5:25PM, The Major orders her troops to mount their vehicles and head out to Wessen town. The Major’s jeep leads the way followed by a couple of Guard SUVs, Troop Carrier Trucks, a couple jeeps hauling Howitzers, a couple of armored personnel carriers, and two tanks. Fernando gets into his Medic Jeep, putting a large cloth bag and the pickle jar with Hector’s hand between the front seats. On top of them he places his newly obtained M107 .50cal BMG. He turns on the engine when there is a knock on the driver’s door. He looks at window seeing Minerva and the others dressed up in their EMT Jackets and hats. He turns off the engine and opens the door.
 
“What’s going on?” He asks.
 
“Aren’t you going to that meeting to Wessen Town?” Minerva asks.
 
“Well, yes.” He answers.
 
“Then we are going.” Minerva says.
 
“Who is watching the kids?” He asks.
 
“The older kids are watching the younger ones. They know what to do and are paying attention for when it is dinner time to get the kids lined up to eat.” Minerva explains.
 
“Uhm... I would prefer if at least one adult stays, so in case something happens, the kids can be taken to the large tank carrier.” He tells them as he lowers the driver seat to let them in.
 
“It is better that I stay behind, so our twin secret remains a secret.” Miniya says.
 
“Thank you, Miniya.” Fernando tells her, adding, “We will return as soon as possible. But, as far as I know, dinner will be served in an hour, see Ms Ruth about the details near that time. And keep your radio on to listen in, just in case something happens.”
 
“Will do.” Miniya says before she leaves.
 
“Tracey, Abigail, get in the back. Miniya, you have the passenger front set.” Fernando tells them. They get into the jeep, Fernando gets in after they do. He starts the engine and puts the jeep into gear, speeding once out of the parking lot and quickly catching up with the rest of the military convoy. He turns on the 2-way radio, already set onto the main channel. He then pulls out his pocket Yaesu and turns it on.
 
“Hondo, this is Medic, you out there Hondo?” Fernando says on the radio. The radio was silent for a while, so he calls again, “Hondo, this is Medic, you out there Hondo?”
 
Hondo answers, “Hondo here. What’s going on, Jefe?”
 
“I’m going with the Major to Wessen town for a town meeting. Her crew at the convoy lot is cooking up army chow for dinner and it should be ready in about an hour. Go see Ruth about getting dinner there as there is no one able to get dinner and send it to you.” Fernando says over the radio.
 
After a few seconds of silence Hondo answers, “Got it. We will take care of it.” He then asks, “Jefe, how long you goin’ to be at Wessen Town?”
 
“Hondo, don’t know. We’ll be at the Great Hall to meet everyone outside and discuss the matters at hand. Might be half an hour, might be three hours.” Fernando explains.
 
“Alrigh’, see ya around.” Hondo says.
 
“See ya and take care.” Fernando replies.
 
Since Hondo does not answer back (why should he?) Fernando puts his little radio away.
 
Abigail asks, “Excuse me, but what channel is that?”
 
“Hmmm...” Fernando thinks to make it in the simplest of terms that she can understand. “Alright, the frequency of your radios are around 27Megahertz, and gives you 40 channels to around 27.40 megahertz. Given that, this little radio is in the rescuer channels that only me and my people use are in the 440 megahertz and that was on 440.25 megahertz that would be around channel 4-thousand 4-hundred 25.”
 
“Uhm... then what channels are the army people using?” Abigail asks.
 
“They are in the 220 megahertz range, so that would be in the 2-thousand 2hundred area.” Fernando explains.
 
“But the lawmen used channels past the 40 channel area. We have some radios that can go there.” Abigail says.
 
“Radio and radio channels are a science one has to learn on how things work and why. Sure, you can take the radio everyone uses and make a few changed to it to make it work outside of channels everyone uses and have private channels.” He explains.
 
“Oh...” She says.
 
They continue driving to Wessen town and troops surround the Great Hall. Fernando drives his medical Jeep up the steps of the Great Hall, putting on the second staggered level landing and turning it around to drive down the steps.
 
Locking the brakes and putting into gear with the engine off, Fernando tells the girls to stay inside while he steps outside. Putting the .50cal rifle over his shoulder as he steps out, the Major and her commanding officers gather around her at a podium put there. Her troops check for weapons like bombs in and around the podium, finding none. Some of the others have checked the high areas surrounding the Great Hall. Barricades are set up for the crowd to gather within a limited area in front of the Great Hall.
 
As the 6o’clock hour approaches, the crowd begins to gather within the barricaded area, the microphones and the PA (Public Address) system are plugged in and tested.  The VIPs, except for Fernando, walk into the Great Hall to gather. The church bell rings to signify that it is 6o’clock and they start to head out. Fernando opens the door to his medic jeep and helps the girls to come out. Everyone looks at each other before Fernando decided to go to the podium.
 
“Good afternoon and good evening, everybody; it is I who have called you all here – men, women, children of human, Wessen, hybrid or mutant because of the happenings that has been happening on lately. Happening because the action of one person – the Wessen Hector De La Cruz. Some of you may think that he is one who set the example to follow. Some of you out there think that he is a hero. Some of you think that he is the next messiah, the next Jesus Christ, Buddha, The Prophet Mohamed or some other famous leader people have followed in the past. Let me tell you something, and it is going to hurt to hear this, but the truth hurts. Hector is a monster that has been using both humans and Wessens for his own goals. He in his actions have destroyed the schools, businesses, medical centers and even law enforcement within this town famous for among other things – the aircraft races. He has brought in crime, protection for hire, drugs, prostitution, slavery, and corruption. He has split this town into two parts when it used to be one. He has destroyed people lives, killed innocent victims – humans and Wessens. He has ordered the death and destruction of people and property – again, human and Wessens. And he has kidnapped and destroyed, even killed young girls by enticing them into his private love nest where he would grow tire of them and abuse them so badly that they are left to the side of the road to die.” He begins.
 
“Some of them hoes deserved what they got!” Somebody yells from the crowd.
 
Fernando looks into the crowd as some of them laughed and locks eyes with a smug Jägerbars (Bear Wessen) individual not too far from the barricades. He points at him and leans to the microphones.
 
“I bet your mother and sisters deserved it too it if happened to them.” Fernando says to him. The crowd was stunned into silence. Fernando continues “Yes, I said ‘Your Mother And Sisters Deserved It Too.’ Now you want to start shit, you can walk up these steps and we can let our fists do the talking. Don’t worry about the army men here stopping you from coming to talk with our fists, they won’t stop you under my orders. But let me warn you now, it is days before I got here I fought the Lich at Fight Town in a death match and won. You would be best keep your mouth shut or if you want to let you fists do the talking, you will be silenced permanently.”
 
He paused for a moment, noticing how quiet the crowd got.
 
He continues, “If there are no more interruptions, there is a lot for you to know.” He then turns to the soldiers on the steps. “Men, go into the Medical Jeep and pull out the bags in the back and pile them up over here by the podium.”
 
As the soldiers begin to do as they were told, Fernando points to the idiot Jägerbars who tried to cause trouble from before. “You, come here. Men, let him pass.” He waits for the Wessen to come, he does so unsure of what might happen. Fernando tries to get his confidence, “Understand this, I’d rather sit at a bar with you share a pitcher of beer or whatever your poison is than to be at each other’s throats. So I want to take any bag you see here and open it and tell everyone what is in it.”
 
Eventually the Jägerbars comes up and walks up the stairs. As he approaches, Fernando continues, “In the past days Hector has tried to attack my convoy and eventually the merchant areas of Flight Town. Each and every time he has failed. He sent some assassins, they failed. He sent some cold blooded killed, they failed. He sent over 1000 Wessens to try to overrun us – they failed. With each and every attempt he has tried to kill us, he has failed. Since he has made this personal between his people and my people – I have gotten tired of this bullshit. Now he wants to #$@! around, well, I do not #$@! around. I #$@! straight. With that, I am going to say this – I, Fernando G, medical officer and doctor of General Jastrey’s army, am putting up my cash winning from my fight with the Lich, for the capture of Hector De La Cruz – dead or alive, I will give them who ever brings him in, One Million in Gold. Any of his people who are with him, 100-thousand for them, dead or alive. In any case, I would prefer that anyone who captures and brings him and his people to me, to bring them alive and beaten to a quivering crying mass of flesh to an inch of their lives. Since he and I have already fought, I have put my mark on his body and know where it is on his body – so do not think you can find somebody who looks like Hector, beat them up, and bring them to me saying that he is, for I will look for those marks on their body that I put on him. Doing so, bringing in somebody who is not Hector and saying that he is, will have you under arrest.”
 
He looks at the Jägerbars looking though the bag, “Well, it is real gold coins or what?”
 
The Jägerbars looks at him, seeing Fernando took a microphone off the podium and has it aimed to his face. Everyone can hear him say “It is real...”
 
Fernando says to him, “Louder for everyone to hear!”
 
“It is real! It is real gold coins!” The Jägerbars says loudly over the loud speaker system.
 
“You know what I am going to do with those gold coins?” Fernando says into the microphone.
 
“What?” The Jägerbars asks.
 
“I’m going to give you that bag of gold so that you will take it into the crowd and give everybody out there a fist full of gold cons. Nothing more, nothing less. And when it is empty, you come back to me. To do this, everybody has to cooperate and take what is given to them, and allow you to go to the next person in peace. Anybody who gets in your way, asks, demands or threatens for more than a fist full of gold then everybody will lose their share of gold.” Fernando tells the Jägerbars and the crowd.
 
“Like you can stop us from taking you and your people down and taking your gold!” Another Fuchsbau  (fox) Wessen says loud enough to be heard.
 
Fernando turns to the military men pulling out the bags of gold from his jeep, “Alright men, you can stop.” He then turns to the crowd, and points to the Fuchsbau, “Everybody, look at what this idiot just did. I said ‘Anybody who gets in your way, asks, demands or threatens for more than a fist full of gold then everybody will lose their share of gold.’” He raises his cane and points it to the pile of gold coins, and with a bright flash, it all disappears, including the one the Jägerbars was holding onto.
 
“VINCENT DE LA CRUZ YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!!!” The Jägerbars says out loud for all to hear him, though they all have turned to face the Fuchsbau and angered faces. Before he could run away, he is caught by the crowd and beaten to a blood pulp. A gunshot is heard, freezing the crowd in place.
 
“Bring me that poor excuse of a bastard and leave him on these steps.” Fernando tells him.
 
With pleasure the crowd drags the barely conscious Fuchsbau to the steps of the Great Hall where the major’s men take him and drag him up the stairs.
 
“Vincent De La Cruz? Any relations to Hector De La Cruz?” Fernando asks.
 
“That’s his Great Nephew-Son.” The Jägerbars answers.
 
“Great Nephew-Son?” Fernando asks.
 
“Hector raped one of his female cousins, making him his Great Nephew and his son at the same time.” Jägerbars explains.
 
Vincent, barely conscious says, “My Grand Uncle-Father Will Avenge me! VIVAS OS ANIMAS!”
 
“Now Listen to this – Vivas Los Fuertes De Hermanos Humanos Y Animas! (Long Live The Strength Of The Brotherhood Of Humans and Animals (Wessens)!)  That is My Battle Cry, and anyone getting in the way of that, will be run over and left on the side of the road to die.” Fernando says to Vincent with the microphone to his face. He then turns to the crowd. “The lies Hector has been spreading that Wessens are better than humans are just that – lies! No Human in their right mind would undergo the process of becoming Wessen – Wessens are created to enslave people by purging families and hauling the survivors into lab towns and turning them into Wessens to be sold as slaves. You Wessens are of the second and third generation, but go home and talk to your parents and grandparents, and they will tell you the truth. Wessens used to be humans, and still are. Humans and Wessens are equal, one is not superior over the other. And equal we must be in order to save this part of the world from people like Hector De La Cruz. It is not about who is stronger or who is smarter, because separate we have no power against people like Hector or the Law Men. If Humans and Wessens so different, then how can we mate, breed and have hybrid offspring? That says we are from the same root of creation. Face it. Some of you have gotten too comfortable living the lies that poor excuse of a man has forced upon you as a people. Before he came and destroyed it all, this place had airplane, glider and auto racing, an airport for cargo to come in by air, a railroad station for cargo and people to come in by rail, and two connected highways for trucks to come in from all over. Look at what he has destroyed and what he has left you with – no races, no railroads, a barely usable highway and a blimp port used to transport slaves – human slaves, Wessen slaves, hybrid slaves, and mutant slaves. I say we can rebuild this if we get up and go against Hector and remake what once was and make money and fortune again for the town and everybody in it, or you can continue to live in squalor dissolution and filth. The choice is yours. We reunify the towns and begin to rebuild or nothing is done. I brought General Jastry’s Army to help me against the Lawmen and those who attack us under Hector’s name. Now you can gather your leaders to meet with Major Moynihan and her officers about negotiations of reunifications and treaties with the other towns we have liberated. With that said, I have to warn you all. The Major’s men caught a message from Hector to his secret army, giving them orders to attack and kill everyone in Wessen town because some of you would not fight in the last attack of Flight Town with the 1000 Wessens who attacked Flight Town last night. When they will come is not known but they will be here soon. Defend yourselves accordingly. The major and her men can only protect but so much. But if you help us, we will help you. It is that simple. Now let me hand it over to the Major.” He tells them.
 
The Major walks up to the podium, “Thank you Medic G.” She then turns to the crowd. “Though this is a standing army surrounding your town, this is not a call of surrender nor is it a demand of give up your arms. We are here for you protection. If attacked you are to defend yourselves accordingly but to get to you they have to get through us first. Support us and we will support you, that is our promise to you. As stated by our medical officer, we have intercepted several messages from Hector’s group planning for another attack onto Wessen Town because in his words ‘Those bastards did not raised a paw in attacking the merchants of Flight Town and the medic’s convoy group.’ In short, our goal is for the unification of both the Merchants and Wessens of Flight Town and to restore it to its former glory. Slavery here will be a thing of the past, no one will own another person other than your under aged children. School and medical centers will be recreated and law and order will be restored to this place. But it will not be easy as there are many who want to keep things how they are. They will try to keep things as they are for as long as they can, they will conduct illegal activities into buying a government official’s service like the Lawmen who were here used to conduct business by accepting bribes and payout into arrested anyone as ordered by others. That will never happen under my watch and that is why they were eliminated in short they messed with the wrong person – Medical Officer G.”
 
The Major pauses for a few seconds. She then continues, “We want 10 of your elected officials to conduct meetings with us and the Merchants to hammer out the agreement for the reunification of Flight Town. Once Flight Town has been Unified, we will remain as the law enforcement for the town. But be aware and prepared that there are those like Hector De la Cruz who will want to destroy this, and Hector himself is planning another attack on you people in this side of the town. We will do our best to protect and serve you but you need to be able to defend yourself if and when they managed to get through our defenses. We are together in this fight. And we will work together in this endeavor. Your current mayor will be one of the 10 working with us in hammering out a new town charter, we need nine more. Discuss it in your community meetings as to who you want to represent your group and have them come to the parking lot at the North west side of town by the Blimp port in a couple of days.”
 
As the major continues to talk with the crowd, Fernando goes over to the Jägerbars and pulls him over to the side behind his jeep.
 
“One day we’ll figure out who we are, but I want you to be one of the ten of Wessen Town that will discuss this treaty. Not only will you have some political clout and power, you will also be paid for your work before being on the board. So, how do you feel about that?” Fernando tells him.
 
“Why do you want me to be part of your group?” The Jägerbars says.
 
“It is not my group, I will be done in a few days, but you cannot allow like assholes like Hector De La Cruz take control of this city now or once it has been rebuilt. You do not want to under his rule, but as a town leader he, if he dares to show up around where ever again, you will be in power to deal with him. Anyways, talk to your neighbors and friends about putting you into office so you can be part of the city leaders. I am establishing this council for Flight Town so that no one person has total power like Hector had. Everyone having shared power and a say in their town’s government will lead to a more powerful and more unified town. Once that is established, and connection to the other towns made, money for the town will be made hand over fist. You get where I am coming from?” Fernando says and asks the Jägerbars.
 
The Jägerbars has his hand on his chin as he thinks about his options, and nods. He finally gives his answer, “I will take it into consideration.”
 
“Good.” Fernando says to him, “Let’s get back.”
 
They walk around the jeep and back to the group.
 
About a half mile from the podium was a belfry for a church steeple, one of the tallest structures this side of town outside of the great hall. Fernando caught a flash of light from the church steeple, and quickly pulls out his M107 and puts its telescopic sight to his eye. In the open window archway of the belfry, he can see a rifle barrel moving about wildly before it disappears inside the archway and the body of an orange Fuchsbau is sent through the archway but manages to grab on to the still of the arched window frame. A blonde hair cowboy in a trench coat and Stetson hat leans over the window frame and lets the fox have it in the face with the butt of a similar rifle to the one Medic is using. The Fuchsbau lets go of the window frame and a very faint scream can be heard by sensitive ears in the background.
 
Fernando’s actions go unnoticed as he puts his rifle down.
 
“Medic, why do you have your weapon out in firing order?” The Major asks.
 
Fernando puts the rifle back onto his shoulder and walks to the podium as he pulls out his Yaesu radio. He presses the button on the side of the radio.
 
“Righteous Cowboy, this is Medic, Please answer. Over.” Fernando says to the radio and microphones.
 
It takes a couple of seconds for the Righteous Cowboy to answer with some heavy breathing to his voice. “This is Righteous Cowboy, What is it Medic?”
 
“Explain what I just witnessed in the rifle scope at the Church Steeple.” Medic explains.
 
“We just flushed out a sniper’s nest who were preparing to shoot at you, the major and the crowd with high powered rifles.” Righteous Cowboy says over the radio, his voice being picked up by the public address microphones and repeated to the crowd.
 
“We’ll be sending a clean-up crew right now. Thank you for your service and good work. I’ll be seeing you later to discuss this matter.” Fernando says.
 
“See you then.” Righteous Cowboy answers.
 
Fernando turns to the Major and points to the church steeple far ahead of them. The Major nods and signals to her close officers to take action. The officers side to the side and discuss the matter for a second with one of them leaving. In the coming minute one of the armored troop carriers leaves the immediate area.
 
Fernando puts away the radio before he looks at the crowd. “My apologies for the actions I took. But as you had heard, one of our guards just stopped a massacre from happening to us, for there are those that do not want this unification to happen. I want you to take this into consideration – if you want to do this on your own and work not to unify the town to what it once was, then we will walk away, the lawmen will return and the merchants will come to and run through your side of the town and have all you furry asses killed. I do not let that to happen, and would prefer if we work together for each other’s safety, economic recovery and overall good. The Major and I will be going back to our area to discuss the future of Flight Town, and try to hammer out an agreement. You all have two days to discuss, prepare, and select nine individuals for Wessen town to be represented along with your mayor at future meetings. If anybody else needs to say anything, they are welcomed to the podium. We will discuss having a meeting with the ten members from both the Wessen and Merchant sides of town in two days with me and the military at the parking lot area by the Blimp terminal in the afternoon. Before I forget, because of the battle Hector started with us, there are unfortunately casualties on both sides. The Major’s men have gathered the dead and have taken them to the North side of the Eastern road and are trying to identify them. If you have friends or family who took part in this battle, come during the next few days to identify them and we will discuss and arrange burial for them in marked graves. Those we cannot identify or are not picked up by friends and family will be buried with honors in a mass grave. ”
 
He pauses for a second.
 
“Major, anyone else, want to finish this?” Fernando asks.
 
“I think we have all the bases covered.” The major says.
 
“Unless there are any questions, this meeting is closed.” Fernando says to the microphones to be heard.
 
Somebody yells from the crowd, “How does one collect the million on capturing Hector?!!”
 
“Bring him in secured in rope, chains or iron to the military and they will contact us. Then and only when a positive identification is made, then the money will be handed over to you. But if a false identification is made, you will be arrested for assault and lying to government officials. Do Note: I fought Hector a few nights ago, and from that fight he has a few injuries that left very distinctive marks on his body that only I know those injuries are. So bring somebody else in who does not have those injury marks on his body, you will be arrested. I run an honest operation and false accusations will be taken as a crime because the Lawmen worked by being paid to arrest those who were falsely accused. That will never happen here again. General Jastrey’s Army will never accept money from anyone to do their job and all accusations will be investigated. Those who falsely accuse anyone will be dealt with harshly. Those trying to bribe members of the army for personal services will have charges brought to both the bribe giver and the bribe taker. We are not here to deal with your drama. Anyone else?”
 
The crowd is murmuring among itself. They become quiet after a few seconds.
 
“With all take said, take care and be vigilant.” Fernando says. He then signals to Major’s troops to clear a path for the medical jeep to go through past the barricades. While the barricades were being moved, Fernando gets the girls inside the medical jeep. He gets in, turning on the engine and drives the medic jeep up the stairs and turns it around to go down the stairs and through the cleared path the major’s men cleared for him.
 
Fernando drives around, seemingly to leave the town but decided to go to the church. Taking a few minutes to get there, he finds an army jeep at the back of the church. Telling the girls to stay in the medical jeep, he steps out of his vehicle and walks to the other. No one was there or around the immediate area that he can see. What he can see is the rear door of the church left ajar. He heads to the door and standing next to it. He thinks for a moment before taking action, he pulls out the Yaesu radio from his pocket and calls Hondo.
 
“Hondo, this is Fernando, Please answer. Over.” Fernando says to the radio.
 
After a couple of seconds for Hondo to answer. “What’s up Fernando?”
 
“I’m outside in the back of the church. The military jeep outside is yours?” Fernando asks.
 
“Hold on, I’ll send somebody to bring you in.” Hondo replies.
 
“I’ll be waiting.” Fernando replies. In a few seconds Karl comes down and opens the rear door, seeing Fernando there and the medic jeep parked behind theirs. Fernando steps into the church through the door Karl held open. They walk through the maze of passages churches seem to have, making their way to the staircase to the belfry and the open shutters that faces the Great Hall. Hondo and Marvin were there looking about the area. “What’s going on?” Fernando asks.
 
“Remember the two that warned me about the attack that Hector sent?” Hondo asks.
 
“Yeah.” Fernando replies.
 
“They told us to go to the church as it is the tallest in the town other than the city call you were at and to expect a couple in the steeple using it as a Sniper’s Nest. We came, we saw, we kicked ass.” Hondo explains.
 
Fernando looks around, seeing the footprints of a scuffle disturbing the layer of dust on the floor.
 
“Where’s the other?” Fernando asks.
 
“He left the same way as his friend.” Hondo says as he thumbs at the window.
 
“If you, Karl and Marvin are here, then who is at the hanger and who will be getting dinner for you?” Fernando asks.
 
“Molly, Maggie and Tonya are at the hanger along with a couple of soldiers. We will go get dinner when we return.” Hondo explains, and then asks, “You guys finished with your little meeting?”
 
“I think we are done.” Fernando replies before he looks out the window and down to the ground floor below. A Fuchsbau and a Hundjäger (Dog Wessen) or Luison  (Wolf Wessen) lie on the ground floor dead to the world. As he turns away from the window, he closes the shutters, saying “What senseless waist of life.”
 
 “They had to be dealt with accordingly.” Hondo points out.
 
“I’m not arguing that. I’m just saying how much of a waist their lives must have been to live it out like they have, thinking that they had won with their bullying ways only to lose it by bigger bully in the end. They deserved what they got but if they lead a more peaceful life, they would be alive today.” Fernando says.
 
“Heh... Don’t we all want a peaceful life.” Hondo says.
 
“Que sera, sera.” Fernando replies. He throws in, “I’m heading back to the convoy camp to drop off the girls and get the kids ready for dinner. Then I’ll take a nap for a while before I eat as I need my rest. No doubt you do too as well.” He looks around for a second, “Looks like our jobs are done here. No need to clean up over here, so let’s go home – whatever we call home. I do not know what the Major’s galley crew is making for dinner, but an army crawls on its stomach.”
 
They start to head downstairs and through the maze of secret passages most larger church buildings are known for. In a couple of minutes they are exiting through the rear door. They gather about their vehicles. Hondo looks at the Medical Jeep for a moment, though Karl and Marvin pay it no attention other than it being just another vehicle.
 
“Where you got the Medical jeep?” Hondo asks.
 
“It’s a former lawmen’s jeep the Major painted for me to look like a medical jeep. There is another one the Major painted for me as I brought in two. You can have it if you want, but unless Minerva and her friends come with us, there are no drivers for them. But if they come with us, I can look for a small camper for them to sleep in the jeeps can tow, like we did for the teens their dune buggies. But they needed added tanks like the dune buggies for extended range. I spoke to a local mechanic by the name of Gordon about doing so. He said to bring them in tomorrow and he will have it done for me.” Fernando explains.
 
“I might have a driver for one of them maybe.” Hondo says.
 
“If they are willing to drive for us, I could get them a camper.” Fernando says.
 
“We will discuss it tomorrow then.” Hondo says.
 
“Let’s see what happens then. And thanks, once again.” Fernando says before opening the door to the medical jeep and getting inside.
 
Karl and Marvin get into the back of Hondo’s military jeep before Hondo gets in to the driver’s seat. They both start their engines at the same time. Hondo pulls away first before Fernando puts his jeep in gear. He ends up about 20 yard behind Hondo’s lead. Hondo goes around the edge of the town before heading to the southern end of the runway, taking a parallel road to his hanger. Fernando follows him.
 
It takes less than 5 minutes to get to Hondo’s hanger. He pulls over to the side across the hanger’s main doorway. Fernando pulls over parallel to Hondo’s jeep. He rolls down the window and leans over it, “See you and the others later, Hondo!”
 
“See ya’s” Hondo replies before he walks into the hanger with Marvin and Karl.
 
Fernando puts the medic jeep into gear and begins to drive away. In another few minutes he makes it to parking lot with the convoy camp. A few more seconds he parks the medical jeep in front of his camper. He opens the doors and helps the girls out. The girls stand around while Fernando takes a few seconds to secure the jeep. He looks at his watch, seeing that it is 6:45PM. The galley is not done preparing the meal but they are close enough for them to assist Ruth in setting up distribution area at Fernando’s Dub Box.
 
Minerva steps up to Fernando, “What’s on your mind?”
 
“Nothing. Just wondering if dinner was served and it looks like it has not.” Fernando explains.
 
“Well, as we did not say or do much, I was wondering why we went at all?” Minerva asks as Tracey, Abigail and Miniya gather behind her.
 
“Just because you did not do much, your presence alone in your Emergency Medical Technician uniforms said and did a lot.” Fernando begins to explain, “It persuaded those of Wessen town that the Major’s army was not an All-Human Army, but one where humans and Wessens worked together and your uniforms say that you are there to help, not make demands from conquest. You and the others provided that by just being there.”
 
“What happened to that Wessen that was thrown out of the church steeple?” Abigail asks.
 
“Wait – you saw that?” Fernando asks.
 
“I’m a cat Wessen – my eyesight is better than any humans and most Wessens. I saw what happened though I think I seen two go out the church steeple.” Abigail explains.
 
“Well yes, two were sent out the church steeple. I put down the rifle and stopped seeing through the scope but in taking with Hondo there were two in the Church steeple that were about to turn the gathering at Great Hall into a bloody mess if Hondo, Marvin and Karl did not step in to stop them.” Fernando explains.
 
As they discuss what happened, The Major and her men roll in and park their vehicles at their appropriate locations they were stored in. Her jeep stops by Karl’s SUV and she steps out with her officers, walking to Fernando.
 
The Major asks, “What is this about an attempted assassination today at the Great Hall?”  
 
“Well, Major. Hondo and his crew investigated a lead and found a sniper’s nest at the church steeple, and dealt with it accordingly. If you want details, ask him. I just went to verify what happened and there were two that were dealt with accordingly though there were no survivors.” Fernando explains.
 
“I see. At least it is justified. That is what counts.” The Major says.
 
“I need to ask, why was no soldiers sent to check the church steeple as it is highest point in the town other than the Great Hall?” Fernando asks.
 
“I will investigate that, but in anyone defense, it was too far for it to be in firing range.” The Major says.
 
Fernando takes his M107 War Trophy off his shoulder and hand it to the Major. “Major Moynihan, meet the M107 .50 cal Rifle. It uses the same round as the Browning .50 M1 Machine Gun as used in anti aircraft and anti-tank situations. It has a 1 and 1/2 mile range, the Browning .50 M1 has 1/2 to 3/4 mile range. You need to overestimate what the enemy may have compared to you and prepare for it. I acquired it during the battle we had. Hondo just acquired one from the sniper’s nest.”
 
“No Rifle can shoot further than half a mile.” One of her officers says.
 
Seeing a pair of binoculars hanging from their neck, Fernando taps on one of them and asks “Let me barrow that.” He is handed one of the binoculars and looks through them. Stepping around he stands a spot where he can see Mad Moon Dog Maddie’s Restaurant sign more than a couple miles away. He signals to the others to get where he is at and look at the direction to the sign. “See that sign?”  
 
They all look and find Maddie’s sign. Fernando takes the rifle from the Major, and aims it through its scope.
 
“Keep looking at the mark between the ‘e’ and the ‘s’ in ‘Maddie’s’...” Fernando says before he takes in a breathe and holds it before pulling the trigger. A loud explosion is heard in front of them and Fernando takes a couple steps back from the kick of the gun. He looks through the scope, seeing a hole above the ‘s’ in “Maddie’s’ He says, “Damn, I missed.”
 
The major and her officers look at him as he puts the rifle down.
 
“That sign is over a mile and a half as the crow flies and you still hit it.” The Major says.
 
“I missed the intended target.” Fernando replies.
 
“You missed the target by inches.” The major says. She thinks before asking, “Anyway we can obtain any more of these?”
 
“It was by luck that Hondo and I found the two we have. But if there are these two, there has to be a stash of them somewhere. You need to search and find them, or have some kind of reward program for anyone who has one and willing to turn it in for some cash.” Fernando explains.
 
“Where would you think such a stash would be hidden?” The Major asks.
 
“Days before the Lawmen attacked us and you came in to cover for us, we were in Hector’s lair, finding food, fuel, explosives and arms of all shapes and sizes that would hold out for war for several months before the lawmen tried to raid the place, and in that raid, accidentally blew it up in his handling the explosives. I would guess if any of their arms survived it would be under the rubble pile of the place.” Fernando explains.
 
“OK. After dinner, take us to that area and I will have a contingency group to search the rubble pile to recover what we can.” The Major says.
 
“There is also the Lawmen’s office and jail house on the East side of town, and another jailhouse at the south side of town.” Fernando explains.
 
“I promised General Jastrey that I would not again access to those Lawmen establishments until her arrival but in lieu of what just happened I may have too.” The Major explains.
 
“Hold off on that until you search the rubble pile first.” Fernando points out.
 
“Any reason why?” The Major asks.
 
“It is better to concentrate on one task and then the other than to split up the troops to do more than one task at once.” Fernando explains.
 
The Major nods at the suggestion.
 
He puts his rifle over his shoulder, “I’ll be seeing you. I need a bit of rest before dinner.”
 
“We’ll see you later then.” The Major tells him.
 
Fernando nods at her before going to his camper. Minerva, Miniya, Abigail and Tracey follow him to the Camper sliding door. He opens the door slightly.
 
“Ichigo, I’m coming in and I am not alone.” Fernando says through the crack in the doorway.
 
For a second there was some rustling before she answers back, “OK, come in!”
 
Fernando opens the door wider and helps the ladies inside before going in himself.  They all sit at the edge of the bed as he goes in. Looking around he reaches upwards and pops the top of the camper open to allow air to circulate inside. He then looks at the girls sitting on the bed.
 
He points to who he wants moved and where, “Minvera, sit on the driver’s seat. Miniya sit on the passenger seat. Abigail, sit in the jump seat behind the passenger seat. And Tracey, I need you to stand for a moment.”
 
“Why must I stand?” Tracey complains.
 
“It is just for a moment. Trust me. OK?” He tells her.
 
The girls get up and move to where they were told before Fernando goes to the bed. He reaches to the sides of the bed, grabbing on the straps that were there and pulling on them. He is able to pull on them and then lift the back of the rear bench seat and locks it into place upright into its bench seat configuration. He then looks at the ladies, “Alright girls, back to the bench.”
 
Tracey gets to the bench first with Abigail next with Miniya and then Minerva to follow them.
 
“Wow, I did not think this opens up into a bench seat.” Minerva says.
 
“With the bench up, the bed is about half the size, room for four kids or two adults or one adult and two kids. With the bench down, you double the sleeping space.” He explains before he sits down on the jump seat. After putting the M107 against the front driver’s seat, he starts taking off his jacket and outer layers, revealing his double leather shoulder holsters for his two twin double stack 1911s. He notices them staring at him. “What?”
 
Minerva says slowly, “Could you take one of your guns out so we can see it?”
 
Fernando pulls out the left firearm from its holster and holds it out in his hand with a finger on the trigger guard and the back of the handle against the webbing between his thumb and index finger. He states, “What is so special about it? I have had it for a very long time.”
 
“That is a Leader’s Gun.” Miniya throws out, with Minerva adding, “And you have two of them.”
 
“Leader? What kind of leader?” Fernando asks.
 
“You know – Like the Lawmen’s leaders. They carry such guns while everyone else that follows them has a gun that spins in the middle.” Miniya asks.
 
“You mean like this?” Fernando says before putting away his 1911 A2M2 into its holster and pulls out one of his .22cal boot guns. Due to its small size, he is able to hold its hammer and barrel between his thumb and forefinger. With the index finger from the other hand he spins the chamber in the middle.
 
“An enforcer’s mini gun...” Tracey says.
 
“A what?” Fernando asks.
 
“That’s an enforcer’s mini gun.” Miniya explains, “Giovanni and other owners of ‘houses of entertainment’ have their enforcers have those guns with their larger guns.”
 
“Those who help guard the convoy and all the drivers have at least one of these little guns on them all the time. Including the Wessens.” Fernando explains.
 
Minerva asks, “So, if we leave with you and you get us our own vehicle, you would get us a mini gun like that one?”
 
“You would get a few things including a gun in order to defend yourself with if you leave with us and after I get you a vehicle and camper to sleep in and join the convoy. We deal with a lot of dangers on the highways as well as each town we enter. Flight Town so far seems to be the most dangerous of them all. But there are highway gangs to deal with when travelling between town and the towns themselves. Hell, in the way to Center Town about a month ago, we seen a farmer’s giant mutant rooster attack a person kill him and began eating him. So it is not just people we have to worry about but animals that might attack us as well.” Fernando explains.
 
“What about the children?” Minerva asks for the umpthteen time.
 
“If you leave with us, General Jastrey will take care of the kids. As is there is no room to take you four with the kids.”
 
“What if we take a couple of the kids with us?” Miniya throws in.
 
“First off, how many is a couple? And second, which kids?” Fernando asks.
 
“Lily (an Eisbiber; a Beaver Wessen) and Little Mary (a Mauzhertz; a Mouse Wessen) to begin with.” Abigail throws out. Miniya and Minerva looks at her.
 
“Any others?” Fernando asks.
 
“The two sheep girls and the bunny girl, what’s their names?” Tracey says and asks.
 
“The sheep girls are Josie and Melody (a Seelengut; a Sheep Wessen) and the Bunny girl (a Willahara; a Rabbit Wessen) is Alexandria.” Minerva answers.
 
“That about the pole-cat girls (Faeteo Fatalis, Faeteo for short; Skunk Wessen)?” Miniya asks.
 
“Pole-cat girls?” Fernando asks.
 
“The black ones with the white stripes on their heads and backs.” Miniya answers.
 
“You mean Sabrina and Tabitha?” Minerva replies.
 
“Yeah. Them two.”  Miniya replies.
 
“That’s seven, plus you four. Anyone else?” Fernando asks as he folds up and puts his things on the counter where the sink and stove are at. He then adds in, “Wait, they are all girls in case you have not noticed.”
 
“Boys can work hard and earn their keep, we girls do not have that many options and are often turned into sex kittens at a young age.” Tracey points out.
 
“Then let me dare ask, when did you become a sex kitten?” He asks.
 
Though they all turn to Tracey to hear her answer Miniya throws in “16... after Hector tried to kill Minerva and I had to hide from him. Giovanni took me to be a sex kitten and distraction girl for his protection.”
 
“There are other options you could have taken.” Fernando says.
 
“As far as I seen, there were no other options. Besides, you were not there. If you were, what could you have done?” Miniya complains to him.
 
Before Fernando could say a word, Tracey throws in, “12.” They all turn to face her as she continues, “The men around here likes their sex kittens young, and I being one of the younger ones, made more money than the others but I was beaten up and made to pay them for it.”
 
“Yeah, I protected you from being robbed when I found out about it.” Miniya throws in.
 
“10.” A voice says from the back of the bed area says. Mostly everyone had forgotten that Ichigo was there under the blankets until she made herself known.
 
“10?” I don’t remember you from around here.” Miniya says to her.
 
“I was Bunny Ring Girl and Sex Kitten at FIGHT Town not here in FLIGHT Town. And I was 10 at the time.” Ichigo throws at her.
 
“You look like you are still 10 years old.” Miniya tells her.
 
“First off, according to the doctors at Fight Town, I have ‘Little People Syndrome’ so this is as big as I will ever get. Second, I am not fully grown up yet. I’m 15” Ichigo lies, adding, “This man saved me when Fight Town went crazy and I rather spend the rest of my days being one of his daughters and do anything as he wants me to do than to be in Fight Town where people are being killed if it seems that there is any kind of money or were involved in the ‘The Lich vs. Time Walker Death Match.’ I was one of the Bunny Ring Girls for that match and they want us all dead.”
 
Miniya asks, “You said that you’d do anything he wants being one of his daughters? That includes sex?”
 
“If it has to be, then yes.” Ichigo tells her before throwing in, “And no, we had not has sex though I think I owe it to him. He says that as his daughter, certain lines will never be crossed even if I want to cross them because I owe it to him. But sex between fathers and daughters – you know that is done a lot around here though he is not one of those daughter-loving-daddy types.”
 
“Don’t you have another daughter?” Minerva asks Fernando.
 
“Yes, and she is in Ruth’s camper as a punishment for what she and her cousin did during the battle.” Fernando explains.
 
“What did they do?” Miniya asks.
 
“They snuck out of the camp to look at what was going on and could have gotten themselves killed.” Fernando explains.
 
“So you got you four and seven more girls. Saving them from becoming sex kittens or something?” Ichigo asks.
 
“To late for most of them as they were already turning tricks just to get food.” Fernando tells her.
 
“How you know?” Ichigo asks.
 
“When I went into the Merchant area just outside from here while looking for Tonya, I met up with Lily, remember, this was when she was dirty and had her malformed and disfigured arm, she came up to me and begged for me to buy her some food. For getting her the food, that she would let me touch her, you know, down there as she raised her little dress up to show me what she got to offer and she would in her words ‘put my thing in her mouth and make me feel good.’ At the same time I noticed that other Wessen girls in the area were doing the same thing and in fact a few of them were being felt up by some of the merchants or sucking on their dicks for food.” Fernando explains, embellishing the truth just a bit though it was not far from it. He adds, “If I could, I would try to save them all.”
 
“Save what you can because you cannot save them all.” Ichigo tells him.
 
“Many have said the same thing about you and how I should have left you at Fight Town to save others like I did with the teens.” He tells her.
 
“I would have done anything to have you save me from the hell Fight Town is in right now. I seen and heard that a lot of my friends were beaten or killed. But I’m safe being with you and I’ll do anything for that.” Ichigo says to him for the others to hear.
 
“And like I said, you will be earning your keep – adopted daughter or not and you will have a safe place to be in.” He tells her. He then turns to the others, “The same with you and the girls you bring in. I refuse to have anyone turn tricks to be with us, but there are things to do, jobs to take on and responsibilities to be responsible for. If you cannot abide by that, then you should remain here in Flight Town.”
 
“We will.” Minerva replies for them all.
 
“Now. Problem... I have two medical Jeeps which will be yours if and when you leave with us. I need to get two campers for you guys; one camper per jeep. It must be able to sleep all of you and ride you all in the jeeps as there will be no riding in the campers. If you got into an accident, if you are in the jeep, you will get hurt. But if you are in the camp during that accident, you would be killed. So no riding in the campers when we move from town to town.” Fernando begins. He waits for a second for a response. “I’ll talk to Gordon tomorrow about getting a camper for you guys.”
 
“What kind of camper would we be getting?” Miniya asks.
 
“It depends on what is available. But it would be as big as the ones on the dune buggies as those are small tow vehicles like the jeeps are small. In the least I’m trying to make sure that there is room and beds or a large bed for all to sleep in, space to store your things and power to run your appliances.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Why do we need power and appliances?” Miniya asks.
 
Fernando leans over to kitchen cabinetry of his camper and points at each item there “One – a sink with hot and cold water though it takes a while to heat up the water. Two – a stove to cook meals. Three – a refrigerator to keep certain items cold so they will not spoil. And four, a place to store dry and canned goods in. On top is a cabinet for pots, pans, plates, silverware, and more canned goods, in this case for the cats. Know if you noticed, I have another kitchen in my camper trailer. At the time when I started, I only had this camper and got the camper trailer later on for extra space. Turned out they had a kitchen and a toilet, but showers on both campers is a tent you set up outside on the rear door. Jeanette’s camper is set up the same way with outdoor showers but we share showers and many other things with others. But my space for food, cooking, sleeping and storage is doubled with that camper trailer plus it has its own generator, which for me is important because this camper bus is electric and runs on batteries that must be recharged. I have a gas generator in this camper and a backup generator in the camper trailer. The jeeps are gas powered and it will make electricity for the camper trailer when it is moving but when parked out and camping, the generators charge up the batteries to power your appliances. As long as you do your share of work; the food, fuel and other things you need will be taken care of. But it you decide to leave on your own, you get nothing from us.”
 
“We get it, it is an all or nothing deal.” Miniya says.
 
“It is no longer you but you and seven kids. I am just taking care of two and that can be a problem in passing the hat onto others to take care of them. I get things for them done first before I get things done for myself.” He tells her. He then adds, calling to Ichigo, “Maria, you need to go help Ms Ruth and check on Macey and Zoey, make sure they are fed.” He then turns to the girls, “I think it is time for you four to gather the kids and get them ready to be fed.”
 
“Alright then, we’ll talk later.” Minerva tells him, adding to the girls “Let’s go get out and see where we stand with dinner.”
 
They get up and Minerva opens the sliding door. They steps outside and head to the children to check on them before checking on dinner for them. Fernando closes the door as they walk away. He then goes to the bench seat and puts it flat into its bed configuration.
 
Ichigo says, “Finally, they left.”
 
“You getting out from under those blankets? You need to check on Macey and Zoey and help Ms Ruth on feeding the others.” He tells her.
 
Ichigo gets out of the blankets and walks on her knees to Fernando at the edge of the bed. Once within reach she pounces on him and wraps her arms around his neck.
 
She teases him with her little girl voice, “So, you’re not one of those daughter loving daddies?”
 
“A man does not have to be screwing his daughter to show her how much he loves her. And you’re not my daughter in real life, only in make believe in order to protect you.” He tells her.
 
“Awww... I thought we could have something special.” She teases him with her little girl voice.
 
“You keep that up and I’m going to throw you over my lap and spank you.” He tells her.
 
“There you go again. It’s always about my ass, isn’t it?” She continues in her little girl voice.
 
“It’s your ass I’m trying to save. All I want is a little respect between you and I, and let’s see where everything else falls into. Who knows, maybe one day you will get your wish of being my wife or at least my concubine. But until then cut it out with the little girl act.” He tells her.
 
“Why? It turns you on or something?” She continues to tease.
 
“Yes, it does because it turns on everyman and in the end of all things, I am a man. And as such I do not like to be teased or bothered in such ways like that, for the consequences will be me pinning you down and having my way with you in doing you lovely.” He warns her.
 
She partially returns to her normal relaxed girlie voice and not her serious business voice she uses with everyone else, “Oh. Well... I do not mean to tease you though I am playing with you. I mean, yes I would love you to pin me down and manhandle me and control me to keep from being the little bitch I can be at times, but I do not want you angry at me.”
 
“Maybe one day I’ll get to pin you down and manhandle you to prove to you whatever it is you want proven, but right now I am tired and I need my rest.” He begins to tell her. He continues, “If those Wessens do not come to sleep here tonight, maybe I can sleep with you and Macey, though Zoey is going to have to sleep by the wall. I don’t know. Either way I will check on the night guards before I go to bed and maybe sleep before Macey and Zoey does. Now go take care of them while I take care of the cats and prepare the bed. I’ll eat last as always.”
 
“Alright.” She tells him before letting go of him. It takes her a while to get her things and get dressed. Once she is done and has her shoes on, she hops off the bed and out of the camper to deal with the others.
 
Fernando cleans up the camper a bit, then prepare the food and water for the Meeshie and Kitty to get to. While the cats eat, he straightens out the bed sheets and rearranges the pillows for four heads to rest on and piles on four blankets. He then opens the front door windows just a crack and pulls on the vent controls to allow maximum ventilation of the camper though with the added fresh air means a colder inside. He hopes that with 4 blankets and four bodies under those blankets, things would be warm enough for a peaceful night’s rest.
 
 
[6:45AM Mitsuminejinja Shinto Temple, Japan]
 
The sun rises upon the land of the rising sun, its light trying to ever through ever crack, crevice open, open door and window; making the paper window panels glow and lighting up the rooms they were on from the Eastern Side of the building. The three under a pile of blankets try to sleep for as long as possible, another 15 minutes.
 
Ichi wakes up first, lifting herself up on extended arms from being partially on the lone figure. The cold morning air hits her hard and she lowers herself quickly but softly as possible onto the lone figure and tightens the blanket around them. The commotion wakes up Min, who was on the other side of the lone figure. She looks at Ichi.
 
“Oh, good morning.” Min tells her.
 
“Good morning Min.” Ichi replies back.
 
“Why have you not gotten out of bed yet?” Min asks.
 
“It’s cold.” Ichi complains.
 
“Oh... Well, I’ll get up and get dressed and talk with the monks about breakfast so they do not have to walk into our room.” Min explains.
 
“You two mind keeping it down? Some of us are trying to sleep.” The lone figure tells them.
 
“Time to wake up big boy. And by the way – happy annie...” Ichi tells him.
 
“Happy annie?” The lone figure asks.
 
“Yeah. Today is the day we started to get to know each other more intimately.” Ichi tells him.
 
The lone figure sighs. He then replies, “Today is the day because of your insistence that I put you down and gave you oral until you started pulling your hair out of your little pointy head from the orgasm I gave you.”
 
“Well, like I said, we started to get intimate at that point.” Ichi tells him.
 
“You were getting intimate with me, and snuggly and huggy on top of that, like I gave something special to a little girl she had always wanted. It was not for almost a week later when we were stranded due to a battery fire that I started banging that pussy of yours and you got to be less of a little bitch you used to be.” He tells her.
 
“Can you blame me? A girl gotta have it, you know. And a girl not getting it makes her cranky and ornery.” Ichi tells him.
 
“You did not do me until after we got into Tech Town...” Min complains.
 
“We can celebrate anniversaries later. Like it or not, and I don’t, today is a new day. Let’s make something of it, and maybe Hondo and his friend will be here when we return.”
 
“Alright, alright. But I gotta warn you all it’s cold out here.” Ichi complains.
 
“It was colder during the night. In case you have not noticed I added another blanket to keep us warm.” The lone figure tells them.
 
Ichi reaches over and kisses him on the lips, “Thank you then.”
 
“Yeah, thank you. I would kiss you but Ichi is in the way and she would get territorial if I try.” Min throws in.
 
“Well it is time to get up and start this day, like it or not.” The lone figure says. He adds, “Dress accordingly, it will get hot around mid day.”
 
Despite the cold air of the room, the three of them got up and got dressed. They clean up the room and put away various loose items. As they finish cleaning up the room the Shinto priest opens the sliding door after knocking but no answer given. He steps in with a couple monks behind him who set up a breakfast meal on the table closest to the door. Keeping their vow of silence, the priest hands the lone figure a note before nodding at him and turning to the monks. He claps his hands and monks walk out of the room before he does and the door slides closed behind them.
 
 The lone figure reads the note after the priest had left with the monks. He nods before closing up the note and folds it up to put it into his shirt pocket.
 
“Anything of vital importance?” Ichi asks.
 
“Just another lead to follow, probably another dead end.” The lone figure says.
 
“Oh.” Ichi replies.
 
“Well breakfast is here. Let’s eat.” The lone figure tells them.

As evening approached Hondo leaned against the outside wall as Karl paced at the front of the hanger with a shotgun in hand. Molly sat on the couch cleaning some weapons from the night before as Tonya puttered about. The older Valentine worked in the dirigible but, other than the random sound emanating from within, no one had seen her since this morning. Tonya sat on the couch, by Molly, with her arms wrapped around her knees, as she stared vacantly out the hanger door.  
 
 
Hondo was deep in thought as he scanned the visible landscape around the hanger. A lot had happened lately, and the toll on him had been greater than it should have been. He did not regret the personal suffering so much as he felt that he was letting Fernando down in not helping him like he should had been. It was not that he was neglecting his duties but the rough shape he had been in had not allowed him to do anything helpful. His uselessness over the last few days and what had transpired between him and Val weighed heavily on him as well. He felt better now than he had in the last several days, but a sick, weak feeling deep inside him yelled at him that some sleep would not be enough to make him feel right again.  
 
 
 
As he leaned there the radio in his pocket went off. He fumbled for it as a familiar voice called out over it looking for him. As he pulled it free the voice repeated its previous call.
 
 
“Hondo, this is Medic, you out there Hondo?” Fernando asked a second time.
 
 
Hondo answers, “Hondo here. What’s going on, Jefe?”  
 
 
“I’m going with the Major to Wessen town for a town meeting. Her crew at the convoy lot is cooking up army chow for dinner and it should be ready in about an hour. Go see Ruth about getting dinner there as there is no one able to get dinner and send it to you.” Fernando says over the radio.
 
 
Molly got up off the couch, trotted up beside him and looked up at him.  
 
 
“Should we go with him in case he needs help?” She asked.
 
 
“If he wanted us to he’d say as much.” Hondo replied to her before responding to Fernando.
 
 
Hondo keyed the radio again and responded, “Got it. We will take care of it… Jefe, how long you goin’ to be at Wessen Town?”  
 
 
“Hondo, don’t know. We’ll be at the Great Hall to meet everyone outside and discuss the matters at hand. Might be half an hour, might be three hours.” Fernando explains.  
 
 
“Alrigh’, see ya around.” Hondo says.  
 
 
“See ya and take care.” Fernando replies.
 
 
Hondo put the radio back into his pocket, sighed, and rubbed his eyes trying to keep the headache at bay that had been threatening him since he got out of bed. Something in him said he should go meet up with Fernando but going uninvited could mess up Fernando’s plans, or at least that’s what he told himself. The truth was he just physically and mentally did not feel up to being politically neutral enough to help keep the two on edge factions at ease. He was tired, angry, and worn thin.
 
 
Molly put a hand on his arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was not sure all of what was going through his head but she knew his mind had been troubled and was all too aware of how easily the darkness could overtake one’s mind.
 
 
Mentally the strain had taken its toll on Hondo, and keeping himself composed now became an inner battle. Molly’s caring arms, having two daughters now who needed him, and wanting to aid his friend in this harsh land helped hold him together, though it still took will to use those as reasons. It’s not that he was a weak willed or a weak-minded man, but even the strongest of men had a breaking point. He tried to deny that his mind and body had been taxed as much as they had been but denying facts did not make them less true. It would have been easy for him to take Molly and the girls and leave to someplace quiet in the mountains, away from the bandits, would-be despots, radicals, and assholes that seemed to plague this town. The easy way was not his way, though, as the easy way meant abandoning others who needed him and to abandon them was not in his character.  
 
 
As he stood there with Molly leaning against him, his mind was jarred from his own thoughts as two familiar wessen approached. He saw their hands go up slowly and turned to see Karl leveling the shotgun at them.
 
 
“Who are you?” Karl barked.
 
 
“Karl! Lower your gun. It’s the preacher an’ blacksmith from wessen town.” Hondo barked.
 
 
Karl sheepishly lowered his shotgun and let them approach.
 
 
“Sorry. Got a concussion last night and my vision isn’t doing so well.” Karl said to them in an embarrassed tone as they came up to them.
 
 
“I understand. It was a hard night on you all. I wish we could have aided you further, but understand that you did not trust us to fight with you.” The preacher replied.
 
 
“What’s going on?” Hondo asked  
 
 
“All that fighting will be wasted if you don’t stop them before the meeting.” The preacher said in an urgent tone.
 
 
“Stop who?” Karl asked
 
 
“Those #$@!ing OS Animas idiots! You’d think the bastards would have learned from last night but they keep trying! They are going to try to stop the army and your medic friend from trying to unite the towns!” The blacksmith exclaimed
 
 
Hondo raised an eyebrow and asked in a sharp tone, “How is this happening an’ how do you know?”
 
 
The preacher sighed, “We know as one of our own, who wants peace like we do, overheard the plan. The more bold and foolish OS Animas members are few in number now, but they are determined and we are told they cannot communicate with Hector anymore. This has them feeling cornered and the cornered get desperate.”
 
 
“That may be the how you know, but what are they plannin’?!” Hondo half growled.
 
 
“They have a couple snipers with the special rifle and they plan to kill the Major and your medic friend then as many others as they can in the panic to follow.” The blacksmith said.
 
 
“Snipers? Do you have any idea where they will be?” Hondo asked quickly.
 
 
“The Church of the Lion and Lamb. It’s on a hill in the more affluent part of town and is the highest point. It’s a bit of a maze to get to the steeple, but I know that’s where they will be.” The preacher replied.
 
 
Hondo turned to Molly and jerked his head inside, “Go wake up Marvin an’ Maggie. Tell them I need them ready now.”
 
 
Molly nodded and trotted inside.
 
 
Hondo turned back to the preacher, “How do I get to the steeple?”
 
 
The preacher drew him a map of the inside of the large church, showing him the way to the room in the steeple, just below the bell. About the time he was done Marvin came trotting out in his jeans, still pulling on a shirt as Maggie, dressed in boots and a robe carried both their weapons and Molly brought up the rear.  
 
 
“What’s going on, Master Hondo?” Marvin asked a bit groggily as he fought to wake up fully.  
 
 
“Hector’s morons have snipers gunnin’ for Jefe an’ the major.” Hondo said.
 
 
“Why?” Maggie asked.
 
 
“They want to stop the two towns from having peace. The bloodshed last night was not enough for them, unfortunately.” The preacher replied.
 
 
“You warn Master Fernando?” Marvin asked.
 
 
Hondo shook his head, “No time. He’s already headed there. We alert him an’ these asshats sense somethin’ is wrong they may shoot early or take out other innocents.”
 
 
“What do we do then?” Maggie asked.
 
 
“I need you, Tonya, an’ Molly to stay here an’ watch. The preacher is gonna show us how to get in close to the church without bein’ seen from the steeple room. Molly, that jeep good to go?” Hondo asked
 
 
Molly nodded, “Still needs a spare, but got the other tire for it from one of the shelled-out wrecks.”
 
 
“You’re taking me and Karl with, right?” Marvin asked.
 
 
Hondo nodded as he headed to the jeep, “That’s the plan, an’ we need to go now.”
 
 
The preacher and blacksmith followed him close behind as Marvin finished with his shirt and grabbed his gun from Maggie before trotting up to the jeep and jumping in the back. Karl paused a bit before walking up a bit more slowly.
 
 
“What’s the hold up, Karl?” Hondo asked
 
 
“You sure you want me to go? My vision sucks right now.” He said.
 
 
“Marvin an’ I will handle the assholes. You just stay at our back with that scatter-gun an’ make sure no one sneaks up on us.” Hondo said as he motioned for Karl to get in.
 
 
Karl nodded and climbed into the back with Marvin and the Blacksmith. It was a tight fit but they managed.
 
 
As soon as everyone was in Hondo fired up the jeep and they roared off towards wessen town.
 
 
The church was easy enough to find, but the access to the side away from town center without being seen was not as obvious and the preacher’s directions helped. In no time they rolled up to the door and everyone climbed out.
 
 
“No offense to you two, but I’d like ya gone. I think you can be trusted but I can’t risk my feelin’s ‘bout that bein’ right.” Hondo said to the preacher and Blacksmith as they stood at the church steps.
 
 
“We’d rather stay out of it!” The blacksmith said which elicited an angry frown from Hondo.
 
 
“What my friend means is we are not fighters and on top of that there are many here who lost family in the fight and who were always weaker willed and just followed whoever they saw as the strongest. Because of that there is a lot of distrust in town. Most will not take what these snipers are doing kindly, but selling out wessens, even if it is to stop their evil, is taboo to many and would make us and any who associate with us traitors furthering the riff in our midst.” The preacher explained.
 
 
Hondo sighed and nodded, “I reckon I get it. Just please get gone so we can go inside.”
 
 
They nodded and took off away from the town meeting to keep from drawing any attention to themselves.
 
 
Once they were gone they three of them walked up to the door. Karl had kept his back to them and watched for anyone approaching as Hondo drew two pistols and stood facing the door as Marvin stood off to the side with the door knob in hand, looking at Hondo for a nod. Once Hondo nodded Marvin threw the door open and Hondo dove inside, rolled off to the side and came up on one knee, and looked about for a threat with his pistols in hand. To his surprise there was no one there. Marvin jumped in the door and looked about quickly as he held his rifle in front of him but no threats appeared.
 
 
Hondo shook his head and shrugged.
 
 
“No lookout? Sloppy, dumb, or overconfident?” Marvin asked in a whisper.
 
 
“All three.” Hondo answered in a low voice.
 
 
After a couple quiet second, Marvin got Karl and brought him inside, closing the door behind them as to not to draw the attention of anyone who might pass by. Once the door was closed they made their way along the maze of corridors, breaching each door in a similar fashion as that of the front door but quieter.  
 
 
They made their way to the steeple room, running into no one until they came to the door to the room itself. The door stood half open, which allowed Hondo to peer inside. In the room a fox-wessen lay at the window with a rifle in hand and a canine-wessen stood with a range finding scope, helping the other setup the shot, his rifle leaning against the wall.
 
 
Hondo stepped back so Marvin could see and when Marvin turned back to him Hondo signaled for Marvin to take the canine-wessen. Marvin nodded silently then on Hondo’s signal, threw open the door.
 
 
“What the #$@!?!” The canine wessen growled.
 
 
As Marvin charged the canine wessen yelled, “Take the shot! OOOFF!!”
 
 
Marvin drove his shoulder into the canines mid-section and drove him into the wall. At the same time Hondo jumped at the fox wessen and shoved his finger behind the trigger so it could not be fired. Though Hondo was bigger and stronger, his body was weak from being wounded and from poison in his system that was slowly draining him, though he neither knew about it nor would acknowledge the symptoms that ravaged him. On top of that the fox wessen was fast and wiry, and his part animal DNA let him use all of his strength, which few humans could do other than Hondo and Fernando.  
 
 
It was a struggle for a bit but Hondo finally got the rifle away from the wessen but fell back in a sitting position on the floor, as the rifle flew from his grasp and slid to a stop against the far wall. The fox wessen nimbly jumped to his feet and pulled a knife from a belt sheath and lunged at Hondo. Not being able to move as fast as normal, Hondo rolled onto his back and kicked up with both feet at his attacker, sending him through the window. Hondo scrambled to his feet, scooped up the rifle, and trotted to the window where he found the fox wessen holding onto the ledge.
 
 
“Surrender an’ I’ll pull ya in.” He said flatly.
 
 
“#$@! you Human! You will all feel the wrath of our superiority! We will never surrender to your kind! Os Animas forever!!” He yelled
 
 
“Have it your way.” Hondo snarled before hitting the fox wessen in the head with the butt of the rifle.  
 
 
The wessen screamed as he fell, but was silenced forever as his body impacted with the ground below.
 
 
Hondo turned to see Marvin was still grappling with the canine wessen. Marvin had size on him but the other wessen clearly had more experience.
 
 
“Hey! Surrender or die like your friend!” Hondo barked at the canine.
 
 
The canine-wessen half turned to glare at Hondo, which afforded Marvin with an opening to hit him hard, causing him to stumble back a fall to one knee just short of the busted window. He panted as he looked up at them.  
 
 
“First I kill you, Human-pig, then I kill this traitor!” The canine growled.
 
 
He pulled a nightstick from his belt and lunged at Hondo as he swung the club. Hondo deftly caught the club in his left hand, though, and hit him with his right fist, with a wicked, short jab. The hit to the face caught the wessen off guard, which caused him to stumbled backwards again. This time he stumbled too far and fell out the window, meeting the same end as his partner.  
 
 
Hondo walked to the window again to look down on them and Marvin trotted up beside him, still panting a bit from his fight.
 
 
“Idiots! *pant* What a #$@!ing *pant* Waste of life.” Marvin said.
 
 
Hondo nodded but did get to reply as his radio chirped to life and a familiar voice called out.
 
 
“Righteous Cowboy, this is Medic, Please answer. Over.” Fernando’s voice rang out from the radio.
 
 
It took Hondo a couple seconds to get it out of his pocket but when he did he replied.
 
 
“This is Righteous Cowboy. What is it Medic?” Hondo said into the radio.
 
 
“Explain what I just witnessed in the rifle scope at the Church Steeple.” Fernando asked.
 
 
“We just flushed out a sniper’s nest who were preparing to shoot at you, the major and the crowd with high powered rifles.” Hondo replied.
 
 
He noticed he could almost hear his own voice in a slight delay from the town center, cluing him in that Fernando was putting him over the PA system they were using.
 
 
“We’ll be sending a clean-up crew right now. Thank you for your service and good work. I’ll be seeing you later to discuss this matter.” Fernando says.
 
 
“See you then.” Hondo replied.
 
 
Hondo turned to Marvin after a moment, “You’re not wrong ‘bout the waste of life. Too many of these poor bastards were blinded by Hector an’ now they are payin’ for his sins.”
 
 
“Their sins too. They made the choice to believe him.” Marvin pointed out.
 
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah, that is true. We all have to live or die with the choices we make. Just those charlatans like Hector always seem to get people killed but evade it themselves.”
 
 
“We’ll get him. I’ve seen you and Master Fernando do too many things no one else thought possible to believe that Hector can get away from you two.” Marvin replied.
 
 
“We’ll see what happens, but he will need dealt with.” Hondo replied.
 
 
“We done here, then?” He asked.
 
 
Hondo shook his head, “No. I’m gonna watch until Jefe an’ the military get out of there. You should grab that other rifle.”
 
 
Marvin nodded and the rifle up and looked it over with a confused look before setting it back down and scooping up the range finder scope from where it lay on the floor, so he could look too.
 
 
“You'll have to show me how to use that rifle later. Not used to that type. I’ll just use this to watch for any other threats from tall buildings.” He replied.
 
 
Hondo merely nodded in reply as he set to watching over the meeting.
 
 
A few minutes later he watched Fernando and the wessen girls with him jump into the medic jeep and leave. The rest of the military gathered up a bit slower, seeming to watch over the crowd as it disbanded, wary of further issues. It was not but a couple minutes after Fernando left that hondo’s radio once again squawked to life.
 
 
“Hondo, this is Fernando, Please answer. Over.” Fernando’s voice called out over the radio.
 
 
Hondo fished the radio once again from the pocket of his duster again and pressed the transmit button.
 
 
“What’s up Fernando?” Hondo replied
 
 
“I’m outside in the back of the church. The military jeep outside is yours?” Fernando asks.
 
 
“Hold on, I’ll send somebody to bring you in.” Hondo answered
 
 
“I’ll be waiting.” Fernando replies.
 
 
Hondo walked over to the door where Karl stood vigilantly watching the stairs.
 
 
“Karl, will you go so Jefe the way up? He’s at the back door.” Hondo asked
 
 
“Master Fernando? Sure.” Karl replied with a nod before heading down the stairs.  
 
 
A minute later Karl returned with Fernando following right behind him. As they entered the steeple room, just below the bells, they found Hondo and Marvin still gazing out the window, looking over the town.
 
 
“What’s going on?” Fernando asks.  
 
 
“Remember the two that warned me about the attack that Hector sent?” Hondo asks.  
 
 
“Yeah.” Fernando replies.  
 
 
“They told us to go to the church as it is the tallest in the town other than the City Hall you were at and to expect a couple in the steeple using it as a Sniper’s Nest. We came, we saw, we kicked ass.” Hondo explains.  
 
 
Fernando looks around, seeing the footprints of a scuffle disturbing the layer of dust on the floor.  
 
 
“Where’s the other?” Fernando asks.  
 
 
“He left the same way as his friend.” Hondo says as he thumbs at the window.  
 
 
“If you, Karl and Marvin are here, then who is at the hanger and who will be getting dinner for you?” Fernando asks.  
 
 
“Molly, Maggie and Tonya are at the hanger along with a couple of soldiers. We will go get dinner when we return.” Hondo explains, and then asks, “You guys finished with your little meeting?”  
 
 
“I think we are done.” Fernando replies before he looks out the window and down to the ground floor below. A Fuchsbau and a Hundjäger (Dog Wessen) or Luison  (Wolf Wessen) lie on the ground floor dead to the world. As he turns away from the window, he closes the shutters, saying “What senseless waist of life.”  
 
 
 “They had to be dealt with accordingly.” Hondo points out.  
 
 
“I’m not arguing that. I’m just saying how much of a waist their lives must have been to live it out like they have, thinking that they had won with their bullying ways only to lose it by bigger bully in the end. They deserved what they got but if they lead a more peaceful life, they would be alive today.” Fernando says.  
 
 
“Heh... Don’t we all want a peaceful life.” Hondo says.  
 
 
“Que sera, sera.” Fernando replies. He throws in, “I’m heading back to the convoy camp to drop off the girls and get the kids ready for dinner. Then I’ll take a nap for a while before I eat as I need my rest. No doubt you do too as well.” He looks around for a second, “Looks like our jobs are done here. No need to clean up over here, so let’s go home – whatever we call home. I do not know what the Major’s galley crew is making for dinner, but an army crawls on its stomach.”  
 
 
They start to head downstairs and through the maze of secret passages most larger church buildings are known for. In a couple of minutes they are exiting through the rear door. They gather about their vehicles. Hondo looks at the Medical Jeep for a moment, though Karl and Marvin pay it no attention other than it being just another vehicle.  
 
 
“Where you got the Medical jeep?” Hondo asks.  
 
 
“It’s a former lawmen’s jeep the Major painted for me to look like a medical jeep. There is another one the Major painted for me as I brought in two. You can have it if you want, but unless Minerva and her friends come with us, there are no drivers for them. But if they come with us, I can look for a small camper for them to sleep in the jeeps can tow, like we did for the teens their dune buggies. But they needed added tanks like the dune buggies for extended range. I spoke to a local mechanic by the name of Gordon about doing so. He said to bring them in tomorrow and he will have it done for me.” Fernando explains.  
 
 
“I might have a driver for one of them maybe.” Hondo says.  
 
 
“If they are willing to drive for us, I could get them a camper.” Fernando says.  
 
 
“We will discuss it tomorrow then.” Hondo says.  
 
 
“Let’s see what happens then. And thanks, once again.” Fernando says before opening the door to the medical jeep and getting inside.  
 
 
Karl and Marvin get into the back of Hondo’s military jeep before Hondo gets in to the driver’s seat. They both start their engines at the same time. Hondo pulls away first before Fernando puts his jeep in gear. He ends up about 20 yard behind Hondo’s lead. Hondo goes around the edge of the town before heading to the southern end of the runway, taking a parallel road to his hanger. Fernando follows him.  
 
 
It takes less than 5 minutes to get to Hondo’s hanger. He pulls over to the side across the hanger’s main doorway. Fernando pulls over parallel to Hondo’s jeep. He rolls down the window and leans over it, “See you and the others later, Hondo!”  
 
 
“See ya’s” Hondo replies before he walks into the hanger with Marvin and Karl.  
 
 
Fernando puts the medic jeep into gear and begins to drive away.
 

As they approached the hanger the ladies rush out to meet them.
 
 
“You guys alright?” Molly asks as her and Tonya trot up to Hondo and Maggie walked up to Marvin and wraps her arms around him.
 
 
“We are fine, I reckon.” Hondo said.
 
 
“I was worried something might have happened to you!” Maggie said to Marvin as she hugged him.
 
 
“I was with Master Hondo, so no need to worry.” Marvin replied to her.
 
 
“I know but It’s nice to have someone to worry about. Never had that before.” She said.
 
 
The quietness around them caused them to look around and see the other five staring at them. They broke off their embrace, both staring at the ground, red faced with embarrassment.  
 
 
“Did I miss something?” Karl asked.
 
 
“It’s not what you think!” Marvin said hurriedly.
 
 
“We’re just friends, honest!” Maggie replied.
 
 
Karl frowned and shook his head.
 
 
“Just friends, sure. I could use a just friend like that too.” He grumbled.
 
 
Hondo shook his head and walked inside.
 
 
“We still have to go get our supper.” He said as he sat down on a bench-stool.  
 
 
“You want us, Karl and I, to go get it?” Marvin asked.
 
 
“Karl and I can go. You an’ Maggie should rest for a couple hours if you can. Since you two are night watch.” Hondo replied.
 
 
Marvin nodded, “I’d not argue to some more rest.”
 
 
Me either.” Maggie replied.
 
 
“I’m not sure I’ve ever heard that called rest before.” Karl said snidely.
 
 
They both turned to look at him questioningly before it clicked what he meant and they both turned red.
 
 
“We’ve not done anything!” Marvin said defensively.
 
 
“He’s been a gentleman to me!” Maggie said defending him.
 
 
“So, he’s #$@!ed you gently? So, what?” Karl replied sarcastically.
 
 
“Karl!! You can either show them some respect or we can have another of those respect lessons.” Hondo snapped
 
 
Karl’s face turned a bit white at the thought.
 
 
“S.s.s.orry.” He stammered.
 
 
“We… we can sleep in different rooms.” Marvin said.
 
 
“You two are adults an’ free at that. If you two rest better together, then don’t let this asshat’s diarrhea of the mouth make ya do somethin’ different.” Hondo replied.
 
 
Karl stared at the ground silently for a moment before Hondo stood back up and headed for the jeep.
 
 
“Karl, get in an’ don’t say anythin’. Not sure I want to hear you talk again today.” Hondo said gruffly over his shoulder as he walked.
 
 
Karl nodded and scrambled into the jeep. His head still throbbed but he knew that was not an acceptable excuse for what he had said nor would it get him any sympathy after opening his mouth. Truth be told he was a bit scared and lonely himself, and seeing the way Maggie looked at Marvin made him jealous. It’s not that he wanted Maggie specifically, but he wanted a woman to stand by him and look at him that way.  
 
 
Hondo fired the jeep up and headed off to camp. It took them only a few minutes to get to camp, and when they arrived they pulled up by Ruth’s camper. As they pulled up Hondo caught the glimpse of someone dash from the preparations area and out of their sight, but he did not think of it too long, other than appearing odd.
 
 
As he shut the jeep off Ruth came out to greet them.
 
 
“I was wondering who was going to come for your supper. You get any rest?” She asked
 
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah, got a bit. Could have slept all day but there were things to do an’ I wanted to sleep all night.”
 
 
“Hopefully you’re feeling better. You look a bit better.” She said
 
 
He grinned, “You mean I don’t look like death still?”
 
 
She blushed a bit, “I didn’t think you looked like death before but you did not look well, was all. You had us worried!”
 
 
He shrugged, “No need to worry, but I am feelin’ some better. I’m sure a full night sleep will help a lot.”
 
 
She nodded, “I’m sure it will. Now, what do you need?  I can’t keep track of how many there are there.”
 
 
“Well, we need two of your rabbit-food meals for Karl an’ Marvin, an’ four regular meals. Also, could I get one additional of each for my night watch to have midway through the night?” He asked.
 
 
“I have a separate meal for our night guards midnight meal. I’ll get you two of those, one veggie and one meat, if you’d like?” She said.
 
 
“That will work.” He replied.
 
 
She nodded, “Just give me a couple minutes and I’ll have them boxed up.”
 
 
He nodded, “No worries. The girls still in the back?”  
 
 
She nodded, “Yes. Do you need me to watch them tonight again?”
 
 
He shrugged, “I’m not sure if Jefe was gonna take them tonight or not… I’d take them but with things as they are…”
 
 
“You don’t have to explain. We understand, really. I’m sorry you are going through so much right now.” She said
 
 
He shook his head, “Nothin’ for you to be sorry ‘bout, but If Jefe can’t get them do you mind another night at least?”
 
 
She smiled and shook her head, “Not at all. From the look of their faces, I don’t think they will be running off again.”
 
 
He frowned a bit, “Let’s hope not, an’ I thank you for watchin’ them for us.”
 
 
She nodded, “It’s my pleasure… Did you ever find out why they left?”
 
 
He sighed and shook his head, “No… Not been in the mood to ask yet, though I reckon I know the answer.”
 
 
“What’s that?” She asked
 
 
“Reckon I’m a bad father.” He replied seriously.
 
 
“That’s not true!” Ruth exclaimed.
 
 
“Well, I got one who sided with a man who almost killed me an’ had others killed an’ has threatened to run off as she’d rather believe this stranger is her soulmate than believe me that he’s an evil bastards, an’ the other is runnin’ off into the woods an’ towin’ her adopted cousin along… Guess I’ve neglected them too much. They needed me as a father an’ in one case, an uncle. To be there for them an’ I’ve not been. Been expectin’ kids to grow up an’ be adults at my command. They’ve been through a lot, an’ I guess I expected that to make them more responsible an’ trust me. Maybe that’s all just confused them an’ made them think they have to operate independently. They are all used to bein’ used and abandoned, Macey especially. I reckon they felt abandoned again an’ did what they felt they had to.” He retorted.
 
 
Ruth shook her head, “We all know you have a lot going on, both you and Fernando. They know it all too well. Maybe if you guys had more time for them it would be better but they are old enough to understand too. But they are also human like us, and prone to make mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself or them. We are all going through a lot. We can’t expect them to not feel the strain as much as we do, and as adults we can at least drink a bit or find other distractions that they shouldn’t have.  It’s a wonder half the camp isn’t at each other’s throats, drunk, or being promiscuous with all that has happened!”
 
 
He nodded, “Maybe so, an’ maybe it’s just me right now, but I’m not ready to hear their excuses an’ I need more out of them than I’d expect of most.”
 
 
She nodded, “Well, they are in the back. I’ll have the meals ready in just a few.”  
 
 
He nodded then turned to Karl, “Put the meals in the jeep when Ruth has them ready. I’ll be right back.”
 
 
Karl nodded silently but said nothing as his tongue already had gotten him in enough trouble today.
 
 
Hondo strode to the rear camper trailer and looked around. He nodded at Jewel, who was eating her supper near by before he knocked on the door. A timid sounding voice from within said for him to come in so he opened the door. As he entered he saw the two little faces look up at him with a brief moment of hope and excitement that it was him, but his stern look quickly changed their demeanor to one of shame as they turned their faces to the floor.
 
 
“You come to punish us, papa?” Zoey asked timidly.
 
 
“Don’t punish her, it’s my fault, punish me.” Macey said equally as timid like.
 
 
Zoey’s head snapped up, “No, It’s my fault! I …”
 
 
“I don’t want to hear it.” Hondo interrupted loudly.
 
 
“But Papa I made her go and..” Zoey started again.
 
 
“She was just worried about you and we got lost!” Macey interrupted.
 
 
“But we’re sorry and…” Zoey said trying to talk over Macey.
 
 
“I SAID I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!” He snarled, causing both the girls to shrink back in fear and start to cry softly.
 
 
“Wh.. *sniff* Wh .. *sniff* Why?” Zoey barely managed to get out through her tears.
 
 
“Because there is no why that can excuse what happened! You have disappointed me greatly! You two could have gotten raped, enslaved, or killed! You know what that would have done to me? To Fernando? To Tonya? To the whole camp even?? Nothin’ was worth riskin’ you’re lives for like that nor disobeyin' Fernando, who was puttin' you somewhere safe! I know I’ve been a terrible father and uncle..” He said sternly.
 
 
“But papa you’re not terrible!” Zoey interrupted.
 
 
“You’re a great uncle!” Macey exclaimed
 
 
“Quiet!” he snapped, “If I was a good father and uncle would you two have disrespected Ruth by runnin’ off? Disrespected me by hurtin’ my trust? Worried us with your disappearance? Put yourself an’ us in harms way to get you back?? I’d like to spank you both for what you’ve done, but the girls I thought I knew would never have done this on their own if I had been what you needed. The girls I thought I knew would never do somethin' to endanger lives or sneak off and worry us… I’m responsible for you both, in some part, Zoey more so, but both of you still. If someone got killed because of you that would be on me. I’d be a murderer because I did not raise you right an' my life would be due for theirs! You obviously don’t trust me an' that’s my fault. I’m sorry I failed you both. I love you both but I’m a terrible father an' uncle an' I wish you had better.”
 
 
“No papa! We are bad! We’re sorry!” Zoey sobbed.
 
 
“Please Uncle Hondo! Don’t say that!” Macey cried.
 
 
“I don’t want to hear it… Miss Ruth said you can stay here if Fernando doesn’t send for you… I will come back an' we will talk tomorrow as I don’t think I’m ready to talk about this still… I love you both. I had hoped you two were better than this, despite me failin’s, but…” He paused and shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m a lousy Husband, Father, uncle, an’ friend. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
 
 
He shut the door and left them to their crying. Deep inside he wanted to hold them both but he was afraid it would teach them nothing if he did. Not afraid for himself but for them. They were lucky worse had not happened to them this time. Next time would be much worse for sure.
 
 
Hondo walked back to the jeep just as Ruth and Karl were putting the meals inside.
 
 
“I put in some sweetwater drinks for everyone and some beer for you.” She said
 
 
“Kinda feel awkward havin’ beer when there’s not enough to go ‘round.” He said.
 
 
Ruth shook her head, “Don’t worry about it. If others want some they can go buy it. This is a leadership perk that you’ve more than earned.
 
 
He frowned, “Sometimes I wonder if I have.”
 
 
“What do you mean?” Ruth asked
 
 
He sighed and shook his head, “Nothin’. Just been a long few days.”
 
 
She nodded, “We understand. Now go eat and get some rest. We do need you still, you know.”
 
 
He climbed into the jeep and tipped his hat to her.
 
 
“Thanks Ruth.” He said.
 
 
She smiled and nodded in reply.  
 
 
He fired up the jeep as Karl climbed in and they took back off towards the hanger. Though he did not see the sad, red eyes, that from behind dark glasses and under a large brimmed hat pulled low, watch him leave, he could feel them.
 
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
 
Val slumped in the shadows of the camper after he left. She slid down the side of the camper until her ass plopped down onto the ground. She sat in the dirt and cried softly as seeing him overwhelmed her emotions yet again. She had barely saw him pull up in time to leap into the shadows and hide from him as she could not bear to face him at the moment. A part of her wanted to crawl to him and beg for him to come back to her but something inside her still balked at the idea that it was her fault. She did not think it could be pride as she had almost none left, and she did not see mere stubbornness to be enough to hold her back. Yet, she could not go to him and ask for forgiveness.  
 
 
She took a deep pull from her flask as she tried to control her emotions. She thought about crawling to Fernando and begging for mercy from him. She knew there were no words that could atone for her words and deeds, but she hoped maybe in anger he would strike her down and end her miserable existence. She had wronged him, Macey, Tonya, Zoey, and the whole camp, but saying she was sorry seemed a hollow gesture after what she had done and asking for forgiveness seemed a bold, arrogant request, one of which she was not deserving to be granted. The thought of Fernando’s wrath on her did not scare her, not like facing Hondo or facing that it was all her fault. Facing Fernando’s wrath almost seemed desirable. She did deserve that, she knew, and it was some attention at least. She felt so alone that even harsh words would seem a comfort and abuse a needed human connection.  
 
 
She hated herself, hated who she was, how she looked, how she felt. She sat there sniffling wishing it all would end but something did not let her end it. She told herself she could end it by taking the blame but she also told herself that taking the blame would break the one string that held her from eating a bullet in front of the whole camp. It was the only ounce of pride left within her.  She did not care if she died, in fact death sounded preferable to the life she found herself in, but she could not die by her own hand. IF she was to die it had to be by the hand of punishment or the hand of evil. Which way did not matter to her.  
 
 
After a few minutes she pulled herself back together and went back to washing dishes in the basin beside the camper. Her dark thoughts continued as she worked but she managed not to cry at the moment at least.
 
 
“Looks like you’re almost done.” A voice called out jarring her from her thoughts.
 
 
She looked up in surprise for a moment to see Ruth standing there. She was so lost in her own misery that she never heard her approach. She looked back down at the dishwater and nodded.
 
 
“I’ll have them done soon.” She said.
 
 
“Everyone else has eaten, so you should stop and eat your supper.” Ruth said.
 
 
Val shook her head, “Not hungry.”
 
 
“You need to eat!” Ruth exclaimed.
 
 
Val just shook her head and stared down as she washed the last couple dishes.
 
 
“Val, I’ve seen you drinking from that flask. If you keep drinking without eating you’ll die!” Ruth said
 
 
Val looked up at her with sad, pleading eyes.
 
 
“When?” She asked
 
 
“When what?” Ruth said with her eyebrow raised questioningly.
 
 
Val looked back down and spoke softly, “When will I die?... I should be dead… Why didn’t they just let me die?”
 
 
Ruth frowned and shook her head, “Oh Val, I wish I could help you… I’m sorry I’ve been so harsh on you, but you have to stop this! You should be alive! We want you alive!”
 
 
“Life is torture…I.. I just can’t anymore.” Val replied.
 
 
“I know you miss him. IF you just apologize he’ll take you back, I know he will!” Ruth said
 
 
Val shook her head, “No… I.. I can’t.”
 
 
“Can’t? Why not?” She asked
 
 
“Just.. can’t… Please.. please don’t make me explain…I just can’t.” Val whispered trying not to cry.
 
 
“I wish I knew how to help you. Just give it time. You’ll be back together and all this will be just a bad dream.” Ruth said
 
 
Val shook her head again, “No. No-one can help me… He’ll never take me back… Can’t apologize.. don’t deserve him… don’t understand me anymore… don’t know who I am…”
 
 
Val looked up at Ruth pleadingly, “Please kill me.”
 
 
Ruth gasped, “NO! I could never!.. How could you even ask such a thing!”
 
 
Val looked down, “Sorry.”
 
 
Ruth sighed, “Please eat. You’ll feel better.”
 
 
Val shook her head.
 
 
“Then, it looks like you’re done. Go get some rest.” Ruth said.
 
 
“I.. I can start prepping breakfast.” Val said.
 
 
“We can do that in the morning.” Ruth said.
 
 
Val shook her head, “No, please. Can’t go back to the camper alone… there must be something I can do.”
 
 
Ruth sighed, “We can prep some of the fruit and vegetables, I guess.”
 
 
Val just looked at her with a sad, pleading look.  
 
 
Ruth sighed and nodded, “Okay, I’ll bring out some stuff for you to chop.”
 
 
Val whispered, “Thank you.”
 
 
Ruth came back out with the food items and set them and some bowls with lids down for her to put them in.
 
 
“This should keep you busy for a bit, but after that you need to go get some rest.” Ruth said.
 
 
Val nodded and started into chopping. Ruth watched her for a few seconds before turning around and starting to head back inside. Val’s voice stopped her in her tracks though.
 
 
“Ruth… How is he?” Val asked.
 
 
Ruth half turned, “Tired, sore, and deeply troubled.”
 
 
“The girls okay?” Val asked
 
 
Ruth nodded, “Yeah. They are still in time out and are a bit melancholy, but if it keeps them safe and makes them learn it will be good for them.”
 
 
After a pause Val asked one more question very softly.
 
 
“Is… is she makin’ him happy?” Val asked
 
 
“She who?” Ruth asked feigning ignorance.
 
 
“Molly… does she make him happy?” Val asked again.
 
 
Ruth shrugged, “I don’t know… I think she’s helping him hold together but…”
 
 
“But what?” Val asked looking up at her for a moment.
 
 
“But he still loves you.” Ruth said.
 
 
Val looked back down sadly, “Oh.”
 
 
She did not say anymore but worked on the food in front of her. Ruth paused for a moment longer to make sure she had nothing else to say, but after she stayed silent for a minute Ruth went back inside.
 
 
Ruth came back out to check on Val well after dark, as she wondered why she had not brought in the bowls with the chopped vegetables and fruit. She found the bowls filled, stacked, and seal. The dishes finished, and Val passed out at the table with her empty flask still clutched in her hand. Ruth went back inside and grabbed a heavy quilt and draped it over Val, unsure if she could move her or not, or what state she would be in if they woke her. She added some wood to the fire too, in hopes Val could get some heat from that too. It was promising to be a cold night, but she did not know what else to do.
 
 
(To be continued….)

[Fight Town]
 
“I do not know who the others are.” Mae says.
 
“You have until tomorrow at 10 in the morning to find who you can and be there with them. If you show up alone, we will see what happens, but not finding them is no excuse for not showing up yourself. But if you are good person as I expect you to be, you would make an attempt to find them. Whether you succeed or fail does not matter if you had tried.” He tells her, twisting the crystal on his cane to record the location where he is.
 
“Then is our date over?” Mae asks.
 
“Unless you want it to be over now, I would not think so. I think we got a couple more hours before I have to go back. At least I found what I was looking for.” He says to her. He looks at her before he asks, “Do you have other sets of clothing other than your bunny ring outfit?”
 
“I have a few things, not a whole lot. I got more bunny ring girl outfits than I do regular street clothes, bunny ring girl got to be ready at all times because she does not know when she will be called.” She explains.
 
“Then let’s go get you a few things you are going to need. If you are going with us tomorrow, you are going to need them.” He explains.
 
Mae thinks, looking down at herself before she looks up at him, “What about what you said before of ‘If it means I want to #$@! you in some dark alley somewhere, then you’re bending over and pulling that bunny suit over and I put my dick in you.’ You still want too, uhm... #$@! me?”
 
He looks down at her before putting an arm around her and pulls her towards him before kissing her on the forehead. He then asks, “Since the riots starts, how often have you been turning tricks?”
 
“Turning tricks?” She asks.
 
“Having paid sex with customers? In short, whoring yourself out.” He points out to her.
 
“You would be my first.” She answers.
 
“Why would that be?” He asks.
 
“When the army came into stop the riots, they started arresting anyone whoring themselves; instead of whoring myself I thought it would be better if I just begged for money, which is why I asked you for a hand out.” She explains.
 
“What about during your time as a bunny ring girl?” He asks.
 
“A girl got to do what a girl got to do, but if were a Fight House where a man was in charge, I and the other would have to such things and do them often. At least with Ichigo in charge, such things were minimal and most done by those who wanted to advance to a higher position faster through her managers but were quick to find out that the managers were only using them. So we try to keep things within ourselves. I was lucky to get into her Fight House.” Mae explains.
 
“Then are you sexually experienced?” He asks.
 
“Of course I am, all ring girls are – bunny, wolf, cat, bird, human, Wessen, male, female, whatever.” She replies.
 
“Just asking, don’t want any details as people can be so depraved and disgusting in such things.” He points out.
 
“Depraved and disgusting as in how?” She asks.
 
“Let me ask you this, would you, have you, have sex with an animal like a dog?” He asks.
 
“An animal like a dog?” She asks.
 
“Yes.” He replies.
 
“No. I have seen it though, but no. I have no interest in that sort of thing. A dog is an animal, and I am not an animal.” She answers.
 
“What about with a Wessen? One who was human but is now part animal or half animal?” He asks.
 
“Seen it, not interested in being part of that. Though they are human in some respect, they are still animals. And I have no interest in having sex with animals.” She tells him.
 
“Let me ask, what do you mean by ‘seen it’?” He asks.
 
“I have seen it in the sex shows in the sex entertainment theaters when I went out with a few friends.” She explains. She adds, “There is little to see in terms of entertainment besides the fights.”
 
“Well, let’s get out of here.” He tells her before starting the walk out of the cemetery. They stop at the gates, and look about. He then goes ahead back to the restaurant row with her following him at his side. Back into the recognizable parts of town she takes hold of his arm.
 
She lets out a sigh, “You did not answer my question from a while back.”
 
“What question would that be?” He asks.
 
“I asked if you wanted a girlfriend, as in me as a girlfriend, that is. You never answered.” She points out.
 
“Well, I am going through a lot right now to give an answer. And if I were to take you to your hotel room and have sex with you, that does not mean I need a girlfriend or a companion. In the very least I would have used you for some form of release and entertainment. I do not want to put any female through that.” He tells her as they walk through Restaurant Row.
 
“Oh.” She says to herself.
 
“Let me ask, you say you are 17, but you look smaller and younger than you say you are. You have a health problem or situation?” He says and asks.
 
“That’s the good thing about working for Ichigo Moreno; those of us who work for her are constantly checked out by doctors to make sure we are well. But there are some of us, like her, the doctor says its ‘Little People Syndrome,’ this is as big as many of us will get.” She explains.
 
“Is ‘Little People Syndrome’ something that happens here or it happens all over and they gather here because it’s easy to get a job here as a little person?” He asks.
 
“I do not know. I just came here and got lucky with a job with Ichigo. Many others are not as lucky as me but some are. It depends on who you talk to.” She explains.
 
“Alright then.” He says.
 
In a couple minutes, Fernando walks into the market area though few stores were open in the night time hour. They walk around from store to store. In the least they were able to get for her a couple skirts, a couple t-shirts and a large carry shoulder bag. He then walks her to her hotel building and up to her room but not in it.
 
“This is where we must part ways. I’ll see you tomorrow at the cemetery grave site at 10 in the morning.” He tells her.
 
She looks up at him and then down at herself before nodding. He starts to walk away until he gets to the staircase before looking back towards her door. It slowly closes and he can hear the locks being set. He waits for a couple minutes before leaving.
 
Once outside onto the streets, he walks down the block as he turns the crystal on his cane. After a moment he presses the crystal against the cane and disappears in a flash of light. He reappears some 50 yards from the convoy’s parking lot in Flight Town. He looks at his watch, seeing that it is only a few minutes before 9o’clock.
 
As he walks to the convoy parking lot, he pulls out his little Yaesu radio.
 
“Hondo, this is Fernando you out there?” Fernando calls on the radio. He waits a couple seconds before repeating his message.
 
“Yes Jefe, what’s up?” Hondo finally replies.
 
“I need you at the parking lot at 9:30 in the morning. We are going on a trip, and on that trip maybe help somebody in need.” Fernando replies.
 
“Alright, I’ll be there, 9:30 as you said.” Hondo replies.
 
“I’ll see you then.” Fernando says before he shuts off the radio. Whether Hondo replies, he would not know. He continues walking to the parking lot, not stopped by the army guards at the gate as they know who he is. He continues to head to his electric camper but stops with the teen guards and asks how things are in general. They give an honest run down of the past events. Nothing negative has happened while he was gone, the kids were rounded up and put into the Kharkovchanka and things have been quiet since. He asks to make sure that they have their nightly meal ready for them to eat when it is time to eat. They have more than enough for the night; even Lisa’s dogs will have more than their usual meal tonight. Once he sees things are going to be fine he heads off to his electric camper.
 
He steps up to the sliding door and listens in. He hardly hears a thing. The windows to the camper are covered up, making it difficult to look inside. As far as he can tell, those inside should be asleep.
 
He steps to the front passenger door and slowly opens it. He gets in before closing the door behind him. He shifts himself on the seat into the center space between the two seats and gets up. He takes the wooden platform from behind the driver’s seat storage he made to connect the two seats together into a bed. He then walks to the middle of the camper and closes the pop top. He goes into the storage cabinet under the sink and stove, putting out one of the propane shield heaters and turning it on.
 
The heater barely kept the inside of the camper warm as the outside temperatures dropped, the cold leeched through the metal walls and rear door around the bed. He aimed the heater to warm up the area above the bed. He then took his pillow and puts it on the driver’s seat. But there were no spare blankets in the camper. There are a few blankets in the Dub Box Camper but as he remembers they were used by James and Molly when they slept there the night before the Fight Town Death Match and in need of a wash.
 
 
- To Be Continued -

Fernando sits and watches those on the bed, not caring if they wake up and find him watching. They continued to sleep however. Even the cats were asleep, as Meeshie would sometimes check the inside of the camper for mice during the night. After a while he flips his legs over the center connecting platform to face the windshield, and then shifted over to the passenger seat to quietly open the front passenger door and step outside. He closes the door just as quietly.
 
The temperature has dropped to a brisk 40-something F degrees. He thinks that if this was Elsa’s going, it would be a lot colder with ice and snow falling. But it is the temperature that is falling. Perhaps Ichigo is right in that being on the mountains meant colder nights than in the valley.
 
He walks about the back of the camp. In the grassy field he can see several of the Major’s men patrolling the area. Looking around he can see the other troops walking along their patrol areas. Everything looks fine and in their place.
 
There was little for him to do. Furthermore he needs his rest but cannot have it because of issues and attitudes of the moment have him up and about. The best he can do is to walk about like a zombie until his body forces him to go to the makeshift bed on the front seats of the bus. That would at around the midnight hour, as the temperatures drop to their mid 30s and the guards took turns to go to change into something warmer. He goes into his electric camper, finding it more than comfortable inside. But there is still the issue of not having a blanket.
 
He goes back into the camper bus through the front passenger door as quietly as he can. Though still chilly, it was a lot warmer inside than it is on the outside. He shifts over to the center area of the camper and lowers the heat output of the propane heater at tiny bit. Though in the past there has been a problem with Carbon Monoxide with such propane heaters, it one keeps an eye on them and has air circulating in the area, it should not be a problem. Keeping the windows slightly ajar allows for more than enough fresh air to minimize the problem. But burning propane creates heavy amounts of carbon dioxide compared to carbon monoxide, which is still remedied with a slightly opened window. He takes a seat on the center board between the two front seats.
 
He then flips his legs over the seat and positions himself facing the front of his vehicle. He places his hat onto the dashboard and his gun holster on the floor. He takes off his jacket and piles it on the seat next to him. He takes off his shoes and places them by the control pedals of the electric camper. The shirt comes off and draped over the steering wheel. He then lies down across the board and seats using his jacket as a blanket. Sleep only teases him as he spends much of the hours staring at the ceiling.
 
The sun rises at around 6AM. The girls would get up at around 7:30. Fernando gets up with the sun and puts on his clothes, then his shoes hat and jacket. He looks at his wallet, finding his money, badges and identifications in it. It gets shoved into his pants pocket. He goes into the center section of the camper and turns off the propane heater. He positions himself back on the passenger seat before silently opening the door and stepping outside, silently closing the door behind him. He goes over to the night time teen guards and thank then, relieving them of their duty in order to have their ‘dinner meal’ and end their tour so they can sleep during the day. He takes over for them while they are dismissed.
 
While he patrols the area, he checks on his medic jeep and other vehicles in the lot. So far things seem to be in order. The major’s men switch their night time patrol with the day time patrol while the galley prepares to make breakfast for everyone. The major with some of her men head out in their jeeps, probably to Maddie’s restaurant to speed things up in the galley as they need to prepare for lunch and then dinner after doing breakfast.
 
Time goes but at its usual rate: slow when things are boring and fast when things get hectic. Soon Ruth goes into Fernando’s Dub box and start setting up to distribute the breakfast when it comes. 7o’clock comes and Ichigo steps out of the electric camper. She goes to the Dub Box camper to wash up and serve food. The major and her men return from their trip with a couple large boxes of semi prepared food, most likely from Maddie’s restaurant. The boxes are taken to the galley before being worked on a bit and taken to Ruth’s table.
 
The children are coming out of the Kharkovchanka and other convoy residences are stepping out of their shelter vehicles. Things go along quietly and in order. Zoey and Macey are the last to get up, and go to the end of the line to be served. Hondo and Tonya come in on one of the two of the confiscated jeeps they got from the night battle with Os Animas. As things go in order, Fernando takes the tow-hitch and wench, attaching them to the medical jeep accordingly. As he works, Hondo steps up to him.
 
“Wha’s up, Jefe? You needed us to be here at 9:30?” Hondo asks.
 
“We’re taking a small trip. Some people here need to be reminded as to where they came from.” Fernando tells him. He throws in “You, Zoey, Macey, Molly, Val, Ichigo, myself and a couple of others need to go on a little trip. I’m not taking ‘No’ for an answer. And do not think about not showing up, as I will teleport everyone to where it is we have to go.”
 
Not in the mood to argue or discuss it, Hondo just nods, “We will be here then.”
 
“Thank you.” Fernando says before going back to his work.
 
Hondo stepped away a few paces and called Molly on the radio. He told her briefly what was up and asked for her to get Maggie and come join him with the other jeep and to ask Marvin to stand guard with Karl until they got back. She did not question or argue it but just acknowledged his request and said they'd be there. After he was done he pocketed the radio and stepped back up to where Fernando was working. HE watched for a moment in silence before speaking again.
 
“What are you doin’” Hondo asks.
 
“Adding parts to the Medic Jeep before I send it to Gordon’s vehicle shop to add some gas tanks as 10 gallons is not enough to go anywhere around here.” Fernando explains. “If I remember, one can have hidden fuel tanks under the back of the body tub. But I think that adds another 20 gallons, they will need 50 gallons.”
 
“How about getting the major’s men to do the work?” Hondo asks.
 
“I still need to get the parts from Gordon’s vehicle shop to do that.” Fernando explains.
 
“I see.” Hondo replies.
 
“Plus I need parts for two medical jeeps.” Fernando explains.
 
“I forgot about that, you have two medical jeeps.” Hondo replies
 
“You have a couple jeeps yourself that you gathered from the battlefield.” Fernando points out.
 
“I do, but I might hand them over to the major as we do not need two more extra jeeps.” Hondo explains.
 
“Hold onto them for now as we might need them later, like we are needing them now.” Fernando explains.
 
The major and her entourage walks up to Fernando and Hondo.
 
“How are both of you doing this morning?” The Major asks.
 
“We are fine, Major. How are you?” Fernando says and asks.
 
“The troops and I are doing fine. I just need to ask a couple of questions.” The Major say sand asks.
 
“You can ask anything. I retain the right to answer or not, in the least I would not lie to you.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Alright then. The medication you gave the wounded soldiers and your teen guards, you have any to spares to give or a source we can gain access too?” The Major asks.
 
Fernando gets up and steps up the Major, pulling his hand into his pocket and pulls out a metal mint box. He opens it showing some 20 or so pills in it. “This is a Pre Chaos / Pre Happening medication, and that is all I have left of it. If I have to give it to those who are hurt, I will soon run out. Thus I have to stretch it, using fractional doses. Though the patient will heal, it takes longer to do so. Again, this is all I have left and it has to last until I get to Texas.” He closes the metal box and puts it away in his pocket.
 
“I see.” The Major replies.
 
“I told General Jastrey that I will do what I can to help but I am only one person on a mission to get these people to Texas.” Fernando explains.
 
“I understand, and thank you for your service.” The Major replies.
 
“And thank you for all your help.” Fernando tells her before going to work on the jeep.
 
“Can I ask what are you doing?” The Major asks.
 
“I’m just adding a couple things to the jeeps before I take them to Gordon’s vehicle shop.” Fernando answers.
 
“Why are you sending them to Gordon’s shop? My men can work on them for you.” The Major asks and says.
 
“Even if I let your men to work on them, I still need to get the parts that Gordon has.” Fernando explains.
 
“What do you need? We will see what we have and give them to you.” The Major says and asks.
 
“As far as I now, these Lawmen Jeeps only have a single 10 gallon fuel tank with the range of around 140 miles or so.” Fernando explains.
 
The Major goes over the jeep before lightly kicking underneath the rear end on both sides.
 
“Did you check the underside of the vehicle?” The Major asks.
 
“Not yet, I have been too busy. Why?” Fernando says and asks.
 
“My motor pool people put two hidden tanks under the rear of the two jeeps’ tub. It should give 450 to 500 mile range* depending on if and what you are towing and load you are carrying.” The Major explains.
 
“I did not know that. Thank you. If you do not mind, how do I fill them?” Fernando says and asks.
 
The Major points to the rear tail lights, grabbing the top of it and pulling on it out as it opens like a door. Behind where the light fixture was is a fuel cap which she removes. “This one is for the tank on the right, the one behind the other light is for the tank on the left.”
 
Fernando and Hondo examine the set up, with Fernando saying, “I see. How do I switch tanks?”
 
The major goes to the driver’s door as Fernando and Hondo looked in from the open passenger door. She reaches to the dashboard to a lever marked “Vents” and slid it back and forth, saying “Right tank, Main tank and Left tank.”
 
“That answers a lot. What airflow through the vents?” Fernando says and asks.
 
“The vents are set to open, but you use this other knob for the fresh air or heated air from the heater core.” The Major explains.
 
“Then thank you. Now, I think Hondo has a request to ask of you as well. Hondo?” Fernando says before they step away from the jeep and gather to its front.
 
“How can I help you, Hondo, sir?” The major asks.
 
“Well, ma’am. Remember that night battle we had?” Hondo begins.
 
“That was just two nights ago. So what of it?” The Major says and asks.
 
“I acquired a few vehicles which you can have most of them, but can you do to two of the jeeps I have with what you done with Jefe’s jeeps? I may not need them in the end and maybe givin’ them to you for the cause when we leave but until then and maybe if we do need them, I would like them ready like you did his.” Hondo explains.
 
“Can I see your two vehicles?” The major asks before she throws in, “We may be out of hard tops but we can put on a retractable soft top if you like. Other than that, it would be the same set up, added fuel tanks, a paint job per your choice.”
 
“Soft tops are good. They are both here. On the other side of SUVs.” Hondo explains.
 
“What other vehicles you obtained?” The major asks.
 
“Four more jeeps, three tanks with burn damage on the outside and some burn damage on the inside but still operational, and one heavily damaged tank we pushed, they are all behind the hanger. All those you can have. It is not like we are goin’ to need a tank.” Hondo explains.
 
“We’ll take those jeeps now to work on them for you and send a crew to recover the asset of vehicles you have in storage. They should be ready for you tomorrow midday. If you or members of your crew need vehicle travel during this time, my troops will take you where you need to go and back.” The Major explains.
 
“Hondo can use the other medical jeep as I am using this one. It might be a tight squeeze though.” Fernando explains.
 
“We’ll manage.” Hondo replies.
 
“What color scheme you want them?” The major asks.
 
“I did not plan on paintin’ them.” Hondo replies.
 
“Paint them white, with two crossed wrenches on it with ‘MECHANIC SQUAD’ under the wrenches.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo nods.
 
“Alright, we’ll get that done for you.” The Major says.
 
“Thank you, Major. Your help is greatly appreciated.” Fernando replies.
 
“I'll have my team drop the other jeep off shortly. Thanks a lot ma’am.” Hondo throws in.
 
The Major nods at them before she leaves with her group and then takes out her radio to give out orders to work on Hondo’s Jeeps and to gather up the vehicles he has stashed away.
 
 
[Some 1500 miles away at group of camped vehicles at the end of a dessert...]
 
A lone fox Wessen walks around in circles and kicking at things that would not kick back, cursing under his breath in a strange mix of English and Spanish few would understand, wondering why there is not answer to any of his past radio calls. There is a strange hum to the selected extreme frequencies which he never heard before or understand what it means, thinking it is just normal.
 
“Of All Da Stupido Mierda, Why Do They Not Answer?!” The Fox Wessen says.
 
A voice calls out from the camped vehicles, “Hey, Hector! We got breakfast cooking! But we need to get to town for supplies!”
 
“ARGH! No Me Jode (Ho-Dey, which means ‘Bother’), Woman!” The Fox Wessen replies.
 
A Dark Shadow flows over the camp, and circles it. It grows smaller but sharper. Soon a bright yellow singer seat plane (Piper Cub) lands far from the camp but rolls close to it. There was a machine gun tied to each strut of the Piper Cub’s wings. A flap panel opens up from it, and a strange looking individual in a black leather trench coat steps out. Its back emblem being a strange one of a bird of prey swooping down in flight, with “Death From Above” and under it “Os Animas.” The individual walks to the group at the cooking area.
 
“Where’s Hector?” The individual asks loud to be heard by all.
 
“First off, who are you and why you came here?” One around the cooking area says.
 
“One: That is none of your business. Two: I only speak to Hector or I speak to no one.” The individual squawks loudly at them.
 
“It be a pity if something were to happen to you and your flying machine.” The same one opens his mouth trying to show some bravado.
 
The individual rises up his arm and shoots up a red flare from a flare gun. In about 30 seconds more encircling shadows surround the camp, followed by a trail of machine gunfire that deliberately misses everything. It stops as suddenly as it has started.
 
“I am no fool to come alone.” The individual says. He then looks at the back of the jeeps, seeing fuel jugs hanging from the side holders. “Now, because of your bullshit and waste of time, this message is going to cost you all six fuel jugs. Hand them over to my assistant in the plane or the next time my friends start shooting from above, there will be no one left alive.”
 
“We ain’t paying nothing!” The one doing to talking so far continues to say.
 
“Shut that Dirt trap Mouth of yours!” Hector comes out. He walks up to the individual before snapping his fingers and yelling at the crew, “You heard him, give him six jugs of fuel!”
 
The crew does as they are told reluctantly, bringing six jugs of fuel to the piper cub. Hector steps up to the individual.
 
“Uncover that face, Hector speaks to no one unless he sees a face.” Hector tells him
 
“You do not need to talk. You need to listen.” The individual says. He then adds, “Have it your way. You only met our kind once.” He then begins to unravel his flight scarf from his neck and face and pulls up his goggles.
 
Hector sees that he is standing in front of the rarest of the rare of Wessens – a Seltenvogel – a Bird of Prey / Human Hybrid. His eyes widen at the site he beholds.
 
“What is the message?” Hector asks.
 
“There has been a million dollars in gold coins reward has been placed on your orange tail, and one-hundred thousand to anyone found with you – dead or alive.” The Seltenvogel tells him.
 
“How do I know you are here to collect on... reward?” Hector asks.
 
The individual takes off his leather trench and shows him the emblem, “Os Animas do not betray our leaders unless they start making stupid mistakes. Last night’s attack on the Merchant Town is a mistake many will not forget. Many have switched over and are looking for you and your gang to collect on that reward. Everyone with a wireless have already heard the news while you wallow here in pity and disgust on the loss of over several thousand Wessens. Whether we won or lost is not the point, the price of the victory is too high, loosing and retreating would have been a better option.” He then grabs Hector by his mechanical wrist and holds it up to their faces, “So the rumors are true.” He let’s go of wrist, which Hector pulls away, “You’re a marked Fox. Everyone within 5000 miles from here is looking for you. No town will be safe for you to hide in, as guarded entries will search every vehicle for you. Highway gangs will be searching for you as well. Many of Os Animas have turned in their coats to go after you. My kind will follow the leader until they start making mistakes. You now have two mistakes in a row, one more and we turn on you, kill you, and collect the reward on you. Do not make another mistake, we know where you are, you cannot hide from us as we are always looking down at you from above. As we stand here and speak, Humans and Wessens are coming here looking for you. Leave now while you can.”
 
Hector has an indignant look on his face, his failures mounting up and it is going to cost him more than just his hand next time around.
 
The individual puts on his trench coat and scarf, taking the steps back to his aircraft. The engine is turned on before the flaps are closed. Soon it is taking off away from the camp.
 
Hector turns to group.
 
“Pack Up! Time to get out of there!” He yells at them.
 
“What about the food?” One of them says.
 
“#$@! the food! We’re outta here!” Hector tells them.
 
[To Be Continued

---

NOTE:
17MPG on 4cylinder Jeep Wrangler, not towing. Military Jeeps would be higher in mileage but I’ll go with about 15MPG as an average.
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/1988_Jeep_Wrangler.shtml
 
(edited for Hondo's group to fit post continuity.)

(Time rewind to early that same morning)
 
Val woke up around to the sound of someone close by, as she slept near the fire. The air was fridgid but the warms coming from the fire said that someone had stoked it and added fuel to it again.  She groaned as she tried to stretch her cold, sore muscles that were stiff from sleeping on the hard ground. Her head throbbed from a hangover as she opened one eye to look who was there and she saw it was Ruth making coffee. It was still dark out, but even the firelight hurt her eyes, so she closed in again with a groan.
 
“I’ll have coffee ready soon.” Ruth said.
 
Val tried to sit up but felt a bit nauseous so she laid back down.
 
“What time is it?” She asked groggily.
 
“Almost quarter to five.” Ruth said.
 
Val swore softly and forced herself up on her elbow as she squinted at Ruth. She did not feel well at all but she took a pull from her flask to help. She grimaced as the liquid burned her throat felt like lava burning a hole through her gut as it hit her stomach. The feeling soon passed, though, as her insides numbed a bit, leaving her with an empty, unsettled feeling in her gut and her throbbing headache still. She took another pull and laid back down to wait for it to help her head too.
 
Ruth shook her head and sighed, “Val, you can’t keep doing this to yourself.”
 
“Why should you care?!” She growled back.
 
“I thought Hondo was the blind one, not seeing how much we all need him and care about him, but you’re the real blind one. I know you have felt alone and none of us have gone out of our way to be friends with you, but you have a husband who loves you and from what I understand Fernando expended a lot of personal time and energy to repair you after you were hurt. I don’t understand it all but that’s what I’ve been told. That mean you have people here who care about you. Most of us do as you’ve touched our lives in our darkest hours. Why can’t you just listen and understand we are trying to help in yours?!” Ruth replied in a quick, hurt tone.
 
“You don’t understand.” Val mumbled as she put her arm over her eyes.
 
“They help me understand!” Ruth exclaimed
 
Val  shook her head, “You can’t… no one can.”
 
“Val, what did they do to you?” Ruth asked softly.
 
Val kept her eyes covered to hide her tears. She was silent for several seconds and only spoke after Ruth had given up and started to walk back to her camper.
 
“They…they tried to turn me into a wessen… strip me of who I was.” She said softly.
 
Ruth stopped and turned back to her, a surprised look on her face.
 
“They what?! But.. but you are still human!” Ruth exclaimed
 
“They couldn’t change me… Fernando, he.. he gave me something a few years back that kept me from changin’.” Val said in a quiet voice.
 
“What did he give you?” Ruth asked
 
“Its.. its hard to explain… It’s old world medicine. Rare even then, but it kept me from changin’.” Val said.
 
“That’s a good thing, right?” Ruth asked
 
Val shook her head, “No… The process… they… they knew my body was fighting it so they kept trying… they tried to force my body to change…it hurt… it hurt so bad… The medicine they forced in me, the burnin’ from it an’ the electricity they shocked me with… the cold…”
 
Val’s voice was shaky as she spoke as she fought back from crying. Crying was all she had done lately and she was so tired of crying.
 
“It sounds horrible.” Ruth said.
 
Val nodded slightly, “It.. it was.”
 
“What happened then?” Ruth asked
 
“They.. they kept trying until the pain was so bad that.. that my heart stopped and.. I died.” Val said hesitantly.
 
“What?! That can’t be as you’re alive!” Ruth asked, not believing what she heard.
 
“It’s.. it’s the old world medicine in me… I.. I can only completely die if so much of me is damaged or destroyed, or I’m bled dry… I was hurt but not damaged too bad yet… a few minutes late my heart started again.” Val said
 
“Wait.. not damaged too bad yet?” Ruth asked
 
Val nodded and sighed, “Yeah,.. they.. they thought I was immortal and wanted to find out why. I’m not I just don’t die easy.”
 
“Why doesn’t he give it to everyone then?” Ruth asked
 
“It’s.. its complicated… there was very little of this medicine in the old world… it’s impossible to make and almost non-existent now. Plus if it got in the wrong hands bad people would use it so they could hurt others more… Fernando had a little and gave it too..too people he cared ‘bout and trusted.” She said in a small, sad voice.
 
She knew she had hurt his trust and friendship, though she had not meant to. She reacted badly to him, but it was like she could not help it and she did not know why. When they talked she lashed out at him, and after regretted it. All she felt inside was anger and sadness and for some reason when she spoke to Hondo or Fernando all she could speak was vile words in angry tones, meant to inflict hurt. She knew she was broken but in her mind she was broken beyond hope and just wanted it all to end.
 
Ruth sighed, “I understand but can’t say I’m not a bit jealous. Would be nice to feel less vulnerable.”
 
“It’s a curse sometimes too… you can’t tell anyone what I’ve told you… If it got out….” Val paused
 
“People would hunt you all and experiment on you to get it for themselves, right?” Ruth said
 
Val nodded.
 
“I understand… Is that why you say it’s a curse?” Ruth asked.
 
Val nodded again, “Yeah that and… I should have died.”
 
“Don’t say that! I know you hurt Hondo, but think how hurt he’d be if you were dead!” Ruth exclaimed
 
“at least then I’d not have hurt him myself” she said in a whisper.
 
Ruth sighed and stared at her as she laid on the ground.
 
“You said they thought you were immortal and wanted to find out why, does that mean they experimented on you?” Ruth asked.
 
Val nodded.
 
Ruth sighed and shook her head, “That must have been horrible.”
 
“You ever hear when someone has a near death experience how sometimes they feel so scared and alone as it gets close?” Val asked
 
Ruth nodded, “Yeah. I’ve heard of it a few times… the feeling of being scared, powerless, alone.”
 
“Ruth, they.. they kept stopping my heart and hurting me to see how long it would take for me to come back!” She half exclaimed in a raspy voice as she choked back her tears as she could almost feel the horrors again in her mind.
 
“They kept killing you! How awful!” Ruth exclaimed
 
“I was so scared and felt so alone and every time they did it hurt! It hurt so bad!! And.. and then they started takin’ parts out of me to test! A kidney, a lung, an eye, an ovary… a piece her and a part there.” Val said shakily
 
“Oh God!” Ruth exclaimed as she sank to her knees beside Val and grabbed her free hand and held it in hers.
 
“They kept takin’ and takin’! There was not much of me left! I was all surgery scars and hollow! I was ugly!! I just wanted to die!... Hondo, I wanted him to save me at first. I begged God for Hondo to save me but.. but then there wasn’t enough of me left and.. and I didn’t want saved! I just wanted to die!” Val said as she lost the battle and her whole body shook as she sobbed.
 
“I .. I can’t even imagine! Oh, Val I’m so sorry…. But, Fernando healed you somehow, right? I don’t understand it, but I know you aren’t lying, I just know.” Ruth said
 
“I.. I don’t understand it either but he did… He put me together and even offered to erase my memories of it, but I wanted to remember, I wanted to remember these people and their evil so I could help stop them!” Val said
 
“Then, what happened? You and Hondo seemed fine after. You even seemed happy, though a bit distant.” Ruth inquired.
 
Valentine sniffled a bit as she tried to pull herself together. She was silent for a moment before replying as she even had to think about it. After a bit she replied hesitantly.
 
“I.. I kept lokin’ in the mirror or down at myself and.. and I saw the scars and the missin’ parts. Then.. then I’d look at Hondo and.. and I’d see that he was whole. I’d think about how I begged for God to let him rescue me and.. I found it was easier to be mad at Hondo for not savin’ me than to be mad at God.” Val replied
 
“But he tried hard to find you, they both did!” Ruth replied emphatically.  
 
“I.. I know.” Val said quietly.
 
“But you are mad at Fernando too?” Ruth asked
 
“I.. I don’t mean to be. I just see him and I see red. I think I blame him too for not findin’ me and.. and for not just takin’ those memories… I know it was my fault, my choice, but I can’t help but be angry!” Val replied
 
Ruth sighed and shook her head as she still held Val’s hand.
 
“I don’t know what to say… Have you talked to Hondo or Fernando about this?” She asked
 
Val shook her head, “I.. I can’T! I can’t even tell them what happened!”
 
“You haven’t told them?!” Ruth asked in a shocked tone.
 
“I..I think Maggie told Hondo some but, no… I can’t.” Val said
 
“Why did you tell me, then?” Ruth asked
 
“I... I need someone to know before… before…” She paused not knowing what to say.
 
“Do not think about ending your life!” Ruth exclaimed
 
Val pulled her hand away and sat up. She hugged her knees to her chest and sat looking into the dark of the early morning, with her back to Ruth.
 
“If I don’t I’ll only hurt them more… I can’t heal from this.” She said quietly.
 
Ruth slowly stood and looked down on the woman that sat on the ground. She was starting to understand why she was so broken, but she did not know how to help her. She had a feeling Fernando and Hondo were both too hurt, stressed, and angry themselves to help her like she needed either, but someone had to help her.
 
“Please don’t try anything. I don’t know how to help you but I want to try, especially after all you did for us.” Ruth said
 
Val shook her head, “There is no help for me.”
 
“Give me a chance and at least don’t try anything.” Ruth said.
 
“I can’t promise anythin’.” Val said quietly
 
Ruth sighed, “At least go get a shower and some rest in your camper. Couldn’t have slept well out here last night.”
 
Val shook her head, “I .. I can’t… I can start breakfast.”
 
“The military is doing most of it this morning. They will bring me stuff to assemble the meals for our camp. Will need to set stuff out, get drinks, plates and such set out, and box up meals for those at the hanger, but that’s not for a couple hours yet, at least.” Ruth said
 
“I’ll wait here until you need me, then.” Val said in a quiet, flat tone.
 
Ruth shook her head, “No. I won’t let you help if you don’t take acre of yourself!”
 
Val turned her head suddenly to Ruth and scowled angrily, “You want me thrown out of camp?!”
 
 
“That’s not it. What good is it for you to be in camp if you aren’t going to take care of yourself? You want to die, its easier to find a death out in the wilds!” Ruth said, desperately grasping at straws trying to find something that would put enough of a fire into Val so that she’d want to love and want to get help.
 
 
“I.. I just want to stick ‘round long enough to make sure he and the girls are okay… and.. and that they won’t cry over me when I’m gone… I just need a few more days.” Val said, lowering her tone back to quiet and sad.
 
 
Ruth sighed, “Be that as it may you are dirty, smell like smoke, sweat, and booze, and look like a road-tramp! You’ll make everyone thing our food has dirt in it and make them gag if they get too close! You want to help I need you clean, rested, and sober!”
 
 
Val frowned and pulled an almost empty flask from her pocket. She looked at it sadly and shook her head, “I..I can’t face anyone sober right now.”
 
 
Ruth sighed and shook her head, “Alright, clean and rested at least… or clean and making an attempt at getting sleep… please.”
 
 
Val nodded after a moment, “Okay… I’ll go shower and see about a nap and then I’ll come help.”
 
 
Ruth shook her head, “Don’t worry about it until lunch.”
 
 
“But he’ll throw me out if I don’t help with breakfast!” She said looking at Ruth with a desperate look.
 
 
“You chopped fruit and veggetables that I’ll be using to assemble the breakfasts for everyone, so you did help and I’ll attest to that. Just go rest.” Ruth said
 
 
Val sighed and nodded after a moment. Ruth grabbed a coffee cup that had been fully covered with blue speckled ceramic but was now half exposed metal, filled it with coffee and handed it to Val. Val took it and tried to force a weak smile.
 
 
“Thank you.” She said in a whisper.
 
 
Ruth nodded, “Now go clean up and rest.
 
 
Val nodded again and trudged back to the camper.
 
 
Ruth sighed and poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down to think. She had to do more for Val, but she was at a loss.
 
 
Val made her way into the dark camper and sat down on the couch. It was cold and empty inside her and the camper. She ended up adding some whiskey to the coffee before heading to the shower. She stripped her clothes off and too the coffee into the shower with her. She drank it as she stood under the hot water with her forehead against the wall to keep her upright. As she sipped the coffee she watched the water fall from her body, hit the floor and swirl down the drain. It was comforting and almost mesmerizing, but it was not enough to stop all the dark thoughts in her head.
 
 
She stood there until the water started to grow cold, and then hurriedly washed in the cold water before getting out and wrapping herself in a large towel. She had been cold enough from the night as is was, and though the hot water had helped, the cold water started her into shivering again. She dried off quickly and changed into some jeans, a white t-shirt, and threw on her robe and some slippers to try to warm up. Her teeth still chattered, as she had not really eaten in a couple days now, other than the bit of food the older Valentine had made her eat two days ago, so her body did not have the calories it needed to warm up. She took a large slug from a whiskey bottle and filled up her two flasks before grabbing a blanket and wrapping up in it on the couch, with the whiskey bottle in hand. She drank some more and then a bit more, until a warm dull feeling took over her body and she passed out.
 
 
How long she was out she did not know, but a knock on the door woke her up from her alcohol induced sleep. She was not sure she heard it at first but the knock came again, sounding much louder this time than she had heard it before. She was half drunk still and felt sick. Her head pounded louder than whoever impatiently stood at the door, which all just added to her overall hate for life. She forced her self to her feet and stumbled to the door, as her sleepiness gave way to the anger and depression inside her.
 
 
Val opened the door angry. She looks around and then down to Fernando.
 
 
“What the #$@! you want?” Val almost yells at him.
 
 
“You got two minutes to fix yourself up and get your hat and coat. We are going on a trip and whether you are ready or not, I’m teleporting your ass as is in two minutes, so it better be ready. I’m expecting everyone to show up in front of our campers. Be there.” Fernando growls back at her.
 
 
“I’d like to see you try.” Val says before she closes the door on his face.
 
 
“You were warned.” Fernando says before he walks to the front of the camper.

 
Val leaned against the door as her heart raced in her chest.  
 
 
She yelled at herself mentally for doing it again and questioned why she was this way. Every time she saw him she got this angry adrenaline surge. Was it really anger or was she afraid of Fernando now and masked it with anger? She wondered if maybe she was afraid of them both? Or maybe she was just afraid they would really be done with her and throw her away like a piece of garbage. It’s not like her life was worth anything anyway. She was just something to be torn apart at will and then discarded when people were done with her, like they had done with her organs at the lab. Test, find useless, discard.
 
 
She stumbled to the kitchen counter and grabbed her flask after a moment and took a deep pull, groaning a bit as it hit her stomach. She leaned on the counter for a moment and panted a bit as she tried to settle down. Her whole body trembled and her mind screamed at her as she stood there.  
 
 
As she stood there trying to settle herself out a bright flash of light seemed to envelope her and when it was gone she found herself leaning against the hood of a jeep in the middle of a cemetery. She looked around to see two jeep and Fernando standing a bit behind her. It was beginning to rain slightly and she looked up and let the drops hit her in the face. A slight breeze blew and she shivered, which added to her trembling. Fernando knocked on the vehicle and to her surprise Hondo, Molly, Maggie, Zoey, Macey, and Ichigo climb out of the one jeep and follow Fernando to a tombstone that he pointed at. It says “James the Red, March 2042, June 2066.”
 
 
She saw Molly kneel down and hug the stone, sobbing as she did, as if her broken heart could bring back the one she lost if she held on tightly enough and cried enough tears. It hit her then, in part, what Fernando was trying to do. Something in her wanted to fall to the ground sobbing as part of her realized the pain and loss that had been perpetrated from them trying to find her, but something else overshadowed that feeling. Something inside her shut down everything but her anger for the moment, as it knew Fernando brought her here to break her down. She could not break down, not now. They wanted to break her, the whole world did and it had won, she was a broken woman, but something inside her fought that. She could not let them see just how broken she was. She had to be seen as strong, for now anyway. She figured she would find a way to die soon and would be planted like this one who Molly sobbed over, but she wanted no one to hurt for her like Molly hurt for James. She had to die, she felt this inside, as she felt no life in her anymore, but she could not go and leave behind those who she had loved to cry like this.
 
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
 
Hondo parked the second medic jeep behind Fernando’s and climbed out a bit slower than Fernando, who was already standing at the front of the second jeep by the time Hondo was on his feet again.
 
 
“Hondo, I need you to go get Macey and Zoey here. If you see Ichigo, tell her it is up to her to go with us as ‘Maria’ which means dressing up with a hoodie to cover her head and face. She has a few things I got her she can dress down to kid level. Molly does not have to come but only if she wants too, but Maggie and Val needs to come. I’m getting Val.” Fernando tells him.
 
 
“Zoey and Macey needs to be dressed in any way?” Hondo asks.
 
 
“Dress for the weather. Jeans and hoodies at best. Like we found them that morning.” Fernando answers.
 
 
Hondo nods before walking off.
 
 
It did not take him long to get to Fernando’s camper where he found the two girls sitting with Ichigo, looking like they had all just finished breakfast. They all looked up at him and then Macey and Zoey looked back down at the floor, not wanting to hold eye-contact with him and his firm, steely gaze.
 
 
“Something wrong?” Ichigo asked.
 
 
“Not yet, anyway. Jefe wants you three to come with me. We’re takin’ a little trip. He said if you want to dress as his daughter it’s up to you but I reckon that means we might be around other people who hate you or want to sell your ass.” He said.
 
 
“Do you hate me or want to, as you said, sell my ass?” She asked
 
 
“I have no wish to sell ya out.” He said.
 
 
“But you do hate me?” She asked
 
 
“I don’t particularly like ya an’ I trust ya ‘bout as far as I can throw this van.” He said flatly.
 
 
She sighed, “I guess I do deserve that, but I’m trying to do better, honest! I’d like to earn your trust since Fernando trusts you so much.”
 
 
“I don’t reckon that will be easy.” He said.
 
 
She frowned, “I did not think it would be, but I need to know I can trust you. I know Fernando will try to protect me but I want to know if you’d do the same or just stand by while I’m taken.”
 
 
“I said I’d not sell ya out!” He growled.
 
 
“But would you protect me?” She asked as she met his steely glare and looked into his eyes, though his glare made her a bit uncomfortable too.
 
 
He blew air through his nase and shook his head, “I reckon ya don’t know me at all or you’d not ask that.”
 
 
“You are right. I don’t! So please tell me.” She said
 
 
“You might not be innocent, but you try to mend your ways an’ I’ll protect you. None of us are perfect so I do believe in second chances, just not forgive an’ forget.” He said.
 
 
She nodded, “I do need that second chance… I believe you are not a liar, so I believe you will protect me if Fernando is not there to do so. I understand if you do not like me for what I’ve done, though and I am fine with that, maybe someday we can be friends but if not I do understand.”
 
 
He nodded, softening his gaze a bit, “As long as we have that understandin’.”
 
 
She nodded back and smiled softly, “I agree. Now, can you give us a minute to get dressed?”
 
 
“Make sure the girls have on their boots an’ hoodies. I’d reckon you should too to be safe.” He said.
 
 
“Okay.” She said.
 
 
“Meet me at the jeeps.” He said as he turned away, leaving them to get dressed.
 
 
As he came back to the jeeps Molly and Maggie walked up to him.
 
 
“A couple soldiers came and got the jeep. They said they had your other one and were going to work on them?” She said in a questioning tone.
 
 
He nodded, “Getting’ them fixed up in case we need them.”
 
 
She nodded, “Probably would not hurt to take them if we can.”
 
 
“Might be short on drivers, though.” He said.
 
 
“Maggie or I could probably drive one and could always tow the other. They are nice to get around in tight areas unlike your Bronco.” She said.
 
 
He nodded, “We’ll see.”
 
 
“So, what’s going on?” Maggie asked, looking a bit tired as she leaned against the medic jeep.
 
 
“Jefe has somewhere for us to go. Said you, me, Val, Zoey, and Macey had to go. He wants Ichigo, or Maria as she’s callin’ herself now, to go an’ said Molly could come if she wanted but didn’t have to, so I have no clue.” He said.
 
 
“What about Tonya?” Molly asked
 
 
“She’s helpin’ Ruth at the moment. Told her to stay with Ruth into I came for her, so I reckon she can stay there. You want to go along?” He asked
 
 
“I told you I’d go with you earlier, so yeah, but do you know where we are going?” She asked.
 
 
“I do not know, but from Jefe’s tone he sees it as important.” He replied.
 
 
“I hope we aren’t gone all day as I’m tired.” Maggie said.
 
 
About then Ichigo and the girls joined them and Fernando was not but about two steps behind them. Seeing a gathering begin, so others wander over but Fernando turns them away, letting them know in no uncertain terms that they need to mind their own busy, do their jobs, and not be there unless they were told to be. The stress, tension, and exhaustion that played on everyone was becoming more evident in them all, Fernando especially, as he spoke to those who let their curiosity get the better of them.
 
 
After a bit Val had not shown and Fernando let out a frustrated sigh as he turned to Hondo.
 
 
“Get everyone into your medic jeep and wait for me. I’m going to get Val.” Fernando tells him.
 
 
“Alrigh’ Jefe.” Hondo says before he starts packing jeep. Zoey, Macey, Molly, and Ichigo pile into the back with Maggie sitting in the front passenger seat. Fernando steps away from between the two jeeps and waves his cane. In a bright flash of light they were gone.
 
 
[Flight Town Memorial Cemetery]
 
 
Two jeeps materialize in front a row of tombstones, along with Fernando and Val, Val was just in her shirt pants, sox, slippers and a robe. It is beginning to rain slightly. The crystal on his cane smokes from each rain drops that hits it, but the heat from its energy core does not affect him. He taps Hondo’s medical jeep.  Hondo gets out of the jeep, puzzled as to where and why they are at as he helps the others out of the jeep. They all gather around Fernando who had his cane pointed to a tombstone. It says “James the Red, March 2042, June 2066.”
 
 
Molly kneels down at the stone and cries as she holds it like a lost lover.
 
 
Fernando gives Zoey and Macey a soft shove, “Get on your knees.” They both look at him as if they are going to lose it emotionally. He repeats himself “Get On Your Knees.”
 
 
As the girls knelt down, Hondo realized what Fernando was doing, but found himself slightly pissed that he did not give him more of a warning as to when they were doing. He thought about it and felt his temper rise over being kept in the dark about his own daughter’s punishment and a for dragging Molly blindly into something that would cause her to relive her grief. He wanted to go to her and comfort her but he felt it was not the time or place for such actions with all those who were there.  He was pulled out of his thoughts as Val stepped forward angrily.
 
 
“You do not talk to my Zoey Like That!” Val at barks at Fernando.
 
 
Fernando turns to her. She can see his eyes glowing from behind his dark glasses.
 
 
“You lost being a mother to Zoey like you lost being a wife to Hondo because of bullshit crap in your freaking drama filled female mind. I told you people died looking for you, and here he is. You may have not known him but he was loved by some, hated by others but respected by all. You think I would lie to you? You think I’m telling you stories to make you and I feel good? Well look here, once upon a time these little bitches decided to play a game of hurtful drama and made one ran away. In searching for her, you were it was not safe to go out alone. You left on your own accord thinking you are in control of the situation. You got pounced upon and hit over the head and dragged away. We found Zoey but lost you. Our search did not end; we switched from finding Zoey to finding you. We found him and he guided us to a potential lead to find and rescue you. We fought for getting you back. We killed many who got in our way. Hondo got shot and almost killed. But we found where you were being held – in a blimp moored at a blimp parking station on the far side of town. When we got there, it was already on fire, burned to the ground, bodies everywhere charred like left over burnt barbecue. You were not in the wreckage, so they moved you and we were searching again. That is when James got killed, trying to get evidence for us to find you. Unknown to us at the time, Maggie was bringing you home. A lot of people died because of this, a lot of people died either trying to find you or getting in the way of hiding you deeper. I killed a lot of people looking for you. I do not kill for fun or pleasure, I kill those who get in the way of rescuing a life – your life. We did our best for you, I do not care if you think our best is not good enough for you. It is all we have to give and that is all that we gave as we are not able to give you any more. I do not want to hear your #$@!ing mouth because what you have to say will not bring James back. But you have a chance to put your family back together or you can be a little bitch all you want as we leave you behind.” Fernando growls at her.
 
 
Val swallowed hard and took a step back as her eyes turned back to where Molly knelt. She wanted to go cry with Molly over it but could not. She wanted to hate Fernando for what he said, but could not. He was right, and she knew it, but she had felt abandoned by them, especially Hondo, and could not shake that feeling. So she stood there, like an ice sculpture, rigid and cold.
 
 
Fernando turns to Macey and Zoey.
 
 
“And you two? There is nothing you can say that will bring back James. This is both your fault. You, Macey for instigating it. You, Zoey for running away and making us look for you. There is nothing in this world for you to run to. And maybe I could let this go, two stupid girls on a drama power trip thinking they know better than us adults.  But no. You two ran away again, during the battle of Flight Town. You two could have been kidnapped, raped, killed... for what? For A Lot Of Bull Shit! I Put You In A Safe Pace With People I Can Trust And You Betrayed That Trust. You endangered your lives and the live of us looking for you – AGAIN! What the #$@! is wrong with you little bitches? You Want Drama Because Your Lives Are Too Boring? Well, a boring life is the best life to have because this is what drama gives you! You want to end up like James, then keep up with the bull shit drama. Your life will be short, full of excitement, sorrow and pain. If you want a long but quiet, peaceful and long life then end the drama now. There will be no next time. No one will ever die again because of you two unless it is either one or both of you. And I am not going to look for you and I will not allow anyone else look for you. You will be lucky if you get a grave and a stone. It is more likely that you will end up on the side of the road in a ditch where the dogs and birds fight to take a bite off your rotting flesh and bones. That is what you sorry ass bitches are going to get if you keep this drama crap up.” Fernando holds back from screaming at them.
 

The girls said nothing but sniffled as they knelt, heads bowed, in front of James’ gave stone. The rain started to pick up and fell softly on them all, but no one really noticed it.
 
 
Fernando starts to walk away from them, taking Ichigo by the hand he leads her back to Hondo’s Medical jeep. He tells her as he helps her back in, “You’ll be safe inside.”
 
 
As soon as he closes the door, a short bunny ring girl steps up to him, “Fernando?”
 
 
It was Mae and she was not alone as three others were with her. He turns to face them.
 
 
“Oh, Mae! You made it! And your friends too! Good!” Fernando says.
 
 
Hondo steps towards them, “What’s goin’ on?”
 
 
“You can get sick of it but I rather rescue somebody who is in need of saving from a hell of a life on the streets than have a lying daughter, a lying niece and a hate drama fill friend tell me what to do.” Fernando says it out loud for all of them to hear.
 
 
Hondo wondered if Fernando was meaning to offend him or not, as he had never gotten sick of helping folks. Only thing he got sick of was getting hurt by those he cared about while trying to help save lives.
 
 
Fernando turns to face Hondo, glancing over at Val, “You and your wife have a lot to make up for. Go to her, and if you have to, slap her. For as God made Eve from Adam’s rib to be close to his heart, he did not made her to be superior over him. Any woman who thinks she is superior to a man is no woman at all. She is nothing but a whore at that point.”
 
 
Val takes a couple towards Fernando, Hondo and the bunny girls.

 
She did not need any help feeling inferior or like a useless nothing, but there it was being thrown into her face again. She half thought about just taking it but her mouth decided to out run her brain and say things before she thought them through.
 
 
“Now you listen here you male chauvinistic pig – we women are better than men because we bear life!” She growled
 
 
“Shut the #$@! up before I slap you!” Fernando throws at her. “Anybody can bear life – experiments in the 1990s had several men pregnant. Artificial Wombs made in the lab to support a fetus to full term birth. Yeah, you women can bear life. Big deal. But is it us men who give you that life to bear. It is us men who give you food, warmth, and shelter to bear and raise that life. It is us men who fight for you and your needs when you would not fight it on your own. As a woman, you are not superior to us men. At the very best and in the very least you are equal to us. You are part of a half of a greater whole, a whole you rather let become destroyed because of #$@!ing drama. Well guess what. Tammy was the same way with me, and then she found out that I could do things with Time, she started cheating on me. She started enticing her boy toys that given some time that she would take my abilities and share it with them. But I found out and I broke up with that bitch, and even though she tried to restart our relationship again, the Spirits brought my ass here. But I traced her Time Line. Soon after I disappeared they made her try to find me and get my abilities, but I was gone. She lived a horrible life lying to men with too much power and after a while, they made her go swimming with a pair of concrete shoes out in the Gulf of Mexico. Tammy crossed the line with me first and then with the wrong people. You are crossing that line with me, and I will abandon you. Cross the line with anyone else after that? Hope you can swim with 10 pounds of concrete around your ankles, because that is where you are heading, because you are making me not to give a #$@! anymore. If women are so DAMN superior, then why are they the first ones to go whore themselves out. No man out there is willing to sell his ass unless it is a last resort in what he can do to support himself and those he loves, but a woman will whore herself at a drop of a hat.” Fernando tells her before taking off his hat and dropping it at her feet.
 
 
“Fernando, stop it.” Hondo tells him.
 
 
“Not until she understands what had to be done to find her and it is only by luck that we did. Maggie, I cannot repay you for your work but you have my trust and my loyalty to help you as needed. You are now a friend of mine and only a few can claim to that. But this, this is not going to happen again. If somebody dies working for me again, then the sun will rise from the west from where I stand and lay waste to all but those I protect. You can take that to the bank.” Fernando tells Hondo, then Maggie and lastly to everyone else as he points to James’ grave.
 
 
“What about Hector?” Hondo asks.
 
 
“Wherever Hector is, he is on the run. Word of a million in gold reward on his tail, he cannot enter another town ever again as word travels faster by radio than he can teleport his ass from point A to point B. Like the damn song used to say, ‘The Shah of Iran is a Wanted Man. There Is No Place On Earth Safe For Him.’ People and Wessens are out there hunting for him. Hector is now on that same boat the Shah used to be in. You do not have to worry about Hector ever again for a long time. You got bigger and badder things to worry about – and that is one of them.” Fernando tells him before pointing to Val. He then throws in, “Go do what has to be done. I got work to do with these four.” He then turns to the bunny girls as he opens his medical jeep’s door, “I’ll get the names later, but first get in the back and get comfortable out of the rain.”  
 
 
The bunny girls go into the back of his jeep before he slowly closes the door on them.
 
 
As The girls climb into the jeep Val’s ire rises again. She knew she had wronged Fernando but he had been her friend and though she hated herself and her life at the moment she craved just a little kind friendship from him, and all she got was harsh words and fingers pointed at her. She knew she had earned it, she could not seem to not say angry, hurtful things to him, but seeing him be kind to these four strange girls made it all the worse and she opened her mouth and spoke again before her brain could react.
 
“I see you’re picking up more whores.” Val throws at him.
 
 
“I’m picking up people who have asked for help in getting them out of the situations they are in, unlike you who are making excuses and blaming everyone for the problems you are creating.” Fernando snaps at her.
 
 
Val locked eyes with him trying to match his glare, but found it hard to do. She wanted to argue what he said and match his verbal repertoire with a cutting retort of her own, but found even her mouth would not run on its own and her brain screamed he was right. She still glared angrily as the only other option was to break down sobbing. The only thing that kept her from doing so was picturing him laughing over her as she too knelt in the dirt and fell to pieces, as he told her she was nothing and rubbed her failings into her face.  
 
 
They stare at each other for the moment before Fernando continues, “We will be leaving in five minutes. These two knuckle heads are learning their lessons, and they will not be a problem ever again or this one can go back to her mother’s house of ill repute where she can #$@! dogs at $5 for each eye that watches her do the deed.”
 
 
Macey begins to cry.
 
 
“Turn off the water works, Macey. I’m no longer going to step in every time your mouth gets you or others in trouble. So, you are to keep that trap shut if you intend to be related to me in any way. You are to be seen and not heard, and only speak when spoken too.  Because I swear, one more time, just one more time, you are going to discover how much daddy can hate as much as he can love his girl. That is the one thing no girl wants to know of their fathers.” Fernando tells her.
 
 
Zoey tries to verbally step in by saying “But it is my fault!”
 
 
Fernando growls at her, “You dare think that your father and I do not convenience ourselves into killing everyone we see in order to find where either of you two have ran off to?!! You think it is fun to pull the trigger of a gun to somebody’s head and blow out their brains because they had the misfortune of trying to snatch either of you? You think it is a game to wrestle somebody to the ground and twist their necks until it breaks because they will not tell where they have you hidden? That is what we had to do for both you, her and Val. And frankly I’m sick of it! You’re a damned child, Zoey! You are not to go against what us as adults and your parents and guardians tells you to do. But you did. So, if you want to live as an adult, if you dare think you are an adult to be equal to me, then you can get up and start walking into town to start selling yourself on the streets, like a lot of girls, including many YOUR AGE, had done here.”
 
 
“No!” Zoey protests.
 
 
“Then I do not want to hear your voice either. You girls with your mouths and the poisonous words you two spit out... look at the results of them... James is dead, Val got kidnapped and messed with, parts cut out of her, which I had to put back in and heal her. You think that SHE WOULD APPRECIEATE THAT? Oh, Hell No! It’s Not Good Enough For HER! I made her body new and whole again to the way it was, and it’s not good enough for her! So, My Best to get her back is not good enough for her! Your father is hurt and broken as a man can be because of Val’s mistreatment and abuse because she thinks he is no longer good enough for her. Guess what? All that is your fault for running away! All that is Macey’s fault for opening her mouth. And you two did it again? What The #$@! Is Your Malfunction!!? You think you are better than the adults that work hard and offer their lives to protect you from the hurt many want to give you? You think you can deal with the evil that is out there like we have?!! YOU CAN NOT! SO SHUT THE #$@! UP I DO NOT EVERY WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AGAIN!” Fernando yells at her. It is quickly followed by a fast moving fist across his jaw that sends him to the ground.
 

Val hung her head at Fernando’s words as she was losing even her imaginary anger and was about to prove him right and fall apart into the nothing that she was. Her mind half stopped and she gasped as Hondo hit Fernando. They have had arguments before, as all friends do, especially good friends, but never in a million years did she expect to see Hondo hit Fernando. As Hondo stood over him with his fist still clenched she was even more surprised to see Fernando just sit on the ground and not retaliate. She was not completely sure but she thought she saw a look of surprise on Fernando’s face as well as he sat there, as if he never would have seen that happening either.
 
 
“You Need To Learn Shut Up Yourself At Times. You Are Not Takin’ This Out On My Girls.” Hondo stands over him. Without turning to face them, he says, “Macey, Zoey, Maggie, Molly – into the back of the jeep. Val into the front. We’re out of here.”
 
 
The girls do as they are told. Hondo takes to his cane and begins twisting on its crystal, “Let’s see if this works as you say it does.” After a moment of concentrating hard on what he thinks would work, he pressed down on the crystal and he and both jeeps disappear. (They make it back to the convoy camp but he intended for his jeep to teleport and not both.)
 
 
In a flash Hondo found them all back where they had started at camp but with both jeeps. It was not raining at camp, at least not yet, but clouds on the horizon said they could see rain by late afternoon or early evening.
 
 
 The one girl Fernando had called Mae climbed out with a scared and perplex look on her face.
 
 
“Wha.. what happened? Where is Fernando?? What are you going to do to us?!?” She said as her fear mounted.
 
 
Hondo flexed his hand as if by instinct and the cane disappeared, to his and the girls surprise. He had experienced trouble getting it to just disappear like that before but had done it now, though he was only half away what he was doing at the moment.
 
 
He held out his hands and spoke as softly and gently as he could in his current condition and mood.
 
 
“You are alright an’ no one is gonna hurt you. This is our camp an’ you’ll be safe here.” He said.
 
 
“Where is Fernando?!” She exclaimed
 
 
“He’ll be here soon, we just left ahead of him. I’m his friend an’ his partner in leadin’ this camp.” He said.
 
 
“But you hit him!” She exclaimed
 
 
He almost had to think about it for a moment before replying.
 
 
He nodded and sighed deeply, “*sigh*, yeah I reckon I did… Been a hard few days an’ I didn’t like how he spoke to the girls.”
 
 
“So, you hit him?!” She asked incredulously.
 
 
Hondo nodded again, “Yeah… probably should have done somethin’ different but it seemed like the thing to do at the moment… That aside you girls are safe with us as if with him. I’m sorry ya had to see that but whatever he promised you I’m good for.”
 
 
She relaxed a bit but still was a bit nervous.
 
 
“He… he said he would help us to get out and start over.” She said hesitantly.
 
 
Hondo turned to the other jeep.
 
 
Maggie! Val! Come here!” He yelled to them and waved them to his side.
 
 
Maggie climbed out and trotted right over and Val climbed out but lagged behind a bit.
 
 
“Yes sir?” Maggie said as she approached.
 
 
“Since Molly is a bit upset still I was wonderin’ if you could get Tonya from Ruth’s, take everyone to the hanger an’ have Tonya watch the girls for me.” He said.
 
 
Maggie nodded, “I can do that.”
 
 
He then turned to Val, “Val, take these girls to the camper and make them feel comfortable. I don’t know what Jefe had planned or where he was gonna put them up at but there is room at the camper.”
 
 
“I’m not gonna look after his whores.” Val growled in a low voice.
 
 
Hondo sighed and paused for a second as punching her seemed like the thing to do at the moment, but he did not wish to worry the girls any further. He turned to Maggie after a moment.
 
 
“Would you show these girls to the camper on your way to get Tonya?” He asked
 
 
Maggie nodded, “Anything else?”
 
 
He nodded, “Yeah, get some sleep.”
 
 
She smiled and nodded, “I can do that.”
 
 
Hondo gave her a half smile back and then turned back to Mae.
 
 
“You an’ your friends follow Maggie here. Val will be puttin’ you up until Fernando says differently. I apologize for how this happened. There has been a lot happenin’ round here lately an’ some of us are a little tired an’ growly, but you’re safe now.” He said.
 
 
Mae nodded, “We understand and thank you.”
 
 
She spoke to the other three briefly who all grabbed their bags and climbed out. Once out they followed Maggie towards Hondo’s camp
 
 
Hondo stood and watch them go as Val stood and stared at him blankly. After a minute of his staring off the way they went and saying nothing she sighed loudly then spoke.
 
 
“Am I free to go now?” She asked almost tonelessly.
 
 
“No.” He replied flatly.
 
 
She just stood there and looked at the ground as she found it hard to look at him. His glare was tough to take but she was finding his purposely not looking at her even harder to take.
 
 
After several minutes Maggie returned with Tonya, who gave Hondo a half smile and waved almost shyly at him. He tried to force a smile and raised his hand to wave back at her, but he did a piss poor job of hiding that he was distraught. Tonya frowned at his look but climbed into the passanger seat when Maggie asked her to without argument. Maggie climbed into the driver seat and after adjusting the seat, started the jeep up. She killed it twice, as she really was not used to driving, but on the third try managed to get it to take off. Soon they were slowly and shakily headed back to the hanger.
 
 
Hondo sighed and shook his head, wondering if he should have asked Molly to drive, as even in her condition she would have been a much safer driver, but Maggie needed to learn too.
 
 
“That was a bad idea.” Val said dryly as she looked up at him.
 
 
“Well add it with my other ones, includin’ ever datin’ you, I reckon!” He snapped.
 
 
She sighed and looked down, “Yeah, you’re probably right there… You’re too hard on yourself about some things but you should have passed me by.”
 
 
He shook his head and scoffed, “#$@!… don’t start with that shit now.”
 
 
Her head half snapped up but instead of the anger he expected he saw a half desperate look.
 
 
“What do you want of me?! I don’t know anymore!” She said in a pleading tone.
 
 
“Don’t play games with me. We’ve been over what I want from you an’ you threw it back in my face!” He growled.
 
 
“Then what am I doin’ here? What do you want?!” She asked in the same tone.
 
 
“I want you to find some goodness in you an’ be nice to those girls!” He barked.
 
 
“But they’re bunny girls.. whores and you know it!” She replied before she thought about it and then mentally groaned about her choice of words.
 
 
“You think they wanted to be? You think they decided that it was a life they wanted to live or maybe they just wanted a warm place to sleep and some food in their bellies so they took on the indignities that the job required in order to survive?!” He growled
 
 
She hung her head and did not reply.
 
 
“Do you care ‘bout Zoey and Tonya at all anymore or are you too heartless?!” He asked
 
 
“Of course I care about them!” She said as she looked back up at him.
 
 
“Did you see those girls?? That Mae was older than Tonya by a few years, three or four maybe, but one of them might have been only thirteen an’ another fifteen! The last one looked ‘round Mae’s age but it was hard to tell. Those girls had families once. They were human, not wessen so they did not go through some of the indignities that many of the wessen are forced to do, but they were still scared, lonely little girls at one time who had to find a way to live. They didn’t get the luxury of havin’ someone rescue them until now. What if somethin’ happened to us an’ that was Tonya, Zoey, or Macey? You want someone to write them off as whores too?!?” He said holding back from yelling.
 
 
Val looked down in shame, though her anger started up again, but she kept it at bay.
 
 
“You.. you are right…I’ll.. take care of them and treat them well.” She replied. “… anythin’ else?”
 
 
He nodded, “Yeah, Jefe might come lookin’ for them. If he does you are to be nice. If you can’t say anythin’ good don’t say anythin’ to him. If you say anythin’ to him it better be an apology on your knees, beggin’ his forgiveness an’ mercy.”
 
 
“After what he said to me earlier?!?” She snapped, letting her anger loose again.
 
 
“Yeah! An’ if he says more, you take it!” He snarled.
 
 
“What?! You saw him! You even hit him!!” She retorted angrily.
 
 
“Somethin’ that I’m not proud of but did to protect my girls whe I thought he went too far! You’re a #$@!in’ adult, though an’ can take some harsh words! So, shut up or beg for his forgiveness! I hear you said one more cross word to him or anyone else in this camp other than me an’ I’ll throw you out, so help me God, I’ll throw you out an’ let you see how you like bein’ a whore to survive!!” He snapped angrily.
 
 
She was shocked and taken back at first, as she looked at him then around in a half panic. She breathed heavily and shakily as fear started to take her over. She managed to bring her anger back to the surface after a few seconds and glared at him.
 
 
“#$@! you.” She replied in a low, whiney voice.
 
 
“What did you say?” He asked in a quiet but hard tone, as he grit his teeth angrily.
 
 
“I said, #$@! you! #$@! you, #$@! you, #$@! you!!” She yelled at him.
 
 
He lunged forward and grabbed her arm. A look of surprise came over her face as she had never had him come at her like that and it terrified her. She tried to fight back as he pulled her along as he walked over to the and sat on the fender.
 
 
“Ouch! Stop! Your Hurtin’ me!” She protested as he pulled her along.  
 
 
As he sat down he hooked the heal of his right boot on the tired so his knee was up high as he twisted her arm behind her back. HE bent her over his knee, flipped up her robe and pulled her pants down enough to expose her ass.
 
 
“Please don’t rape me!” She begged as she started to cry.
 
 
 
“You thought I was going to rape you?! #$@! you! You really don’t #$@!in’ know me, do you! I’m not gonna #$@! you but spank ya like the brat ya are!!” He snarled.
 
 
He grabbed her arm to hold her with his left arm, to free up his right and then commenced to swatting her ass. Each strike of his hand left a red hand print and sounded like a rifle shot.
 
 
“Stop! No! Please! It Hurts! Stop!” She wailed.
 
After what seemed like an eternity to her he let go of her arm and pushed her off his knee so she fell into the dirt crying. She curled up on the ground and sobbed, leaving her bright red ass exposed to anyone who might have looked their way in curiosity, but soon turned away to attend to business far away from there as they knew she deserved an ass-beating and they did not want to find Hondo’s ire transferred to them!
 
 
He stood over her and shook his head.
 
 
“Get up, woman, an’ cover yourself up!” He growled.
 
 
She pulled her pants up and managed to get to her knees but that’s as far as she got for the moment.
 
 
HE looked down at the sobbing woman and sighed, “Now, If Jefe comes you will apologize or stay quiet, right?!”
 
 
She nodded as she cried, her breath shuttering between sobs.
 
 
He nodded, “Alright. That’s all I wanted.”
 
 
“P.p.p.please *sniff, Shuttered breath* Please kill *sniff* me!” She stuttered between sobs.
 
“What?! Why would I do that?!!” He asked incredulously.
 
 
 
“I can’t *sob* I can’t *shuttered breath, sniff* go on like this! *sob*” She cried
 
 
He knelt down and grabbed her her shoulder.
 
“Val. Val, stop! Val!!” HE yelled trying to get her to stop sobbing but she did not.
 
HE sighed and finally slapped her hard across the face causing her to yelp in surprise and pain. She stared at him in shock for a moment.
 
“Yy.y.you .h.h.hit me!” she stuttered.
 
 
“I also spanked your dumb ass too… Had to get you to stop cryin’… Now, you want me to kill you? Why?!” He demanded.
 
 
“You don’t understand… you can’t understand! She exclaimed as she tried to hold back from crying again.
 
 
“Tell me an’ I’ll try!” He half begged
 
 
“I can’t!... You don’t know what it’s like… I’m so full of fear and anger yet so empty! I am scared of everything! Angry at everyone!... I hate myself and I hate.. I hate..” She stammered
 
He sighed, “You hate me.”
 
 
She nodded, “Yes! I don’t want to but I hate you! I hate you so much!! I know you tried to find me… I know you got hurt… I know others got hurt… I know you and Fernando went through hell to find me and James died and Molly is grievin’ and needs you, I know it all but I can’t stop hatin’ you!!”
 
 
 
“Why Jefe, though?! He put you back together an’ healed you, though.” He asked
 
 
“I don’t know!” She exclaimed
 
 
“Do you hate him?” He asked
 
 
She paused and shrugged, “I.. I don’t know… maybe… no, no I don’t.”
 
 
“Then what is this hate towards him an’ the gals he’s helpin’?” HE asked
 
 
“I’m just so angry! And he sticks up for you and.. and I need a friend but have no one! You have him! He was my only real friend here, the one other person who actually knows me for who I am and he turned his back on me for you!” She said
 
 
“That’s why?” He asked.
 
 
 
“That and he left me with these memories! I know he gave me the option but he left them and then turned me loose! I needed help with them! I’m.. I’m not as strong as you and he are!! I needed help! I need help with them! Can’t he see it? Can’t you see it?!... I know he did so much already and I should be grateful but I can’t look in the mirror without seeing an ugly, empty husk of a woman and I can’t look at you without hatin’ you!!” She exclaimed as tear fell down her face.
 
 
He sighed and nodded, “I see.”
 
 
“I know what you really want is for me to apologize to you, but I can’t! I wish I could, but I can’t!” She cried.
 
 
“Can I ask, are you sorry for what you’ve said an’ done to Jefe an’ other’s here?” He asked softly.
 
 
She nodded, “I am and I hate myself every time my mouth opens, I do!”
 
 
 
He sighed and nodded, “Then find away to stop bein’ angry at them… somehow try to make thing’s right with Jefe, Ruth, an’ Molly. Maggie wants to be your friend so let her. Do that an’ I may even let you apologize an’ talk to the girls with Molly or Maggie ‘round. Do that an’ you can hate me as much as you want.”
 
 
She saw how defeated he looked and it tore her apart, as half of her hated him still but a piece of her that cared deeply seemed to somehow resurface. It was not the miracle in her that she would have hoped for to where she could throw herself at his mercy and beg for his forgiveness, but it was enough that if she could find a way to make it grow maybe someday she could stop hating him.
 
 
She nodded, “I will try… please know I’m sorry I can’t apologize to you and mean it.. I’m sorry I hate you.. and I’m sorry I did not listen and took off that day… I know that is my fault, but I still can’t find a way to not hate you for not savin’ me from what they did to me.”
 
 
He stood up and shook his head, “I wish it was enough to make everythin’ right again, but it isn’t. Thanks though… Now, those poor girls need some kindness as I’m sure they have been through hell. They need to feel like women again, not toys to be used at will… Go be there for them… I got to get to the hanger an’ see to the girls an’ Molly.”
 
 
He offered her a hand which she actually accepted and he helped her to her feet. She groaned a bit as her ass hurt like hell, but she knew she deserved it and more. He motioned for her to head to the camper, so she started off and he followed for a way, stopping off at the cargo trailer. She paused at the stairs and watched for him. He came out a minute later with a gallon jug of whiskey that they had bought at center town. It had no label and tasted more like kerosene than whiskey but it would get one drunk. He watched him walk away slowly towards the hanger, half hoping he would turn to look at her once more but he did not.
 
 
 
(to be continued)