in her room. Only let her out to use the toilet and keep an eye on her. If she tries to run stop her, but do not hurt her. She means the world to Hondo, and he’s in no shape to hear that she got hurt.”
 
They both nod in understanding. Molly left them to their business as she returns to Maggie and Hondo with their food.
 
As she entered she saw Maggie checking some of Hondo’s bandages. His eyes were closed but he groaned slightly when Maggie touched a spot so Molly knew he was awake. She approached softly and looked at him with a frown. Hondo cracked open an eye momentarily then closed it again.
 
“What’s the frown for? I look that bad?” He asked groggily, a half grin appearing momentarily on his face before leaving as he winced again.
 
“Sorry.” Maggie said softly as she finished checking him and covered him up.  
 
His shivering got worse so Maggie added another blanket.
 
Molly sighed, “I can’t lie boss… you look bad. You look like shit and worse.”
 
Hondo grinned slightly again, “You sound worried.”
 
“I am.” She replied softly.
 
“That means ya care, I reckon. Nice to have folks who care.” He said sleepily.
 
“He needs to eat and then rest.” Maggie said.
 
Molly nodded and handed Maggie her and Hondo’s food. Maggie took it and helped Hondo eat first, but he only ate about half before falling asleep again. Molly took her food out into the hanger and pulled a chair up by the outside of the man door so she could watch. She rested the shotgun against her knee as she sat there, watching and waiting. She felt like it was going to be a long day.
 
(to be continued)