(Roll Back) [NOTE: I intertwined the previous convoy post to get Hondo's perspective of the events. Some conversations and instances are copied from Fernando's post, but have been tweaked for perception. They are not marked as it would be too hard to make every instance and leave all changes unmarked]
 
After the meeting with the teens Hondo headed back to the camper, at a speed slower than normal. He was tired, dog tired, but he was not about to let that stop them from getting the hell out of that place.  
 
Macey and Zoey were standing beside the driver door as he approached, both feeling a little apprehension about moving again.
 
“You two ready?” He asked.
 
Macey shrugged.
 
“I guess so, Papa.” Zoey replied.
 
“Beds made, sleeping clothes ready, change of clothes for morning laid out, robes handy, food boxes and drinks accessible, an’ the cat’s loaded?” he asked.
 
Macey nodded.
 
“Yes, papa.” Zoey answered for them.
 
“Alright, then get in an’ let’s get ready to roll.” Hondo replied.
 
The girls climbed in without saying anything else, Macey first, so to be by the passenger door, then Zoey behind her. Hondo stopped and opened the door where the rabbit wessen sisters were still sleeping and checked on them. They both felt a bit on the warm side, but Scarlett was visibly trembling, so they were running fevers, which was normal with the healing process, but as weak as they were it still worried Hondo a bit. He secured the seatbelts over their blankets, to keep them from rolling around if the roads got rough, securing each of them close to a door in case they needed attention, and to leave a path between them for Zoey and Macey to get back to their bed when the time came.  
 
Once they were all secure and the doors shut, Hondo climbed in and looked at the truck’s gauges. He had started it before the meeting with the teens, so the diesel engine was well up to temperature and idling smoothly.   He got the girls seat-belted in, though both showed their displeasure with the idea of wearing them, not in a disobedient way, but they made their feelings plain still. He told them that once on the smoother roads, or in bed, they could have them off, but until they gout out on the highway, when the road was bad, or when they were just sitting still, they needed to listen to him and have them on. They both complied, though not enthusiastically, both seeming tired, worn down, and worried themselves. Truth was, the whole camp had felt the straight lately, down to the pets.
 
As Fernando called out for Jason to start out, Hondo pulled the Yaesu out of his pocket and changed from his normal channels to a channel he normally did not use, and pushed the transmit button.
 
“Red Coyote, Red Fox, this is the Cowboy, are you receiving? Over.” He called out.
 
In the Bronco, the dash mounted Yaesu came to life, and Molly picked up the microphone and replied back.
 
“Righteous, this is Red Coyote, we are receiving you loud and clear. Over.” Molly replied.
 
Hondo had a dash mount Yaesu still in the box in the trailer for the truck camper, but had not gotten it mounted before they left. The Bronco had gotten one right away, as it had been their main running vehicle before they had been pulled to this God-forsaken timeline, and between that, the base station he had in his rental house, and the handhelds, the camper truck had not been a priority. For now, it was alright, though he knew he should get it installed soon, since it had a higher power output than the little handhelds did. Though Valentine had his other handheld, he had gone over the mobile radio with Molly and Tonya before the meeting with the teens, to show them the other channels he ran on, and to set one up for him to communicate with them directly.
 
“You both ready? Over?” He asked.
 
“I think so, my love. Red Fox is a little nervouse, since she’d not driven this far, and I’d feel more at ease if I was fully healed, but we should be fine. Over.” Molly replied.
 
“Well, Just take it easy, keep a few car lengths between you an’ the rig in front of you, like I told you before, an’ we’ll do what we need to do. I’ll be on the main channel for this radio, but I’ll have it set to scan this channel if you need something. If it’s not urgent, use the CB channels or the Baofeng channels the medic told everyone to use. Over.” Hondo replied.
 
“Sounds good, my love. And don’t worry. We got this. Over.” Molly replied.
 
“I know you both do. Love ya both. Over and out.” He replied.
 
With no further response, he changed back to his normal channel and pocketed the radio. It was about then that the Bronco started off, a little shakier than he would have liked, but to be fair, he had not given Tonya much chance to practice with the clutch lately. Once they were out a little bit, Hondo pushed in on the clutch on his rig, pushed the gear shift down to first, and slowly eased out on the clutch.
 
“Well, here we go.” He said, not necessarily to anyone on particular.
 
Getting out of town and onto the highway went smoother than he thought it would, and though no rest had been had yet, he felt a bit more energetic and refreshed as they pulled away from Flight Town.  
 
As they rolled onto the highway Fernando told Jason to take up as fast as was safely possible. Jason called Fernando ‘Boss’ on the radio, which Hondo grinned at, as he knew it had to be eating at Fernando, but Fernando made no comment as one of the army scouts called back with a road report before he could reply. Fernando then told Jason to take it up to 45 mph for now, if possible, to which Jason called him ‘Boss’ again. Though it was half out of concern, Hondo decided to use the opportunity to call right away after that to check on Fernando’s batteries, not giving him time to say anything to Jason about calling him ‘boss’. It was not that Jason was not a bastard and did not deserve to be growled at, but it was the first amusement Hondo had in a while.
 
Fernando claimed the bad pack should be alright for the time being, though he would only use it for lights once the sun went down. He continued that they should be there by first light the next morning, and had barely finished that sentence before who could only assumed to be Jeanette called on with her normal unnecessary questions.  
 
As Fernando answered, Zoey asked, “Is she always like that?”
 
“Annoying, you mean?” Macey added in a low growl.
 
Hondo chuckled, “Heh! Unfortunately, yes. I think it’s an attention thin’. If she’s not at the center of attention she puts herself there.”
 
“I don’t know why Daddy puts up with her. Every time he talks about her, its always how she is useless and frustrates him.” Macey added.
 
“That makes two of us, little lady. I’ve asked him that for years an’ not gotten a straight answer on it.” Hondo replied flatly.  
 
As the communications radio went mostly silent, Hondo turned music on from his playlist stored in the camper’s entertainment system, turning it up enough so they could hear it, but not loud enough to drown out the other radio’s or bother the sleeping sisters behind him. The sounds of a mis of 80’s, 90’s country, classic country, bluegrass, Hill Billy Rock, Blues, Classic rock, folk music, and other random songs filled the cab. Though he had played them on occasion for the girls, and a time or two for the whole camp, the girls were still enamored by them, as radios were not an item everyone had and the few stations on the air had on average a small number of songs they rotated through then would trade out with another station. And many of the cassettes and albums were wore out, so the quality was not what it should be, so the sounds of his hi-fi system were a treat to their young ears, and kept them fairly entertained for a while  
 
About 7:15 pm he had the girls eat their supper, taking just a sandwich and some coffee that Molly had put into a thermos for him, as she also took one for herself and Tonya. He threw a bottle of water and the seal soup container up on the dash for later, popped another energy and stomach pill, and ate as he drove. The girls ate mostly quietly, other than bargaining to exchange a few items in their meal bags for something the other had. As they ate. Kitty sat up on the dash, staring at them, while Meeeshie sat on the back of the seat, leaning against Hondo’s shoulder as she watched them from that angle.  
 
After a bit Macey spoke up, “Uhm, Uncle Hondo, the cats are looking at us funny.”
 
“They probably want some of what we are havin’, which is normal. Have they been fed recently?” He asked.
 
“I’m not sure. Daddy should know. Can.. Can you call him on the radio and find out?” She asked.
 
“They are you’re an’ Zoey’s responsibilities, so you should call an’ ask him, after you’re done eatin’.” He said.
 
“Okay.” Macey said softly, sitting back into her seat with a bit of a worried look.
 
She knew she should have asked before they left, and she was worried that she would get in trouble yet again. She was feeling as if she was making Fernando hate her and that was the opposite of what she wanted to happen. IT worried her greatly, as though she was fairly sure her Un cle would take her in if her father threw her away, she was also not sure she could take the pain and embarrassment of being thrown away again.  
 
After they were done eating and had things cleaned up, Hondo handed her the microphone to the CB.
 
Macey took the microphone in hand, looking a bit unsure at first, before pressing the transmit button on the side and calling out to her father.  
 
“Uh, dad... how do we feed Meeshie and Kitty?” Macey says on the air.  
 
 
Fernando replies, “Hondo – take it ‘all the way up there’ for Macey.” A coded phrase for “turn on the Yaesu” and give to Macey.  He then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his Yaesu VX-2 and turns it on.  
 
 
Hondo pulled his Yaesu out of his pocket, checks the channel quick like then hands it to Macey.
 
“Dad, you out there?” She says after pressing the transmit button.  
 
 
“I’m here little one. Now what is it with Kitty and Meeshie?” Fernando asks.  
 
 
“How do we feed them while we are moving? They have been looking at us funny while we were eating.” Macey explains.  
 
 
 
“First of all, you do over there what you do over here: clean out their food and water bowls, fill the water most of the way but not all of the way as to not allow it to spill, and then open a can of cat food and put it into the food bowl and put it next to the water bowl and the cats will eat themselves. Second, you were supposed to do this first before you eat so they eat while you eat and they do not look at you funny begging for food. Third, keep the bathroom open for the two use the litter box Hondo has set up inside. Do all that and the cats will take care of themselves.” Fernando explains.  
 
 
“OK, I’ll see what I can do.” Macey replies.  
 
 
“Give them #37: Chicken and Vegetable Medley. They’ll eat that right up.” Fernando points out, adding “Do not give them any fish dinners. When we are camped out Fish is fine but when we are moving, fish upsets their stomachs. So only give them the chicken dinner can #37.”  
 
 
“OK daddie...” Macey is heard in reply, still holding onto the talk button on the Yeasu, “Come with me Zoey!”  
 
As the girls unbuckle their seat belts and scramble back between the rabbit wessen sister, through their bed, and into the camper through the access hatch, with the cat’s close on their heels, Hondo take the radio in hand again.  
 
 
“I did not know fish upsets a cat’s stomach when on the go, Jefe.” Hondo said over the radio.
 
 
“That only affects Meeshie, something about her tiny size being the runt of the litter must be a connection to how well she digests things. She’s fine with Beef, Chicken, Pork and even Rice and Vegetables along with some people food I give when there is no cat food; but seafood, as much as she loves it, it messes her up sometimes. I only give it to her on special occasions.” Fernando explains.  
 
 
“I’ll keep an eye out for that then.” Hondo explains.  
 
 
“Well Hondo, every Time Lord has a familiar and a Number 2. Meeshie is my familiar, and until you became a Time Lord, you were my Number 2. In the future after this mission is done you will select a familiar and a Number Two.”  Fernando explains.  
 
 
“At least I will have some time to figure that out.” Hondo replies.  
 
 
“Let’s hope the girls don’t make a mess in your camper feeding the cats. I’ll check on them when we stop for a bathroom break. Talk to you laters...”  
 
 
“Yeah, Laters Jefe.” Hondo replies.
 
Hondo put the radio back into his pocket and grabbed his coffee for another sip. There was a little banging and clanging in the rear, but nothing too disconcerting. IT was not much after he pocketed the radio that the CB lit up again, with Fernando checkin in with Jason about road conditions ahead. It seemed to be going alright at first, until the familiar voice of Captain O’Reilly came over the radio saying they had a situation. The rear military scouts called up that they were headed their way and then before the airwaves could light up with panicked questions, Fernando called for Radio silence on the CB. Right after the Boefeng light up on channels 1 and 5 but Hondo turned the volume down for now, as those who he cared about had oher means to reach him if needed, and the rest could just settle down until they figured out what was going on, especially since Hondo had a headache that was hanging on until the bitter end!
 
A few minutes later, Macey and Zoey crawl back up front and plop into their seats.
 
“Uhm, Uncle Hondo? Could I talk to Daddy again?” She asked.
 
He raised an eyebrow at her, “Can it wait?”
 
She shook her head, “I don’t think so. The cats aren’t acting right and I don’t want him to get mad and think we did something wrong to them.”
 
“Did you?” He asked.
 
“We didn’t try to!” She said quickly.
 
“I don’t think so, papa! They seem to be alright, but don’t want their food and we don’t know why!” Zoey said worriedly.  
 
Hondo sighed then nodded as he pulled the radio from his pocket.
 
“Alright, but keep it short as there’s some issues ahead that we need to listen out for reports on.” He said as he handed her the radio.
 
  “Daddy, you still there?” Macey called out over the radio.
 
 “What is it Macey?” Fernando replies after a minute.
 
“We put down the cat food and water like you said.  They still have not eaten it.” Macey explains.
 
“Let them eat on their own time. That is all you can do for them, the rest is on them. So let them be and in time they will eat on their own.” Fernando explains.
 
“OK then...” Macey replies.
 
“And Macey...” Fernando says, with a pause.
 
“Yes daddy?” Macey replies.
 
“Unless it is of vital importance, or an emergency, I am asking you to do not call. I can trust you that you are old enough to take care of things for yourself without needing to talk to me. I have to listen for a report that an emergency is going on. OK, can I trust you to take care of things on your own?” Fernando tells her.
 
It takes a long while before Macey gives a somber answer “I’m sorry daddy. You can trust me.”
 
Fernando replies “No reason to be sorry, girl. Just be the best girl you can be for Uncle Hondo and let’s see what happens in the next town when we get there.”
 
Sounding a bit better Macey replies “OK daddy. You can trust me!”
 
Macey hands the radio back to Hondo and settles back into her seat.
 
“You alright, little lady?” Hondo askes, as she seemed uncertain.
 
She nodded, “Yeah, I’m ok… Sorry I didn’t do better with the cats and bothered you and stuff.”
 
“IT’s alright, little lady. You’re learnin’. As long as you keep learnin’, do better, listen to your Dad an’ me, an’ trust us, I think things will turn out just right.”
 
“Yeah… I hope so.” She said quietly before turning and staring out the window at the countryside passing by.  
 
Zoey Snuggled up against Hondo’s side, so he put an arm around her and held her against him for a while as he drove, though it was not too long a while, as the CB squawked to life again.
 
“Jason, slow down the convoy to a stop. To all vehicles, including the airship – we are to stop to deal with a minor situation before it becomes a major one.” Fernando’s voice called out.
 
During the time is takes the convoy to stop, Hondo takes his Yaesu and calls to Fernando, “Jefe, what’s going on?”  
 
 
“The airship has a loose anchor swinging wildly some 10ft above your camper. It needs to be brought up and secured before it snags onto something and crashes the airship.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo’s truck stops and its door open. Hondo steps out and look up. Fernando steps out of his electric camper and steps up with him. They both can see the anchor swaying about randomly. Before Hondo could ask how they are getting up there, Fernando already has his cane teleport onto the deck of the airship. They both look down starboard bow.  
 
 
Fernando says, “I’ll bring up the anchor, you go get whoever captains this ship and bring them here.”  
 
 
“Will do, Jefe...” Hondo throws out before leaving.  
 
Hondo trotted up to the enclosed bridge and pops open the door, causing both Maria V. and Val to jump.
 
“What the…!” Maria exclaimed, wide eyed.
 
“How did you…??” Val started to exclaim, before Maria V. put a hand on her arm.
 
“Teleported up. That’s how he’s here…. What’s wrong?” Maria V. asked, her voice with an obvious edge to it from the rush of adrenaline she felt from him scaring her.  
 
“One of your anchors was danglin’ down below the ship, an’ only ten foot or so above the camper! Luckily Jefe noticed it before you wrapped it ‘round somethin’ and crashed this… thing!” Hondo said firmly, refraining from using an expletive to describe the ship.
 
“But, we haven’t even used the anchor as we drained enough helium from it to keep it from being buoyant before going into town, and the trees around the campsite protected it from wind.” Maria V. said, more trying to think why it would be down.  
 
“Well, it’s down an’ Jefe is draggin’ it up.” Hondo said.
 
“Did you check the anchors?” MAira V. asked Val.
 
Val was trembling a bit still, and gave her an unsure look.
 
“Uhm, I think so but… I’m not sure.” Val replied.
 
Maria V. Shook her head in frustration, “Damn… Don’t blame her, it’s my fault for not having checklists in place.”
 
“I’m not blamin’ yet. Just tellin’ ya both, so it doesn’t happen again. Next time you could get yourself or others killed!” He replied.
 
Maria V. Nodded, “I understand how serious it is, honestly, and I’m sorry… Uhm, can you show us which anchor so we know what happened and what to do different?”
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah, follow me, but a word of warnin’, Just keep quiet. We are all tired an’ I assure you Jefe’s not in the mood to hear stories ‘bouyt it. He just wants it fixed, as I do. Understand?”
 
Maria V nodded, “I understand… Val?”
 
“Hmm? Oh!, yes, uhm, I’ll .. I’ll be quiet… sorry.” She replied quietly and nervously.
 
Hondo shook his head at her briefly before turning and heading back out to Fernando.
 
“They both wanted to see what was going on.”  Hondo said as he approached Fernando with Maria V. and Val in tow.
 
 
“Figures...” Fernando lets out. He then adds, “I’m sending you down to take care of convoy while I talk to these ‘ladies’...”  
 
 
Hondo gives a slight nod before Fernando taps his cane onto Hondo to teleport him down below.
 
As Hondo reappears below, beside the camper, her trots over to the Truck and climbed in.
 
“What’s wrong, Papa?” Zoey asked.
 
“Val an’ Aunt Maria had somethin’ hangin’ off the airship that could have caught on somethin’ an’ caused them to crash.” He said.
 
“Are they alright?!” She asked quickly.
 
“They are. Your uncle saw it in time so we could fix it. That’s what we were doin’. It should be good now.” He said, as he reached for the CB Mic.
 
“Jason, you listening?” Hondo called out on the CB.
 
“I am! What you got going on?” He asked.
 
“Just had something come loose we had to take care of. All good now. Start the convoy movin’ again.” He said.
 
“That orders from the boss?” Jason asked.
 
“It is.” Hondo replied with a bit of a growl, tired of Jason constantly testing him.
 
“Alright, Let’s Move ‘um out!” Jason called out, honking his horn again before pulling away, and slowly gaining speed.  
 
As he gained distance the next in lane started off and then the next.
 
As Hondo waited for his turn, the Yaesu in his pocket lit up from a call on the scanned channel.
 
“This is Red Coyote, is everything alright, my cowboy? Over.” Molly’s voice called out.
 
Hondo switched to her channel, “All good Darlin’. Just a loose anchor on the dirigible. Had to gget it secured before it snagged somethin’. How are you an’ red fox doin’? Over.”
 
“We’re doing alright. Fox is relaxing more. Said she would be fine for now. We’ll switch later this evening if she gets tired. How are you holding up? Over.” She asked.
 
“I’ll make it, though the coffee was needed, thank you for that. Looks like it’s almost your time to roll, so I’ll let you go, unless there is soemthin’ else. Over.” He replied.
 
“Nothing else. Take care of yourself and we’ll talk at the next stop. Over and out.” Molly replied.
 
Hondo switched the radio back to his normal channel and stuck it back into his pocket just before it was his turn to roll.  
 
“Hey, righteous cowboy. Thank you for helping up there.” Fernando says on the radio.  
 
Hondo pulled the Yaesu from his pocket again to reply.
 
 
“Don’t mention it.” Hondo replies as he begins to pull away with the rest of the convoy line.
 
As the convoy slowly ramps up to 45 MPH, things settle down again for a while. Zoey Snuggles back into Hondo’s side, greatly enjoying the feeling of being held by him as the truck rocked and swayed gently over the worn tarred road. Unfortunately, it left Macey feeling a bit left out, but she just looked out the window quietly, listening the music on the radio once more and thinking about what she could do to keep her dad liking her, so she would not be thrown away again. These thoughts were on her mind a lot these days when nothing else was going on. These thoughts of what she needed to do, of fantasies of what she wanted to do, of hopes she wished would happen, and in dark times, the what ifs, if it were to all go wrong.  
 
About a half hour later, the CB lit up again, with the military asking for Fernando. Fernando jumped on and had them take it to a frequency that only he and Hondo had or knew how to use, to keep any grim reports from upsetting the convoy. Although Macey and Zoey were with him and could hear, Hondo tuned into the channel and listened in.  
 
As a father and uncle, he wanted to protect their girls as much as he could, but he also knew as his daughter and niece, and Fernando’s niece and daughter, they would be exposed to more in their lifetimes, than most would, and they needed to learn to deal with some things faster than others did.  
 
News of the biker group getting wiped out made the two girls gasp and their eyes get wide. Hondo shook his head and cussed quietly. It was not that the biker gang was of any real great loss, as he knew the Elder of the group still hated wessen to a point, so the group as a whole, Hondo did not trust to be reformed or trustworthy in any shape or form, but if there were highway gangs out there strong enough to take out that group, then it was possible that they could be attacked and sustain losses.  
 
As the radio’s go silent, Macey speaks up.
 
“Are we gonna be alright?” She asks.
 
Hondo pulls the Yaesu radio from his pocket before holding up a finger, signaling her to wait for a reply.  
 
He then keyed the radio transmit button and called out, “You out here Jefe?”  
 
 
“I’m here Righteous.” Fernando replies, adding “I guess you heard what was said.”  
 
 
“I heard. I have ta ask, what makes you think the army group won’t be attacked?” Hondo asks.  
 
 
“Whoever attacked the biker group got what they want except for the vehicles and are in camp fighting over the spoils of their attack. They are thinking that the vehicles would still be there tomorrow and will get them then, but the army groups took them away. Also, the Biker gang was 4 motorcycles with a side car and mini camper each and 2 vans with a larger camper. Easy pickings for any larger group to take them on. The unified Army groups, off the top my head is some 20 vehicles and about 30-something troops. More than any small highway group to take on.” Fernando explains.  
 
 
“And for the same logic, we won’t be attacked due to our size.” Hondo points out.  
 
 
“That and we will be across that incline before they realize we were there.” Fernando throws in.  
 
 
“We can hope for the best.”  Hondo replies.  
 
 
“Right...” Fernando throws in. He throws in, “As far as you can see, how is the line on your end?”  
 
 
“The line seems doin’ fine, and the road seems clear as far as I can see. How’s the rear doin’?” Hondo replies.  
 
 
“The rear is clear for miles.” Fernando replies
.  
 
“What ‘bout above?” Hondo asks, as the Airship blocked his view above his camper.
 
After a minute or some of silence Fernando’s voice comes back over the radio.
 
“Yo Righteous!” Fernando calls, continuing “It may mean nothing but I can see there is a group from ‘Death From Above’ flying a few hundred feet above us.”  
 
 
“Probably makin’ sure we are leavin’.” Hondo replies.  
 
 
“Yeah, probably. I just don’t like vultures flying over head.” Fernando replies.  
 
 
“We’ll keep an eye on them. I doubt they would try anythin’. As you stated what they stated ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend when talkin’ about Hector. They would want us around to deal with Hector when the time comes.” Hondo stated.  
 
 
“That’s a given, the issue is when, if there is a when.” Fernando throws in.  
 
 
“I hope there’s a ‘Never-Will-Be’.” Hondo throws in.  
 
 
“We can only hope.” Fernando throws in.  
 
 
“Yeah...” Hondo nods as he has so much on his mind.
 
“That answer your question, little lady?” He asked.
 
“A little, but… what about those planes? And.. and are you sure they won’t try again?” She asked.
 
“If they do, Papa and Uncle Fernando will protect us, right?” Zoey replied, leaning against Hondo still.
 
“We will do our best to protect you both, but I wouldn’t worry ‘bout the planes or they highway gangs for tonight… I know it’s a lot for you both to have to deal with, at your ages, but your dad and I deal with a lot of things like this to keep everyone safe. We try not to burden you girls with this all, but at times it can’t be helped, like tonight. But I don’t want either of you two to worry about it, alright?” HE replied.
 
“I’m not worried, as long as you are here!” Zoey said quickly.
 
“I’ll.. I’ll try not to worry.” Macey said hesitantly and quite a bit more quietly.
 
Hondo frowned, “Kitty, would you switch places with Macey for a bit?”
 
“Why?” Zoey said, looking over at Macey and realizing why immediately, from her friends worried, nervous look.. “Uhm, I mean sure, papa… sorry… Macey, switch with me.”
 
Macey shook her head, as she looked down, “we don’t have to… it’s okay.”
 
“I don’t mind! Come on!” Zoey said, in her normal cheerful attitude.
 
While Zoey would have rather stayed by her father, seeing Macey down was more of a worry to her, and she was willing to share anything with Macey if it helped make her happy.
 
It took a moment, but Macey gave in and switched spots. Once in the middle, she sat there awkwardly for a bit, but Hondo pulled her over to him, and kept an arm around her when he could. She sighed deeply and snuggled into his side.
 
“That better?” He asked.
 
She nodded, almost timidly  
 
“ ... yeah… thank you.” She replied quietly after a moment.  
 
Not long after, Fernando’s voice is heard on the CB, instructing Jason to stop for nothing, to which Macey snuggles deeper into Hondo’s side, holding tightly onto him, and Zoey end’s up beside her, leaning against her and holding her hand.  
 
Not long after, Molly called over the Yaesu on the other channel to ask what was going on and to tell Hondo she saw the planes. He reassured them that everything would be alright, but that the Biker group that went out first was hit, so they needed to keep rolling for a while to be sure everyone was safe.  
 
About an hour later, Fernando called out for a bathroom break as soon as there was a good spot to stop, and a few minutes later the convoy was stopped. Once stopped Hondo urged the girls to go use the bathroom and change into the clothes they were going to sleep in.  
 
Once they climbed into the camper, he got out, found a dark place to pee, and then checked on the wessen sister, who were still out cold. Once that was all done he went to check in with Fernando, who had just finished relieving himself in the shadows, stopping short in the headlights of the VW camper and letting Fernando approach him.
 
“Everything alright with Macey and Zoey?”  Fernando asks.  
 
 
“They are fine.” Hondo replies before he steps away from the light but still visible by its glow. He looks up, seeing moving lights against the stars. “You think that’s them?”  
 
 
Fernando looks up and sees the moving dots of lights in the sky, “If you mean Death from Above, the slow moving ones are. I do not know about the fast moving ones. They could be anything.”  
 
 
Hondo nods before saying “I thought the same.”  
 
 
They stayed there looking at the stars for the moment.  
 
 
“You think this is goin’ to get any better?” Hondo asks while looking at the stars.  
 
 
“It has to Hondo. It has too.” Fernando replies while looking at the stars.  
 
 
Hondo nods before saying, “Ready to go?”  
 
 
“Like it or not, yeah. Let’s do a roll call and then go. We’re about a third of the way so far.” Fernando replies.  
 
 
Hondo gives a nod and a tip of his hat, “See ya then, Jefe.”  
 
 
Fernando gives a nod, “Laters Hondo.”
 
Once he left there, Hondo headed back to his camper, meeting a slow moving Molly coming out of the camper.
 
“You doin’ alright Darlin’?” He asked.
 
She nodded, “Yeah…Hmph.. just a bit stiff from sitting so long. How are you and the girls doing?”
 
Hondo nodded, “We’re alright. Macey’s a little nervous after hearin’ the report on what happened to the biker’s, but that couldn’t be helped.”
 
“You didn’t say what happened, exactly, just that they ran into trouble and the military was handing it.” She replied.
 
“I don’t want you to worry, an’ probably best to keep it to yourself, but … they were wiped out.” HE replied.
 
“No! Completely?” She asked, in a surprised tone.
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah. All that was left were bodies an’ their rides. The Military burned the bodies, took the rides, an’ continued ahead.”
 
“Did you know that Melissa and Nova were with them?” She asked.
 
He shook his head, “No, I was lookin’ over Jeanette’s rides when Jefe was dealin’ with them.”
 
“Nova stopped and talked for a couple minutes before they left. They are both nice, but that Nova is a sweetheart for sure… I’m sure they will want some time with you.” She said.
 
He sighed, “ *sigh* … maybe so. We’ll see if time permits an’ I feel like it. I’m not givin’ them anythin’ intimate until you’re satisfied first.”
 
She smiled, and stretched up on her toes to kiss him quickly before lowering herself back down.
 
“You keep talking like that, and mean it, and I’ll never care about you being with other women, as I’ll know you’ll come back to me and take care of me still.” She said seriously.
 
“I meant it when I said I’m takin’ you as my woman. It’s not somethin’ I take trivially. You, an’ my girls come before anyone else. If you three are cared for, then I’ll do for others as needed, not before… Speakin’ of my girls, How’s Tonya holdin’ up?” He asked.
 
“She’s dragging a little, but this stop should help. I offered to drive, but she wants to try to make it until the next bathroom stop.” Molly replied.
 
“I didn’t see her go into the camper. Didn’t she need to go?” He asked.
 
Molly chuckled, “Heh! She had to go so bad, she booked it to the bushes, as she didn’t want to go any farther! I warned her that coffee had a way of going right through you!”
 
Hondo chuckled lightly and nodded, “ Heh… yeah, it does. I’d have used an old water-bottle myself had the girls not been with me, as my eyeballs were damn near floatin’ as well. We would have stopped earlier, but, well … you know.”
 
She nodded. “Yeah. It was safer to wait.”
 
“Well, I’m sure we are gonna roll soon, so We’d better get ready.” He replied.
 
She nodded, “Yeah, probably should.”
 
He bent down and kissed her softly, before standing back up and putting and arm around her, so they could walk together, at least to the front of the truck.
 
“IF you two get too tired, let me know. We’ll figure out somethin’.” He said.
 
“We’ll be fine.” Molly reassured him.
 
As they approached the front of the truck, he found Tonya there talking to the girls, who were both in their bathrobes.  
 
“How’s the drivin’ goin?” He asked her as they approached.
 
“I’ve not really driven in the dark before, so that’s new, but I’m getting used to it.” Tonya replied.
 
“Alright, just don’t let yourself get too tired now.” He replied.
 
“I won’t, Papa. I told Molly we could switch at the next bathroom stop, as I’m sure I’ll be fine until then.” She replied.
 
“Well, if you need to sooner, radio me an’ I’ll work out a quick changeout stop with Jefe, alright?” HE said.
 
Tonya nodded, “Okay papa.”
 
“Let’s get back in an’ ready.” He said, to which they both nodded and headed up to the Bronco, Molly at a limp and Tonya at a trot.  
 
Macey and Zoey scooted over, with Macey in the middle again, latching onto Hondo as soon as he was in and his door was shut. He started the truck and then stroked her hair for a moment, while waiting for the convoy to get moving, once moving again, and shifted back up to fourth gear, he put his arm back around her, to which Zoey grabbed his hand and snuggled up against his arm.
 
After a few minutes he broke their silence.
 
“Probably about time you two got some sleep.” He said.
 
“Okay, Papa… Come on, Macey.” Zoey said.
 
Mace grabbed onto him a little tighter.  
 
“A little longer, please?” She asked softly.
 
Hondo nodded, “Alright… Kitten, go get settled an’ Macey will be back in a bit.”
 
“Alright… Good night, Papa. Love you!” Zoey said before getting up on her knees so she could reach over Macy and give Hondo a quick kiss on the cheek.
 
“Love you too, kitten. Sweet dreams.” He replied as she climbed into the back.
 
After she was gone, Macey sighed deeply, and wiggled up a bit more so her back was against him and she could hold onto his arm.
 
“You alright, little lady?” He asked.
 
She sighed, “*sigh* .. yeah… just… just a bit scared and .. and…”
 
“It’s alright to be a bit scared at times, an’ it’s alright to miss your dad. I’ll protect you, so try not to worry too much, an’ you’ll see your dad again when we get there.” He replied softly.
 
“…Sorry.” She said after a moment.
 
“For what?” He asked.
 
“For being scared and missing Daddy… I lie being with you and Zoey and.. and I don’t want you to think I don’t but…” She paused, unsure what to say.
 
“Don’t worry ‘bout that. I’ll always try to be there for you, but I’m not your dad, so I understand… Just be a strong, brave girl for him an’ I, an’ you’ll be with him again soon.” He replied.
 
“I.. I know and… I’m trying.” She replied.
 
“I know you are, an’ I’m proud of how well you are doin’, both of you… life on the road isn’t easy, especially with your dad an’ I busy so much of the time, but trust me, one day soon, though it might be 4 to 6 months or so down the road, we’ll take you girls to your knew homes.” He said.
 
“Real homes? W.with daddy and you?” She asked.
 
“Well, we live in different places, in different houses, but we’ll visit each other, an’ talk when we can. We have radios that you can call anyone anywhere that has one, so if you need me or want to talk to Zoey when we are not together, you can.” HE said.
 
“Really?” She asked.
 
He nodded, “Yup.”
 
“So… are these real houses, with bedrooms, and bathrooms, and stuff?” She asked.
 
“Of course.” He replied.
 
“How may others live there?” She asked.
 
“Well, for you and your Dad, you have some older sisters who visit, but they don’t live with him anymore, so it would probably just be you two, and whoever else he decides to bring along, like Ichigo or Minerva maybe.” He replied.
 
“So, I have to share a bed with them and daddy?” She asked, sounding a bit disgruntled.
 
Hondo chuckled, “Heh! No, uhm, you’ll have your own bed in your own room.”
 
“So, they will share with Daddy then?” She asked
 
“*sigh* … Well, that depends… I know where you grew up you saw a lot of things, but your dad an’ I don’t generally just keep women in our beds unless they are special to us.” He said.
 
“But… Does that mean I’m not special to Daddy?” She asked.
 
“No, not at all! You are very special to him, but it’s different. The women we have in our beds is a different relationship.” He said
 
“You mean for sex?” She asked, seeming unphased.
 
“Yes an’ no. You see, your Aunt Val shared my bed because she was my wife. She hurt me an’ others, so she has to earn my trust back before she can. Molly an’ I formed a special relationship after that an’ she shares my bed an’ my life as a partner, not just sexually but in work, fun, an’ responsibilities too. She is someone I trust very much an’ have a certain special relationship with. Despite that, she could never take Zoey’s place or change my relationship with Zoey, as bein’ my daughter is an extra special thing. What I share with Zoey is different from Molly an’ from you. We all share some of the same feelin’s an’ things we can do together, but each has somethin’ special that the other’s can’t have either.” He said.
 
“Like sex?” She asked
 
He nodded, “Right. Molly an’ I can have sexual relations but it would be wrong for me to have it with Zoey.”
 
“What about with me?” She asked, out of plain curiosity.
 
“Well, uhm, that’s.. that’s not somethin’ we should do. I mean, since you are not related by blood an’ not my daughter, even by adoption, it would be less wrong for us to have sex than it would be for me an’ Zoey or you an’ your dad to, but it still wouldn’t be right.” He replied a bit hesitantly.
 
“Why? I just don’t understand.” She replied.
 
“First, let me ask, do you want to have sex with me?” He asked.
 
She thought quietly for a moment, “ … well, not really but… I guess if Daddy doesn’t want me then maybe someday I would want that, since I like you so much and you’re so good to me and I like spending time with you and having you hold me and stuff.”
 
“Alright, so now, if somethin’ happened to me an’ I got hurt or died, how would you feel?” He asked.
 
She tightened her grip on his arm, “Please don’t… That would make me very upset!”
 
“What you are describin’ is love. It is special an’ doesn’t need sex to exist. I love you an’ Zoey very much, an’ we can love each other without sex. I love Molly too, but it’s in a different way. For you girls, just spendin’ time with you makes me happy. You girls gettin’ along, obeyin’, learnin’, growin, An’ tellin’ us you love us every once in a while, is somethin’ we never want to lose. It is very special to us. Your dad will have to explain it more, but it is very different from the relationships we have with adult women, those not related to us by blood or by adoption, like what we did with you, Zoey, an’ Tonya.” He said, hoping she would pick another topic as he wasn’t sure he should be explaining this.
 
She sat there quietly for a moment again, “ …….. I’m not sure I understand, but… *sigh* I love you and I love daddy, but it’s different… Is that okay?”
 
“Of course it is!” He replied.
 
“So, I can love you and you can love me without having sex, and same for me and daddy, but… What if I don’t want to lose him to those other girls?? Can’t we have sex so I make sure he loves me??” She asked.
 
“Uhm, If.. if you try to be a good daughter, you do not need sex to get him to love you. If you have to use sex to get him to love you, then somethin’ is wrong. Now, if you love him you should let him find someone he wants to have sex an’ a relationship with, for his own good… Does that make sense?” He asked.
 
“Not really, but …” She paused, thinking it over and trying to rectify what he was saying against what her mother had poisoned her mind with ever since she was a little girl.  
 
“Well, think on it for a while an’ talk to your dad ‘bout it. Just don’t push him, demand things, or try to push away other women. He will love you more if you let him have other women in his life without makin’ things hard on him. It’s one of the gifts a daughter can give her father, to be understandin’ of his needin’ relationships with other women.” He replied.  
 
She sighed again, as it did not completely make sense, but she took I in and took it to heart, nevertheless. It went against everything her mother had said before, but the difference was she never felt her mother loved her and though she wanted her mothers love when younger, she had lost that and any real care about her mother, other than being scared of being alone. With Hondo and her dad, it was different. It was true that she felt like she had not seen or been able to spend enough alone time with her dad lately, but she felt he loved her, and she loved him and craved time with him, unlike she did with her mother. And She knew she loved her uncle and he loved her back, and treated her well. Though she would have rather been held by her dad and talk about this with him, other than her dad there was no one else she rather have hold her and talk to her than her uncle. This all made his words stick with her, as she knew he was not lying to her nor trying to manipulate her, but it still was not enough to placate her worries and desires.  
 
After a long period of silence Macey spoke again.
 
“I hope you and Zoey come see us a lot… I’ll really miss you both if you don’t.” She said.
 
“We will, an’ you an’ your dad will have to come visit us too. My home is not a lot, but it’s safe an quiet.” He replied.
 
After a few more minutes, hondo patted her thigh.
 
“Alright, little Lady, you’d better go get some sleep.” He replied.
 
She sighed and then nodded before getting up on her knees and kissing him on the cheek like Zoey had.
 
“Love you, Uncle Hondo.” She said quietly.
 
“I love you too, little lady. Now go get some rest.” He replied.
 
She nodded and climbed between the seat, and between the wessen sisters behind them, before disappearing behind the divider curtain, that set the back seat apart and gave the girls some privacy.
 
A few minutes later some rustling drew his attention and he glanced in the mirror to see Zoey coming up behind him and slide in beside him.
 
“You should be asleep, kitten.” He said as she snuggled up against him.
 
“I know, but I couldn’t sleep.” She said.
 
“What’s on your mind?” He asked.
 
“Uhm… I sorta heard you and Macey talking and.. and I had a question.” She said.
 
“What ‘bout? I know we’ve talked ‘bout your feelin’s before.” He said.
 
“And I know we can have a special relationship and it’s not wrong to want more, but some things we can’t do.” She said matter of fact like.
 
“Right, so what was your question?” He asked, bracing himself for more of the same line of questions as Macey had.
 
“What is our house like?” She asked.
 
Her question took him a bit by surprise, but he was presently relieved as well.
 
“Well, I had a house I was rentin’ where I was workin’, but I got rid of it when I.. Well, When Val an’ I decided to start our own company an’ work for ourselves.” HE said.
 
“Doing what?” She asked.
 
“Helpin’ folks kinda like we do now, but slightly different. People who needed information tracked down might pay us to research things to find lost family or inheritances, some would pay us to consult on security, or setup security teams or the like. We were just startin’ out, an’ tryin’ to setup a small ranch too for back-up income, but then we were needed here, so we had to put that on hold.” He replied, trying to simplify a very complicated topic.
 
“So… We don’t have a house?” She asked softly.
 
“We do, sort of. I have an old ranch cabin that I.. we, Val an’ I fixed up. It’s not very big, but we hope to start buildin’ a house soon.” He said.
 
“SO, if it’s not very big, do we all have to sleep together?” She asked
 
He shook his head, “No, not at all! The cabin has a big bedroom that.. that Molly and I Wil sleep in.”
 
“And Mama?” Zoey interjected.
 
“Uhm, maybe… If she earns my trust an’ forgiveness.” HE said hesitantly, still not having much hope in that happening.
 
“It will happen, I know it will! … So, where do Tonya and I sleep?” She asked
 
“Well, there’s a smaller bedroom on the other side of the bathroom, down from my room.” He said
 
“There’s where Tonya and I will sleep?” She asked quickly and excitedly before he could answer.
 
“Well, I figured Tonya could have that room.” He said.
 
“But, what about me?” She asked, seeming a little worried.
 
“Well, there is a big loft above the bedrooms. It’s only about six feet tall, but it’s bigger than the two downstairs rooms, as it goes over the big bedroom, the small one, and the bathroom.” HE said.
 
“And, I can stay up there?” She asked hopefully.
 
“Of course. I figured you’d have room for a desk, a couch, a dresser, an’ a couple beds with room left over up there.” HE replied.
 
“Two beds?” She asked, seeming puzzled.
 
“Well, in case Macey came to visit with us an’ needed a place to stay.” He replied.
 
“You mean, she could have her own bed too? Even though she didn’t use it all the time?” She asked.
 
“Yup.” He replied.
 
“Is there anything else?” She asked.
 
“Well, there is only one bathroom right now.” He said.
 
“Do we need more?” She asked.
 
“Well, I guess not.” He replied.
 
What else?” She asked.
 
“Well, it has a porch that wraps all the way around it, and an open kitchen, livingroom, dinnin’ room setup.” He said.
 
“Open? Like, out on the porch?” She asked.
He shook his head, “No, like its one big room, like inside the camper but bigger.”
 
“Oh… How much bigger?” She asked
 
“Well, the kitchen alone is probably three or four times the size of the one in the camper, an’ the dinnin’ room has a table that can seat six people, an’ the livin’room has a couch, a love seat, two recliners an’ a TV, er, movin’ picture box.” He replied
 
“Wow!” She said.
 
“Yup, an’ there’s a nice barn, an’ old bunckhouse I was gonna fix up for guests as well as a temporary office, some livestock pens, some nice trees, a spring fed pond in the front yard, an’ not too far off is a creek with some nice swimmin’ holes in it.” He said.
 
“Oh wow! That sounds amazing! You must be rich, to have a big house and place like that, and still going to build another!” She exclaimed.
 
“Well… yeah, I guess I am, sorta.” He replied.
 
I was not that he had not loved the little old ranch spread, but he and Valentine had talked about building something setup more like they wanted, with a few more rooms, a shop, dedicated office, and the like, using the cabin as guest housing. It had seemed a bit small for their dreams and not exactly how they wanted it, but seeing it through the eyes of one who had nothing made the size and the layout issues seem trivial and almost stupid. In his mind it was an old fixer-upper, but in her mind it was a castle. Seeing that glow in her face and the excitement in his voice made him feel rich at the moment. Though he was tired, worn thin, grumpy, and sore, Zoey’s innocent enthusiasm, and prospective were exactly what he needed at the moment.
 
He thought on it for a little bit until Zoey broke his train of thought with another very innocent question.
 
“Uhm, papa?” She asked
 
“Yes kitten?” He responded.
 
“Even though we are going to live in a big house like that and I have my own room and stuff, can.. can I still sleep with you sometimes?” She asked.
 
He hugged her tightly against him with his one free hand, “Of course, kitten. Not all the time, mind you, but I’d still love to hold my girl from time to time like that. Now, you really need to go get some sleep.” He replied.
 
“Okay, papa.” She said, before kissing his cheek again. “Love you.”
 
“Love you too kitten.” He replied.
 
She crawled back in the back and disappeared behind the privacy curtain again. Soon he heard whispers in the back, as the two friends by choice, cousins by adoption, talked and giggled about what was said, what they felt, hopes, dreams, fears, and longings.  
 
He looked at his watch after a while and it showed almost 11:00 pm, which was late for the girls but he understood the trepidation and excitement they had to feel, so he had been lenient on them, but now it was time for them to sleep.
 
“Alright, ladies. No more talkin’. Time to sleep.” He called back.
 
“Okay, Papa… Sorry.” Zoey’s voice was hear.
 
“Sorry, Uncle Hondo. Good night!” Macey called, seeming more cheerful than she had recently.
 
“G’night. Love you both.” He replied.
 
“Love you too!” They both called back at the same time.
 
And with that, he was left to the humming of the tires against pavement, the growl of the diesel engine, the soft, old melodies coming from the speakers, and his own thoughts.  
 
   

Unknown Highway, Northern Mid West, USA.
 

 
Old faded signs say “Yellow Stone Lake,” “Bridge Bay,” “Lake Village” and “Fishing Bridge” though what could have been populated areas are just burnt out shells of large log cabins that would have made a small town or village. The ruins were more like the ruins of an archaeological site. The areas were quiet and deserted, no signs of life other than the glowing eyes of the occasional wild life looking up at the convoy rolling by from between the trees. Their heading was North East following the road along edge of the lake but eventually it would go east somewhere along the way. 90 minutes had past with another 30 minutes before the next bathroom break.
 
Fernando thought about the situation, in another 30 minutes, they would be far away from the lake.
 
He takes the CB Microphone, “Jason, find an area by the lake and pull over. We’re having our bathroom break here.”
 
“Will do, boss.” Jason lets out. The convoy begins to slow down and pull over to the side of the road. The lake about 25 yards from the road on flat grass lands with an occasional tree. There were more trees across on the road but few and sparkly spaced enough to drive a large vehicle between them.

 
Both drivers and passengers step out of their vehicles and into their campers. Like before Fernando steps to the back behind his Dub Box camper and urinate on the side of the road under the cover of darkness. When done he head back to his electric camper. But from a few feet beside the Dub Box Camper, he sees a bright Orange-Yellow glow under the rear of his electric camper. He trots to the rear of his camper, feeling heat coming from the engine bay door.
 
Taking his cane, and spins the crystal several times, pressing it each tie before the spin while yelling “FIRE! FIRE!” One of his cane actions teleports Ichigo into the leather chair in Hondo’s camper, another teleports the bum battery pack from inside the engine bay to the side of the road to let it burn. The last of his actions gives him a chemical fire extinguisher from the Dub Box kitchen and he sprays down the inside of his camper’s engine bay.
 
Hondo runs to the back of the electric camper with a large CO2 extinguisher. Seeing Fernando attack the dying flames in engine bay, he goes for the roaring pile of white hot flames on the side the road to attack it with his CO2 extinguisher.
 
Seeing this, Fernando yells out, “Hondo Don’t! It’s A Lithium Battery! It Provides Its Own Oxygen!”
 
Only a few fires known provide their own oxygen, and a burning lithium battery pack was one of them. It is a fire that has to burn itself out, pouring what fire fighting agents onto it will do nothing to shut it off. Not even CO2 would work on this kind of fire. This is something Hondo is beginning to realize.
 
Fernando yells out, “Hondo! I need you here!”
 
Hondo joins him and together they take care of the burning plastic and rubber inside the engine bay the burning battery started ablaze. The CO2’s extinguisher’s other property of cooling down a hot area cooled down engine bay. Others begin to gather, though the fire in the electric bus was put out and the metal cooled down, only the bum lithium battery remained burning on the side of the road and will continue to do it for the next hour or two.
 
After a while, the group gathers behind Fernando’s Camper, asking what it next. Fernando and Hondo shone their flash lights into the engine bay to check the damage inside. About 80% of the wiring was burnt and needed replacement. The Junction Block was also toast. The motor was charred but still operational with no damage to it other than the plastic covers on the wire terminals melted into an ugly slag.
 
“We can tow you into town if you like.” Hondo lets out.
 
“No. This has to be fixed here and now.” Fernando begins. He sighs before continuing, “Hondo, we’ll set up camp here; group the campers under the trees for shade during the day. Then you will take the teens into town and get me some 0, 2, 4 and 6 gauge multi-strand wire – red and black covering, 25ft in length, a 3 X 10 junction screw terminal block, and looped terminal ends. I’m also going to need an 185R14 sized tire, as that one now has heat damage to it. I can put on my spare, but it still needs replacing. I’ll get my camper by that tree over there and be up and running again within a day. I think I have a terminal crimping tool somewhere.”
 
“What about you doin’ a temporal switcharoo on the electric bus?” Hondo asks.
 
“This bus was constructed with Spirit Tech, as far as I know, and did not exist until just a few weeks ago when this mission started. Doing a switch over, I might end up with the rusted hulk not worth its weight in metal they recycled from the junkyard to make this.” Fernando explains.
 
“Damn Spirits make it easy...”Hondo throws out.
 
The two Jeanettes walk over to them as they discuss camping plans with several crows around them. The younger Jeanette throws her comments and questions in, “What is going on here?”
 
“The original battery the Spirits used on this camper finally blew, causing fire damage to the much of the wiring, tire and weakening the rear frame.” Fernando explains as he points to the still burning battery pack on the grassy field beside them.
 
In hearing this, the crows go over to the electric camper and inspect the engine block. One of them flies to Jeanette’s ear. Jeanette looks up to Fernando. “The Spirits say that they can fix the bus but they are going to need replace 0, 2, 4, and 6 gauge wiring, some terminal ends, a junction block and a new tire. The bus’ damaged structure they can take care of and restore it to its original strength.”
 
“I did a lot of modifications to the bus’ electrical.” Fernando points out.
 
“They are aware of your modifications, and have looked them over and studied them while you were away on your various missions. They would restore it as per your design. They just need those things to get it done.” Jeanette explains.
 
“Hondo?” Fernando asks.
 
“I’ll git the teens and go into town to get you those thin’s.” Hondo reply.
 
“First, let set up camp. We’ll test the water to see if it is drinkable or not. Then you can take the teens into town to get those parts.” Fernando explains, handing Hondo a sack of gold coins.
 
Jeanette asks before Hondo could say anything, “Where are we setting up camp?”
 
“Right here. Park 2 or 3 vehicles under each of the large trees to get shade during the day. I’ll be under that tree near the lake... alone.” Fernando explains.
 
Jeanette points out the tree the Spirits are to park Fernando’s electric camper before they begin their work on repairing and restoring the electric camper’s rear engine bay. The other Jeanette selects a large tree for their four vehicles to park under. Hondo instructs the others to park their vehicles under the trees before returning to Fernando with the teens.
 
“Where’s Ichikoo?”  Hondo asks.
 
“I teleported her into your camper’s leather seat for the time being. Give me a couple minutes for the Spirits to finish removing the burned parts before I teleport her onto my camper’s bed.” Fernando explains.
 
“Not a problem.” Hondo says before he asks, “You trust them with repairing your ride?”
 
“They are the one who created it from something they got in a junk pile. Along with some human help, they did all the metal structures, mechanical devices, brake mechanism, plumbing and connecting parts. The humans did the electro-mechanical interface, wiring, upholstery, cabinetry, wood work, plumbing of plastic pipes, etc. They did the same thing with the gas powered ambulance camper and from my understanding, Jeanette’s VW bug and the other Jeanette’s camper bus. They also restored Moro Truck to the best of their ability before sending to Jerry’s garage to replace hoses, belts and other things.” Fernando explains.
 
“I remember when they found that.” Hondo replies as he shakes his head.
 
The two Jeanettes arrive with a metal milk crate filled with the burnt wires and the junction box from electric camper. The younger Jeanette throws in as she drops the milk create by the men’s feet “That is what the Spirits say needs to be replaced.”
 
“I already discussed with Hondo what parts I need to repair the electric camper ambulance bus. Your Spirits agree with what I stated is needed.” Fernando tells her.
 
“So when is he leaving to get the parts?” Jeanette asks, almost demands for an answer.
 
“When I say he can, which is after this camp is secured and everyone is in bed sleeping or at least resting and the night patrol is up and guarding us.” Fernando tells her, “Go secure your part of the camp and go to bed.”
 
“Hmph... I never.” Jeanette says before she walks away with the Elder Jeanette behind her.
 
Fernando says to himself with Hondo next to him able to hear him, “Maybe you should, I hear it’s great for the nails and hair.”
 
Hondo snickers for a moment.
 
Fernando looks at his camper bus, and seeing the Spirit Crows leaving his camper, spins the crystal on his cane. He then presses on the crystal, teleporting Ichigo from Hondo’s camper to his camper where she was on the front passenger seat. He picks up the metal milk crate then says to Hondo, “Let’s see what they did.”
 
Together with the teens, they walk to the rear of his electric camper, walking by the burning battery pack. Once at Fernando’s camper, they lift the door to his engine bay. Shining flashlight beams into the engine bay, it looks like the engine bay cleaned up and repainted, much of the wiring that was inside removed. Metal structural strength seemed to have been restored as the heat deformed metal seemed to be straight and proper. The only thing that remained was the rear passenger tire that was charred on the side facing the engine bay, and slowly going flat. Other than the tire, any evidence of the fire was gone.  
 
Fernando states, “Even if you get there within an hour, I doubt any merchants would be open at this time. Take some time to rest and prepare to leave in about an hour. I guess you should be getting there by 3 or 4 AM. You can ask questions, get some food and water supplies and find out what is going on with the army while you get the parts that I need.”
 
Hondo asks “I noticed that you are not askin’ for a replacement battery.”
 
“I’ll get a replacement battery once I am in town. For now I’ll run with one less battery, which for the distance remaining, should be fine to do.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo gives a nod. He then turns to see the teens behind them, telling them, “You guys rest up for an hour, I will need you guys to come with me into town to get replacement parts to repair Fernando’s camper. I’m goin’ to need somebody to watch over those sleepin’ in my camper while the other helps me get some needed thing. It should only take about four hours to do.”
 
Patricia, Alice, Robin, and Madison volunteer to go with him.
 
Fernando hands Hondo another sack of gold coins, “That is for feeding them once you are in town.”  
 
Hondo gives back a nod as he takes the offered money.
 
Fernando asks, “You want or need Zoey and Macey moved over to my camper?”
 
“They should be fine with me. Between Pat, Madison and the others, they will be taken care of.” Hondo replies.
 
“And your Bunny Girl Guests?” Fernando asks.
 
“They look like they will be out for a long while recoverin’ from their ordeal. But again, Pat, Madison and the others will look over them.” Hondo answers.
 
Fernando nods before he looks at his watch. He then looks about the area, seeing more glowing eyes between the trees and then spots a something from Native American Lore: a pair of Skin Walkers walking down the road, stopping on the road to look at the camp before continuing on their way. Hondo and the teens saw them as well.

 
“Skin Walkers...” Fernando says to himself.
 
“Maybe we should vamoose from this place with those thin’s around.” Hondo says.
 
“If they are aware of us being aware of them, we should be safe. They only go after anyone who goes against nature, which means we need to be cleaning up this place every hour on the hour and leave no trash behind.” Fernando points out.
 
Hondo lets out a heavy sigh, though he trusts Fernando for many things, Paranormal Spiritual Beings is something he thinks Fernando may not be able to handle. He then looks down the road where he sees the Skin Walkers standing by a deer who is standing up on its hind legs like they are talking about what is going on. They then go off on their own directions with the Skin Walkers walking down the road and the deer going back on all fours and walks into the woods.
 
Fernando throws out “They should be long gone in an hour’s time.”
 
“Yeah...” Hondo replies, adding “We’ll give them a bit more time to go on their way before we start our trip.”
 
“Aright then. I’ll be preparing the engine bay and tools to make this repair as fast as possible as soon as I get the parts. Then I’m going to sleep for a while. Give Ruth the pushcart of breakfast food items I put together before you leave.” Fernando says.
 
“I’ll get everything done before I leave.” Hondo replies.
 
“Good. And thanks.” Fernando throws in, followed by “Good night.”
 
“Good Nite...” Hondo replies before Fernando walks away to work on his camper. Hondo then gathers the teens and explains to them of the discussed plans.

 
 
As Hondo spoke to the teens, Molly and Tonya joined him.
 
“What’s going on? We saw the fire in Fernando’s camper. Is everyone alright?” Molly asked.
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah, everyone’s fine, but Jefe’s ride is down until I get some parts. I offered to tow him, but he doesn’t want to risk it.”
 
“So, what’s the plan?” Molly asked
 
“Patricia, Madison, Alice, an’ Robin are gonna ride with me into town. Half will help me while the other half watch over the girls.” He said.
 
“You think that’s best, taking the girls into town?” Molly asked.
 
Hondo gave her a bit of a frustrated look, “What other choice do I have?”
 
He tried his best to hold back from sounding irritated, as it was not any of their fault, but he was just plain tired.
 
“Take the Bronco. Tonya, Maggie, and I will watch the girls for you.” Molly replied softly, knowing his frustration was not with her.
 
He paused for a moment, “…oh. I reckon I didn’t think of that… *sigh* it’s been a long day.”
 
Molly put a hand on his arm and smiled lightly at him, “It’s alright, my love.”
 
“Can I go with you to help?” Tonya asked.
 
Hondo shook his head, “No, I’d rather you stay here. Try to get some sleep but stay ready. Keep a gun close by in case your help is needed.”
 
She nodded, “Alright, papa.”
 
Hondo turned back to Molly, “I don’t want you walkin’ round a lot either, but you an’ Maggie rest on shifts. If Tonya get’s some sleep, she can join you two in tradin’ off. I just want her rested enough to finish drivin’ since you’re not completely healed up yet. Another day should see you ninety percent or better, but not if you push it an’ hurt yourself again.”
 
Molly nodded, “I understand, my love. We will watch over the girls for you. Don’t worry.”
 
“I’m not worried.” He replied, giving her a soft smile back.
 
“Anything else?” She asked.
 
He nodded, “If he hasn’t already, have David join the other teens on guard duty. I’ve not spoken to Karl or Marvin yet, but if you see them, have them trade off restin’ an’ guardin’ too.”
 
“You worried about something in particular, or just in general?” She asked, a bit hesitantly.
 
Hondo sighed, “*sigh* … You heard of skinwalkers before?”
 
She nodded, “I’ve heard of them, but they are just a myth, right?”
 
“What do you know about them?” He asked, ignoring her question for the moment.  
 
She shook her head, “Not much, honestly. I never paid much mind to those foolish tales.”
 
He frowned, “Unfortunately they aren’t foolish tales. They are real an’ Jefe, the teens here, an’ I saw three earlier.”
 
She cocked her head and looked at him, as if she expected him to say he was joking, but the serious look on his face, along with how tired she knew he was, it dawned on her that he was serious.
 
Her eyes got wide, “You mean …? But I thought they were just spirit myths to scare people?!”
 
He shook his head, “The stories have been ‘round for a long time. As to who or what they are, a different alien bein’, some spirits that left the group long ago, fallen from the heavenly realm, I honestly don’t know. What I do know, is they are dangerous an’ not to be taken lightly.”
 
“How do we defend ourselves against them?” Molly asked.
 
“I am not sure. I’ve heard they move fast, can shape shift, are damn near impossible to kill, an’ other things, but not sure what’s truth an’ what is story. But they are aware of us bein’ aware of them, so hopefully they will go away. I just don’t want anyone trustin’ any strange animal or person. We also have to keep things cleaned up. I don’t want anythin’ pulled out that isn’t needed, all trash kept picked up, hell I don’t want anyone pissin’ outside for now even. Jefe seems to think they hate anyone who messes with nature, but I don’t know…. From the burnt-out old resort towns, I’d say they are hard on people stayin’, but seein’ no hulled-out wrecks, they are either fine with folks passin’ through, or…” He paused.
 
“Or what?” Tonya asked hesitantly.
 
“Or they remove all the wreckage to clean the area.” He replied grimly.
 
Tonya shook a bit, “I’m scared, papa.”
 
“I know an’ I’m sorry, girl. I need you to be brave for me, though.” He replied softly, putting a hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her.
 
“You said that Fernando thinks they hate people who mess up nature, but you are not sure. What do you think?” Molly asked, seriously.
 
“Well, the Navajo say they are witches consumed by dark, evil magic. Supposedly they commit horrible crimes, usually in the nature of murderin’ their own families, to become this creature on purpose.” He replied quietly.
 
“That’s horrible!” Molly half exclaimed.
 
Madison nodded, “I’ve heard both, but never heard anything good about them.”
 
“Where did you hear about them?” Patricia asked.
 
Madison shrugged, “Here and there while we were traveling… If you stop and listen to people instead of talking all the time, maybe you’d have heard about them too!”  
 
“Hmph!” Patricia replied indignantly.
 
“So, what can we do?” Molly asked worriedly.
 
“Stay close to the campers, stay together, keep things clean, make it look like we are leaving soon, never go off alone, an’ keep watch. Keep everyone as close to their own rigs as possible, stay away from the lake unless water is needed, an’ stay out of the woods. Some of these bastards supposedly can blend in with humans fairly well, but they generally act a little awkward. They also don’t seem to like to attack anyone who isn’t alone an’ vulnerable. So, stay close an’ patrol in groups, an’ there shouldn’t be any issues. Once it’s light, they are said to stay to the forest unless they have a specific target, so just stay in the clearin’ durin’ the day.” He replied.
 
“Anything else?” Molly asked.
 
Hondo nodded, “Well, I’d like the girls to stay inside until I get back, that mean’s Macey too. No wanderin’ around for them an’ I want you three to stay close to the camper. I know Macey might want to go see her father, but their camper is half torn apart an’ he’s gonna be workin’ on things, so best she stays here an’ let him work. Also, if somethin’ goes wrong, Jefe is maybe the only one here that can handle these bein’s, so he needs to be free to do so. Keepin’ Macey safe lets him be free to do what he needs… If Ruth need’s help with breakfast, get Terri, Lala, Lili, and the bunny girls to help. Tell Minerva an’ Minya to help as well an’ to keep their kids inside or right outside their campers, as I know they are small. Keep everyone as close to their own rigs as possible, stay away from the lake unless water is needed, an’ stay out of the woods. This is just temporary, so I want everyone to stay put as much as possible an’ stay ready to roll. We get the parts for Jefe’s rig, get it patched, an’ get out of here.”
 
Molly nodded at his instructions.
 
“Papa, do you really think they are magical? Those Skinwalkers?” Tonya asked hesitantly.
 
Hondo shook his head, “Not so much as many would mean. Do they have special abilities? Yeah. But for all we know, they could be some back to nature spirits or spirits gone bad, whichever myth or rumor is true. If that’s the case, we’ll probably be left alone as we have Jeanette’s spirit flunkies with us, an’ I’m pretty sure they won’t want the ire of the other spirits on them.”
 
“But, what is they are not spirits but s.somthing else?” she asked.
 
“Then, just follow my instructions, get some rest, an’ we’ll be out of here before night falls again.” He paused and pulled out his pocket watch, seeing from the light of the moon that it was approaching 2 am. “… It should be light in three and a half to four hours… dawn is ‘round six I think, so not much longer until its just normal threats, as long as we stay out of these woods… For all we know, they were headed somewhere an’ will be long gone. I hear tell they don’t hang ‘round an area without a reason, an’ I don’t think we gave them a reason.”
 
“Speaking or one of the spirit flunkies.” Tonya said quietly before nodding off behind Hondo.
 
He turned and saw Mavis headed their way and his eyes narrowed at her a bit. He had no trust for these spirits, but per Fernando’s wishes, he tried to deal with them as civilly as possible.
 
“Hey guys… Uhm, what’s up? Heh.” She asked, chuckling a bit nervously at the end as she approached.
 
“What do you want?” Hondo asked a bit flatly.
 
“Oh, uhm, well, you see, heh.. uhm I usually work night guard, as you well know, I know! But, uhm, I wasn’t sure what I should do, with being here and all and not in a normal setup like the last place.” She replied, seeming nervous.
 
“You should talk to Jeanette ‘bout what she want’s you to do.” He replied a bit coldly.
 
“Uhm, I did, and uhm, she was, uhm, a bit unclear… She seemed angry about something, or at least one of her did… Has anyone else noticed there are two of her, lately??” Mavis replied, seeming a bit airheaded in her nervousness.
 
“Was hard to miss.” Hondo replied drolly.
 
“Oh! Uhm, yeah, I mean if you’re up in the day and see people more, unlike me, you know? This sun allergy is annoying at times, but I don’t want to bore you with that.” She replied, stammering and talking fast a lot, showing she was nervous.
 
“The point?” He asked, trying not to lose his cool.
 
“Oh! Right. Sorry… Uhm, She, that was the Jeanette that was not angry, or at least not as angry as the other one was, said I should go ask you since their opinions were not needed and they were being pushed out of the loop, though they deserved to be leaders and have the final say whether you and Fernando liked it or not… That’s what she said, anyway… I don’t think that, but uhm… sorry.” She replied, cutting herself off as Hondo sighed and rubbed his eyes.
 
“Just stay close, stay out of the woods an’ patrol with the others. Molly will be informin’ the other’s of my wishes. An’, if you see strangers, do not approach them, just tell the others, watch where they go, an’ if they get too close, let Fernando know. Also, do not go out alone. Patrol with Karl or Marvin, whichever patrols at night, then go hide, if you have to, when the sun comes out.” HE said, not giving in the much in the way of softness to his tone.
 
Mavis hung her head like a scolded child, “Oh, uhm kay, uhm I mean y.yes sir.”
 
He wanted to feel bad for her but her being a spirit, along his utter lack of trust for her kind, made his already tired, frustrated mind incapable.
She turned to leave but stopped in her tracks as he barked at her.
 
“Wait!” He replied sharply.  
 
She jumped a bit at his voice and slowly turned, “Y.yes sir?”
 
“I said not to go off alone, so wait for me. I’ve got to go talk to Marvin anyway, an’ you can go with me.” He replied.
 
She relaxed a bit and nodded.
 
“Yes, sir.” She replied very quietly.
 
“We need to grab anything, Boss?” Madison asked.
 
“Grab your weapons, rifle or carbine if you have one, side arm, anythin’ you want on you that’s easy to carry. I’ve got water in the Bronco an’ we’ll get food in town, though there’s some in there if we need it. Let the other’s know about the plans, then meet me at the Bronco. If you beat me there, unhook the fuel trailer. No sense pullin’ it to town an’ back. If your friends have questions have them ask Jefe or Molly.” He said.
 
Madison nodded, as did the other’s before heading back to their rides to grab their gear.
 
As they walked off Maggie and David approached, having parked their rig where instructed, but had gotten curious about what was happening.  
 
“Is everything alright, Master?” Maggie asked.
 
“We’ve got a few issues but they are bein’ handled. I have to run to the next town for parts as Jefe’s rig is dead without them.” He replied.
 
“Oh no. Is everyone alright, though?” She asked.
 
Hondo nodded, “Itchy was in the front seat an’ Macey was with Zoey an’ I, so the back was empty. Just did some damage to the wirin’ an’ a tire, but I should be able to get all that easy enough.”
 
“What do you need me to do, Master?” She asked.
 
“Well, I want you with Molly while I’m gone, she’ll explain everythin’ to you. For now, if you would help Tonya grab any gear they need from the Bronco an’ move it to the camper, that would be appreciated.” He replied.
 
She nodded, “Of course, Master.”
 
Hondo frowned, “Maggie, you really don’t have to call me master all the time, you know? Hondo is fine.”
 
She looked down and seemed to smile softly to herself, “I..I know, but… I like to call you that as it reminds me I have you as a master now, not the evil people like before… it makes me feel safe and happy to call you that.”
 
He sighed, “*sigh* … Alright. How can I get after you for that? … Just help Tonya then report back to Molly, please.”
 
She nodded and headed off with Tonya towards the Bronco.
 
“Anything you want me to do, sir?” David asked.
 
He winced a bit at being called sir, but left it alone. He knew it was polite and used it himself when he felt it was appropriate, but sir being used on him made him feel older than he was, a lot older.
 
“You should be on guard duty with Marvin, Karl, an’ the teens that are stayin’ behind… Where’s your gun?” Hondo asked.
 
“It’s uhm, in the vehicle I was in with Maggie, sir.” The boy replied.
 
“Well, you should not go off without it, especially when we are travelin’, an’ definitely not when walkin’ round camp! If somethin’ were to happen, boy, you’d be usless! Never go off without your gun unless told to.” Hondo replied seriously.
 
“Y.yes s.sir.. S.sorry, sir. I’ll go get it.” He said, starting to turn away.
 
“Wait.” Hondo said, causing David to stop quickly. “No one goes off alone until we get setup in a safe camp again, especially when they don’t have a gun!”
 
Hondo turned to Mavis, “Where’s yours?”
 
She pulled back a shawl she had draped over her shoulders, to show the pistol on her belt.
 
“No rifle?” He asked.
 
She shook her head, “N.no. Uhm, Moro and uhm, Miss Jeanette said I didn’t need one, though Moro has one. I, uhm, I guess they thought we all didn’t need one. Heh.”  
 
“Which Jeanette? The angry one or the not as angry one?” He asked drolly.
 
“Uhm… I’m.. not exactly, uhm, sure.” She replied hesitantly.
 
Hondo shook his head, “*sigh* … Doesn’t matter. Just go with David so he can get his weapons then come meet me up at Marvin’s rig.”
 
Then both nodded and quietly muttered “yes sir” before walking off like two whipped puppies.
 
Molly came up to him and put a hand on his chest, as it seemed to disarm him a bit.
 
“They are young and learning, and you could be a little nicer to them, you know.” She said softly.
 
“David’s young, but the other? Bein’ a spirit she could be two hundred years old for all we know! … Bein’ young ain’t no excuse for bein’ careless, either! … But you’re not wrong. *sigh* … I reckon I was a little hard on them, a little hard on everyone, probably. But, I have to be at times. Some don’t take thing’s seriously if you ain’t a bit hard on them, an’ lives depend on everyone keepin’ up their end an’ bein’ vigilant. But I reckon, I could have been a bit easier on them.” He replied in a low voice.
 
“I’m not scolding you, my love. Just trying to help. I know you are tired and frustrated, and I can take your anger if you need to be angry at someone, but they don’t understand like I do.” She replied softly.
 
He shook his head and smiled slightly, “You’re a good woman, Molly… I reckon everyone is worn a bit thin. I’d be a bit easier on them if it wasn’t for those skin walkers, damn bastards.”
 
“Is there anything else you need me to do while you are gone?” She asked, changing the subject a bit.
 
“Not that I can think of.” He replied. “Maybe take it a bit easy on the skinwalker story when talkin’ to Maggie. She’s a bit jumpy as is.”
 
Molly Nodded, “Will do… What about those rabbit wessen sisters you rescued?”  
 
“Oh, I half forgot about them in all this mess! Uh, I’m not sure they are gonna wake anytime soon. If either of them does, it will be the smaller blonde. The redhead was damn near death when I got her, so I would bet on her still bein’ out when I got back. If they wake up, though, give them a little broth. There is a few jars of vegetable and bone broth in the cupboard. Mix them ‘bout fifty-fifty an’ add a little salt. Don’t give them more than a pint at a time an’ not solid food for a couple days. If she feels like movin’ ‘round, maybe one of you ladies could help her shower, an’ get her a robe. I have some clothes for them stashed away, but they aren’t very many. I’ll get them out once we get where we’re goin’. For now they just need somethin’ clean that covers them. She’ll probably be pretty sleepy, so if she showers an’ eats, put down clean blankets where she’s been sleepin’ an’ have her rest for now.” He replied.
 
She nodded, “We can handle that. If anything seems wrong with them, I’m sure Fernando wcome take a look and help them.”
 
He smiled at her again, “You’ve got it figured out.”
 
HE leaned down and kissed her, letting the kiss linger for a moment before pulling back.
 
“I love ya, Darlin’.” HE said.
 
“I love you too. Please come back safe and quick.” She replied.
 
He nodded  and then turned to head towards Marvin’s rig. As he walked off Tonya and Maggie passed him, heading back to the camper.
 
“We got everything we need, Papa. It should be good to go!” Tonya said as they passed him.
 
He nodded, pausing to answer, “Thanks, girl. Get some rest. Help Molly. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
 
“Okay, Papa. Love you!” She said over her shoulder as they continued on their way.
 
It did not take long for him to find Marvin and Karl and to fill them in on the plans. As he was talking to them, David and Mavis joined them, and stood by quietly.  Once he was done talking and most all questions were asked, Marvin nodded grimly.
 
“Well, we’ll do our best to keep things safe for you, while you’re gone, Master Hondo, so don’t worry.” He said.
 
Hondo nodded, “Forgive me if I worry a little, but it’s not because I don’t trust you, or even goat man here.”
 
“Hey!” Karl Protested. “OoPH!”
 
Marvin elbowed him in the ribs, “He just said he trusted you, moron! So, Shut up.”
 
“hmmph!” Karl grunted.
 
Hondo shook his head, “Anyway, I trust you both but still worry some, since I’m not here to help, but I’m sure you’ll all do fine.”
 
“And these two?” Marvin asked, nodding at David and Mavis standing quietly off to the side.
 
“The girl has some sun allergy, I guess, so she needs to go hid in her bed once the sun comes up. Until then, have her go with one of your or the teens. Maggie is gonna tag team restin’ with Molly, so should be good to drive when we are ready to leave. Because of that, have David paired up with someone until we leave. He can sleep in the rig on the rest of the drive if he needs to.” Hondo replied.
 
Marvin nodded, “Alright. I’ll take David and Karl can team up with, uhm, what’s your name?”
 
“M.mavis.” Mavis replied quietly.
 
 
“Right, Mavis, you and Karl can go together for now.” Marvin said.
 
“Why do I get creepy bat-spirit girl?” Karl complained.
 
Marvin sighed, “Fine, she can go with me and you take David for now.”
 
Mavis looked at her feet in shame, as Hondo gave Karl a look for making this harder, though he did not blame him.
 
Marvin shook his head before looking back at Hondo, “Sorry, Master Hondo.  Karl and David can patrol until daylight and I’ll patrol with Mavis, then after light, Marvin and I will swap resting so we are ready to drive. That sound good to you?”
 
Hondo nodded, “That should work. Just stop and talk with the teens an’ stop in an’ talk to Molly, so everyone is on the same page. I expect you all to get along an’ handle things, as Fernando has his hands full enough as is, alright?”
 
Marvin nodded, “Yes, sir.”
 
Hondo cringed a bit again but left it alone. He turned to Karl and took a step closer towards him.
 
“Alright??” He asked again, directing it at Karl this time.
 
Karl frowned but nodded, “Yeah, I get it and you can trust us.”
 
Hondo raised an eyebrow at him, “I need to trust ya to work with whomever ya need to at the moment without comments, despite how ya feel too! That I’m not sure I can trust you to do.”
 
Karl’s frown deepened and he spoke quietly, “Sorry Master… It won’t happen again.”  
 
“See that it doesn’t.” Hondo replied firmly, before turning and heading off.  
 
As he passed the Bronco, headed to the camper, he found that the teens were waiting for him, with the trailer already unhooked.
 
“One up front with me, other two in the middle seat. I’ll be back in a moment.” HE said as he passed.
 
“Right, boss!” Madison replied, which caused Hondo to growl to himself a bit.
 
At the camper, he retrieved his carbine, a double-barreled shotgun, and his travel bag, which had a few tools, supplies, and extra ammo in it, as well as some other odds and ends. With that all in hand he headed back to the bronco, and once there set the bag in the middle front seat, which forced Patricia to scoot over towards her door a bit with a frown, stuck the double barreled shotgun in an overhead gun rack that was where the sun visors used to be, and wedged the carbine into the split in the seats between the middle and the passenger’s seat, before he climbed in. He looked over to the passenger’s side to see Patricia giving him this sweet smile. He looked away to adjust his rearview mirror and in it saw Madison seeming to pout in the back.
 
“Do I even want to know what that face is about?” Hondo asked.  
 
Madison looked up quickly, seeing he was being looked at in the mirror, and quickly tried to change his look.
 
He shook his head, “It’s nothing, sir.”  
 
Hondo raised his eyebrow at him, especially since he did not call him boss this time.  
 
He looked over at Patricia who was still smiling, but there was a look of haughtiness to it he had not caught before.
 
“You have somethin’ to say ‘bout all this?” He asked.
 
She turned and looked at Madison who narrowed his eyes at her.
 
She shook her head, “No, I don’t think so.”
 
Hondo then turned to the quieter two and looked at them, “Since there’s no straight answers from them, either of you care to enlighten me?”
 
They looked at each other before Robin turned to Hondo.
 
“They had a debate on who should have the front seat, and Patty won. Madison didn’t like it.” Robin said quietly.
 
Madison frowned, “Having bad eyesight shouldn’t be a reason to have to be in the back.”
 
“You couldn’t argue that the co-pilot should be the one with the best eyesight.” Patricia replied.
 
“IF that were the only reason you wanted to be up there with him.” Madison muttered under his breath.
 
Hondo shook his head, “We’re all tired, but I need y’all to get along an’ play nice for now, or I’m better off on my own.”
 
“Sorry, boss.” Madison said after a moment.
 
“If you two need to fight, kiss, or #$@! to get whatever tension is between you to gone, wait until we get to the new camp, then have at it.” Hondo replied as he started the Bronco.
 
“What?! Why we we do that?!! She’s just a weird girl!!” Madison said, turning a bit red at the thought.
 
“Fight maybe, but the other two?? Gross! He’s like my brother!” Patricia said almost at the same time, cause them to talk overtop of each other.  
 
They both stoped and stared at each other, feeling a bit hurt by each other’s words, and after a moment they sat back into their seats, with a somber look on their faces.
 
Hondo shook his head, “Whatever it is, I need ya to work as a team like ya have, an’ get it out of your systems, later. Alright?”  
 
“Yes, sir.” They both said in unison.
 
Hondo turned to the other two and raised his eyebrow at them, as he put the Bronco in gear. “I like you two. You’re quiet and get along… I should take you two along more often.”
 
Madison and Patricia both looked down in shame at that comment, but they knew he was not wrong. He needed them to act like adults to help and protect others, and the younger teens looked to them to lead, and here they were being the ones that needed correct and were making things hard on others.
 
Hondo turned back, acting like he was not aware of their looks of shame, though he smiled a bit to himself, as he actually got a point across, despite his exhaustion, without yelling. He eased out onto the road again, and shifted up, getting the bronco up to around 60 mph in no time, not having to worry about other rigs or a trailer now. As he drove he popped another energy pill and chewed on it. It tasted horrible but that did not matter. For now, he just hoped that everything would go smoothly and they would be back soon.  
 
 
(To be continued …)

5AM comes with Fernando waking up and looking about. He was tired and exhausted, feeling like he has had one of his all day sex marathon with whatever girl he was with. It was still dark out with a cloudless star-filled sky. For a near summer day, it was cold outside, at least in the low 50s.
 
Jackey sits up and stretches as she wakes up naked next to him. Adjusting herself, she ends up sitting on her knees beside him. She seems have a slightly dim glow around her to separate her from the shadows and darkness of the room and the night. She turns to face Fernando before pounce-hugging him and giving several rapid kisses about his face as she pins him to the bed. She then lifts herself above him and supports herself on one arm and signs with the other.
 
“Thank you... we both needed that.” Jackey signs to him.
 
“We?” Fernando asks.
 
“We - You and me.” She signs “We... are both... like you said... S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D. But we are B-E-T-T-E-R now...”
 
“I see.” He replies.
 
“I wish you would not go, but I know you must.” She signs adding “At least we will have one more night while you fix your power home on wheels.”
 
“I told you not to tell me about the future.” He tells her.
 
“I’m just saying that by tomorrow morning, you would be leaving. Nothing more.” She signs to him.
 
“Then say ‘S-H-O-U-L-D’ and not ‘W-O-U-L-D.’ The first says it may happen, the second says it will happen. I do not want to know what ‘W-I-L-L’ happen, because Time has a way of messing things up, especially with somebody messing up and rebooting the Time Line.” He tells her, not wanting to sound sternly about it but does.
 
She stays there on her knees, looking like she was about to cry. But do mythical creatures can cry? Either way she is female, and Fernando has treat her as such, reaching over and pulling her to him and holding her tightly for a moment before loosening up on his grasp. He then takes her by her shoulders.
 
“Look Jackey, as a Time Walker I can never know what the future holds because if I did, the mistakes I could make for trying to fix other mistakes that were done would break this world. And if this world were to break, whoever is rebooting it would reboot it again and we would be doing this all over again. That I do not want to happen.” Fernando explains. He pauses for a second before asking, “You understand what I am saying?”
 
Jackey looks at him and nods.
 
He lets her go and lets out a sigh, letting out “Good.”
 
She signs to him, “You got a long day. It gets very hot here, stay in the shadows to be cool.”
 
“I’ll do what I can. What about you?” He says and asks.
 
“I will be around and meet you again when the stars come out again.” She signs to him.
 
“Alright. Before you go, is that water in the lake safe to drink and wash in?” He asks.
 
“No. Big water creatures bite hard and take land creatures into the waters, but we can make them go away for you to wash. But do not drink it, it tastes bad and we seen other people drink it, get sick and go to sleep never to wake up. Sweet tasting water runs fast after falling from up high, about a day of walking to get there” She explains in sign and then points to the direction the river comes from.

 
“Alright. I’ll make sure we will stay away from the water as it is unsafe.” He replies, adding “Thanks.”
 
“I doubt they will come, but if they do, be nice to them.” Jackey explains.
 
“Be nice to who?” He asks.
 
“They look like some who are with you, part animal, part people. But they are more animal than people. They wear cloth to cover up, and they understand people talk but they cannot talk back. They mean no harm but they are looking for food. Do not chase them, do not hurt them. Just leave them alone and they will go away. The others may not like it if you hurt or scare any of them and might try to hurt you.” She explains in sign.
 
“I’ll talk with the others about that then.” He replies.
 
She nods for a moment before kissing him on the cheek. She then puts her empty bottle of whiskey on his lap before fading away and disappears in a slight flash. He picks up her empty whiskey bottle before putting it away in one of the cabinets above the kitchen area. He notices her zippered hoodie was on the end of the bed near the rear window. He reaches for it to fold it up, but as soon as his fingers got close to it, it disappears in a small flash of light.
 
He flinches back for a second before thinking, “Nothing much to do but to heed her warnings: stay away from the water and do not scare the wild life. I need to talk to the others...” He goes gathers his clothes and puts them on.
 
5:30AM comes with the Orange glow of Dawn filling the skies though it looks odd as the Dawn is coming from the East and the glow of the Junk Town Fire is to the South-South West. He comes out of his Dub Box Camper, looking South upon the waters of the lake and to the glow of the fire to the right of center. He then walks around the Dub Box Camper and to the center of the camp, seeing one of the four Coleman lanterns out he goes to them and turns off two more and puts them aside to cool down, the one remaining on stays on for the time being. He looks up to find the others and heads to them to gather them about, though he tells Mavis to report to her camper bed to avoid the rising sun where he will arrive an hour later with food and drink for her and discuss details he will discuss with the others first.
 
Gathering the others to get together by the Coleman lantern he begins his little meeting.
 
“First of all, thank you. I hope things were quiet during the night.” Fernando begins.
 
“There were many strange things out there!” Karl lets out.
 
“Relax Karl. That is what we are going to talk about.” Fernando tells him. He looks at them one by one before turning to the lake and points to the glow at the South-Southwest. “See that Orange glow out there? From what I can surmise that is a fire that is far, far away. Too far away that it will not affect us but I’m keeping an eye on it. Two – do not go into the lake to bathe, and do not drink the water. There are creatures in the water that will drag you into a watery grave before it eats you. Also the water is poisonous. If we need clean water, we need to drive back a couple miles back to a waterfall and get it from there, I’ll figure out the details when that time comes but we should have enough water in bottles for at least a few days though we will not be staying that long, a couple of days at most, definitely one more night. And finally there are a certain kind of Wessens in the area that is more animal than human. They are still Human-Like but more animal than human”
 
“Ferals...” Karl lets out in disgust.
 
“Got something to say, Karl?” Fernando throws at him.
 
“You’re talking about Ferals – Wild Wessens that are more animal than human not like us. They’re from female Wessens being forced to have sex with animals of their kind to make a stronger Wessen, but that never works out the way they want it. So the mother and child are thrown out into the wild where they hope some creature to kill them and never be seen again. But apparently they do survive and they roam the lands between towns. They are not very friendly, and will attack anyone they think make an easy target.” Karl explains.
 
“Well, Karl. Who I met with out here says that the Ferals out here are a bit friendly towards people and all they want is food. From what I was told we are to be nice to them, they do understand ‘People Talk’ and ‘Others’ will be observing how we deal with them if they show up. If anything, all of us should have our campers locked and our windows closed so they can’t get into them; but the roof vents should be open for air.” Fernando explains.
 
“Who did you meet?” Karl asks.
 
Fernando does not have to think to make up a believable lie, “Several Indians; during the night I saw them come in from the lake by canoe and met them at the shore. They saw us come in and set up camp and were checking up on us. There we spoke about the camp, how long we are going to stay, and other things and they gave me the low-down on the place. In short, as long as we behave, be nice to the creatures here and keep the area clean, we should have no problems with the ‘Others.’ The Ferals will understand that we do not have food to give out, but I will be putting out a little something for them to have several feet into the forest as to leave us alone.”
 
“Hmph...” Karl reacts.
 
“Relax Karl.” Marvin throws him, “If Master Fernando said he talked with some ‘Injuns’ about the ferals and other creatures, and about that fire far away, my concern would be about the fire.  Remember that fire 4 summers ago? Half the forest burned taking several homes and their farms and many people and Wessen died. It started out as a fire from far away and by the afternoon it was at the edge of town. But if Master Fernando says we are safe here, I would believe him. And you’re not paying attention to the other things he’s saying. The water is not safe to drink or bathe in, but if we need water, he knows where we can go to get it. If the creatures around here approach us, be nice to them. If you can’t do that then lock yourself in your camper.”
 
“Thank you Marvin.” Fernando throws in. He then adds, “I’m not done so here is the last of it. Though most of you will be sleeping or relaxing in your camper, the sun makes it very hot here during the day. It is best to stay in the shade or inside your camper. Anyone going out into the sun should be covered up fully. I do not care about getting sweaty, a sunburn hurts for many days, so protect yourselves if you go out during the day. Tell the others with you to do the same. Ms Ruth and those working with her will be have breakfast ready by I guess 7AM. I or somebody else will be out giving out breakfast to everyone. After I give out the meal, I will be resting in my camper or working on it when Hondo returns with the parts. The day patrol will stay in the shade or in their campers. I will speak to them later during their patrol like I am with you now. Any Questions?”
 
“Yeah.” Karl lets himself known, “Will we be patrolling with the Day Group on our last hour and their first hour?”
 
“No. As soon as the sun comes up, you guys are to go into your campers, your job is done. Don’t go to sleep in bed yet and I will be bringing food to you as soon as Ms Ruth can make it. Enjoy your meal and then go to bed.” Fernando tells him though he notices everyone’s attention being drawn to something behind him. He turns around and sees three older teen human female Indians with twice as many human males. But he looks at one lead female Indian, seeing she’s wearing Jackey’s hooded jacket and the other two wearing similar style opened zipper hooded sweat jackets with all of them wearing a very short skirt and an Indian head dress. Other than their head dress, the males were topless and wore a leather pants with fringes on the side and all were wearing moccasin shoes that he notices are too new and clean to have been worn for any amount of time.  He says to himself, “Jackey?”  
 
“It is I, Fernando-san. I told you we would return during the day to check on you.” An apparently human looking ‘Jackey’ walks up to him with the others as she signs in sign language. She stops more than an arm’s reach from him but the males encircle him while holding baskets of food of assorted raw vegetables. “As promised we brought food for the Ferals to take and leave you and your people alone. We will put it out there for you.” She signs before she signals to the males to go into the forest and place the food in various locations.
 
As the males were going into the forest to place the food, Jackey puts her fingers into her mouth and lets out a very loud high pitched whistle. Within seconds there were many shadows about at the edge of the forest with a couple walking into the camp on their hind legs like those around them, one blonde haired female Raccoon Wessen and the other a brown hair female Deer Wessen but they were more animal than a 50/50 Wessen would be. To Fernando they look like any other Wessen, even their steps as they walked say they were like any other Wessen but there were some traces of them being more animal than human. They are topless but had a tattered skirt to cover their groins and ass, the size and firmness of their breasts says they are in their mid to late teens – about 16 or 17 years old.
 
Jackey makes introductions in sign, “Fernando-san,” pointing to the Raccoon Wessen, “This is Cooney...” and then points to the deer, “This is Fawn.”
 
Fernando nods at them, “Good morning ladies...” They nod back at him.
 
“They will contact the others and tell them to leave you and your group alone.” Jackey signs to him with them nodding.
 
“Thank you...” Fernando holds back from saying her name.  
 
Jackey nods back and then signals the raccoon and deer Ferals to go with her to the shore of the lake, pointing to the glow that is still to the South-Southwest. In their way they communicated the information about the fire with details from some high flying eagles and other birds saying that the fire was hundreds of miles away and not a threat to their area. After a couple of minutes of discussing about the distant fire, they return to the group. At the same time males who put the flood out into the forest were also returning. They gather about in to the circle they were in before.
 
Jackey signs to Fernando, “We will be back to keep checking on you.” She then takes Fernando by his arm and hauls him several feet to behind his Dub Box Camper. She then stretches her fingers and hands before signing, “My two ‘sister’ Jackeys are for your friend if he wants them, in the past reboots he had one on one reboot and the other on another reboot. So they both bonded with him long ago but he has choice on with one he gets, or both if he wants.”
 
“OK... I’ll talk to him about this though he is man enough to make his own decisions if and when it comes to that point. Anything else?” Fernando explains.
 
“Well, this is Late Spring. And in Late Spring, many of the forest creatures get into heat.” Jackey signs to him, pausing for a second “Including Ferals.”
 
Fernando asks, “You mean Coonie and Fawn? Are in heat?”
 
Jacket nods, and signs “If not now, then soon will be. Forest creatures get into heat in their own time. I’m not saying I would be jealous of you did it with either of them or both of them, you’re a strong Alpha Male and as a Strong Alpha Male you need to plant your seed into as many females as you can. Including them.”
 
Fernando replies as he takes her hands “Look, Jackey. May it be the ‘Call of the Wild’ or whatever, but remember when I said about humans having rituals about sex and animals don’t?” Jackey nods for the moment before he continues, “This is one of them. As much as we human males want to plant our seed into as many females as possible, it is a ritual we have in order to make sure that the female we plant our seed into that she would take care of our offspring in my absence as I would be out doing the hunting and gathering to support the family. Not all human females are willing to do this and not all human females want to do this but want the sex to get an advantage over the male and make him pay for support that she wants to take care of herself and not support that she needs to take care of the children. That is why human males are very choosey as to who we want a mother of our children.”
 
Jackey manages to shake his hands off hers, and then wildly (loudly) signs, “That Is The Most Messed Up Thing I Ever Heard!” She calms down a bit before continuing to sign “Even if I or any other female out here in the wild were to have your off-spring, we would do what we can to take care of it including giving our lives for it because that is what mothers of off-springs do.”
 
“That is why we humans have so many unneeded rituals with our mating routines. If things were different, I would not mind having you as my mate and mother of my children, but as you said it last night, some things are not possible.” He lets out a sigh, “At least we have each other for now.”
 
She replies in sign, “Yes, if things were different, I would not mind being the mother of your offspring. I would welcome it.  But that is not possible, at least like you just said, at least we have each other for now.” She pauses for a second before adding “We, me and the others, need to leave.”
 
He interjects, “Just one question before you go, please.”
 
“Go ahead.” She signs.
 
He begins to explain before asking, “You said that the other two females with you were Jackeys like you. What about the males? You told me that male Jackeys were rare.”  
 
“They are White Walkers, like us Jackeys – made to look like humans as we heard you talking about Indians, we took that form to check on you and talk with you during the Sun Time.” Jackey signs to him, adding “We will be around to check on you until you leave.”
 
“Where will you be during the day?” Fernando asks
 
“We will be around.” She signs before pointing to the trees in the forest. She throws in “We will see you later.”
 
“I’ll assume that like now, you will be using your powers to appear to be something you are not to make it difficult to look for you while you hide in plain sight.” Fernando points out as they begin to walk back to the group where Jackey gathers the others and heads back to the canoe in the lake. Karl walks up to Fernando.
 
“Where did you learn how to talk in Indian Hand Speak?” Karl asks.
 
“Actually that is American Sign Language for Deaf and Mute people. And by the way, I happen to know some 30 languages from around the world from American English to European Romanized Latin, Hindu, Urotou, Mandarin, Szechuan, Cantonese, Japanese, German, to Global Spanish on top of Sign Languages of different cultures as you call them ‘Hand Speak.’ And that does not include the many Information System Devices and Automated Programmed Machine Languages. And before you ask, Hondo know just as much yet different languages that I know.”
 
“Nobody can know all that.” Karl says.
 
“Karl, you know what is the fastest way to learn any language this world has?” Fernando asks.
 
“Tell me since you seem to know.” Karl throws at him.
 
“I’ll throw you to some unknown town in some unknown country, by three weeks you will be speaking their language or else you will starve to death.” Fernando tells him. Karl tries to stand there indignant of the words thrown at him.
 
As the sun begins to peek over the horizon, a couple from the convoy step out from their campers: Minerva and Abi.
 
“Good morning, Fernando...” Minerva throws out.
 
“おはようございます、ミネルバさん。主張を証明するために日本語で話す必要があります。(Ohayōgozaimasu, Mineruba-san. Shuchō o shōmei suru tame ni nihongo de hanasu hitsuyō ga arimasu. - Good morning Minerva, we need to speak in Japanese to prove a point.)” Fernando lets out.
 
“わかりました... (Wakarimashita... -  OK...)”  Minvera replies.
 
“早起きですね。ルースさんは午前 6 時以降に朝食を作り、午前 7 時以降に準備を整えてください。午前中に全員と話をする予定です。(Hayaokidesu ne. Rūsu-san wa gozen 6-ji ikō ni chōshoku o tsukuri, gozen 7-ji ikō ni junbi o totonoete kudasai. Gozen-chū ni zen'in to hanashi o suru yoteidesu. - You are up early, Miss Ruth should be making breakfast after 6AM and have ready after 7AM. I will speak to everyone later in the morning.)”  Fernando explains.
 
“わかりました。後で他の人が起きるようにします。(Wakarimashita. Atode hokanohito ga okiru yō ni shimasu. - OK then. I'll make sure the others wake up later.)” Minerva answers. She throws in “アビさん、行こう (Abi san, yukō – Abi, let’s go.)”
 
Together,  Minerva and Abi go back to their camper.
 
Karl throws out “What Gibberish Gullah Talk was that? It sounded like slant-eyed Chinese Restaurant People Talk.”
 
“Really, Karl? 1960s Prejudice some 100 after the fact? No wonder people will never go beyond this level of crap since The Happening. You Karl, will need a lesson in why you should not be prejudice against anyone though they may be prejudiced against you.” Fernando tells him. He then looks at the others, “If there is no other questions, you all can go to your campers and rest up. The Daylight crew can come out within an hour and let’s hope Ruth makes breakfast for everyone. Karl – 5 minutes before I let you go.”
 
Marvin leans over to Karl before he heads off to his camper, “You’re in trouble now.”
 
“HMPH!” Karl replies as the others walked away to their campers.
 
Fernando signals to him to follow. He walks to the shore of the lake without looking back to see where Karl was but was aware of his steps behind him. Karl stops a few steps behind Fernando.
 
Fernando says loud enough to be heard, “When I am talking to you, I want you either beside me or in front of me. Not behind me. Being behind someone when they speak to you is a sign of disrespect. Talking to somebody from behind them is also a sign of disrespect. So you got the count of 3 to get here...” He points to the ground next to him as he begins to count “1... 2...”
 
“I am here.” Karl says from where Fernando points.
 
Fernando turns to face him, letting out a very deep seated sigh before he speaks “What in hell did I do to you to earn your ire?”
 
“Ire?” Karl asks.
 
“Ire. Old English for Anger, Disrespect, Discontentment, Jealousy, and any other negative feelings you may have of me?” Fernando tells him in question.
 
“I did not mean to...” Karl begins.
 
“Now you hold it right there. If you did  not mean to do it, but you still did it then there is something wrong. I rather be honest with those who work with me and lie assholes who are willing to do us harm. Now what is it – no pussy footing around, no excuses, no sugar coating it, no trying to make as to not hurt my feelings. Be honest with me and I’ll be honest with you. Now says it.” Fernando tells him.
 
“I do not know how to say it.” Karl replies.
 
“Just say it as you think it needs to be said. Do not worry about my feelings. If you think I’m #$@!ing up, tell me what I am doing wrong and I’ll see about making it right.” Fernando tells him.
 
Karl stands there staring into the dark space between the trees of the forest trying to find the words to tell him. He lets out “Alright. You and Master Sacket come in to save me, Tonya, and Zoey. You drag us through towns and places, though you feed us and protect us. You give us what we need, wanting little in return. Thing is, I think you do not know what you are doing or where you are going. You’re causing more problems for everyone than it is worth everywhere you go.”
 
Fernando listens, slightly nodding in hearing Karl’s words. He then asks, “That’s all of it?”
 
“That’s the jist of it.” Karl replies.
 
Fernando begins, “You’re right, I do not know what I am doing and I barely know where I am going. Before all this – before The Happening, there were towns, cities, military bases, farm lands and wildlife sanctuaries from coast to coast. But America was a free land, a home for the brave – not a place where one with the most money has the most power. People are not sold into slavery, and we were never able to turn a person into a Wessen. What I do is for the good of everyone, not just for the rich and powerful. Put this in your mind to think about it – if Hondo and I in seeing you and the others being purged that night long ago did nothing to help you, where would you be now? I’m going to tell that answer to be either dead in the side of the road somewhere or with a slave collar and chain around your neck on auction or sold to another owner. That is neither right nor fair to you, Tonya, Zoey or anyone else involved that night we rescued, and not fair to anyone afterwards since. This is the land of the free, and I will make it free even if I have to bust in a few noses to make it so.”
 
“Though thank you for saving me and the others, I see this is nothing but trouble for us and everybody else around us. There are too many powerful people out there who would see us as getting in their way to power and money and want us out of the picture.”  Karl explains.
 
“If you mean like people like Hector De Le Vega – look where he is now. Gone.” Fernando explains, “In Flight Town, some of the Merchants used the Law Men to assert their dislike of you as justice. Where are the Law Men now? Gone. Again in Flight Town – I met with some old guy who has a lot of power and a lot of money apparently he owns all the stores on the east side of town and rents them out to Merchants who can afford his price. He had a sickly granddaughter – who no one could care for, as there was no medicine or treatment that could help her. I did what I could for her, brought her back to some level of normalcy, and he opened up his side of town for us to go into. Maggie’s place helped us with meals during our stay. Coco’s place helped the ladies with their clothing needs. And he was instrumental in helping Wessen Town to be part of Flight Town again. And so on. So in whatever town we go into, the choice is theirs – do as I request, leave us alone, or get destroyed by us.”
 
“That puts some of us in a dangerous place.” Karl points out.
 
“That is why I have you and Marvin as my Number 3 and 4 man. Hondo is my Number Two – we take care of business in town. You and Marvin however are here to protect the camp and do as we ask when needed. If things go wrong, it will be you and Marvin that will be leading the convoy out of the town and take it south to the next town or hide it in the wilderness until we return.” Fernando tells him.
 
“You never told us that.” Karl throws in.
 
“It is implied, because if they find out that after Hondo and I that you two are next to lead the convoy, that you two would be the next targets. It is better that you did not know this but act as if you did, and you and Marvin did well in your jobs in protecting the camp with the others. Hondo and I still need you to be there and will tell you what to do when needed.” Fernando explains.
 
“Why us? Why not the teens or that Jeanette who you keep saying is supposed to be our leader?” Karl asks.
 
“Karl, you have the mind to think things through, Marvin has the strength to get things moving. Together you two make a great team to work together, like Hondo and I work together. Hondo is not under me as a follower but beside me as an equal. I rely on his knowledge on things I do not know and his ability to get things done when I can’t. Marvin has to be your equal as you are his equal – both of you doing different jobs to get a goal together because you know things he does not and he knows things you do not. Work together with him and you two will work with us for we are a team and ‘there is no I in team.’ Understand that?” Fernando tells him.
 
Karl nods.
 
“Good. Now I need you to know the teens, and the talent and skills they know, compared to you and Marvin, they are 5 though 14 and will do things that needs to be done whether you request of them or not. On top of that Hondo and I will be putting you, them, and a couple of others through learning new skills to keep you out of trouble: how to fix an engine, how to work a generator, how to change fluids and filters, how to set up a radio’s channels, and eventually how to read, write and know your numbers. But that is not here and now. We got work to do and it is your time to rest up and sleep but be ready in case we need you.” Fernando tells him.
 
Karl lets out a sigh, “I now understand sir.”
 
“Good.” Fernando begins. “Now. You need rest, as do I but I will see about Ruth making breakfast, giving it out and getting us fed. After we eat, I’ll go to bed after making sure everything is in place. Hondo should be coming back around lunch time, if not in the afternoon. I’ll be seeing you later.”
 
Fernando holds out his hand for Karl to shake it. Eventually Karl gets it and takes Fernando hand and shakes it. They then separate in agreeing to what is said and Karl goes to his camper. As Fernando looks over the camp, a rope ladder comes down from the airship above though it was only about 10 – 15 feet above their heads. Both Vals come down from the blimp while Ruth steps out of her camper, all heading to Fernando. Fernando looks at the rising sun as the day begins.
 
Ruth speaks before the two Vals step onto the ground, “Who is making breakfast and what do we have to eat?”
 
“I have a pull cart of raw supplies in Hondo’s camper, but I need to go to Moro’s truck to get meat and fruits for you. If you can start on making bread, hot cereal, milk and juices, we can start feeding half the people and I can get the fruit for everyone and the meat for us meat eaters.” Fernando explains.
 
“I’ll get started on that right away but I’m going to need help.” Ruth says.
 
“I’ll get the bunny girls and anyone else to help out. You can use my Dub Box camper to make breakfast, Tonya, Macey and Zoey are in Hondo’s camper’s bedroom under Tonya’s care. Do not disturb them. If they become a problem, I will deal with them.” Fernando tells them.
 
“I’ll see about those supplies.” Ruth says as she heads to the back of Hondo’s camper.
 
One of the two Val follows Ruth into the camper. The other Val stay behind with Fernando.
 
“Fernando?” Val tries to talk to him.
 
“Yeah?” He replies.
 
“I’m sorry.”  She begins to say but silences herself for his reaction.
 
“Sorry for what?” He tells her.
 
“I don’t even know anymore.” She says.
 
“Well you know what?” Fernando begins, “You need to stop making excuses like this unneeded apology to me. You need to apologize to Hondo and then to Tonya and Zoey. I have nothing to do with this.”
 
“But...” Val begins to say.
 
“But nothing!” Fernando roars at her. “You need to apologize to Hondo, Tonya and Zoey, Not Me!  I Have Nothing To Do With The Problems You Started With Them!” He pauses for a second before throwing in, “Now you helping with breakfast or not? Either way, you are to leave the girls alone until Hondo gets back and apologize to all of them at once. In fact, go help out with breakfast. While you help out, think about what you need to do, because you do not need to apologize to me. I’m going to get the Bunny Girls.”
 
Fernando begins to walk off to get the Bunny Girls from their camper. Knocking on the door, it opens with Kiah in just a t-shirt and panties as the others were by the bed getting up.
 
“What do you want, Morning quickie or something? Neither Mae, April nor June are ready for that and I’m sure not interested, not with you anyways. If you were Hondo, then maybe I would interested...” Kiah lets out angrily but trailing off as her statement got longer and longer to its end.
 
“I’m just going to say this once, Kiah.” Fernando says loud enough to be heard by all in the camper. “Ruth is in Hondo’s camper sorting out items to make breakfast. You four are to help her, I have to step out to get those things not in Hondo’s camper, so you all better be there before I do. See you all laters.”
 
He then steps away from the Bunny Girls’ camper and start heading to Moro’s truck. Half way there he that he does not have his pull cart as it is in Hondo’s truck with the breakfast material. He stops and thinks but things would go his way as Minerva and Abi step out of their camper and walk over to him.
 
“Good morning Fernando! Anything we can do to help?” Minerva says and asks.
 
Fernando thinks before replying, “Yeah... well, good morning first of all. And yes, I need both of your pull carts from your campers and you two can help give out the meals when they are done. I’ll be with you for today to show you who gets what.”
 
“OK...”Minerva says before her and Abi goes back to their campers for a couple of seconds and return with their pull carts.
 
Fernando waits for them to get their pull carts, expecting that it would take a couple of minutes, they come out seconds later with two pull carts from their last excursion to Center Town where Fernando got them. As soon as they got by him he starts walking, “Follow me please.”
 
They walk over to Jeanette’s ambulance to talk with Moro about getting access to Moro’s trailer. Once inside the trailer, Fernando was able to get a large loop of sausage, a shoulder of smoked ham, a block of butter and cheese, a couple bags of dried fruit, a few vegetables with beans, and a block of smoked beef; placing them into the pull carts. He closes the trailer, gives thanks to Moro and then leads Minerva and Abi to Hondo’s trailer where Ruth was making breakfast. He knocks on Hondo’s door.
 
The door opens with Kiah standing there. She throws at Fernando “I told you I’m not interested in your sexual advancements!”
 
Before Fernando can speak, Mae is heard yelling, “KIAH! CUT IT OUT WITH THE #$@!ING GAMES!”
 
Ruth steps over quickly to the door, pulling Kiah behind her into the camper and stands in the doorway. “Oh, it’s you, Fernando...” She begins to say, “What did you bring for us?”
 
“First of Ruth, thank you for helping out. Today will be a hard day for you as you and those helping you out will have to make all 3 meals today. Here is some fruits and meats for breakfast. The rest is for lunch and dinner, I would say a simple bean and veggie soup and meat to be added for those who can eat it, and sandwiches for lunch. Then take the left over soup and extend it to a second serving for dinner with Rice or Pasta added to it with a salad. Again, meat is to be added for those who can eat it. If you need help with the veggie cutting, I can get La La, Li Li and Teri to help with lunch and dinner. Minerva and the others can help make the milk and juice if you want or need it. And you still have access to the kitchen in my Dub Box camper is you need it.”
 
“That would be great.” Ruth says as she takes the items being handed to her. “Where will you be for me to contact you to get the others to make lunch and dinner?”
 
“I should be around, if not in my camper resting up.” He tells her before throwing in, “I’ll get these two help make the milk and juice in the Dub Box. It should be done before breakfast is ready.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Thank you. And see you later.” Ruth says.
 
Fernando takes Minerva and Abi to his Dub box camper, letting them in but leaving the pull carts outside. He then explains to them where everything is, pulling out three jugs of five gallons of water. He then pulls out his large ladle and a small jar of powdered drinks. He explains to them “Two large ladles in 5 gallons of water will make enough juice or milk for everyone in the camp. First let’s make the milk...”
 
He demonstrates opening one five gallon jug of water, and takes the small jug of powdered milk pouring the powder into the ladle and then from the ladle into the jug of water, repeating the procedure one more time before capping it, lifting it up and shaking it to mix the powder and water to make the milk. Putting down the jug on the counter, he says, “It is done. The kids got milk to drink. Now the juices.”
 
He hands over the ladle to Minerva and puts down a small jug of powered orange juice near her. She carefully repeats his moves, filling the ladle of powdered juice and pouring the powder from the ladle to the jug of water, repeating this one more time. She caps off the jug of water, but could not lift it as it is about 45 pounds. She complains, “I can’t lift it.”
 
“It’s OK. Which is why when you do this, if you cannot lift it, get me or Hondo to shake it for you and to put it on the pull wagon. I’ll take care of this from here.” Fernando explains before closing the jug and shaking it to make juice. He then slides the other small jug of grape juice to Abi and gives her the ladle, “Your turn...”  
 
Like Minerva, Abi carefully fills the ladle of powdered juice and pouring the powder from the ladle to the jug of water, repeating this one more time before capping the jug. Like Minerva, she could not lift it without difficulty. Fernando takes over and lifts the jug, shakes and then places it down on the counter. He looks at them, “There, you helped out with making breakfast. Though there are easy jobs and hard jobs to do, this was the easy job. Now before we go, just a couple more things.”
 
He opens his upper cabinets and pulls out a stacked set of cardboard bowls and cover for them and another stack set of cardboard drinking cups. As they watched, he puts the jug of milk into one pull cart along with the stacks of bowls and cups, and then puts the jugs of juices to the other pull cart. He signals for them to step out of the camper and locks it closed when they do. It is a short walk to Hondo’s camper.
 
Knocking on Hondo’s Camper door, Kiah opens the door again, but this time Fernando tells her loudly, “Shut up!” Kiah looks at him in shock and horror before Ruth comes to the door.
 
“Oh, it’s you Mister Fernando.” Ruth says.
 
Fernando interject before she can continue to speak, “First off, I have the milk and juices.” He then picks up the milk jug off the pull cart and onto the floor of the camper. He then takes the two juice jugs from the other pull cart and onto the floor of the camper. April and Mae takes the jugs from where Fernando placed them on the floor and places them on the table. He then pulls out from the pull cart the cardboard bowls with their covers and the cardboard cups.
 
He explains, “That should be enough for lunch and dinner. I’ll be back with these ladies to take and give out the breakfasts in an hour.”
 
“It should be done sooner than that. We are half way done.” Ruth explains.
 
“See you then, I’ll be back in half an hour.” He tells her. He then signals for Minerva and Abi to follow him. He takes them back to their jeep vehicles and campers.
 
Minerva speaks first, “See you in a half hour?”
 
“A half hour is not a lot of time. In fact what I got to tell you will take longer than a half hour.” Fernando begins to tell them.
 
“What you need to say?” Minerva asks.
 
“In speaking with the local Indians in the area, 1) stay away from the lake. There is something large that will grab you and drag you into the water and eat you after you drown if you walk into the water.  2) The water itself is poisonous, do not use it to drink, bathe or wash in. If we need water, I will take some of us to a safe water supply up the road with a barrowed vehicle to gather water from. Got that so far?”
 
“Water is poisoned and some monster lives in the lake, yeah.” Minerva says.
 
“You forgot that he would take us to get safe water in a barrowed vehicle.” Abi says.
 
“Yeah.” Minerva replies.
 
“If possible, I would like you two to help out give out the meals today, not just breakfast. This way it looks like you are earning your keep within the group.” Fernando says.
 
“That is not a problem. You tell us what we need to do and we will do it.” Minerva replies.
 
“I’m more concerned about Tracy and Miniya. They would be doing nothing and others might complain if they see them doing nothing. So make them look like they are taking care of the children here. Also going back to the Indians, they also told me that it gets very hot in this area and the sun is very bright. It is best to stay inside or in the shadows so you do not get sun burnt. Staying inside would be better until I come for you. Lastly, stay inside in the camp. The woods are filled with creatures that would kill you for food, and Wessens that are more animal than human. Do not give them food, do not approach them.” Fernando explains.
 
“You mean Ferals are in the area?” Abi asks.
 
“If that is the name they are called, as Karl said the same thing about them, then yes – Ferals. But what you know of them?” Fernando replies.
 
“There were several around our hideaway camp that tried to steal our food and things. And Giovanni and other sex puppy clubs would go out to capture the females and have them with a shock collar until they learn to submit to their clients to give them sex for food and a place to sleep and wash up.” Abi explains.
 
“Who would #$@! a Feral?” Fernando asks.
 
Abi throws at him, “Most men would, Human or Wessen for having sex with a Feral is just the same with having sex with us Wessens. Only difference is it would be best to #$@! a Feral Doggie Style than any position with a Wessen. It is also harder to get a Feral pregnant as they are more animal than human, unlike us Wessens we can get pregnant by a human. Some places charge less for them, though Giovanni charged full price if not more for a Feral than a Wessen or Human. Some men say that it is proof of strength of your manhood to take on a Feral.”
 
“I did not see a human sex puppy in Giovanni’s place.” Fernando points out but goes back to the original subject “But damn... things men would do and say anything to prove themselves to others.” Fernando points out.
 
“I know you did a lot to save us but you have not proven yourself to me.” Abi says out loud to him.
 
“ABI!” Minerva lets out.
 
“A man has to do a lot to prove himself worthy to any woman: Human, Wessen or even Feral.” Abi begins, “I seen him do a lot of talking but not a lot of doing. And definitely not to me.”
 
“If you are talking about the time of me not taking you after curing Little Mary from her Rope Dog bite, my answer still stands – No. Lilly offered me what she has for me fixing her arm and I refused her. Am I lesser than a man for not taking on a child for payment of fixing her arm? Or taking Little Mary for saving her life which she is aware of?” Fernando throws at her.
 
“By the standards of men in Flight Town and I heard everywhere else – yes. If a female cannot make payment of what services a man gave her then she has to give what she has of herself to the man she owes to as payment of what is owed.” Abi explains.
 
“Even if she is a child like Lily or Little Mary?” Fernando asks.
 
“Yes. A girl knows that at an early age and her survival may depend on how good she can service a man. Lily got her arm busted because the merchant she was servicing for a couple of donuts wanted her pussy and not the blow job she was giving him and he beaten her to an inch of her life.” Abi explains.
 
“Who is that merchant that did this to her?” Fernando almost growls at her.
 
“He’s the one you had General Jastrey’s men arrested.” Minerva throws in.
 
“He won’t get to see the sunrise tomorrow if I can help it.” Fernando says before turning to Abi, “As for proving myself to you, my actions in leading this convoy and providing what I can for those within it is being more than man enough. I do not need to prove myself by screwing those who I help out. A hero does not charge to save others, and rescued victims do not need to pay their rescuers for rescuing them. It is no wonder why this world is so #$@!ed up.”
 
“It’s the way it is.” Abi points out.
 
“Things will change but until then, it is not how it is here in this convoy camp. Everyone has some work to do in helping out to get things done. No one is screwing anyone for favors or for getting somebody else to do your work. We take care of each other.” Fernando tells them. He adds, “Later than sooner, I will want you and Maggie to get together to be my medical staff as you two done in medical work. I will have a couple others working with me in medical work for the camp, but it will not be with Jeanette’s group. We will discuss about her group in the next town. Today, we will deal with them when we give them the food nothing more. I do not expect you two to do guard duty like some of the others do. You two will work with me in giving out the food during the day.” Fernando explains. He then looks at his watch and then at the rising sun over the horizon. “Let’s go check on Ruth.”
 
The three of them walk over to Hondo’s camper with the pull carts behind the girls. Fernando knocks on the camper door with Ruth managing to open it before Kiah does.
 
“Oh, Hi Mister Fernando.” Ruth says. “The food is ready , it just needs to be packed up.”
 
“That is why we are here.” Fernando says, stepping out of the way to show the two pull carts. He then asks, “The usual breakfast sandwich, hot cereal and juice or milk?”
 
“Well, yes, but I think it is better that the camp comes here and pick up their own meals. It would be easier on everyone, don’t you think?” Ruth says and asks.
 
Fernando thinks about it and then concedes. “Alight.” He turns to Minerva and Abi “Get the food for your group and then stay with your group. I’ll go get the others to get their meals.” He then turns to Ruth, “Take care of them first while I get others. I think there are four omnivores so they will need meat with their meals and the remaining seven are strict herbivores. They will tell you what they need. I’m off to get the others.”
 
It takes a while longer than needed but Fernando manages to get those on charge of their groups on line to get breakfast but eventually everyone got their fair share of food and Fernando manages to get a couple extras for his camper’s meals. He then goes into his camper while Ruth and her crew cleans up Hondo’s camper and begins to set up to prepare for lunch, then taking a break before preparing the lunch meal as per Fernando’s request.

Hondo shook his head, feeling puzzled by the older woman. He was not sure who she was but he felt like he should know. He sighed and shook his head at himself again as he approached the Bronco to grab his go-bag out of the back. He was too tired to rationally think about it right now, so he had to let it go for the moment.  
 
“Everything alright, Boss?” Madison asked as he approached.
 
“Hmm? .. oh, yeah. Everythin’s fine. Just tired… And stop with the boss, shit. I’m tryin’ to be nice ‘bout it, but it’s startin’ to irritate me.” He replied grumpily.
 
“Oh, sorry, B.. Er, uhm, I mean Hondo, sir.” Madison said a bit glumly.
 
“Listen, I know you don’t mean anythin’ by it, but I just don’t like it.” Hondo replied, trying to ease up on his tone.
 
“I.. I understand, Sorry, sir.” Madison replied.
 
Hondo frowned at him, “Sir is almost as bad. I know it’s respectful but, as long as you talk to me with respect, I’d rather you all just use my name. It’s why it was given to me, to be used but not abused.”
 
 “I guess I get it. I’d call you master but… It sort of has connotations to it, with slavery and all, plus other things...” He replied, looking away a bit in embarrassment as past memories of what he had to do to survive came back to him. “But, uhm, could I call you chief? I just feel like we owe you more respect than to just use your name, plus it seems that its better not to use it in certain places, as you and Fer, uhm, the medic are gaining some notoriety.”
 
“Notoriety? Didn’t know you knew words that big.” Patricia said snarkily.
 
“She alright?” Hondo asked.
 
“Patty?” Madison asked, before shrugging, “I have no idea. She’s been grouchy and poking at me since you went inside.”  Madison looked her way to make sure she was not too close before leaning in and whispering, “I think it’s.. you know, that time of the month for her or something.”
 
Hondo shook his head, “That’s all I need… Listen, I need you all to get along and have each other’s backs, no matter personal feelin’s.”
 
“Don’t worry. She’s a bit mean at times, but I trust her to have my back, more than almost anyone else in the world.” Madison replied seriously.
 
“Alright… An’ as far as chief goes, it’s not much better, but you have a point. Not sure if boss or chief is better, honestly… Look, just use one if you feel like you should when in town, but at camp or in the rig, … just don’t.” Hondo said, sounding a bit defeated.  
 
He would have told him to call him cowboy, like some started calling him, but even that was compromised anymore.
 
Madison nodded, “Sure Chief. I’ll try anyway, but if I mess up, understand I’m not trying to be disrespectful. I.. that is we.. we’ve had plenty of bosses in the past, but none we liked to have, before you and the medic that is.”
 
Hondo nodded, “I get it, I do.”
 
Hondo grabbed his go-bag, that has a clean shirt, underwear, socks, and a bandana, as well as other items, out of the back of the Bronco before turning to the hotel room.
 
“Come get me if trouble stirs, otherwise stay close. If all stay’s quiet we’ll go get parts when the store opens, then grab breakfast an’ head back.” He paused long enough to tell them.
 
“Sure, chief. We’ll be here.” Madison said.
 
Hondo started to wonder more if boss was better.
 
“Get some rest.” Patricia said, her voice sounding a bit wistful as she wished she was going with him so she could seize the chance to cuddle up with him and let him know she was wanting to be his.
 
Hondo just gave them a wave in reply as he walked up the steps to the board walk again, and went into the room.  
 
As he entered, the dim light of an interesting looking Gas lamp, with rigged up piezoelectric lighting mechanism that looked like it came from an old BBQ grill, cast a dim glow into the room, revealing a mostly nude Melissa, sitting on the edge of one of the beds in just her panties.  
 
“Everything good out there?” She asked, acting like this was normal for her to be nude around him.
 
He only raised an eyebrow at her, uncertain if she, like some wessen he knew, had a thing against clothing, or was just that comfortable around him. Though he did not know it, she did feel comfortable around him, as if that one night of passion had formed a bond between them. Though even she was unsure if it would remain in the years she had left to serve, before she could be proudly free of the military and give herself fully to him, or not, but for here and now, she was his, whether he knew it or not.  
 
“Yeah, I think they are set. Hopefully all stays quiet, as I’m dog tired.” He said, as he sat his bag down on the bed beside her, and started to kick off his boots.
 
“Let me!” she half exclaimed, dropping to her knees to help him with his boots.
 
“I can do it! I’m not too played out, that I need help!” He half growled.
 
“It’s a woman’s privilege and duty to help her man, and we wessen women know how to treat our men!” She shot back. “Don’t tell me Molly doesn’t do this for you.”
 
He sighed in defeat, “*sigh* No, she does, though I’m still not used to it. Besides, I never said I was takin’ you as my woman. You have too much time where I’ll be gone for either of us to commit to somethin’ like that.”
 
His protest was weak, but he knew it was not worth the energy needed to argue with her too much.
 
“I know you have not accepted me, and I know it’s a long time away, but it’s not just up to you.” She said as she took one of his boots off, before setting his foot down and pulling on the other one to get him to life his foot. “We women might not be equal to you men, but we still have a right to choose who we give our hearts to, though not always our bodies. Even if you don’t want me, I’m still yours, as I choose to be. So, until you accept or reject me, at least let me show you I can be a good woman for you.”
 
He sighed as he lifted the other foot, “Now you’re startin’ to sound like Molly too.”
 
She gave him a bit of a smile, “Sit and I’ll help you undress.”
 
“If I wasn’t so tired I’d take you over my knee.” He muttered as he sat down.
 
“You can take me over your knee anytime, and after I’ll still go back to helping you and caring for you. It’s not only our place, but it’s our privilege to do so, especially when it’s for a good, strong man, who has proven he can and will care for us.” She replied softly, as she rolled down his socks, and placed them on the floor at the end of the bed.  
 
“Hmph! … I’d try to find a good argument for this, but frankly I’m too tired.” He replied.
 
“Why argue with a woman wanting to do for you, and help you?” She asked, seeming genuinely perplexed by it, as she helped him take off his vest.
 
“Maybe I’m not used to bein’ fussed over, maybe it’s how I was brought up, maybe it’s ‘cause of what.. what Val did an’ I just don’t trust that there isn’t some ulterior motive… Or maybe it’s a mix. I don’t know… Where I come from it’s one man an’ one woman, an’ the women don’t do for men like this… the difference takes some gettin’ used to…. Not sure I ever fully will.” He said, as he tried to take off his gun belt, but she moved her hands in and took the buckle from him.
 
“Sounds like a horrible place and a horrible way to live.” She remarked, looking up into his eyes, as she took the gun belt off and laid it beside him.
 
Hondo chuckled lightly, “Heh..”
 
“Hmm?” Melissa grunted, questioningly.
 
He shook his head, “Never mind. It’s hard to explain, but that came across as a bit funny… Some way’s you don’t an’ can’t understand, you’re wrong, an’ that’s alright, but in some ways, you are very right… I feel bad lettin’ you do this for me, but can’t help but wonder that if Val had the same interest in me that those like you an’ Molly do, that she’d never put us through the crap she did.”
 
She cocked her head at him a bit, as she did not quite understand how she was wrong, but she knew he was right about Valentine. She had not met her in person, but she had heard from Molly about her and heard the gossip going around about the way she humiliated him in front of his camp. Where she came from, a woman who did that would be tied up and whipped in front of the town, and then do some sort of penitence work of her husband’s choosing, if he wished to forgive her. If not, she could be sold at a slave auction, and branded as a bitch. While a few found it abhorrent, most found it justified, as life was hard enough without being at odds with your partner. Yes, there were bad men who abused the system, but without it, the family system would fall apart. She had heard tales that it had in the past, before the happening, and that many put these rules into place. Some Human settlements had already abandoned these rules and news was, they were falling apart. As a whole, the free wessens held to these rules and ways of living. While some did not like in, none could argue that it worked.  
 
“You regret losing her… Is it because we are wessen? If we were human, would it be easier for you to accept us and our doing for you?” She asked, looking down as she started to unbutton his shirt.
 
He grabbed her hands and held them tightly against his chest, as he stared at her until she stared back at him.
 
“Bein’ wessen has nothin’ to do with it. Human, wessen, it’s all the same. It’s the individual that matters. So, I’m with Molly because of who she is, an’ I’ve agreed to talk about you, me, an’ Nova someday when we are all ready, because of who you two are. I think we need to get to know each other a little better before any of us commit to anythin’, but I’d not agreed to talk ‘bout it later if I didn’t see somethin’ there. Now, I regret losin’ Val, because I loved her.I loved an’ trusted her, an’ she broke all that over somethin’ that was out of my hands. Had it not happened, I probably would not have let Molly into my life or had some fun with you an’ Nova, but the fact of the matter is that it happened an’ I can’t undo it. So, I may regret losin’ her, but unless you or the others hurt me like Val did, I’ll never regret meetin’ you or sharin’ a part of myself with you. Understand?” He asked, quietly but firmly.
 
She nodded, so he let go of her hands and let her finish taking off his shirt.
 
Once it was off, she moved to unbuckle his belt and take off his pants, but he stopped her.  
 
“Probably should leave those on, for now. Don’t want to make Alice feel uncomfortable.” He said to her.
 
“Y.you can t.t.take them off. I d.d.don’t mind.” A soft stammering voice said from the bathroom door.  
 
Hondo had not heard her open the door nor seen her, partially due to tiredness and partially because Melissa had his attention. Though she was very different, she was a lot like Molly in some ways, as Molly too had that way of moving and caring for him that made him want to focus on her as she did for him.
 
Melissa turned and Hondo looked up at the same time. Melissa seemed unphased but the bare form of Alice in the doorway, but Hondo was a bit surprised.
 
She dried her hair and sat down on the bed, as if all was normal, her desire and need for physical privacy having been taken from her years ago.
 
“The shower feel good?” Melissa asked.
 
She nodded, “It.. it was b.b.better th.than our c.c.camper showers, by a l.l.lot… N.n.not had one like that e.e.e.ever.”
 
“Well, we will have to get one.” Melissa said.
 
Hondo was not sure what to say, exactly, as he did not want to embarrass Alice.
 
“Uhm, Why don’t you get yours, then I’ll get mine.” He said, just wanting to get some sleep.
 
“I thought we could share it. It’s big enough.” She said.
 
“C.c.could f.fit Th.th.three people in it, I th.think.” Alice said as she hung the towel on the bedpost and laid back.
 
“Come on, master!” Melissa said, as she stood up and grabbed his hand.
 
“Listen, I’m very tired. I just want to shower and get some sleep.” He said.
 
She nodded, “I know you are, and I promise I’ll only do what you want to do. If you want me to just wash you and then we can get some sleep, that is what we’ll do. If you want more, all you have to do is say so or take it. I’m not going to push, I promise.”
 
He had not wanted to put any ideas into Alice’s head, but she already did see him in just his pants with a nearly naked Melissa kneeling in front of him, so if she had any imagination, there was not much they could add to it at this point. Plus, as they talked, Alice had laid back and put a pillow over her head, her body left bare and spread eagle on the bed. He did not want to think it was an invitation, so he took it as her give-a-#$@! had long about been busted.  
 
He nodded, “Alright, but push me an’ never again. You want somethin’ between us in the future, then you better be good to your word!”
 
“I promise I am! I might be horny for you, but I’m an adult and a Sargent in the army. I keep my word, and mean what I say.” She replied.
 
Hondo sighed, “*sigh* … I didn’t mean to offend you. Just had to deal with some things recently, an’..”
 
She put a finger gently to his lips, “You don’t have to explain to me. I know you’ve gone through a lot and I know people have and will try to use you. I want to be with you, but I will not use you.”
 
He grabbed her hand, gently, to remove her fingers from his lips, before leaning in to kiss her gently. It was not a long kiss, nor too passionate, but more of a ‘thank you’ from one intimate partner to another. When he pulled back, he nodded to the shower and she nodded. He led the way, leading her into the bathroom and shutting the door behind them.
 
Alice Sighed in defeat as they left. While she was a bit horny, she was scared to admit it, due to her past. She had half hoped that if she left herself open like she had, that he would take it as an offer and use her for his own release, which she was sure he needed. She might not say much but she was very aware how stressed both Hondo and Fernando had been as of late. And though she had hoped that her weak attempt of baring her fruit would bear fruit of a sexual nature, she was almost glad it did not, as she did not think he was the type to take what was not fully offered willingly. It made her like him more, but it did not help her own stress. So, while they were gone, she took matters into hand, her own hand that was. Though there was nothing but the sounds of the shower for the first few minutes, it was not long until she could hear Melissa start moaning and making other noises that she assumed were sounds of pleasure. It helped with the fantasy she had playing in her own head. She moaned softly as her body’s got hotter and more sensitive from a mix of her own touch and the growing sounds coming from the shower. She soon came, which brought herself some relief. From the sounds of it, they were still at it, which surprised her, but she was thankful too. Using a small sink in the bedroom, and a hand towel, she quickly cleaned herself up, before throwing back the covers and covering up with just the sheet, as the room was plenty warm. By the time they came out she was already half asleep and barely aware of their presence. She quickly fell into a deep sleep and started to dream.
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
As the bathroom door closed, without saying a word Melissa hunkered down and unbuckled Hondo’s belt and unbuttoned his pants, before sliding them down his thick, muscular legs. He did not argue, but let her do her thing, and stepped out of them when she was ready for him to do so. She did the same with his boxers, though she did stop for a moment to stare at him member. While it was not hard, it was not fully limp either, as she did stir something in him. He told himself he was too tired for sex, though, and even if he had not been he wanted to see what she would do.  
 
Despite her wanting to touch him in a sexual way, she refrained and stood back up after he was undressed. He started the water at she shimmied her panties down over her firm hip and let them fall down her muscular, but still shapely legs. While she was not as smooth as Hondo generally liked for his women to be and was more on the muscular side than he usually cared for, she still managed to maintain her womanly curves, and natural beauty. Many muscular women seemed to lose their hip and breasts, and their faces always seemed gaunt. She had not lost any of that, and her face was round, smooth, and young looking, like it should be.  
 
He looked at the shower for a moment, seeing it had a sealed, wooden bench in it, and was fairly large, large enough to have a threesome with room to spare. When Alice said it was big, she had undersold it, which coming from her should have been expected.
 
He stepped in first, to test the water, adjusting the temperature just a bit, before turning to see Mellissa standing just outside of it, as if waiting for an invitation. He held out a hand to her, and once she took it, he pulled her in to the shower, and into him, holding her under the water, quietly for a moment. She was shorter by a foot or more than him, so her head rested comfortably against his chest, and his chin rested on the top of her head, as he held her against him. After a minute or so, she spoke up, softly, breaking the silence.
 
“I know you said you didn’t want anything intimate, but if you do…” She said pausing.
 
He shook his head, “I didn’t say I didn’t want intimate. I said I was tired, wanted a shower an’ sleep, an’ didn’t want pushed into anythin’… Do you not want this?”
 
She put her arms around him and gripped tightly, “I can’t express how much I want this and more, but I said I would not push and I meant it… I know you said you came from a place with different standards, and different rule, where women don’t treat you as a woman should, and I assume that there are different rules for how to treat a woman too. Maybe we won’t be together after I get out, but if I can help you understand us better, please let me, Master.”
 
“You don’t have to call me master. You’re no slave, an’ I’m no slave owner.” He said.
 
“Please understand, we don’t always use that term for an owner, as if we are a slave. A man like you should be lord and master to his women, to his family, and to those who work for him. It is not always a disparaging title. When looked at right, it is one used to show respect and care for someone. You don’t own my body, but unless something changes, you have ownership of my heart and mind. If it were not blasphemous against the creator of all, I would give you ownership of my very soul, as you are the one I want to call master. You need to know that any wessen woman who wants you as a mate, wants you as a master. We do not give ourselves to anyone we would not want to call master.” She said softly.
 
He sighed and nodded, “ *sigh* … It makes a little more sense now, I think. So, slaves may be forced to call their owners master, but those they call master willin’ly, they are showin’ their trust, gratitude, an’ willin’ness to follow? Is that correct?”
 
She nodded into his chest, “Yes, that is mostly correct. Understand that men and women may call you master because of that, but not all that call you master are wanting to share their bodies with you, yet all who are willing to share their bodies with you would see you as their master.”
 
“Different rules..” He muttered in contemplation, as he held her still.
 
Though he was tired, just holding a woman against him, one that cared, and cared enough to let him do what he wanted, was something he needed as it helped melt his stress away. After a couple more minutes, he let her go, and she stepped out of the shower. She grabbed some soap and a washcloth from the shelf over the toilet, before stepping back in to get the washcloth wet, before working up a lather on it with the soap.
 
“Can I wash you?” Ash asked, holding the soapy cloth out.
 
He nodded, “I would like that.”
 
She gave him a soft smile as she stepped forward and started washing his chest, then arms and armpits, neck, and then back.  
 
As she washed she spoke again, “Another thing about us, is once a wessen woman has offered herself, all a man has to do is tell us what he wants or to take what he wants. We offer things when we see a need, but we like to be led. We like for a man to guide us to what he wants, to where he wants to go, what he wants to do or what he wants us to do to and for him. When you shower with Molly, just grab the soap and washcloth and tell her to wash you. You don’t have to demand, but you don’t need to ask either. Just tell her that you would like her to wash you. Watch her face when you do this. I’m sure she has washed you in the past, and hopefully you notice that she likes to do this for you, but when you tell her you want her to do it, she will light up even more, I promise you this.”
 
“Hmmph..” Hondo grunted in contemplation. “ … Too bad human women aren’t like that… At least Val or any others I’ve been out with weren’t.”
 
“Because you rather have a human woman?” She asked, feeling a bit vulnerable because of his comment.
 
He shook his head, “No, I told you it has nothin’ to do with that. Just where I come from, you don’t really see many wessen. An’ the human women there are not at all like you described. Even though, there was a time that Val was among the best of them, she still wasn’t like that.”
 
“You still love her, don’t you?” She asked
 
“Molly asks me the same thing… I’m not sure, exactly, but I do know it’s not somethin’ you can just turn off.” He replied.
 
He thought of Valentine for a moment and also thought of Fernando. He knew he kept telling him that he was just angry at all women for what Tammy did to him, but he realized it was more than that. He might be angry, and even hate Tammy for what she did, but there was always more than that, and it was something that men, real men, just did not share. Hating and being angry at someone doesn’t erase the good times and the good feelings, it just makes them hurt more. And despite it all, getting over them was no easy task.
 
“Are you going to forgive her and take her back?” Melissa asked, as she squatted down to wash his backside and legs.
 
“I don’t know.” Hondo replied. “Molly want’s me to, but I’m not ready to forgive her, yet. An’ takin’ her back? … I’m not sure how to. If I did, she would have to change a lot, as things could never go back to how they were, not after everythin’ that’s happened.”
 
“What if she took a few lessons from us?” Melissa asked, as she gently put pressure on his hip, signaling for him to turn around.
 
He turned, and chuckled, “Think it would take more than a few lessons, but maybe.”
 
Melissa made a mental note to talk to Molly once the caravan got to tech town, but that’s the last clear thought she had on the subject, as she had finished his legs and started to wash his member. While she did not try to be sexual, she tried to be as gentle as possible. It swelled in her hands as she washed it, and that made her wash it a little more than it needed.
 
Hondo too lost connection with the previous thoughts, as her touch felt good. He noticed she spent longer on his member than she needed and even longer on his balls. He was not sure if it’s just because she liked them or it was the cat wessen in her and it gave her a bit of a ball fetish. Whatever the case, it was the body part that took the longest for her to wash. Between the washing and the hot water, Hondo felt a second wind, though it was probably more like a fourth or fifth wind, seeing as how long he had been awake.  
 
Melissa stood up and lathered the washcloth once again, and started washing herself. Watching her turned him on more, and as he watched, what she said went through his mind, but his upbringing and the rules of his world made him hesitate a moment. She gave him a smile and a side long glance as she bent down to wash her legs, and that was all the cue he needed from her.
 
“I could wash your back for you, among other things.” He said in a low voice, as he gave her a wry grin.
 
She handed him the washcloth and soap.
 
“If you so wish, master.” She purred.
 
He washed her back, feeling the long, lean muscled in it as he worked his way down, to her firm ass and hips, and the scar where her tail had been forcibly removed by the army doctors per the punishment ordered by her previous captain. Once done there, he pulled her back against him and washed her firm, medium sized breasts, belly, and moved down to her womanhood. She gave out a moan as the cloth touched her there, and after a quick washing, he removed the cloth and touched her with his bare hand. She moaned a bit louder and arched her back as he touched her. Despite the water, he felt a more slippery liquid coming from her nether-region, telling him that she was more than just a little horny.  He moved his hand to her belly and pulled her ass firmly into him, and his other hand he placed on her chest and slowly moved it up to her neck and then her chin, pulling her head back a bit as he leaned forward and placed his lips close to her ear.
 
“If I told you that I am too tired for more, and need to go to bed, would you be angry?” He asked, whispering into her ear.
 
Her body trembled with pent up passion and her chest heaved as her breathing rate quickened.
 
“N.no, master… I’d n.not be angry. I’m .. I’m and adult and I c.c.care about your n.needs.” She replied breathily.
 
“What about your needs?” He asked, testing her further.
 
“My d.desires aren’t n.n.needs, master… If you are t.tired, I will respect that… I promised.” She said, closing her eyes as she found back the growing tension inside her body.
 
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” He said as he let her go and stepped back from her.
 
Her heart sank a bit as she had hoped he would go further, especially after teasing her body like he did. Had he not done that, it would not been such a fight for her, but now the desire was intense. Despite it, she would keep her word.
 
“You know, the shower did wake me up a bit, an’ I really could use working off some of this stress before restin’.” He said almost casually.
 
She turned quickly and looked up at him with hopeful expectancy.
 
“Really Master?! I mean, If.. if you need to work off some stress, I.. I would be willing to help you…. You’re not just teasing me, are you?” She said, feeling a bit confused.
 
“Teasin’? A little. Testin’? A little. Serious ‘bout needin’ to work off some stress? Extremely! … I can’t do what we did the other night but…” He stopped as she practically jumped into his arms, a wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as she kissed him deeply.
 
When she finally came up for air, she looked into his eyes as she panted for air.
 
“You’re a *pant, pant* mean master! *pant* You tease me and then *pant* tell me you are just going to bed?! *pant, pant, pant*” She breathily exclaimed.
 
“An’ you loved it, didn’t you? I can tell you like to be teased. It really stirred you up, didn’t it?” He said in a low voice, grinning as the shaky, panting, horny little tank of a woman holding on to him.
 
She blushed at his words and looked away bashfully.
 
“I’m sorry, master. I do like it very much. I guess I’m a bad, dirty girl… please, please take me now, if you want to, as I can’t take much more! … if you don’t, I.. I need a minute to take care of it myself, as I won’t be able to sleep without coming!” She replied quickly, sounds a bit desperate.
 
“Do worry. You’ll come.” He whispered into her ear before kissing her neck.
 
It was not nearly as long as last time, but between her thinking about him since the other night, her genitals still a bit sensitive from him working her over, and the tension he built in her by teasing her, she came quickly. He brought her to orgasm two more times before being able to release himself. Though it was a short session, only about thirty minutes total, it was the release they both needed.  
 
After they were done, they washed up again quickly, got out and dried off. Hondo pulled on a pair of boxers, as he did not want to flash Alice if she was still awake, but Melissa did not put on anything, saying that if he did not mind, she preferred no clothing when she sleeps. He said that was fine, as even if Alice saw her, there was nothing there she had not seen before, and there was no hiding what they had done in that shower, from the noises Melissa had made. While, if what he heard about all the teens past was right, there was probably nothing he had that she had not seen before, either, but he placed a slightly different set of rules on himself than he did on other.
 
As they went back into the room, Alice seemed to be asleep, now covered with a sheet as well as a pillow over her head, to block out the light from the lamp. With both of them tired, Hondo turned out the light and slid into bed beside, Melissa. She had laid down on the far side from the lamp and laid close to the edge, staying as far away from his side as she could. At first, he wondered if he made her mad or something, but then he thought back to what she had said earlier. He paused a moment before reaching over and touching her arm. She turned and looked at him, in the mostly dark room, save for the early morning light that made the curtains in the room take on a soft glow.  
 
“Come here.” He whispered softly to her.
 
She slid over close to him, and he pulled her the rest of the way into him, holding her against him. She sighed, contentedly, and nuzzled into his chest.
 
“Thank you.” She half mumbled.
 
“For?” he asked softly.
 
“I.. I wanted to be close to you, but.. I didn’t want to unless you wanted me to be. Thank you far telling me what you wanted.” She whispered.
 
“Heh. Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks?” He whispered back.  
 
She giggled softly, kissed his chest once, nuzzled him again, and then fell asleep.
 
It took Hondo a few more minutes to settle down and calm his thoughts, but holding her against him seemed to help. He had to admit that he liked this little woman, but he still wished it was Molly with him instead. Maybe someday Melissa would be his, as well as Molly and maybe Val again, along with others, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt, even if there were not others and this did not work out, that he would remember these times fondly, and that once back at his Camper, even alone Molly would be enough for him.
 
He lay awake a bit longer that he maybe normally would have, but it hit him that other than molly and possibly Valentine, it was the first time he had considered being with more than one woman who was not one of those two. The thought came so easy it disturbed him a bit, to the point he had to ponder on it for a bit. Soon, though, his exhaustion won out and he fell to sleep.  
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,
 
Hondo’s eyes popped open wide, as he heard someone cry out in fear. He popped up in the bed and looked around quickly. The sudden awakening from the deep sleep, along with the poison in his system, caused his stomach to lurch and his vision to swim a bit. But as the cries continued, he looked for the source and found it to be Alice. He stumbled out of bed and half fell onto her bed, as she cried and begged for someone to stop.
 
“*SOB!* No! PLEASE!! Please stop!! Don’t hurt me anymore, please!! *SOB*” She cried out.
 
“Alice!! ... Alice, wake up! It’s a bad dream!” He called out, groggily to her.
 
This woke up Melissa, who was more of a morning, person, so she processed what was happening faster than he had. She grabbed a sheet from the bed, wrapped it around her, and crawled over the bed to join them.
 
At the same time, Hondo’s shaking woke Alice, who upon seeing him, recoiled in fear as her mind tried to catch up with what had happened.
 
“It’s alright, girl. You had a bad dream, an’ I was tryin’ to wake ya. I’m not gonna hurt you or anythin’.” He said in a soft, but still a bit groggy voice, as he saw the fear in her eyes.  
 
What happened next, he did not expect, as the naked young woman launched out of the covers and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head into his chest, and sobbing once more.
 
After a few seconds of being unsure what to do, he put and arm around her and stroked her head with his free hand. Melissa came and sat down beside them, and rubbed the girls back. She had seen them around the convoy’s camp, but she had note really interacted with them and knew next to nothing about any of them. She did know a thing or two about a rough past, and the fear in the girls cries and sobs melted her heart.  
 
“It’s alright, honey. You’re safe with us.” Melissa said soothingly.
 
“I’m sorry! *SOB* I’m Sorry!” Alice cried into his chest, gripping him a bit tighter as if she was afraid he would push her away.
 
“It’s alright, girl… Shhh, now.” He whispered to her.  
 
She settled down after a few more minutes, and after another minute or two pulled back from him and sat there sheepishly.
 
“I’m.. I’m sorry… I d.d.didn’t mean t.to w.w.w.wake you.” She said softly.
 
“It’s alright. Just glad I could be there for you.” Hondo replied, forcing a reassuring smile.
 
“U.u.u.usually, P.p.p.p.patty or N.n.nancy are th.th.there to h.hold me… I.. I d.d.didn’t m.mean to s.s.seem fr.frightened by you.” She said, seeming thoroughly embarrassed by the whole ordeal.
 
“You have these bad dreams a lot?” Melissa asked.
 
Alice nodded.
 
“You alright now?” Hondo asked.
 
She nodded, “Y.y.yes, s.sir.”
 
Hondo glanced up at the clock on the wall and it showed about ten minutes after eight.
 
“Well, we needed to be getting up here soon as it is… If you’re alright, how ‘bout you go relax in the shower for a bit an’ then get dressed. I need to lay down an’ wake up a bit more before I get dressed.” Hondo commented, groggily.  
 
Alice nodded, and slid off the bed, grabbing her clothes from a near by chair, before heading to the bathroom, seeming extremely embarrassed by the whole ordeal still.  
 
Truth was, she was completely embarrassed by it all. Her head had been full of thoughts about him taking her physically, just hours before, having left herself bare to try to encourage his advances, and now she wakes up scream only to sob into his chest like a little girl. She shook her head at herself and cried softly, as she started the shower.  
 
She stared into the mirror at her reflection as the water warmed up.
 
“You’re too broken. You’ll never be good enough… never. Stop trying to fool yourself. No one will ever love someone as broken as you.” She said softly to her reflection in the mirror.  
 
She turned away from her own reflection, hating what she saw, hating what she felt, hating all she had done to survive. She went into the shower and sat on the bench, and buried her face into  her hands as she started to cry harder.  
 
As a child, all she had wanted to do was grow up, meet a man like her father, get married, and have a bunch of kids. But then a slave harvest came, and her father tried to help protect some wessen neighbors of theirs. She never saw him again. The slavers hit their house not long after her father left, screaming about it being retribution for him trying to stop them, and killing a couple of their friends. Her mother tried to stop them, but it ended badly. Her mother screamed for her to run, as the men overpowered her, and she had run and she hid well, staying hidden until well after dark. The sight she saw, after she returned home, haunted her dreams, but not nearly as much as what happened to her after. When the looters came and found her alone, sobbing beside a beat, battered, bloody body, that had once been her mother, they took her and used her, brutally. The pain, humiliation, and abuse she took at their hands caused her to have nightmares like she just had, and even awake, she closed her eyes tightly and tried to wish the vivid memories that had been burnt into her mind.  
 
She had still dreamt of a man like her father coming to rescue her from the streets, for a time at least, after she was forced to flee for her life or face being raped to death at the hands of the looters. She dreamt of him taking her away, making her his wife, and letting her have his children. But with every day passing, every item she stole to survive, every trick she turned for a few coins to ward off starvation, everything made the dream seem more hopeless. She tried to deny it, but a small voice inside her told her that no man like she dreamt of would ever want a used-up street trollop like her. The dream had been rekindled a bit, the day the tall dark-haired man in the medic’s coat and the big, blonde cowboy had stopped by the semi and took their group into their convoy. The dream flared up even more when they accepted them into their camp, to save them from Jason’s abuse. But now it seemed completely hopeless again, and she blamed herself for being weak, quiet, weepy, and broken. While she could not let the Medic or the Cowboy down, she also was not sure how to face them again.
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,
 
 
Hondo laid back down in his bed with a groan and a sigh, closing his eyes as he laid there. Melissa took the sheet off and crawled in beside him, laying on her side and watching him, but keeping her distance unless invited. He opened an eye for a moment, to look at her, before patting his chest.
 
“Come on, woman.” He said, sleepily.
 
She smiled and crawled on top of him, laying her head on his chest. He stroked her hair lightly, as he laid there, just enjoying the feeling of her against him. As he did, she sighed contentedly.  
 
After several minutes he sighed, “*sigh* … We’d better get up an’ get dressed or…”
 
She picked up her head as he paused, “Or what?”
 
“Or poor Alice will walk in an’ find me breedin’ you.” He said, smiling wryly again.
 
“Are you teasing me again? You know I’m not in heat.” She replied.
 
“I might be teasin’ you a little. An’ so it’s technically practicin’ at breedin’... I wouldn’t try to get you pregnant an’ ruin your army contract.” He replied.
 
“But, you’d actually consider breeding me someday?” She asked, seriously.
 
“If I took you as my woman, of course I’d want to breed you. I’d never take a woman as mine who I didn’t want to bear my children. Life is ephemeral, an’ shouldn’t be spent with anyone who you wouldn’t want to make the next generation with.” He said.
 
“Eph.. ephem.. Er, what was that word you used?” She asked.
 
“Ephemeral. It means fleetin’ or short-lived. Life is too short to not share it with someone special. To me if I can’t see them havin’ an’ raisin’ my children, then they aren’t that special to me.” He replied.
 
He heard a sniffing sound so he opened his eyes and saw that she was crying.
 
“Somethin’ wrong?” He asked.
 
She shook her head, “No, it's just… I would never had expected someone like you, one of our heroes, and friend of the wessen people, to every be willing to have children with such as me.”
 
“Like I said, I don’t know what will happen, or if we will still want to be together after your service is up, but if we do, then I would definitely want you to have my children.” He replied a bit flatly.
 
She laid her head back on his chest for a moment, “I think you are right.”
 
“It’s been known to happen, but about what?” He asked.
 
She propped herself back up and looked at him seriously, “If we don’t get dressed now, Alice is going to see a breeding show, staring us!”
 
He chuckled and shook his head, “Well, as fun as it sounds for us, I don’t think she needs any further trauma, an’ that store will open shortly, so we’d better hold off.”
 
Melissa sighed and nodded, before crawling up far enough to kiss him again. It was lingering and fairly passionate, but not enough to wind either of them too much.
 
“I though I said no?” He said after, giving her a faked serious look.
 
She nodded and giggled, “hehe! You did, master, and I’m not going against your wishes. Just want to leave you with that so you remember to have some more fun with me before you start through no mans land, and we have to stay behind.”
 
“*sigh*… We will see what happens.” He said.
 
“Well, I know a little mousey corporal who would be devastated if she found out we had some more fun and she didn’t.” Melissa said.
 
“Now, don’t do that to her!” He said, as he rolled her off him and slapped her ass.
 
“OH!... I wouldn’t do that to her. She’s a sweetheart and I wouldn’t want to hurt her, but you should really try to spend a night with her, and though I’m a bit selfish and want you to myself, maybe if you can give her a night alone or even with you and Molly if she’s feeling better. She’s not quite ready for the wildness I like with you.” She said with a sultry grin.
 
“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.” He replied as he stood up and grabbed his bag from a chair at the end of their bed.  
 
They were both mostly dressed when Alice peaked out of the bathroom, unsure if it was safe or not.  
 
“You ready?” Hondo asked as he saw her peaking her head out.  
 
She jumped at first, before fully opening the door, to show she was dressed and ready to go, minus her boots.
 
“Y.yes, s.sir. Almost.” She said as she hurried out and sat down, to tug on her boots.
 
“Are you alright?” He asked a bit more softly.
 
She sighed and hung her head, nodding after a moment, though she felt too embarrassed to even look his direction.
 
“It’s alright to be not alright, you know? If you need help, I’m sure they would try to help if you just let them know.” Melissa added.
 
“It’s okay. I’m alr.r.r.right.” She replied quietly.
 
Melissa was about to say something else but Hondo shook his head, so Melissa stayed quiet.
 
Hondo cinched on his gun belt, donned his hat, and grabbed his bag before heading to the door.
 
“You ladies ready?” He asked.
 
Alice nodded and Melissa said “yep!”
 
He nodded back and stepped out onto the boardwalk, squinting a bit as the light of day hit him.  
 
As they exited, the other teens stood up, from where they had been leaning, and looked their direction.
 
“Mornin’. Everythin’ stay quiet?” Hondo asked the group as he descended the stairs.
 
“Everything was quiet, Chief!” Madison piped in, which caused Hondo to grimace a bit.
 
“The café is up a block, and the electrical store that the deputy talked about is up a block the other way.” Melissa said.
 
Hondo nodded before addressing the teens again.  
 
“Well, how about you four go to the café an’ get some breakfast. That way when we come, there won’t be as many orders for them to cook all at the same time. The Sargent and I can go see about the parts.” He said, fishing a few coins from his pocket and handing them to Madison.
 
“You sure you don’t want one or two of us to come with you?” Patricia asked.
 
Hondo shook his head, “I think The Sargent, here, and I will have it covered. It looks like they handle security pretty well in town.”
 
“We try, but occasionally riff-raff gets through, so best to still be vigilant. But I reckon in town is safe enough if you can handle yourself. Now, the manufacturing district and the salvage yards are a completely different story.” A tall, dark haired woman said as she approached them.
 
Hondo turned and narrowed his gaze at her for a moment, as he appraised who was butting into their conversation. She was almost as tall as he was, with decent curves, short dark hair, with a lock of white in the front. She wore a flat top, straight brimmed western hat, small round sunglasses with amber colored lenses, a grey vest, and grey high-top boots. She wore a pair of 1911’s on her hips, along with several spare magazines, and a bright colored brass star, with the word ‘Marshal’ was pinned to her vest.  
 
“Thank’s for the information. You are..?” Hondo asked, though he figured out who she was.
 
She smiled, “Sorry, forget to introduce myself sometimes, since the regulars all know me and we get few strangers who pass muster.. Misty Young, is my name. Marshal Misty Young. I know who you all are from my deputy’s report. Hondo, AKA the cowboy, traveling with one called the medic and his group. I’ll spare the rest of the gossip as I’m sure you’ve heard it all before.”
 
Hondo nodded, “I have.”
 
“Care to confirm any of it?” She asked, seeming a bit suspicious of him, though she was friendly.
 
Hondo shook his head, “Nope. I reckon I do not.”
 
She chuckled, “Heh! Well, you’re the first one to not want to brag and .." She paused as she lowered her sunglasses as she made it obvious that she was looking him over. “… and the best looking one so far too, I must say.”
 
“You look a bit young to be a marshal.” Hondo said, changing the subject.
 
She grinned, “I’m older than I look, but thank you.”
 
“Really? You look younger than me!” Melissa exclaimed. “How do you do it, I must know.”
 
The marshal put her sunglasses back up and gave Melissa a cooler smile.
 
“We all have our secrets, don’t we?” She said in a cool manner to Melissa before turning back to Hondo with a warm smile.
 
“But seriously, I am older than I look and I was elected to this position after the former marshal, my husband, died in an attack on our town. We lost many good men that day, so like it or not, some of us women had to step up and take jobs normally not ours to take. Whatever your opinion on it is, it was not how any of us wanted to get these positions of trust.” She said, a note of sadness to her voice.
 
Hondo did not ask further but turned to the teens again, “Lock the bronco an’ head to the café. We’ll be there shortly.”
 
Madison nodded, “Sure, chief.”
 
He watched them leave and once they were out of sight, he turned back to the Marshal.
 
“Well, as you probably know, we need some parts, so we’d better be getting them. Good meetin’ you.” Hondo said.
 
“Actually that is why I’m here. I wanted to see what kind of man you are for myself, and then show you the way.” She said.
 
“That’s right kind of you, but..” Hondo started to say, but was cut off.
 
“I know the way already, so you don’t need to go out of your way!” Melissa said quickly, interrupting Hondo.
 
“I was heading that way anyway, so it’s no trouble at all! It’s this way.” She said with a nodded as she started up the boardwalk.
 
Melissa turned to Hondo, looking a bit frustrated but Hondo merely shrugged.
 
“Let’s follow her.” He said.
 
Melissa fumed but followed, shooting dagger with her looks at the Marshal's back. She saw her as trying to horn in on her man, and she did not like it, mainly because she was a handsome woman, tall and powerful, but also very human.
 
Hondo was merely curious as to what her interest in him was, so he played along for now. As they walked he looked around and noticed there were a lot more women than men around, and it puzzled him.
 
The marshal glanced back at him, and then turned back forward.
 
“You look curious about something.” She said.
 
“A might… I notice there’s not a lot of men around.” He replied.
 
“There are not, you are right. Most work in the manufacturing facilities or the salvage yards, so few are in town during the day. But even if they were, the attack that took my husband took a lot of men… in this world women already outnumber men at least two to one, as I’m sure you well know, and it is worse in other place. Here it is almost four to one, which is why we are so protective of our town. We women have had to learn to fight and to work at things we never had to before, to make up for the loss, but we know we cannot do what the men can still, so we are vulnerable. We barely manage to keep the town safe, the the other districts? … *sigh* It’s supposed to be my job to do that but I cannot.  We do not have the manpower to clear out the black market dealers, the slavers, the bandits, or any of them! The men travel in armed groups, and the supply truck are armored and protected, but still things happen. Those beyond the walls have gotten more desperate, recently too. It’s only a matter of time before… I’m sorry, that is not yours to worry about.” She said, cutting herself off.
 
She stopped after a ways and pointed across the street.  
 
“The Lewis Electrical Emporium is just across the way. Now, I must leave you, but maybe we will meet again and have more time to talk. Good day, Cowboy.” She said, her smile returning, though it seemed forced, at the end, before she turned and left.
 
After she had walked off Hondo shook his head, “What do you make of that?”
 
“I think she was interested into getting into your pants! The hussy!” Melissa said, scowling.
 
“And you aren't?” He said, giving her that wry grin again.
 
She gave him a surprised look, “It’s different!”
 
“How?” he asked, teasing her.
 
“Well, … I was invited in! .. Now, we need to get you those parts!” She said, seeming a bit flustered as she started off across the street towards the store.  
 
He just grinned and shook his head. She was definitely wound tighter than Molly was, and it was fun to tease her a bit. But the fun had to stop, as now there was work to be done.
 
(To Be Continued…)