Ichigo was shocked from somebody knocking on the door not expecting it. Knowing that Fernando is nearby outside, she tries to be quiet and not say a word.
 
Fernando comes out of the side between Hondo’s and his camper, listening to Maribelle’s rantings of Karl trying to take her living dress up doll as something for himself, forgetting that it is his camper and truck they are living in first place. She did not like being reminded that they are roomies with Karl and that Teri is big girl who can make her own decisions. He then starts to walk around his camper, going around the front where his Medical Jeep was at. He notices Hondo knocking at his door.
 
“What’s up Hondo? Was not expecting you to arrive so soon.” Fernando tells him from the few feet that separate them.
 
Hondo flinches for a second, expecting the door to open, not Fernando to come out of left field. He looks at Fernando for a second before asking, “You called. Somethin’ about the Major wanting to see us?”
 
“Yeah, but before we go see her, what you found in the trailer?” Fernando asks.
 
Hondo looks down and shakes his head before he begins to explain, “Those #$@!in’ Animals...! There was a hybrid Wessen boy. They butchered him, tortured him, did things to him, I just cannot say... the Army Old Doc wants to put him down.”
 
“Let me ask, is he worth saving?” Fernando asks.
 
“All life is worth saving!” Hondo almost shouts at him.
 
“Even yours?” Fernando asks
 
“Even mine... wait, wha’ you talkin’ ‘bout?” Hondo asks, doing an about face on his reaction.
 
“You look awful, Hondo. Really awful.” Fernando tells him.
 
“I do not want to talk about it.” Hondo throws at him.
 
“Look. Like I said before, I forgive you for what happened and yes I deserve it. You put me in my place because you are one of a few that can. And if I can help out, I will. Like I was telling Minerva and Ichigo during the night’s storm, my expertise is in medicines and biology, yours is in technology. Hell you can rebuild engine with a pocket knife, some gum wrapper and some string. No other person I can trust in those things but you.” Fernando tells him. He throws in, “Oh sure, I can rebuild a Volkswagen engine, but my skills are highly niche and limited to that regard. You can do a thousand times more than I can. Now, is this boy worth saying? Can he talk? Can he walk? Can he use the bathroom like you and I?”
 
“I found the boy in a cage in the trailer, with a shock collar around his neck. He cannot speak, he understands a few commands, and according to the doctor he’s a hybrid, not a full Wessen. They castrated him, starved him, beaten him, who knows what else they did to him.” Hondo explain.
 
“You think he is worth saving?” Fernando asks.
 
Hondo just looks at him.
 
“Let’s go see the Major and then the boy.” Fernando tells him. He turns around and starts walking to the open area of the parking lot. Doing so he as to walk by the Wessen children. Minerva, Miniya, Tracey and Abigail walk up to him.
 
“Where are you going and can I go with you?” Minerva asks.
 
“No... Hondo and I need to see the Major about something she wants to see us about. Maybe later?” Fernando tells them.
 
“Alight.” Minerva says. They step away for the men to go through. Eventually they walk into the Medical tent.
 
Fernando looks around, seeing the lion girls sleeping on their hospital beds, bandaged up to cover their wounds. He walks up to them. He looks over the medical notes on their bed, not liking what he is seeing. “Multiple Contusions causing Coma-like state...” He hands over the placard to Hondo. Hondo scowls at what he is reading.  
 
Fernando starts searching the room for a couple of items: a test tube and a hypodermic syringe.
 
“Who are you and what are you doing here?!!” An older man in a lab coat shouts at him. Fernando gets up from hunching over looking for the items he needs and turns to him.
 
“Oh, it’s you. The miracle worker. Well, no miracles are going to happen today. They will be dead in a matter of days.” The old man tells him.
 
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Fernando tells him. “I need a test tube and a syringe. The biggest syringe you got.”
 
As the old man turns to a medical supply table on the far end of the room, he gets the requested items.
 
“Doc Marco, about the boy?” Hondo asks.
 
“We’ll put him down during the night while he sleeps. Less painful that way.” Doc Marco tells him.
 
“Don’t you dare put him down!” Fernando growls at him.
 
“He’s Damaged Goods. He’s not worth saving!” Doc Marco tells him as he steps up to him and holds out the syringe and test tube to him.
 
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Fernando tells him as he takes the items from the old doctor.
 
Fernando takes apart the syringe and drops a bio pill from the metal box in his pocket. He then jabs the rubber stopper on the IV Jar, forcing the air out of the syringe and filling up the syringe with saline water. He then spends a couple of minutes of shaking the syringe until the liquid inside looked like a swirling grey rainbow. He takes a few seconds to evacuate air out of the syringe.
 
He then goes to each girl, giving half of the concoction to them. After a while, first one and then the other, gasps for air. Fernando then lifts his cane up, focusing on them for a moment until a bolt of energy flows from the cane and onto them. It last for a painfully long ten seconds. He then walks away.
 
“Put them down and I will put you down, Doctor...” Fernando tells him.
 
“As much as you done for us, do not threaten my men.” The Major says as she walks into the medical tent with her officers.
 
“Then tell him, not to ever give up on anyone until they cannot be brought back. No matter how bad things can be, no matter how dark the situation is, until they are dead, do not give up on anyone who is alive. Life is worth saving, not matter how bad things seem to be. Now you called for us?” Fernando tells her and then asks.
 
“Yes. What is going to happen to the girls if and when they get out of the medical ward?” The Major asks.
 
Fernando pulls out a sack of coins and tosses them to the major, “Assign a female soldier to them. Talk to Minerva about adding them to the flock and ask to look at the bag I gave the girls and their supplies, and get them each a bag and fill them with the same supplies, use that sack of coins to buy their supplies with. They will be getting out in a couple of days after they wake up and Hondo and I bring them up to speed about their situation. No one else is going to tell these girls about what happened to their parents. Then they will be put in with the Wessen children.”
 
“What you did to them? As I seen you doing something to them when I walked in.” The Major asks and says.
 
“I was altering their memories, so they do not remember the assault, abuse and rape done to them but will remember being knocked out. The medicine I gave them will heal them of their injuries and restore their bodies to a near virgin state due to their age but like you have seen, that takes a couple days to do. Anything else? About the boy?” Fernando says and asks.  
 
“Yes... About the boy. Come with me.” The Major says before taking them out the section of the medical bed ward and into an examination room. The boy was naked, secured down to the examination table with leather straps on multiple places on his arms, legs, torso and head. But he was trying to fight against his restraints, making the examination table shudder and shake. Fernando can see the scars and bruises on his body. The major throws in, “Doc Marco says it would be best to put him out of his misery.”
 
“Again, if there is life, then there is hope.” Fernando begins, “I cannot do the impossible, but if God allows me the power to correct the wrong done here and to restore the boy, then it is on him to allow me to do so. I can only do but so much with what I got. Now go get me a glass of water.”
 
The major and her men, and Doc Marco look at each other for the moment as to who will follow his orders. Hondo goes into the other room and gets an IV bottle from the storage cabinet and brings it back to the room, handing it to Fernando. Fernando takes another pill from his metal box, and puts it into the syringe. He then jabs the rubber stopper of the IV bottle with the syringe and fills it with the saline water in the bottle.
 
For the couple minutes he shakes the syringe until the concoction inside it was a grey slurry liquid with a rainbow hue. He then goes to the boy’s left side and inserts the needle into his arm at the vein in the elbow, made difficult as the boy struggles against his restraints.
 
Fernando shakes his head for the moment. He says to himself though loud enough to be heard, “This is going to require a full Temporal Transplant.” He then turns to the Major, “Except for Hondo, I need everybody out.”
 
The major looks at him, then at her men and then at the old doctor. It takes a few seconds for her to tell them, “Let’s step out of here.” She then turns to Fernando “We’ll be outside.” She leaves the area with everyone behind her. Fernando walks after them and then closes the partition curtain. He takes a few steps back to Hondo and the boy.
 
“Full Temporal Transplant?” Hondo asks.
 
“It means going back into time before much of this damage was done, clone the body, age it to the current age with full health stats, though much of his intellect and memories will be intact. So I would have to erase those memories. Remember Tiny from Central Town?”
 
“Yeah.” Hondo replies.
 
“This boy would be like that – At least he would be more manageable, he would be able to fit into society and be able to learn a trade. Now, for the last time, Do You Want The Boy To Be Saved?” Fernando says and asks.
 
“A second chance, no matter how small, is better than nothing or in his case, being put down and thrown into a hole.” Hondo tells him.
 
“Then I cannot do this alone. Take your cane and raise it, concentrate on the boy and raise him off the bed. I’ll stop time for us.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo thinks about what has to be done before raising his cane. He concentrates on the boy, releasing him from the leather straps and then raising him off the bed. The boy starts to panic but Hondo has him secured in the field.
 
Fernando raises his cane focusing on the boy which opens a temporal observation globe in front of him, going back through the boy’s history, how he was used to hunt others of his kind, how he was tortured when he couldn’t or wouldn’t. He was chained and treated less than a practice fighting dog. The abuse was hard to be seen even in reverse as Fernando searched for a time before all this started for him. They go through almost seven years of history until he was just a boy of 10 when his family was purged. The adults of the family were gathered and killed in front of him and his siblings (a younger brother and three younger sisters), who were tied up to witness this. The events were played in forward seeing several purgers and slavers that did this to them. Then a couple of men walk up the boy, one of them grabbing him by his lower jaw and thumb around his snout to keep his mouth shut. It was Hector.
 
“I’m Going To Hunt Down And Do To Him What He Has Done To Everyone!” Hondo lets out loud.  
 
“Concentrate on the boy... I’m almost done Temporal Cloning his body.” Fernando tells him.
 
Hondo can be heard softly growling under his breath.
 
A ghost seems to rise from the observation globe and onto the boy’s body as Hondo held him in place. The ghost seems to grow as it merges with boy’s body until the body begins to glow. The glowing stops and a new body is in its place, just slightly more than a head taller than what he was before, it is the best Fernando can do with just a bare DNA Template and a basic nutrition one would get through life. In the very least the boy is not at his teen-man/child state of being with no scars and injuries.
 
“Put him back on the bed, without the straps.” Fernando tells him.
 
“You sure about that?” Hondo says.
 
“I got a hold of him while I think about what memories for him to keep and what to erase.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo nods before he releases his hold on the boy once he is on the bed. Fernando goes through the temporal elements of his memories, and basically decides to eliminate it all, giving him a back story of being beaten into a coma during the purging of his family and waking up from the darkness some seven years later. In Fernando’s mind, it is the best of all options for him to have.
 
“As far as all is concerned, he has been in a coma since the purge of his family and is now waking up years later.” Fernando explains to Hondo. He then throws in, “Go get me a blanket and a diaper for him.
 
Hondo looks at him for the moment before going into the next room and searches about. He finds a few things that can be used and brings them to Fernando. Fernando takes them and using his cane puts them on the boy. Fernando then takes the placard from his bed, filling out a few things on it; Name: David Ramsey (?), Age: 17 (?). He then puts the placard on the end of the bed before walking to the end of the room where the partition curtain is.
 
Hondo steps up to him, “That’s it?”
 
“He needs to rest, though I time-cloned his body, it is superimposed on his original body. There are a lot of internal injuries that need to be healed, and things need to match up before he can walk out of here. At least he is able to rest and is in peace, able to speak with those around him though limited in his vocabulary and education. At least he would have a second chance in life where most would not.” Fernando tells him.
 
“How many of those pills do you have?” Hondo asks.
 
“I only have about 150 left.” Fernando tells him, though as an outright lie as he has less than 400 of them. “That is why I asked you if he is worth saving. You said he was, you said that all life is worth saving. Though I agree with you on that, the number of times in which I can do it is limited. Understand that.”
 
Hondo slowly nods his head in small movements before he picks up the medical placard and reads it.
 
“Let’s hope it is all worth it.” Fernando tells him.
 
“David Ramsey?” Hondo asks.
 
“I made up the name though in observing his history I heard the name ‘Dave’ mentioned. It could be his name or it could be one of his sibling’s. Let’s see what happens when he wakes up tomorrow.” Fernando tells him. He then opens the curtain partition and steps out.
 
Hondo follows him. Together they go out seeing the major, her officers, and Doctor Marco. The Major steps up to them.
 
“What has been done?” The Major asks.
 
“I gave him one of my few pills. He looks better now and a totally different person from what he came in as.” Fernando explains.
 
“I demand to know what you gave him. Spirit Medicine is not allowed!” Doc Marco lets out.
 
“It is Old World Medicine, from before the Chaos. When doctors were very close to creating an immortality pill meant for space travel, as going to the nearest planets would take months and years for the nearest stars and the crew had to be put to sleep during their travel. You can thank the Spirits from destroying what could have been with man reaching out to the stars.” Fernando tells him. He then throws in, “I only have 150 pills, and I already used some on your men to heal them of their injuries, and now I used one of the girls and one on the boy. They need their rests for the medicine to take effect. But call us when they wake up tomorrow.”
 
Doctor Marco can only scowl at him.
 
“Is there anything else?” Fernando asks them.
 
The Major signals to him to follow. They make their way through the military side of the camp.
 
“We got several reports of a large biker gang group heading this way.” The Major says to them (Fernando and Hondo).
 
“Human, Mutant, Wessen?” Fernando asks.
 
“Human, and Anti Wessen. Like Hector and his group are Anti-Human. We need to hide your group as they are mostly Wessen, especially the children.” The Major says. She adds, “They wiped out the Lawmen group that was heading to Flight Town.”
 
“They can hide in our hanger.” Hondo puts out.
 
“Then make it so.” Fernando tells them.
 
“Let’s go talk to their care givers. We only have a couple hours left before they get here. I’ll get my men to send a few children over in the jeeps as they go out to get water.” The major says.
 
“I’ll take a few in my in jeep.” Hondo says.
 
“Let’s go talk to them and get them ready.” Fernando tells them.
 
 
- To Be Continued. -

As Fernando drove Marvin’s SUV with everyone in it, he takes out his little Yaesu radio and calls Ichigo on it.
 
“This is Fernando calling for Ichigo...” He says and waits for a reply.
 
“What’s going on Fernando? Everything OK?” Ichigo immediately answers.
 
“Get up, get dressed and go to Ms Ruth, check with Val’s camper first. If she is not there then check her camper. Call me when you find her.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Will do.” Ichigo replies.
 
For the moment everything is quiet.
 
One of the children asks, “Ms Lee, will we OK?”
 
Minerva answers, “We will be safe. I trust Fernando to help us.”
 
“We will be Hondo’s hanger, hide up on the second floor. And get a couple of kids to check the manholes and sewers in the area. Talk to Hondo about going underground in case things start to mess up. If they do, we’ll keep in touch by radio, but the sewers would be the last but safest place to go.” Fernando explains.
 
“There are two.” Minerva answers, “One behind the hanger, another on the runway, but there is a third further away behind the hanger in the grassy area.”
 
“So...?” Fernando begins to ask.
 
“We have been through this before with the Lawmen. We know our way to escape.” Minerva says.
 
“Then help these three out if and when the time comes. Lead the group to escape, as Hondo and I may have to fight it out. And listen to what Hondo has to say. Unless something happens, I’ll be in and out bringing in food and other supplies for you guys. If not, I’ll send somebody out in my place.” He tells her.
 
There was silence in the SUV for a moment. Then Ichigo breaks the silence through the radio.
 
“You there, Fernando?” Ichigo says on the radio.
 
“I’m here. Ruth with you?” Fernando answers.
 
“Yes, she’s in Val’s camper.” Ichigo answers.
 
“Then everyone in range of my voice in the camper. A group of Wessen Hating Motorcycle Gang of Humans is heading into town. They will be there in an hour or two. With the help of Hondo and the Major’s men, I will be hiding the Wessens from the camp until those Wessen Haters leave town. I will be running the supplies while Hondo remains with them for their protection. I need you to continue making meals for them that I will be bringing to them. We will discuss details when I return to camp. Until then, arm up with small arms and radio silence unless Hondo or I call you or it’s an emergency on your side. See you guys later.” Fernando tells them.
 
[Inside Hondo/Val’s Camper]
 
“What was all that about?” Val asks.
 
“Something’s going on. We just need to continue as we were.” Ruth says.
 
“What is for dinner?” Ichigo asks.
 
“A Vegetarian Chili, with meat to be added for those who want it or can eat it. Fernando said that he would get rice to go with the Chili from the Asian Restaurant. We will have to wait and see.” Ruth says as she looks at the items being prepared on the table.
 
“Anything else?” Ichigo asks.
 
Both Val and Ruth think, before Ruth says “We need a large box for Fernando to carry the food when he comes to pick it up.”
 
“Can he use that pull cart he uses?” Ichigo asks.
 
“Well, yes.” Ruth says.
 
“What else we need?” Val asks.
 
“We’ll need those cardboard bowls Fernando has in his back camper.” Ruth answers.
 
“We are going to need the Ring Bunny Girls to help. Where are they?” Val says and asks.
 
“They should be in their new camper Fernando got for them.” Ichigo answers.
 
“He got them a camper?” Both Ruth and Val say almost at the same time.
 
“Yeah, where do you think they were going to sleep? In our camper?” Ichigo says.
 
They just look at Ichigo. Ruth then says as she headed to the door, “I’ll be back with some supplies.”
 
Ruth heads out to the front of the camper truck and looked around. She sees an extra camper and blue dune buggy, which to her memory there were only two green dune buggies with a connected camper. Taking the hunch she goes to the camper with the blue dune buggy and knocks on its door. In a few seconds, the door opens with Kiah in the doorway.
 
“Everything OK?” Kiah asks.
 
“Yeah, we need you guys in Val’s Camper to help out. We got a situation that we have to deal with, and we need you guys to help out.” Ruth tells them.
 
Kiah looks towards the back of the camper and then at Ruth. “We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
 
“We need you now.” Ruth tells her. She then lets out a sigh before she explains, “Look. We have a situation and we need to deal with it now. I am not going to wait.”
 
Mae steps out to the doorway and stands besides Kiah. She and the others had heard what was said and she replies to the others, “Alright girls, Lets go. Kiah, make sure the door is locked.” She then steps off the camper and waits for the others to come. They come out a few seconds later with Kiah coming out last and locking the door.
 
Ruth escorts them back to Val’s camper. As she allows the girls to go in first, only to be met with the two Jeanettes.
 
One of the two Jeanettes asks “What is going on?”
 
Ruth looks at them, “Just getting things ready for dinner; a Vegetarian Chili though you can have meat added to your share.”
 
“Not that. What is going on? We seen Fernando and Hondo take all the Wessens out of the camp.” The other Jeanette says.
 
“You were spoken about keeping informed with what is going on, and make decisions. Instead you both stay at your end of the convoy and do little for the rest of us. Now that there is an emergency, you want to know what is going on? I swear. Go talk to Fernando when he returns.” Ruth tells her, throwing in, “Now excuse us, we need to get things done here.”
 
Ruth goes into the camper and closes the door behind them.  
 
The two Jeanettes look at each other before one says to the other “You have that radio to contact Fernando with?”
 
“It’s in my (VW) Beetle.” She replies.
 
“Let’s go get it and call him.” The other replies.
 
They both nod at each other before going to find the radio to call Fernando with.
 
 
[Inside Hondo/Val’s camper]
 
“Beans have another half hour of soaking, need the vegetables cut up, meat cut up and juice to make.” Val says to them.
 
“I’ll get the jugs and juice powder from Fernando’s Dub Box Camper. Should only take a minute.” Ruth says.
 
“I’ll get the girls to sort out and cut the vegetables.” Val replies.
 
Ruth stops at the door for a second, “I will need help in carrying the jugs, not they are heavy but they are bulky. Kiah come with me.”
 
“But...” Kiah complains from the back of the camper.
 
“Just come. It is not far and we will be back in a minute.” Ruth says.
 
Kiah reluctantly abides by her request. In less than a minute they were entering Fernando’s Dub Box. Ruth finds the 5-gallon jugs she gives to Kiah. She then finds the powdered juice containers and takes them with her. With her arm free, she closes and locks Fernando’s Dub Box trailer. They were back in Hondo/Val’s camper in under a minute.
 
As the girls begin to cut the vegetables into small cubes, the beans are put onto the stove to boil. They had already swelled up from sitting in and absorbing water for almost two hours. A little oil and half of the spices were put in once the beans were half cooked. The hard vegetables were put in next (carrots, potatoes, celery, etc.).
 
As this part of the meal is being cooked, Kiah and Mae were sent to the army mess tent with a pull cart and three empty 5-gallon jugs to fill up with water to make juice with. This takes them over 10 minutes to do as filling the jugs took time. They come back as soon as possible, needing to lift each 5-gallon jug onto the camper floor where the others took them in and placed them near by the table. At the same time the soft vegetables (onions, etc.), remaining spices and sauces were put into the chili and the ground meat and some sausage was get to cook on a side pot with the same sauces and spices as with the vegetable chili. Everything is set to a low cooking setting and allowed to simmer for an hour and a half.
 
 
[Marvin’s SUV heading to Hondo’s hanger...]
 
Fernando takes the route around the log way that goes past Mad Maddie’s Restaurant and towards the road to Wessen Town but makes a sharp right to go past the end of the runway and up the auxiliary road where the hangers are.
 
As he was making the turn at the end of the runway, his portable Yaesu comes to life, it is Jeanette calling for him.
 
“Fernando, you out there?” Jeanette’s voice can be heard on his radio.
 
He takes the radio out of his jacket, “Make it fast Jeanette, we are under Radio Silence.”
 
“Explain what is going on. Why are you taking the Wessens out of the camp?” Jeanette asks.
 
“I’ll explain when I return. Until then it is Radio Silence unless it is an emergency.” Fernando tells her.
 
Another voice comes up on the radio, that of Ruth asking a question, “Fernando, sorry to interrupt, but we do have a situation with the food. Are you still getting the rice from the Asian Restaurant?”
 
“Thanks for reminding me. I’ll go there to pick it up before I return to the camp. Now Radio silence until further notice or emergency.” Fernando says in reply. He then pockets his radio though keeps it turned on.
 
In another five minutes Fernando pulls up to Hondo’s hanger, beside the right side of the hanger away from the door. He then opens the SUV to let everyone out, especially the children in the back of the SUV. He then places Meeshie and Kitty on the driver’s seat before closing the door. The children all gathered around Fernando. He leads them into the hanger and takes them to the back and then up the stairs to the second floor. Hondo was looking at the empty rooms that can be used as bedrooms for the children, and directing Miniya, and Tracy as to which rooms to use.
 
“Setting up Hondo?” Fernando asks.
 
Hondo turns around and sees Fernando with the rest of the children and the Sheep Wessens from the convoy camp.
 
“What’s up?” Hondo replies. He then asks, “Did they bring their stuff?”
 
“It’s on the roof of Marvin’s SUV. I thought we will check it out before moving in.” Fernando explains.
 
“They can use the rooms over here. They look like office and storage space but they are empty.” Hondo tells them.
 
“OK then. I’ll take the group back out to get their things and come back.” Fernando explains. He adds, “Alright, let’s go back and get our things.”
 
They walk out of the second floor and outside to Marvin’s hanger where he lifts Abigail onto the roof. She unhooks the Bungee Cord Netting before giving out the bags to be given out to their owners. He then goes into the driver’s side door and opens it. He takes the cats from the driver’s seat and stuffs them into his jacket, and picks up the bag of cat food for them. He then goes back into the hanger, with the children and older Wessens following him back to the second floor. He points to Hondo for them to go to and get situated with their rooms.
 
As they go to see Hondo, Fernando just waits for the moment. Soon Hondo is approaching him.
 
“Is that everybody?” Hondo asks. Fernando nods but then points to the inside of his jacket. Hondo responds with “Eh?”
 
Fernando steps up to him, “Where are the girls? I got something for them.”He then reaches in and pulls out Kitty from inside his jacket. Meeshie manages to climb up the inside of the jacket and pops her head out.
 
“Oh.” Hondo says, he then points “They are over there.”
 
“Alright then. I’ll go see them, drop the cats off and then I have to get a few things for dinner. I’ll be back with the food. If not I’ll call you if there is trouble.” Fernando tells him before showing off the Yaesu to him. Hondo nods before Fernando turns around and starts walking to the room with the girls in it, putting Kitty back into his jacket. Unknown to him, Hondo was a few steps behind him.
 
Fernando walks up to the door and knocks on it. After a few seconds Tonya opens it. She just gives him a sour look like the milk just went bad.
 
He looks at her, “I need to see Macey and Zoey. You need to see your father as the shit is about to hit the fan real soon and you need to be ready.”
 
Seeing Hondo behind him, Tonya lets Fernando into the room. Fernando walks into the room seeing Macey and Zoey on the bed. They both look at him scared, like slaves about to be severely whipped by their master. Hondo walks up to the door with Tonya holding it open.
 
Fernando tells them as he puts down the bag, “I do not want to hear a damn thing.” He then opens his jacket slightly and reaches inside, pulling Kitty out from inside. He reaches out to Zoey and let the kitten hop onto her lap.
 
“KITTY!!!” Zoey almost jumps up, taking the kitten in her hands and hugging it to her face.
 
Fernando reaches into his jacket and pulls out Meeshie and puts her on his shoulder. He looks at them both, “I need them to stay here if I can trust you.”
 
“You can trust us Uncle Fernando!” Zoey says.
 
“Seriously.” Fernando tells her. He adds, “They need to be fed every morning and every afternoon; you need to fill their food bowl before you eat your breakfast and dinner. And you need to wash out and fill their water bowl at the same time. Then you need to let them go out so they can use the bathroom. It takes them five to ten minutes to do their business outside and they will come back. And you Zoey cannot play with Kitty all the time. She needs her Kitty Time for Meeshie to teach her those things a cat needs to know. But when she wants play time with you, she will let you know.”
 
Zoey nods.
 
“Well Macey?” He tells her.
 
“Well, what?” Macey replies.
 
“You and Zoey are going to have to take care of the cats while we are dealing with this situation. If not, then I need to take them and give them to somebody I can trust.” Fernando tells her.
 
“You can trust us, Uncle Fernando!” Zoey says out loud.
 
“I need the both of you to say it, not just you, Zoey.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Come on Macey! Tell him he can trust us!” Zoey tells her.
 
Macey sits there shaking her head.
 
“Then we have a problem.” Fernando says to them.

Fernando shakes his head for a moment. He steps up to Hondo.
 
“Talk to Minerva and the older kids about how to escape through the manholes. There are a couple of them nearby that they can take shelter in if they have to leave this place, like we had too during the battle.  Not to be sounding like a broken record, I was told that there are couple nearby and a third one further way, and that one we know at the runway. The kids used them to hide from the lawmen, so ask where they are and how to get them to go there quickly if you guys need to escape.” Fernando explains.
 
“Where will you be?” Hondo asks.
 
“I will be going back and forth between the camps bringing food and supplies unless this group starts their shit soon. Just in case shit starts to happen, the food will be teleported here. I just need a 50 gallon water drum to have the food stored during transport. I’ll get it on my way back.” Fernando tells him.
 
“What about Macey?” Hondo asks.
 
“I’ll deal with her after this crap is done.” Fernando answers. He then turns around, “Zoey. Come here.”  
 
Zoey gets up from the bed and walks to Fernando and Hondo. She asks, “Yes, Uncle Fernando?”
 
Fernando picks Meeshie up from his shoulder and puts it on hers. “Let Meeshie take care of Kitty. But make sure to feed them at dinner time. The cat food is in the bag on the floor along with their food and water bowls. Put the bowls at the wall and fill the water bowl now with water as cats need water all the time.” He points to the wall.
 
“Uhm... yes, Uncle Fernando” Zoey replies with uncertainty.
 
Fernando turns to Hondo, “I have to be going and get a few things Ruth needs to get dinner ready.”
 
“Need any help?” Hondo asks.
 
“No, but all the help is needed here.” Fernando begins. “The kids take care of themselves, Minerva and the other adults just oversee them. But getting to know the location of the manholes to escape would be a plus for you and everyone here. If I need help, I will call you. Concentrate on the cane and get yourself teleported behind your camper and assess the situation before taking action. If not and things turn out to be fine, I’ll be back with the food. If the food arrives by teleportation, then we are dealing with the situation.”
 
Hondo nods.
 
“See you later.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Yeah, see ya.” Hondo replies.
 
Fernando begins his walk out of the hanger. Minerva runs behind him.
 
“Fernando!” She calls to him.
 
Fernando stops on the first floor and waits for her to catch up, “What’s up?”
 
“Where are you going?” Minerva asks.
 
“I need to get things done and take care of the situation. You need to stay here with the kids and talk to Hondo about how to escape through the manholes if things go to hell. I hope to be back with dinner.” Fernando tells her.
 
“So I can’t go with you?” She asks.
 
“No. This Biker Gang would take you and kill you just for a laugh. I cannot and will not allow that to happen. But I do need you to help with the three older Sheep Wessens I brought over. They been through hell but they are still innocent of the ways people treat Wessens around here.” He explains to her.
 
Minerva lets out sigh.
 
“Unless you can hide like a human, which you can’t, I would let you come with me. But you can’t hide looking the way you do in front of them and I need you to be safe and help keep the others safe.” He tells her.
 
Minerva then nods starts to walk away. Fernando makes his way to step out of the hanger. He makes his way to Marvin’s SUV and gets in. He backs out of the space he put the SUV in and drives away, taking the quick route into town by the parking lot. He slowly drives through the town until he gets to the Asian restaurant. He walks in and sees his friend and shop owner, Steven, at the counter.
 
“Hey Steve, what’s up? Hope you can fill a large but simple order. I also got some news for you.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Do tell. What would you like?” Steven asks.
 
“I would like a big vat of white rice. We will be serving about 50 people with it.” Fernando answers.
 
“That’s it?” Steven asks.
 
“As far as food is concerned, yes. But let me tell you this...” Fernando leans on the counter. He begins to explain, “There is a biker gang group coming into town in less than an hour and they are looking for Wessens to kill.”  
 
“How you know this?” Steven asks.
 
“The Army has been tracking this group since they left Fight Town and they just took down a group of lawmen outside of town as they were doing a patrol. By group of lawmen, it was about 20 to 30 lawmen who tried to stop them and they were over 100 of them, so they over whelmed the lawmen easily, killed them and stole their equipment, uniforms, and weapons.” Fernando tells him.
 
Steven nods before he tells him, “I’ll be back with your order.” He then hides in the back where the kitchen was. He comes back a couple of minutes later with his men carrying out a vat of cooked rice that could feed over 200. “Take it.”
 
“Whoa. That is too much.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Take it. I verified what you just told me, and we are closing down for the day. All this rice will go to waste if nobody eats it and you got mouths to feed.” Steven tells him.
 
Fernando starts taking out a few gold coins to give him, “thank you then. How much for it?”
 
“Consider it free. You verifying what we heard is payment enough.” Steven tells him.
 
“Alright. Thanks again.” Fernando says, and then asks “Can I ask about your source of information?”
 
“I’ll trust you.” Steven says as he leans over to him, “We got access to some wireless equipment and have a small crew listening in. They reported to us of the Lawmen being attacked but we did not think they would be coming here. You verified that they are.”
 
Fernando nods. He then tells Steven, “Thank you. Since you are listening in, if you need help, do not be afraid to call. We’ll do what we can.”  
 
Steven nods.
 
Fernando picks up the vat of rice and carries to Marvin’s SUV and puts it on the passenger side floor. As he packs the SUV, the Restaurant crew begins to close down the restaurant with its sliding gates. Fernando makes his way back to the convoy camp. He parks Marvin’s SUV back in its spot but does not connect it back to its camper. He then takes the vat of rice and carries it to Hondo’s camper.
 
Knocking on Hondo’s camper’s door, it is open by Ruth. Without saying anything, Fernando hefts the vat of rice up onto the camper floor. He then looks up at Ruth.
 
“I’ll be back with an empty 50 gallon drum. When done, put the food and drinks in it and I will take it to the hanger to feed the kids and Wessens there.” Fernando explains.
 
Ruth nods as the sounds of loud vehicles can be heard rolling down the road.
 
Fernando then nods at her before leaving the area and heading to the parking lot gates. The major’s men ready themselves for battle as the motorcycle gang rolls into the blimp parking area and up to the gate of the parking area, stopped by the guards there. Fernando walks to the gate.
 
“Lookie at what we got here... A bunch of boy scouts on a camp out!” An old man on the lead motorcycle says.
 
Fernando walks up to him, pretending to have a limp as he steps up to him with his cane. He then leans over the leader’s handlebars to get face to face to him. He tells him, “At lest we did not bring our mommas and papas with us like you have.”  
 
“Oh. You’re a funny guy then.” The elder on the motorcycle says.
 
“Far from it. In fact I’m serious – like a rope dog biting your leg – serious.” Fernando tells him, then turns to show the patch on his arm and points at it with his other hand. “This says I’m a doctor and a rescue worker. I help those in need of help. But there are idiots and asshole out here that want to stop me from saving people, and people, even people like you when I find them in trouble. So that is what my people here are for – to help me and protect me while I do my work. Now I’ll ask this once – anybody in your group that needs to see a doctor? If not you can be on your way where ever the road takes you.”
 
The men on motorcycles to either side of their leader lean over to him and whisper in his ear. Then he raises his fist to his shoulder before turning to the back of the group, and then raises an index finger high up into the air and lets out a loud ear piercing whistle in a varied pattern. In a couple of minutes, a couple of younger men in ripped clothing, run with a stretcher between them. On the stretcher is a pretty mangled body who is somehow still alive.
 
“What happened to this person?” Fernando looks him over as they place the stretcher on the floor beside them.
 
“That’s my little bro. His ride hit a rock on the road while chasing a runaway Wessen and he and his ride went over the cliff by that broken bridge. If you can save him, we’ll owe you one.”
 
“And if he dies?” Fernando asks.
 
“He dies, you die everybody in this camp dies.” The leader tells him.
 
“And where are you going to stay while he is getting patched up and healed?” Fernando asks him.
 
The Elder looks about the lot before saying “This looks like a good place as any.”
 
“No.” Fernando tells him.
 
“NO?!!” The elder growls back.
 
Fernando raises his index finger to him and them points to his left on the road from which they came from, “That way for another mile or so is another large space like this you can settle down in. This area if for treating sick and injured people in peace and quiet and getting what few things we need as fuel and food. Now you can come by and check on your little brother any time you want until he walks out of here but it is going to be a long time before he even walks. But I’ll tell you this much, if you believe in the redeemer, pray to him and maybe he will grant you your brother’s life.”
 
The leader points to his right hand man (Fernando’s left) and holds up two fingers before pointing to where Fernando said the other area would be. The Right Hand rider signals for two to follow him. As he rides away, several follow him, not just two. Fernando signals to one of the men to get the medical kit and surgical tools from the medical tent. He goes off to do as he is told.
 
As they ride away, Fernando asks, “I was told you’re all a bunch of Wessen Haters.”
 
“What’s it to you.” The leader sneers at him.
 
“Everything.” Fernando tells him. “A life is a life, no matter what their skin color is, the shape and color of their eyes, how their hair is, what their ears look like or whether or not they have a tail. I rescued many – human, Wessen and mutant. And I will tell you this much – Wessens were like us – human. Until many of them were purged, taken to a Lab Town and turned into Wessens by Spirit magic and technology. They are not the chosen ones some might claim. They are not more powerful than humans. They are people like you and me, forced into becoming animals so that they can be sold as slaves.”
 
“Ask me if I #$@!ing care, because I don’t. It was Wessens that took our families. And it was Wessens that purged this land. So any Wessens we see, we are killing. And you or your men are not going to stop me and my people from killing any Wessens that we see.” The elder tells him.
 
“You are making my work to help your brother that much more harder to do. And I will tell you this much: Down that way, south for another 5 miles this town ends, and past another couple of miles is Wessen Town. They are good people there. They would not hurt a fly. But they had a terror of a Wessen named Hector De La Cruz – a Fox Wessen, and leader of the group Os Animas. He and his group who were many more of them than there were of you, tried to stop us from what we are going. I cut his hand off and my men killed more of their men than there are of you and your people here. Hector ran like the chicken shit bastard that he is; heading south east with what remains of his people. So this town put a million in gold coins for his capture – alive. He’s worth nothing if you capture him and kill him; he has to pay for his crimes, and pay he will. Now, you can do us all a favor and keep the peace and when your brother can ride again, go after Hector and bring him back alive for the money, or you can end up like most of his followers – dead, dead, dead. The choice is yours.” Fernando tells him.
 
“You talk shit. You need to wipe your mouth because it stinks.” The elder leader tells him.
 
“Then you need to see what few have. Now get off that iron horse and follow me.” Fernando tells him.
 
“I get off my ride for nobody.” The Elder Leader tells him.
 
“Then have it your way.” Fernando tells him. He then turns to the leader’s left hand man, “You. Come with me.”
 
“I ain’t going nowhere.” The rider on the leader’s left says.
 
“Then the choice is simple. No one comes with me, you bro ain’t gonna get fixed.  You can put him from what ride you got him out of and leave this town while he dies. It would be better for him this way.” Fernando tells the leader flatly.
 
On his signal the members of the gang pull out all sorts of fire arms, from pistols and revolvers to miniature muzzle loading hand cannons. Fernando laughs at him.
 
“What’s so funny?” The elder leader tells her.
 
“You are.” Fernando laughs at him. He continues with a bluff of a lie, “There are 2000 of us, surrounding you and your people most of them hidden where you cannot see them. Go ahead, pull that trigger and try to kill me, and you and everybody here will die where they are. So what, I’ll be dead, but so will you. So think about it, and while you think about it, it is your face that is funny!”
 
The elder leader looks about though his gun is pointed at Fernando. Besides the men at the base who are facing the group head on with rifles and machine guns drawn, the elder leader can see several more on the tops of the vehicles with their firearms loaded and ready and a couple more in the trees behind the parking lot. He looks around to other areas where men could hide but sees none though on a couple nearby building where pipes were sticking out from the roofs, he thought them to be more soldiers with their guns ready and aimed at them.
 
Fernando taunts him, “Today is a good day to die.”
 
The Elder Leader continues to look around.
 
Fernando continues to taunt him “Your choice: shoot me, and you and your people will be dead before I hit the ground. Try to rush the line, and you and your people will be dead before you pass me. Tell your people to calm down and put away their guns, get up off your ride and come with me to see what I have to show you and we can work together. The choice is yours.”
 
It takes several seconds but the Elder Leader signals to his men to put down their arms. Most of them do but do so reluctantly. He then slowly gets off his ride and steps over to Fernando. Fernando points to those who are still standing with their weapons drawn. The Elder Leader yells at the group, “PUT THEM AWAY! NOW!” Eventually they all do.
 
Fernando tells him, “You can choose one of your men to come with us.”  
 
The Elder Leader scowls at him for a moment before turning to his left hand man and signals to have him follow them. They take a walk to Fernando’s camper where he pulls out the pickle jar with Hector’s hand and his Samurai blade. He then leads them to the Kharkovchanka. They go inside and he leads them to where the Lizardmen’s bodies were, with their heads lined up on the shelf. Seeing dead Lizardmen made the Elder Leader and his Left Hand rider’s eyes just open wide in disbelief on what they are seeing.
 
Fernando puts the pickle jar with Hector’s hand in it on the table.
 
“This is Hector’s hand. No doubt he has a metal one replacing it. But for the crap he did to this town, what he did to the innocents in Wessen Town, there is a one million gold coin reward on his orange fox tail, and another 100-thousand for any of his friends and cohorts – all to be brought in alive. Dragging them back dead gives you nothing. Now, if you want to go after those Wessens that do the hunting, purging and slaving of humans and force them to become Wessens using a LabTown Mojo, Start with him. I got him on the run, like I said; he’s heading South, South East. Finding him should be easy – ask for a fox with a metal hand.” Fernando tells them as he taps the pickle jar with Hector’s hand inside.
 
Though he got their attention in hearing, they were attention was still looking at the heads and bodies of the Lizardmen. Eventually the leader speaks.
 
“How is this possible?!! Cold Blooded Killers are supposed to impossible to kill!” The leader says out loud.
 
“Nothing is impossible. You need what is their weakness, and attack that weakness.” Fernando tells him as he holds out his Samurai blade. He continues, “I could have been nice to them as I am with you but they decided to me and my men, and this is what it got them. Now understand this, as I’ll say it again. Not all Wessens are to blame, they were once people like you and I forced to be changed into Wessens so that they can be sold into slaves. So if you really think about it, you hunting and killing Wessens because they purged your families – those who survived the purge would have been turned into Wessens, and you are hunting down and killing your own members of your family. Only those like Hector go out to become Wessens to enslave others – those like him are the ones you need to hunt down, not all of them because they are all innocent. Understand that difference!”
 
The Elder Leader stands there fuming in anger.  His Left Hand Rider stands there in stupid awe as he looks at the heads on the self and the bodies on the table slabs.
 
Fernando puts down his samurai blade, looking at the Elder Leader “I do not care who you hunt and kill as long as they are not innocents. The Wessen Town I told you about, they are innocents, those who were trying to control and manipulate them, Hector and his gang tried to attack us. Though we lost a few good men, a thousand of their numbers fell. So we are more than capable of defending ourselves where we are. But we are also willing to help out where we can – weeks ago we found a small highway gang that crashed North of Central Town up North. We did what we could to help those who were hurt and injured and saved a couple of their lives. They helped us with free passage and informed other highway gangs to let us through as we would help them if they were in trouble. I’m willing to help if you ask. You asked for me to help your brother, I will do what I can, but I’m letting you know now that he is too far gone and it might be too late for him. Again, I will do what I can for him but it may be too late for him. Do I make myself clear on this?”
 
“You tell me how you did this – taking down a Cold Blooded Killer.” The Elder Leader says before he throws in, “Only Hand Cannon Slugs can take down a Cold Blooded Killer!”
 
“The sharpest of blades can take down a Cold Blooded Killer. That is if you are willing to get that close to one.” Fernando tells him.
 
“No one can get that close to one without getting killed themselves!” The Elder Leader lets out.
 
Fernando looks at him, “Just look and understand.” He then points to himself, “The Quick” and then points to the lizardman’s body. “And the Dead.” He then adds, “You Slow – You Blow. Now understand where I am coming from, because there will not be a second chance in learning this. I took on eight of them alone and one at a time. My right hand man who is out on patrol took on another four on his own one at a time. We are not here to kick ass and be the boss. We are here to help those in need. And like I said – that includes Wessens. You want my help, respect me and my work and you will be helped to the best that I can do.”  He signals them to follow him outside “Now let’s go outside, you send a couple of your men into town and ask about the Wessen Battle that happened a couple nights ago. Like these mother #$@!ers lying dead here, we won that war too.”
 
Fernando takes his pickle jar and samurai blade and starts heading out the door with the Elder Leader and his left hand riders behind him. He waits for them to come down from the Kharkovchanka’s ladder. Together they walk the few feet to the parking lot entrance where the others are waiting. The Elder Leader’s Right Hand rider has returned with his group.
 
“What you found there?” The Elder Leader asks of his right hand rider.
 
“Big area we can rest in. We’d all fit in there.” His right hand rider tells him.
 
“Good. Take everyone and set up for a couple days stay. I’m not finished here.” The Elder Leader tells him.
 
The right hand rider thinks this is odd, as the Elder Leader usually orders to group to raid and take, not negotiate deals. He nods to his Elder Leader and then signals to the group to follow him to the new area.
 
In a couple of minutes the last of the group is leaving the area for the other area to set up their camp. The Elder turns on his motorcycle engine before he turns to Fernando and the guards at the gate, pointing his finger at Fernando. “You and I have unfinished business.” He then takes a couple of steps back and turns the handlebars fully to the right. The engine revs before he puts it into gear and drives away.
 
Fernando looks at his watch, seeing that it is a few minutes past 3:30PM. He thinks that dinner would be ready by 6PM, giving him a couple of hours to figure out what to do next. He does not like the idea that the Anti-Wessen Highway Gang is nearby but at least is it is where he can keep track of them. For now he has a body to take care of and he is not happy with what he has to do to calm the waters of the storm that has arrived.
 
He gets down on one knee and takes the body’s pulse from the neck. It is strong but slow, like that of a heart trying to maintain constant blood pressure to a broken body, and that is what it was – a broken body. He looks up at the guard, telling one of them, “Get a medic team and a stretcher over here.”
 
One of the men shoulders his rifle before saluting to him before he runs to the medical tent, “Yes sir!”
 
Fernando checks the body of its injuries while preparing it to lie flat on the floor to be later put on the stretcher when it comes. His assessment of the patient is rather poor, a mangled body from a motorcycle wreck put on some bed in hope he would recover on his own with no medical attention given to it. The medical team arrives. Fernando orders them to stabilize the patient before rolling him onto the stretcher. The patient is then carried to the medical tent.
 
Fernando follows the medical team into the medical team, where Dr. Marcos was waiting with his surgical team for the patient. He complains that it is not one of the military personnel.
 
“Who is this guy? We are not a civilian hospital!” Dr. Marcos complains.
 
“He’s one of the Anti-Wessen Gang members, and I’ll take care of him for the next 24 hours. I just need a bed, an IV bottle and some bandages for a soft cast.” Fernando tells him.
 
“We’ll see about that.” Dr. Marcos storms out of the room.
 
Not caring, Fernando signals to the medical crew to take the patient to the furthest bed, away from everyone’s way. As the medical team puts the patient on the bed, Fernando goes through the supply shelf, gathering items for the patient at hand. It takes him a couple of minutes to gather what he could find and bring it to the patient’s bed.
 
Taking a roll of a gauze wrapping tape, he order the medical team to prop up and the patient the patient in place while he wraps the gauze around his head tightly but without doing it too hard. When done it looks like the patient has a skull cap that covers his right eye with a chin strap. They then take off his jacket and t-shirt and Fernando tightly wraps another large roll of gauze around his chest for securing his broken rib cage. The forearms were next, tightly binding the patient’s wrists and hand to that he can barely grab a thing. They then strap him down on the bed with minimal restraints to keep him still and from hurting himself. He then inspects their handiwork, nodding in appreciation in what they had done.
 
Dr. Marcos arrives with the major and her men. They step up to Fernando and the medical crew as Fernando sets up the IV into the patient’s arm.
 
“Medic G., I need to question you about what I heard with this patient. Who is he and why is he here?” The Major says and asks.
 
“I do not know his name but the he was left behind by the Anti-Wessen higher gang when they seen that I am a medic. After some time trying to persuade them to not to storm and attack us and to leave the Wessens in Wessen Town alone. They dropped off the body with a message of ‘He better not die.’ So he is here and obviously of some importance to the group. It would be a waste to give him one of my Old World Medicines but we do not have much choice.” Fernando explains.
 
“Where is this highway gang now?” The Major asks.
 
“There is a Parking Area for another mile or so on the main road we used to enter here. They should be there.” Fernando explains.
 
“Then, if you give him this medicine to this patient, how long is he expected to remain here?” The Major asks.
 
“Hopefully I can get him out by the morning.” Fernando states.
 
“I see.” The Major says. She then asks, “What about the girls and the boy in the other room?”
 
“Contact Hondo about the boy. He has vastly improved and should be well enough to be moved to some place out of here by tomorrow. But get him some clothes that will fit him, as he seems to have nothing when I saw him. I will talk to Minerva about taking the girls into the group but we need to break the news to about their parents. I’ll start that tomorrow after I return from meeting with the Highway Gang when I return the patient to them.” Fernando explains.
 
“Let this be the last time you circumvent medical services to take care of unauthorized civilians.” The Major tells him.
 
“Alright then. Military personnel only...” Fernando says and then he looks over the patient. “He should be fine where he is. I’ll be around to check on him before I take him away tomorrow morning.”
 
He starts walking back to his camper. Along the way he goes into the kitchen and galley tent, requesting for an empty 50-gallon drum. They freely gave him one not being used. He takes it to the medical jeep and puts it inside for the time being. He then goes to his camper, stepping up the camper’s sliding door and opens it, stepping inside the camper then closing the door behind him. He sees that Ichigo was lying on her back on the bed staring at the ceiling, though still dressed to go outside if needed.
 
He takes off his hat and jacket, leaving them on the sink counter for the time being before he sits down on the bed beside her, taking off his shoes and putting his legs on the bed. She crawls over to him before getting on him and straddling him face to face. She leans over to him, putting her hands on his shoulders to hold herself up above him.
 
“When are we going to practice making babies?” Ichigo states in an almost demanding voice though not meaning to do so.
 
“Not until we are out of this place.” He tells her, adding, “Too much is going on for me to let my guard down so I can bang what you got to offer good and hard.”
 
“A girl can only hold out but for so much.” She tells him.
 
“It is either me or you can walk out of this camp. I’m sure that Anti-Wessen biker gang would love to ravage a little girl like you until you are nothing more than a dead or dying lump of broken bones and torn flesh on the side of the road.” He tells her.
 
“Why do you have to be so mean?” She says.
 
“Why must you be so impatient?” He throws at her, “If you think you can go bed with another man and think you still can get my protection from those willing to hurt you while keeping you safe, fed, dry and warm in my camper, then you are sadly mistaken. I will not help anyone that betrays my trust, and if they are part of this convoy, they will be kicked out. It is that simple.”
 
She just scowls at him for the moment.
 
He throws at her, “I said it one, I’ll say it a thousand times, ‘A key that can open any lock is a master key. A lock that will let any key open it is broken.’ Men are the keys, women are the locks. Like it or not, that is how it is”
 
“That is not fair!” She tells him.
 
“Fair or not that is how it is.” He tells her, adding “A woman who sells herself to get what she wants or needs is a whore. A man who sells himself to get what he wants or needs is a hard worker, even if he is selling himself as sexual services to women, as there is no such thing as a man who whores himself to women. But a man who whores himself to other men and performs sexual services to his clients for what he wants or needs, then he is a whore and not even consider as a man. You as a woman, when connected to me, I better not ever find out that you are whoring yourself to others because I will throw you out faster than your little legs can make you run. Do I make myself clear with that?”
 
“Yes you do.” She replies.
 
“Good. Let this be the last time I hear of such talk from you, because if you keep this up, I am going to suspect that you are having sex with somebody else other than me and I will kick you out on the suspicion there of. Again, I am not into games and I am not into drama, bringing either or both into our relationship and I will kick you out. I already went through this shit several times before with other women before and because of that you do not see them here with me, and you never will. So you’ll be straight with me and I’ll be straight with you.” He tells her in explanation.
 
She does not say anything for the time being though she leans onto him with the side of her face on his chest.
 
Time passes before the radio in his jacket begins to call for him. It was Hondo.
 
“Medic, this is Righteous Cowboy. You out there Medic?” Hondo says over the radio speaker.
 
It takes a few seconds for Fernando to get Ichigo off him and to get the radio from his jacket. He sits on the edge of the bed as he answers the call.
 
“Medic here. Wuz up?” Fernando tells him.
 
“Wha’ is the situation over there with the Anti-Wessen Gang?” Hondo asks.
 
“Long story short, they are in another parking area a mile of so on the entrance road.” Fernando explains.
 
“Wha’s the long story?” Hondo asks.
 
“First, Dinner should be ready around 6PM. I’ll either be bringing it to you guys one way or another or you will be picking it up.” Fernando begins to explain. He continues, “I talked to their leader about leaving the Wessens here alone, and showed him Hector’s hand and the dead lizardmen’s bodies. I warned him that we outnumber his group 10 to 1 to make him think that it is not a good idea to attack us as we would rather die fighting his men than to partner up with them but it would be best to find a common ground to work together on, that being Hector and his people, who had left this place with their tails between their legs. For now they agreed to camping out for a couple of days to rest and gather their strength but I cannot guarantee their actions while they are here. Their leader also said that our business between him and I is not over.”
 
“I see...” Hondo replies. He then replies, “I’ll be there in an hour or so to check things out for myself. Since there is no water in the parkin’ area, chances are they will be lookin’ for water from somewhere, and no doubt food too.”
 
“The major is aware of the situation.” Fernando says.
 
“Alrigh’.” Hondo replies, throwing in, “See you later then.”
 
“See you then.” Fernando replies.
 
Hondo does not reply, bringing silence onto the radio.
 
Fernando reaches over and puts the radio on his jacket on the sink counter. He then sits back on the bed with his legs stretched on the bed like a couple minutes before. Ichigo gets up and straddles on his lap, reaching down and undoing his belt and pants to open them. He takes hold of her hands.
 
“What are you doing?” He asks.
 
“Just opening your pants to get us comfortable.” She replies.
 
“Us?” He asks.
 
“I know those pants must be tight on you, and the belt and pants is uncomfortable against me. So opening them up should make things better for us.” She explains.
 
“Better for you than it is for me.” He says under his breath.
 
She heard him in the small space they were in, asking “What do you mean by that?”
 
“When you sat on me before, you did not sweep your skirt under your legs so your bare legs and panty covered crotch was up against my pants, belt, zipper and buttons on it, so I would think that would be painful against you.” He tells her.
 
“Oh...” She replies before letting out a sigh. She then looks down at his opened pants at his briefs covering the bulge of his manhood before leaning down towards it and giving it a quick peck of a kiss on the material covering it. She then looks up at him.
 
He knows what is on her mind but in his mind he must limit her from her wants to her needs or even less though he has been hungering himself. But he is in better control of such urges than she is or else he would have her pinned down on the bed and pounding hard and deep into what she has to offer as a small sized woman. But he also knows that as it is if she would get on top of him that is would be very uncomfortable for him from the position his male organ would be against her weight. He lifts her up by her armpits and sitting her down on his legs before taking a hand into his briefs and shifts himself into a more comfortable position within. He then takes her by her waist and pulls her up where she was before against his groin when his pants were on.
 
She leans over to him, putting her hands on his shoulders to hold herself up over him.
 
He asks, “Feels better now?”
 
“Much better, thanks.” She replies with a slight rocking of her groin against his. She bites on her lower lip for a moment before letting out a sigh. “You sure you do not want to do it with me? At least this one time? Please?”
 
“Not until we leave of this wretched place first. Then we will do it when we can as often as we may want or if time allows. Not before then.” He tells her.
 
Ichigo leans against him with the side of her face on his chest. He rubs his hand along her back for the moment, as he waits for the next thing that Time will bring up. Hopefully he can wait in peace to then take the food over to Hondo’s hanger without any major issues later on. But that is within the next few hours, and there was a lot to be done in one form or another.

Fernando turns to Hondo, “I have to be going and get a few things Ruth needs to get dinner ready.”
 
 
“Need any help?” Hondo asks.
 
 
“No, but all the help is needed here.” Fernando begins. “The kids take care of themselves, Minerva and the other adults just oversee them. But getting to know the location of the manholes to escape would be a plus for you and everyone here. If I need help, I will call you. Concentrate on the cane and get yourself teleported behind your camper and assess the situation before taking action. If not and things turn out to be fine, I’ll be back with the food. If the food arrives by teleportation, then we are dealing with the situation.”
 
 
Hondo nods.
 
 
“See you later.” Fernando tells him.
 
 
“Yeah, see ya.” Hondo replies.
 
 
As Fernando begins his walk out of the hanger Hondo walks off, seeing Minerva rush past him as he headed to check on the status of the rooms. He was sure she was chasing Fernando down, but fully expected her to be turned around.
 
 
As Hondo approached the rooms Karl and Marvin were placing the last of the mattresses in the rooms as the others set things up. Minya looked up at him as he looked things over and walked up to him after a moment.
 
 
“You said something about blankets that could be used for padding?” She asked.
 
 
He nodded, “Yeah, there are some downstairs in one of the storage closets an’ a couple in my Bronco.”
 
 
Minya nodded, “We’ll go get them, then.”  
 
 
“Can it wait for a moment? We have somethin’ we need to talk over.” Hondo said.
 
 
Minya gave him a suspicious look, “Oh? What exactly is that?”
 
 
“Karl! Marvin!” He called out, waving them over to where he and Minya stood.
 
 
“What’s up?” Marvin asked as they trotted up.
 
 
“Jefe said that these ladies know ‘bout some sewer accesses close by. We need to locate them so we can get an evacuation plan setup.” Hondo said.
 
 
Minya relaxed a bit and sighed as she shook her head, “You got the wrong one of if to talk about that, then. You need Minerva, my twin. I was working in the bar, so I’m not too familiar with them.”
 
 
Hondo nodded, “Well, the older ones of you should know this too, as if things get bad all y’all will need to get out fast. I might not be able to go with ya, so it will be up to each of ya to get the others out.”
 
 
Minya nodded, “Alright, but we need to get things setup. Tracy or Minerva can fill me in later, if you don’t mind?”
 
 
“Don’t mind what?” Minerva said as she trotted up.
 
 
Tracy joined them too, hearing her name but she said nothing.
 
 
“We need to go over the locations of the manholes in case we have to evacuate quickly.” Hondo said.
 
 
Minerva nodded, “We can do that now if you like.”
 
 
Hondo nodded, “Sounds good. Just need to get Molly an’ Tonya as I want them to know. Minya is gonna keep getting’ things setup an’ ya can fill her in on it all later.”
 
 
Minerva nodded, “Yeah, lets go.”
 
 
Minya left them to get a couple of the older kids to help her haul padding upstairs while Hondo, Minerva, Tracy, Karl, and Marvin all went downstairs.  
 
 
“You wake up Maggie?” Hondo asked Marvin as they walked downstairs.
 
 
Marvin nodded, “Yeah, Terri, La La, and Li Li are with her now setting up that room. She’s trying to get the to understand the situation, but even after all the abuse they have seen, they can’t understand people wanting to kill them.”
 
 
“Fernando said something about that and asked me to talk with them and help understand.” Minerva replied before Hondo could answer Marvin.
 
 
Hondo nodded, “Alright, you two handle that. Don’t let Karl talk to them, though, as he comes across as an asshole.”
 
 
“Hey!” Karl protested.
 
 
Marvin chuckled, “Heh! He’s right, you know!”
 
 
“Doesn’t need to rub it in! I can’t help it! My mother said I came by it naturally.” Karl sulked.
 
 
“Aw, come on, now, buddy. You know we still love you, asshole or not!” Marvin replied still grinning.
 
 
Karl frowned but said nothing, knowing anything he said would be used against him.
 
 
As they all walked down to the hanger they found Molly and Tonya each carrying a couple bags from the Bronco and headed towards the stairs.
 
 
“Need you two with us.” Hondo said as they approached them.
 
 
“Something wrong?” Molly asked
 
 
“Not yet. … Minerva is gonna show us the sewer access manholes in case we need to evacuate. I want you two to know where they are too, in case you need to lead a group yourselves.” Hondo replied.
 
 
Molly nodded and they both set the bags down and joined the group. Tonya stayed quiet, though, as she knew she was still in for an ass-chewing from earlier and didn’t want it in front of the group.
 
 
Minya took them around and showed them the three closest, with one of them being a way off behind the hanger. Hondo pointed out a fourth on the runway itself, but told everyone that it was only to be used as a last resort as it was so far away over open ground.
 
 
Once they all knew the locations they discussed evacuation plans as they walked back.  
 
 
“If things go bad we might hafta evacuate in groups to get everyone clear. I’m figurin’ three groups, four groups at most, but I want each group to be mixed with the adults, an’ children.” Hondo said.
 
 
“But my kids can move faster by themselves as they know the sewers better and are smaller!” Minerva protested
 
 
“That’s part of the reason I want it this way, so those who don’t know the way have guides an’ the younger ones have protectors. We might have to send groups to different holes, so we might get split up. That large area in the swers you spoke of will be the meetin’ point for everyone to regroup. We wait there an hour, if its safe, before movin’ on unless everyone is accounted for. If I don’t make it I expect Molly an’ Marvin to take over leadin’ as a team.” Hondo said.
 
 
“Hey! That’s not fair! I should lead!! I know the way and lead the kids for years!” Minerva protested.
 
 
“They are to look to you for guidance, but they have the final word. I expect everyone to listen to them, too, an’ not fight their decisions.” Hondo replied firmly.
 
 
“Why? Why them??” Minerva asked almost angrily, stopping in front of him and causing the whole group to stop.
 
 
“Because I know them an’ trust them. They will do their best to protect everyone an’ go all the way to see everyone to safety.” He replied firmly again as he glared at her.
 
 
“And I won’t?!” Minerva snapped.
 
 
“Listen, I don’t know you!! You stay with the kids or Fernando, but have not even tried to get to know any of the rest of us! As a group we have given your group space, clothes, beddin’, food, an’ protection, but what have you given back? We’re happy to help you an’ the kids an’ know you are busy with them, but don’t expect an award for that nor us to just blindly trust you when you’re a damned stranger to us all! Fernando entrusted all y’all to me, so it’s my call! Those I trust will be in charge in my absence! You don’t like it? Complain to Fernando when it’s done for all I care, but for now just shut-up an’ do as I say if ya want everyone safe!” He growled back at her.
 
 
Minerva took a step back from him and gave him a surprised look, as she was not expecting him to snap back at her, since he normally seemed fairly quiet to her. She hung her head a bit after a moment and sighed as she realized not only was he right about her, but the same was true about them all. She did not know any of them, but yet she had to trust them with their safety.
 
 
“Sorry.” She said timidly after a moment before stepping aside.
 
 
“I’ll believe that when I see it.” He grumbled as he started on again.
 
 
Minerva just sighed and brought up the rear of the group as they continued back.  
 
 
Back at the hanger they all split up again, with Marvin and Karl going to check in with Maggie and the girls, Minerva and Tracy going to talk with Minya and the others about plans, and  
Molly and Tonya grabbing the bags they had earlier and heading up to the master bedroom Hondo and Molly were using, with Hondo following them upstairs.  
 
 
Once upstairs Molly set the bags down and turned to him.
 
 
“You alright?” She asked in a worried tone.
 
 
He nodded, “For now. Can’t say I like any of this but we’ll make it through.”
 
 
She smiled and put a hand reassuringly on his arm.
 
 
“I’m sure we will.” She said.
 
 
Tonya tried to slip out unnoticed but she realized that failed and she froze in her tracks as familiar voice, in a sharp tone she hated to hear, spoke her name.
 
 
“Tonya! … stay.” Hondo said sharply, not missing the sick expression on her face.
 
 
She stepped back from the door after a moment and stood looking at the floor as he turned back to Molly.
 
 
“You have much more to bring up?” He asked in a softer tone.
 
 
Molly shook her head, “Not much. Going to bring some more weapons and such up here but still leave some down there too. After that I can start going through that gear from the trailer with you, if you’d like.”
 
 
He shook his head, “No, I’ll go through it myself. Want all wessens to stay upstairs if possible here soon. Never know if we’re gonna get company or someone is watchin’ us. Not heard anythin’ yet, so hopefully they aren’t here yet an’ don’t have scouts lookin’ round yet.”
 
 
She frowned but nodded knowingly, “I understand… hate being useless to you though. If I only wasn’t a #$@!ing wessen!”
 
 
He grabbed her and held it tightly.
 
 
“You’re not useless to me, as I need you up here watchin’ over the others. I’d have you up here wessen or not, because I trust you an’ need you here. I know you bein’ a wessen has been hard on a lot of you, but though you are human, bein’ wessen is still part of you an’ I like who you are an’ wouldn’t change you for the world. If I could make you look human I’d only do it if it made you happy, as I like you as you are. Same with my daughter …” He paused to glance at Tonya for a moment before continuing, “Though they seem to not trust me an’ want to give me grief for tryin’ to protect them.”
 
 
Molly smiled softly but looked slightly embarrassed too, as her cheeks flushed slightly.  
 
 
“I.. I’d better get that stuff and let you two talk.” She said hesitantly.
 
 
He nodded and let go of her hand, “Alright. Thanks, Molly.”
 
 
She nodded and spoke softly to him, too keep others from accidentally hearing, though Tonya still could.
 
 
“I love you, you know?” She whispered.
 
 
He nodded, “I know, an’ it means the world to me, as do you.”
 
 
She smiled and stretched up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading downstairs to grab a few more things, leaving him and Tonya alone.
 
 
He frowned as he stared at her quietly for a moment before pointing to a chair.
 
 
“Sit.” He ordered a bit coldly.
 
 
She sat and stared at the floor still. He sighed as he stared at her for a minute, thinking of what exactly to say. After a bit he sighed again and shook his head.
 
 
“What am I gonna do with you?” He asked.
 
 
Tonya just shrugged but said nothing.
 
 
He shook his head, “What is this attitude about?”
 
 
She sighed, “I..I just… I heard some of what happened at James’ grave and.. and after what he put me through, … I don’t know. Just made me angry at him.”
 
 
“Elaborate. What did he put you through?” Hondo asked.
 
 
“You.. you know… When he held that cane over me and made me shave some weird dream about falling and then made me look like that hamster girl and made me feel I was living as her with Hector in some abusive relationship where he used me for sex and hurt me when it wasn’t enough and.. and almost killed me when he found out I wasn’t what he thought I was! It was all a lie just to scare me, I know it was!” Tonya exclaimed, trying not to cry as the memories of that flooded back to her.
 
 
“Jefe is a lot of things, includin’ bein’ a real asshole bastard at times when he’s angry, but he doesn’t lie an’ he doesn’t just scare folks for no reason.” Hondo replied sternly.
 
 
“But.. but … he can’t be that evil! He was so nice to me, he honestly was!” Tonya exclaimed
 
 
“Do you believe me when I say he’s a bad man?” Hondo asked.
 
 
She looked down for a moment then nodded.
 
 
“Yes papa.” She nearly whispered.
 
 
“Do you believe Jefe when he says he’s a bad man?” Hondo asked.
 
 
“He can’t be that…” she started to exclaim.
 
 
“Do You Believe Him?!?” Hondo asked again, just holding back from yelling.
 
 
She trembled a bit as she stared up and him and tears slowly started down her cheeks.
 
 
“Y.y.yes p.p.papa.” she stammered.
 
 
“Then you’d better believe it was all true! Everythin’ you saw an’ felt happened to that poor girl. Now, she’s been through hell an’ I feel for her, but it’s not enough to make me trust her yet, though. But I trust Jefe, even when I don’t agree with him, an’ so should you! Beyond that, he is your elder. If you choose to see him as an uncle or not, that is on you, but you will respect him as an elder, a leader, a protector, an’ as my friend!” He said firmly.
 
 
“But.. but how can he be that evil, how??” Tonya asked.
 
 
“Listen, girl, Hector is a liar, con artist, charlatan, user, narcissist, and fiend! He craves power an’ sees everyone else as beneath him! He will say pretty words an’ act like a nice guy to get what he wants. Once he is done with ya or his anger is kindled against ya he will hurt ya an’ likely kill ya! Understand?” Hondo replied.
 
 
She nodded, “Yes papa.”
 
 
“An’ you will apologize to Jefe once this shit here is over!” Hondo said.
 
 
“But, what about what happened at the grave?” She asked
 
 
“What ‘bout it?” Hondo asked warily.
 
 
“He threatened to make Macey and Zoey to be whores!” She exclaimed.
 
 
“Since you got your info from two little girls, I can guarantee it was the emotional version an’ was exaggerated a bit as they were scared… Yes, he said that’s the life they could end up with if they keep actin’ up. He’s not gonna whore them out or anythin’ like that, as he would never hurt them intentionally like that. He cares about you three, and maybe even loves you, which is why he puts in so much effort to scare you, since none of you have listened to calm reason yet! I don’t agree with how he always goes ‘bout it, an’ I’ve expressed my opinions on some of it, but I guarantee you if he didn’t care he’d not waste times on such efforts or risk pissin’ me off on somethin’ or someone that didn’t matter to him. How he treats you is between me an’ him, but how you treat him is up to you an’ between you an’ me! Now, I’ll not try to scare you or threaten to throw you out or make you see someone else’s horrors as if you were livin’ them, but don’t think I’ll not punish you ifin I hafta! You’re not too old for me to turn across my knee, pull down your britches an’ tan your ass! Trust me there will be nothin’ fun ‘bout that either, as I’ll have your rear end so sore that you’ll be sleepin’ on your belly for the next three nights! Now, you’re old enough I should be able to talk to you an’ I should have earned enough of your trust that you’ll listen an’ obey. Jefe might be over the top sometimes, but he should have your trust enough too that when he gets that way you stop, listen, an’ take what he’s sayin’ to heart! It’s up to you how we treat you, as a little child or as a maturin’ young woman.” Hondo said firmly.
 
 
Tonya nodded after a moment and sighed.
 
 
“Sorry, Papa.” She said.
 
 
“It’s Jefe you need to be apologizin’ to.” He said.
 
 
She shook her head, “No, I owe you apologies too. I’ve been a bad daughter and I’ve let my own feelings make me lash out on those who care about me… What Uncle Fernando made me see, though…Papa, it gives me nightmares! … they have been worse since the night we had to fight off those wessens… I.. I’ve never had to kill before. … I know I was wrong with fighting you both on hector, but was  
I really being that much of a bitch that he had to do that to me??? It was so horrible I.. I…”
 
 
She stopped talking and slumped forward as she started to cry.  
 
 
He walked up to her and pulled her up out of the chair and held her against him. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his shirt.
 
 
“You were bein’ pretty mean, girl… I’m sorry it scared you so much an’ that made you angry at him, but he did it to save your life…. I reckon he doesn’t care if you are angry at time or not as long as you’re safe. I understand as, though it hurts me when you’re cross with me, I’d rather have you angry than dead or worse.” He said quietly.
 
 
“I’m sorry I’m such a bitch, Papa! I don’t mean to be!” She said through her tears.
 
 
“I know, but part of growin’ up is learnin’ how to control that. You will need to apologize an’ mean it, ya know. An’ you need to get rid of that sour disposition too. An apology is meanin’less without change behind it.” He said.
 
 
She nodded, “I know papa. I will do better, I promise.”
 
 
He nodded, “I know you will. An’ I do appreciate you bein’ protective of the girls, but just be smarter ‘bout how ya do it an’ who ya protect them against. You aren’t to stand between them and Jefe or I. Jefe an’ I can police each other in that respect. Alright?”
 
 
She nodded again, “Yes papa.”
 
 
He sighed, “Alright then. Dry your tears an’ go check on the girls. I have a few things to do still.”  
 
 
(To Be Continued …)

Hondo sat on the bed and watched the lone figure leave before turning back to look at Raven. Her actions were far from normal for the woman he knew and loved but he knew it was possible for her to act differently due to memory loss. That it was not his Raven still was inconceivable to him, but love blinded him to that conclusion. Despite his worries, he knew that though she meant the world to him, there were things that mattered more than their happiness, and the main issue was taking out the spirits before their year was up.
 
 
He reached over and carefully brushed her hair back and stared at her for a bit longer before standing up with a bit of a groan. Though he had been healed thoroughly, his body had not caught up on sleep and the nights of sleeping on the ground made him feel stiffer than normal. He looked down at her one more time, sighed a frustrated sigh, and then got dressed for the day.  
 
 
He looked at the food and contemplated not eating, but the years had taught him better than skip a meal when there was time for it.
 
 
The spread was simple and fairly traditional for the area, but filling. The monks had left steamed rice, fruit, pickled vegetables, grilled salmon, tamagoyaki, and tonjiru. He took his portion of everything, minus the fish, and ate quickly. He left his fish for Raven, who he knew loved fish where he did not. Over the years his dislike for fish had lessened but he still never acquired a taste for it and avoided it whenever possible.  
 
 
Once done he slipped out of the room and headed for Fernando’s room, leaving the Raven clone to sleep.
 
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,
 
 
Raven half jumped out of the chair where she slept, as a hand grabbed her shoulder and shook her awake. She nearly lashed out at whoever grabbed her but she calmed down as a familiar face looked at her with a worried look.
 
 
“Sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you. You were crying and flailing in your sleep, so I figured you were having a nightmare again.” Legacy said.
 
 
Raven recomposed herself and nodded, as a sad look took over her features as she thought back on her dream.
 
 
“Dreaming about losing H.I. again?” Legacy asked.
 
 
Raven nodded.
 
 
Legacy sighed and shook her head, “I’m sorry. I know it has to be hard on you… Can’t say what you’ve explained about the Grey Lady has completely settled with me yet, but when it does I imagine I’ll be more of a mess myself. Just doesn’t seem real still, you know?”
 
 
Raven nodded and gave her an understanding look as the full reality of losing Hondo still had not settled in with her either. The nightmares were normal for her, though the content had only gotten worse with what she assumed was the end of the man she loved.
 
 
“I hate to bother you, but I could really use something to eat. I’d try to go get food myself but I’m broke, my condition would draw attention and I’m too well known. Someone would surly report my being seen to Hector or the Grey Lady.” Legacy said
 
 
Raven nodded, grabbed her pad, wrote out a note and handed it to Legacy.
 
 
Legacy read it and nodded, “Yeah, I’m definitely feeling better, but still not good. We can move tonight, if you wish, though. I’ll need help, though.”
 
 
Raven nodded, took the pad back and wrote something else before handing it back.
 
 
Legacy read it over and shrugged, “I’d eat anything at the moment, honestly.”
 
 
Raven nodded, took the pad, wrote yet again and handed it back.
 
 
Legacy nodded, “I think I can shower on my own now, so I’ll get one while you’re gone. I don’t know what medicines you gave me, but I figured it would take weeks to get this much better, honestly… Just be careful out there, please. I.. I’ve lost everyone else I thought I could trust, it seems like. I can’t lose you too.”
 
 
Raven gave her a soft smile and nodded. She then pulled the shawl over her head and slipped outside.
 
 
Though it was not the largest in town, a small set of stall vendors setup not too far from the hotel. They offered some foods, supplies, trinkets, and various other goods, though at a higher price for the convenience and, more importantly, the anonymity that most of their customers required.  
 
 
No one seemed to recognize Raven, though, and her inability to speak made her unable to haggle really, so she just pointed at what she needed, paid what was asked, and left. She managed to get some bread, cheese, summer sausage, cherries, butter, wine, and avocado for them and then headed back. She took a different and longer route back, looking things over and trying to figure out how they would both move without being seen. As she walked a small motorcycle shop with a few bikes, one with sidecar, for sale out front caught her eye. She started to formulate a plan for them, but for now it was only part of a plan. She would figure out the rest later.
 
 
When she got back the shower was running and Legacy was not in the main room.
 
 
“Raven, that you?” Legacy called out for the shower.
 
 
Raven peaked her head into the bathroom and waved at her, to let her know things were alright.
 
 
Legacy sighed at the sight of her, “Good! I left that pistol under my pillow and just realized it when I heard the door!”
 
 
Raven frowned and shook her head.
 
 
“I know, I’m sorry. Not used to having to watch out all the time for people who might be after me. The grey Lady might be as evil as you say, but she does provide a safe environment for the people who work for her and live at her compound. I guess maybe that’s why it’s so hard to fully comprehend what she is.” Legacy replied.
 
 
Raven shook her head again and let Legacy finish washing up.
 
 
“I’ll be right out!” Legacy called after her as she left.
 
 
Raven set out the food and started cutting things up. She worried about being able to help Legacy properly. It had been a long time since she had worked alone and even then, her actions almost get her killed multiple times and eventually lead to her having the animal identity stripped from her and replace with one that still at times felt foreign to her. She knew had it not been for Hondo she would have been dead already, if not by someone else’s hand then by her own. Even now she was not sure how to live without him or why she should fight on, other than she knew it is what he would want her to do.
 
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
 
Val worked quietly to prepare supper, stopping only to watch the exchange between Fernando and the bikers through the camper window. Once they left she went back to work, saying nothing still, and only stopping for the occasion hit from one of her flasks.
 
 
 She was distraught and full of fear. She was afraid Hondo would throw her out for not apologizing to Fernando yet, but she was too afraid of Fernando right now to speak to him. When he showed up again she tried to be gruff to hide her fear but the half annoyed half disappointed look on his face when she came to the door and not Ruth left her feeling even more lose, alone, and ashamed. That look on his face was her fault. She had lost him as a friend, like she had lost her husband and daughters. She had no one now and knew it. All she had was being here, though she felt like an outcast with the very group of people she had helped save, feed, shelter, and care for, but she feared her time here was short, as Hondo would surly throw her out soon.  
 
 
Ruth did not miss the fact that Val was being extremely quiet nor the silent tears the rolled down her cheeks occasionally.
 
 
“Val.. you alright?” Ruth asked
 
 
Val shook her head.
 
 
“What’s wrong now?” Ruth asked in a slightly annoyed tone, though she tried to hide it.
 
 
“It doesn’t matter,” Val replied softly.
 
 
Ruth sighed, “It obviously does to you.”
 
 
“I.. I have to apologize to Fernando or Hondo will kick me out, but I’m too afraid of him to talk to him.” Val almost whispered.
 
 
“Fernando can be a bit intense at times, and he’s got a lot on his plate right now, but if the apology is genuine then I can’t believe he’d not accept it.” Ruth said.
 
 
“You didn’t see how he looked at me… We were only friends but he had this look that said he cared, that I mattered to him, and was liked as a friend. … All I saw today was disgust, annoyance, and disappointment. ….. What have I become that he looks at me this way??” She asked
 
 
 Ruth shook her head, “Val, only you can answer that. But I want to know why you aren’t falling apart over how Hondo sees you?”
 
 
Val shrugged, “All I see in his eyes right now it hurt and anger… It sort of matches how I feel when I see him… I don’t want to hurt him and.. and maybe I still care, but … I don’t know. I guess I can deal with anger and hurt, just not the disappointment and annoyance. I guess the anger and hurt makes me feel like they still care. Fernando… it more looked like he was just done with me.”
 
 
“#$@! him, then.” Kiah said.
 
 
“That’s not a nice thing to say, after all he’s done for us.” Ruth said sternly.
 
 
“No, I mean she should drop her panties and #$@! him!” Kiah said, defending herself.
 
 
“Oh… I thought you meant..” Ruth paused.
 
 
Kiah nodded, “I know, but no. I meant she should have sex with him.
 
 
“I .. I couldn’t! I don’t feel that way about him!” Val exclaimed
 
 
“It’s not always about having a feeling. If I had to feel about that before I #$@!ed every client, I can tell you I’d have been thrown out on the streets for not making any money for my handlers!” Kiah replied
 
 
“Kiah!” Mae exclaimed
 
 
“What? It’s true! It’s not always about how you feel. It’s giving the feeling that others want so you can get something you want in return. You are scared of him, need to apologize, and don’t want him to reject you, you need to put that pussy to work!” Kiah said.
 
 
“I.. I couldn’t!” Val exclaimed
 
 
“Yes, you can! You have a body, use it! You owe him a lot, it sounds like, well pay up with that coochie of yours! Hard for a man to be made with a hot, naked woman sucking on his sausage.” Kiah replied grinning almost evilly.
 
 
“Kiah Ann Sutherland! You know that’s not right!” Mae scolded.
 
 
Kiah scowled, “Maybe not, but it works!”
 
 
“We left that behind as when know what it does to people and was doing to us! Don’t push her to do something you know is wrong!” Mae scolded.
 
 
Kiah frowned, “Sorry.”
 
 
Ruth sighed and shook her head, “If you two can stop for a moment, could you go start to setup the food serving camper like I showed?”
 
 
They both looked up at her then looked down and nodded.
 
 
“Yes ma’am.” Mae said.
 
 
Kiah sighed, “Sure… sorry.”
 
 
Ruth shook her head again as the four girls went out to set up the serving area. Though the crowd to serve at camper would be smaller, Val’s camper just was not setup for serving.
 
 
After they left Val sighed softly.
 
 
“Do.. do you think she’s right?” Val asked
 
 
“About having sex with Fernando??” Ruth asked almost shocked.
 
 
Val nodded, “Yeah, I mean.. I do owe him a lot and I don’t know how to even begin to apologize or make what I’ve done and said to him right… Hondo even said to.. to.. you know, if I had to.”
 
 
Ruth shook her head, “I don’t think Hondo meant that. If he said that then I’m sure it’s just because he’s hurting and angry. I also don’t think Fernando wants you to throw yourself at him like that either.”
 
 
“But what else can I do! I’m a worthless, messed up, mentally broken failure of a wife, friend, and woman! How can I even ask him to forgive me, let alone expect him to want to or even see me worthy to forgive?!?” Val exclaimed.
 
 
“Maybe he won’t forgive you. That’s on him, though. What’s on you is, have you even tried?? Have you even tried to change your attitude or are you still growling at him??” Ruth asked
 
 
She sighed, “I.. I’m just so scared he’ll completely reject me or banish me or somethin’.”
 
 
“Maybe that’s your own guilt talking.” Ruth said.
 
 
Val sighed, “Maybe it is but… I just don’t know what to do.”