As Quinton ushered Hondo to his tent, the two men who had been holding the rabbit girl’s chains drug her roughly toward his jeep, cussing at her for stumbling and falling a couple times as they yanked her along, kicking her at least one more time, in the hip this time, and dragging her to her feet by her hair twice.  
 
“I’d rather not have her rough up any further. Won’t be able to bed her for a week at least as she is!” Hondo groused, trying to get Quinton to intervene without making him think he worried about her as anything other than property and a means of pleasure.
 
Quinton chuckled and waved him off dismissively, “Oh, she shan’t take any longer to heal from that bit of roughness than from the beatings she was already given during her interrogations, trust me. Besides, most of those bunny girls, though small, are tough. They cannot and do not last long without being a bit on the tough side, which if you have never owned one, that is something to note. They need put in their place and kicked around a bit to keep them submissive. They are a different breed, with different training. They are meant to be sassy, saucy, and as you said, strut, and spread their legs. It will take some beatings and rough training to get all of that out of her. Some find it distasteful, but men like us can really find enjoyment in it, if we get past the notion that their feelings matter. Pain is the best trainer, after all, and finding new ways to afflict it and watching how different stimuli affect them individually can be rewarding and fascinating at the same time! *sigh* … I have quite the little punishment dungeon at my plantation. You would have fun using the devices I have procured on your new toy, I guarantee it!”
 
Hondo scowled to which Quinton raised an eyebrow.
 
“Why the look of disgust? Do not tell me you have a soft spot for these animals! I figured you for a man cut from similar cloth as I.” Quinton said
 
“Hmm? Oh, it’s not that. I mean, seems a bit overkill, as a good slap-jack, some quick clamps, some rope, a shop-vac, and a car battery, ignition coil, an’ jumper-cables can do half of what all that fancy equipment can do. But honestly, was just got lost in thought for a moment.” Hondo lied.
 
“True enough on most of that, but I have some specialty devices, my benefactors make, that do produce unique results in wessen and human bodies. Take the most sheltered creature and within a very few sessions it turns certain pains into pleasure, to where they beg for you to hurt them as they crave the sweet release only the pain you give them will afford!” He said, smiling as if this cruelty was his crowning achieving in life.  
 
His look got more serious though, as they walked and he glanced at Hondo out of the corner of his eye.
 
“Pray tell, what thoughts had you grimacing so?” He pressed, worried that he had read this man wrong.
 
“Just hearin’ you talk ‘bout havin’ a place you built up, an’ settlin’ down to explore your hobbies, had me thinkin’. Life on the road makes good coin, but doesn’t allow for such luxuries nor time to enjoy life. Kinda makes me wonder if I shouldn’t be settling down somewhere an’ settin’ up a place of my own like that.” Hondo replied, only partly lying this time, but it seemed to satisfy Quinton.
 
He knew what they did needed doing, but listening to this man pride himself in the evils he took pleasure in committing, made Hondo realize even further the labors that lay ahead of them, and it made him feel a bit tired all of a sudden. It also made him ache to just take his women folks and settle somewhere where they could enjoy life, and he could keep them safe from fiends, like this man. It was only a fleeting thought, though, and not what made him scowl, but it was enough of a thought to build a convincing lie on. The truth was, he knew they all needed to keep pressing forward, despite the cost, and at the risk of never going to their own time again. This world might not be the one they grew up in, but for now it was home and it needed them.
 
As they approached the tent, a buzzing sound of an engine was heard in the distance and they both turned to look as a small dirigible, of fairly luxurious design, rounded one of the rock formation and made an approach to land. This worried Hondo a bit, as if that was Elmer, he knew he might be up shit creek without a paddle.
 
“That your transporter with the other two?” Hondo asked.
 
Quinton shook his head, “No, that is my own personal ship. I am leaving to check out a couple other camps while they move this one to a preapproved location. Elmer has and old square body Chevrolet with a modified camper insert that acts as a holding cell. It looks god-awful, but is effective.”
 
Hondo just nodded, though that relieved his worries some. If everything went to hell, he knew he could teleport them out of there, but only if together. With the two riflemen guarding her, at least eight others scattered out and around the camp, and Quinton with him, he was not sure he could make it to her nor that they would not just kill her if suspicions mounted or if he tried anything.  
 
They turned back towards the tent and Quinton motioned for him to enter first. As they entered, Hondo saw something move over by a wood framed bed that sat in the far corner. The tent was fairly dark, save for a small lamp on the desk that had been turned down. As Quinton entered behind him, he walked up to the desk and turned it up the lamp, brightening the room considerably. As things got easier to see, Hondo saw the movement was from a bare deer wessen girl, chained to the bed frame by a chain and ankle shackle, who stood cowering at the end of the bed.  
 
“You holdin’ out on me, quinn?” Hondo asked as he eyed the girl.
 
“Oh, her? Oh, no no. She is a personal toy, one I only recently acquired and have only begun to enjoy.” He replied quickly.
 
“You be willin’ to sell her? She looks good, clean, an’ healthy. Probably could part with a couple thousand for one like that.” He said, hoping he could buy her easily enough to save her.
 
Quinton shook his head, “She is not for sale. Like I said, I have only begun to enjoy her. I have so many fun torture sessions in mind for her!”
 
Quinton grinned as he spoke, which felt a bit unnerving but also pissed Hondo off, as the scared little doe was probably younger that the rabbit girl, and even more terrified from the look of her.
 
“You sure? How ‘bout 5k in gold?” Hondo offered.
 
Quinton shook his head as he gathered up some papers from his desk, along with a collar.
 
“No, and it is far from a tempting offer, as I paid that for her. Understand, if she were not my property and instead property of the business, or not so rare and recently acquired, I might would pass her on for the right price. Honestly though, money is not an object to me, as I have more than I could spend in a hundred normal lifetimes, and I have revenue flows that increase my wealth continually. The value to me in it the new experiences, watching her as she feels the effects of my will and my devices for the first time! Watching as hope leaves her eyes and changes to fear, and fear to desire. It is not only a thrill, but a beautiful sight to see, and an accomplishment greater than the slave empire I have created, to mold her into the image I desire. It is like watching a sunset over the ocean. Each one is breathtaking, yet no two are alike. There is no value one could put on seeing such sights that mere money could buy.” Quinton replied.
 
Before Hondo could reply, a man with nice blue jeans, a black and red gamblers vest, neatly trimmed brown beard, and a bowler hat entered the room.
 
“Pardon the intrusion, Mister Quinton, but your pilot says a storm system is inbound and you need to skedaddle before it gits here.” The man said.
 
“Thank you, Daryl. I shan’t be long… Oh, Daryl!” Quinton said, calling at the man as he turned to leave, causing him to turn back quickly.
 
“Yes sir?” The man replied.
 
“I need you to do a couple things for me, but first, how was Sophia? She behaved like a good little mutt, I trust?” Quinton asked.
 
“That she did, sir! Never screwed a dog wessen before, nor a wessen with fur that long or soft! Thank you for that.” He replied.
 
“My pleasure. She was almost too easy to train. Left me feeling little fulfilment from the training, and no further personal interest in her, so whenever I am in camp she is yours to use. I save her for my managers pleasure, though if you have a man you wish to reward, feel free to allow him some time with her when I return, though I ask you make it only once a quarter. Would not want her used up by the help, as I am sure we will get some other mangy wessen through, that is not worth selling, of which they can wear out.” He said in an almost business-like tone.
 
“Thank you, sir. I do appreciate it. Couldn’t own one myself without the boys trying to sneak a quick #$@! with her. Rather share her with the other managers, than with these mangy coyotes! … Now, what can I do for you, sir?” He asked.
 
“Take Fauna,” He pointed at the deer girl, “and Sophia to my ship and have the pilot chain them in the holding room for me. You can tell him I will be right there.”
 
“Anything else, sir?” Daryl asked.
 
“Yes, have one of the men grab a tarp from the supply trailer to cover Mister Smith’s rear seat. Would not want it soiled by that smelly wessen he bought, and he is in a hurry to make it to the next town by nightfall, so we have no time to let the boys bathe it for him.” Quinton said.
 
Daryl nodded, “Yes sir, Mister Quinton. I’ll get it done right away, sir.”
 
Daryl hurried past him, unlocked the chain from the bed frame and yanked on it, almost causing the girl to fall.
 
“Come on, you little bitch!” He growled.
 
“Gently, Daryl, gently. I want to break her myself and slowly.” Quinton said, in an even, almost purring, tone.
 
“Sorry, sir.” Daryl replied, as he grabbed the deer girl’s ear and twisted it.
 
“It hurts!” She whined pitifully.
 
“Move and it won’t hurt!” Daryl growled as he pushed her out the tent opening in front of them.  
 
As they left, Hondo turned back to Quinton, “So, no price I could temp you with?”
 
“I am afraid not, but if you leave where you are going or a point of contact with Daryl, I will have someone let you know when we get one like her in, if you so desire.” Quinton replied almost dismissively as he scribbled on some papers.
 
Hondo nodded as he swallowed his anger again, “I.. might do that.”
 
Quinton wrote on a couple of official looking documents for a bit longer, and copied a number off a tag on a slave collar that lay on his desk, before motioning to Hondo to join him.
 
“Here, Mack, sign these for me. Two are for you, one is for my records, one for the records my benefactors have, and another is to be issued to our continental hub at Chinatown by the inland sea. They will make copies and send to other smaller hub cities so your name and its serial number are on file. If you sell her, be sure to have the new owner sign both of your copies, and give one to them. If you can, make a copy of yours that you keep and send it to us or the constables office in Chinatown, as they handle the owner change paperwork for our bureau hub there.  The serial number matches the number on these documents, as you can see,” He said pointing at the documents and at the tag on the collar, holding it up for him to look at. “and will be registered with her description as well. We have started tattooing the numbers on them, due to possible confusion if this anti-slave mentality persists and in case slaves escape and try to hide among the so called freed wessen, they can then be found much easier. Since she has not been processed yet, I suggest you have the number tattooed on her at your earliest convenience, just in case she runs or the collar is lost.”
 
Hondo nodded and scribbled an illegible signature on all copies before printing his name under ‘buyer #1’ as Mack H. Smith. Thankfully the documents were setup with a second buyer line, like many car titles from his time were, so he would sign her over to himself or Fernando once they got back. Once signed he stepped back to let Quinton look over them. Seeming satisfied, he nodded and handed two copies to Hondo.
 
“Here are your copies, try not to lose them as it can take weeks to get a replacement. Now, I would suggest the slave piercings and chains if you go east and highly recommend getting her spayed, unless you plan to breed her and do not venture to cities that require it. As you probably know, they do not give you the option there, but will take her and spay her by force, at your cost plus an inconvenience fee, and if you fight them, they may circumcise her as well, and she will be no good as even a bed partner then, I assure you. Places like New St Louis City on the east of the Mississippi inland sea or  Minnecloudster and Sioux-Moines  on this side, as well as a few other small villages, see them as pets, and bedding them is taboo, so spaying is required unless you have a breeders license, and circumcising them as well as other modifications, are common and highly suggested there. In the Chicktawkee Nation they are revered as children of the god-spirits, sent to pleasure mankind, so altering them is outlawed, as well as them wearing clothing. Beating is allowed if they are not submissive, but they frown on them being used for hard work, a very odd people there.” He said in a friendly, but warning tone.
 
 “Yeah, I try to stay clear of those places. A bit too many rules over what to do with what I own for my likin’.” He said, acting like he knew what he was talking about, though he was only starting to understand how bad it could be for wessen in some areas and how much trouble it could be for all of them.
 
About then Daryl reappeared, “Sir, your property is loaded and secured, and the pilot says you need to leave now!”
 
“Very good. I am done here anyway.” He said before handing the collar to Daryl “Please fasten this to Mister Smith’s property for me, and get the set of irons he is trading in. Make sure his rear seat is tarped and his property is secured for him as well.”
 
Daryl took the collar and nodded, “Of course sir. I’ll get to it right now.”
 
As Daryl left Quinton turned to Hondo and held out his hand.
 
“It was a pleasure meeting you and doing business with you, Mister Mack Smith. I would love to stay and talk some more, as I am afraid the conversation among these common folks here is boring and rarely do I get to meet a new face, but I must be off and I know you are eager to be on your way as well.” He said with a smile.
 
Hondo took his hand and shook it firmly as he tried to hide his anger, “Definitely a pleasure, Sir Quinton Von Volin. Maybe we will meet again.”
 
Quinton gave him an odd, almost sinister grin, as he shook his hand once more then let go to grab his briefcase and a smaller leather duffle bag. “Somehow, I am sure we will. Good luck with your business sir, and farewell.”
 
Hondo stepped out behind Quinton, and as they parted ways he paused to watch him for a moment as he trotted off towards the dirigible, and as soon as he climbed aboard, the stairs were raised and it lifted into the air. Hondo growled as he watched it leave, feeling for the girls onboard and angry at himself for not being able to save them. As much as he wanted to, and as much as he would have risked it if he were alone, he had the rabbit girls and Maggie to think about. Fernando’s words came to his mind again, how a rescuer cannot save everyone, but that did little to ease his feelings of anger and guilt. Those he never saw, who needed help could not affect him, but seeing them, the begging in the deer girls eyes, and being helpless to act, galled him greatly. Those who do not want to be saved he could more easily swallow losing, but the ones who wanted to be and he had to helplessly watch, those poor souls haunted him mercilessly.  
 
As the dirigible faded off into the horizon, he sighed and turned back towards the jeep, trying to pull himself together and hide his mounting anger and guilt. He walked somewhat slowly but found himself at the jeep, facing the men, of which more had come out of the woodwork, though a couple were still missing and probably watching him through rifle scopes, but he did his best to ignore them. As he approached they all seemed to watch him warily, with unsmiling faces, though Daryl walked up to him with a smile and handed him a set of keys, as the rabbit girl was already chained in the back seat, her arms outstretched as they chained one hand to a steel grab handle on the passenger side, and the other to one on the driver side, forcing her to sit up and not move from her place in the middle of the seat.
 
“We have her secured for you, sir. We grabbed the irons and the chain there, and saw your locks and keys, so we used them for you. Here are your keys. The collar is on her, though you may want to get a small luggage lock for it so she cannot remove it without your permission.” He said in a friendly tone as he handed him the keys.
 
“Much obliged.” Hondo said gruffly as he took the keys and pocketed them before heading around the jeep.
 
He climbed in and fired up the engine as they all stood by watching, and soon backed up and pulled away. He watched them in his rear-view mirror and they made no move against him or anywhere for that fact. They just watched him until he disappeared from sight.  
 
He drove away for a good ten minutes before pulling into a cove, out of the way, and shutting the jeep off. He then climbed out and opened the rear door, and stopped to look at the girl for a moment, evaluating her as clinically as he could for a moment. She looked up at his chest for a second, then hung her head again.
 
“I.. I’ll be good. Master, I promise, just please let my arms down… I’m so tired.” She croaked in a whisper.
 
He pulled out the keys and unlocked the chains and her wrist and leg cuffs, removing them gently as he could. Once they were off, he took her by the arm, as she slumped a bit in her seat.
 
“Common, girl. Need to get you out of there for a moment.” He said firmly.
 
She weakly slid over and got out and onto her feet, though she winced at the pain of standing on her cut up feet again, and trembled and swayed as she tried to muster the strength to stay upright.
 
“P.please, master, I.. I’m so thirsty.” She barely got out.  
 
He let her lean against the jeep as he grabbed some water for her and held it to her lips. She tried to greedily drink it but he pulled it back.
 
“Whoa, girl! Small sips. You’ll get sick if you drink it too fast.” He said before placing it to her lips and letting her sip a bit more.
 
After a few sips, he pulled capped the bottle, put it in his vest pocket, pulled a pill out from his inside vest pocket, and held it out.
 
“Open that maw of yours.” He said.
 
She looked at him fearfully but complied without question, holding her small mouth open for him. Once he placed the pill inside her mouth, he pulled out the bottle of water again, took the cap off, and held it to her lips again.
 
“Bite that pill then wash it down with another sip, alright?” He said.
 
She complied immediately, biting on the pill then accepting another sip of water from him to wash it down before pulling back and giving him that same fearful look, though she said nothing.
 
“Not gonna ask what I gave you?” He queried.
 
She shook her head, and spoke, her voice soft and quiet but less raspy now, “No, master. Whatever you tell me to do, I will do without question as you are my master and I’m just a lowly slave… Just.. just ..” She paused, her voice trembling as her body did.
 
“Just, what?” he asked.
 
“I am not worthy, I know, but if master treats me nice, doesn’t beat me, gives me good food and water, I promise I will make master happy and be a good girl. I will clean and cook and make your penis feel good whenever you want, master. I.. I am not smart, but I will try hard to learn how to help you, I promise, just please don’t hurt me anymore.” She begged in a tone of one who felt utter despair.  
 
“If I asked you to suck my dick now or bend over the hood so I can #$@! you right now, you would?” He asked.
 
She nodded, “Yes Master. I am sore, but I will do my best if that is what master wants.”
 
She looked at him for a moment and shakily moved to undo his belt and zipper but he grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked up at him, fearfully, afraid she had done wrong and he was going to hit her.
 
“I’m sorry, master! I.. I thought you wanted me to suck on you! I.. I’ll bend over the hood if that’s what you want instead!” She blurted out weakly.
 
“Bella, stop! Relax!” He half exclaimed, trying to get her full attention.
 
Her eyes got big for a moment, “How did you know my…” Then her surprise faded and she slumped a little more. “.. oh… the poster… Forgive me, master.”
 
Hondo shook his head, “No, Bella, though I’ve seen the poster, that’s not how I know. I know from a dark-haired ex-bunny girl named Mae and your sister, Scarlett.”
 
She looked up at him slowly and puzzled for a moment. Soon tears started to fill her eyes as he looked down at her.
 
“Please don’t mock me, master.” She whispered even more shakily, as she tried to hold back from crying.
 
“I’m not. My name is not Mack. My name is Hondo. My friend and I are traveling to Texas with a caravan of other humans an’ wessen. We helped the army end slavery in three towns an’ a couple other villages ‘round them. My friend rescued four bunny girls, Mae, June, April, an’ Kiah, an’ we are protectin’ them at our camp. They are helpin’ us an’ learnin’ how to be more than just bunny girls. Mae saw your names an’ we were told you were both recently captured, so I came after you at her request. I didn’t buy you for a sex slave or any other kind of slave. I bought you to save you. Now, I want to help you.” He said, softening his voice like he did for Maggie.
 
She stared at him for a moment then collapsed against him, sobbing.
 
“Oh, master! Please, please say it’s not a lie! Please say my sister is alright, and that you mean all that!” She wailed.
 
He pulled her against him and nodded, “It’s not a lie, girl. It’s true.”
 
She cried hard for a moment before looking up at him again.
 
“Scarlett?? Where’s Scarlett?!? I need to see her! She needs to know I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get us captured! I didn’t!!” She cried.  
 
“She’s not far from here but she was hurt bad, worse than you.” He said softly.
 
“No, no! Scarlett! Scar, I’m sorry!!” she sobbed.
 
“Settle down, girl an’ listen!” He said firmly, to which she managed to soften her crying, though her breath shuttered and her body shook against him as she still cried. “That pill I gave ya, I gave one to her too. Now, you will probably pass out like she did, but not for as long. They are special pills that I only have a few of an’ only give to those who really need them, who can be saved, an’ deserve a second chance at life. You need to listen to me as if I was your master for now, an’ make the best use of this second chance, you understand?! I.. I can’t.. I can’t save everyone, even many who deserve it, so you need to make the best of it! Make the best of this with your sister, an’ we will help you the best we can, understand??!” He said firmly, the image of those scared, begging deer girl’s eyes floating across his mind as he spoke.  
 
She nodded into his belly as she sagged against him, and continued to cry, “I understand! I will, I promise, master! Please, save Scar! Please!”
 
He held her for a bit longer before getting her back into the jeep and pulling a medium sized snuggie over her head.  
 
“Here, this will keep you warm. Now, rest. Your sister an’ my companion are not far from here waitin’ for us an’ I need to go pick them up an’ get back to our convoy.” He said, softening his tone again.
 
Her breath caught a few times still, as her crying tapered off, and she nodded at him as she looked at him with sad eye; eyes half filled with guilt about something and half with disbelief that this was real. He closed her door once she was in and climbed into his own seat, starting the engine once more and heading towards the overhang where he left Maggie and Scarlett.  
 
About eight minutes later he pulled up close to the overhang and saw what looked like blood in the grass and a body laying mostly hidden from view, not far off, which caused his heart to race and his adrenaline to kick in.
 
“Stay Here!” he barked as the sleepy looking blonde-haired rabbit wessen in the back seat, who nodded as he jumped out.
 
He pulled out his revolver as he stepped forward, sighed with some relief as he walked up to the body of a wolf that had been filled with buck-shot. Still some worried, he went on a bit farther to the overhand and his heart sank as he did not see them at first, just a folded snuggie that lay on the rocks beside where he had laid the red-headed rabbit wessen. He stepped forward and looked around for tracks, seeing only two more dead wolves, the one up close and a lot bigger than the first, and a smaller one, the same size as the first a bit further off. As he glanced around his vision stopped at the sight of a shotgun barrel being poked out from behind some boulders, to the far side of the overhang, and a familiar and frightened voice called out.
 
“Who’s th.th.there!” The voice stammered.
 
“Maggie?” He called out as he rushed over.
 
As he rushed over  and around the boulders, Maggie looked up at him fearfully, from her hiding spot, shaking as she held the gun pointed at him. She half lay on top of Scarlett, of whom she had drug behind the rocks and was shielding with her own body and the gun. As she recognized him she lowered the gun and started to cry.
 
“Oh, master! I was so scared!” She cried as he knelt down beside her.
 
“Are you alright?” he asked as he moved the gun and took her small hand in his.
 
She nodded and sniffled, “Some wolves came and tried to attack us, and I was afraid you’d never come back!”
 
“I am back though, and I saw the wolves. You did good, Maggie. Very good.” He said softly.
 
She looked up at him and smiled slightly through the tears.
 
“*sniff* Thank you, *sniff, sniff* master.” She whispered.
 
“How is your patient?” he asked.
 
“She’s alright, I think. Not much changed and the wolves didn’t touch her. *sniff, sniff*… I moved her as I was afraid more would come of someone might have heard the shots.” She said.
 
He looked around, “Well, I think these canyon walls distort an’ absorb sound, so even if someone heard, they probably couldn’t be sure of where it came from… Now, we need to get goin.”
 
“Did *sniff* did you get them?” Maggie asked, which caused him to frown.
 
“I got Bella… There.. there weren’t any others.” He replied, half lying as he did not feel that he could share, nor that she would understand, nor should she bare his burdens if she did.
 
She frowned as she saw he was bothered, but she figured it was because he was upset that they had missed the others somehow.
 
“At least you got her.” She replied softly.
 
“Yeah.” He replied quietly. “… an’ She’s fightin’ sleep to see her sister, I believe. I gave her a pill too, an’ she was pretty beaten up, so she will pass out soon.”
 
Maggie nodded and calmed down, so he stood up and then helped her up. Once she was out of the way, he stooped down and picked up Scarlett and started to the jeep with her. Maggie grabbed the shotgun and the snuggies he did not grab and trotted to catch up to him and open the front passenger door for him.
 
“Scarlett!” Bella exclaimed as she saw her sisters beat up, passed out form.
 
“She’ll be out for a while, while she heals, so don’t worry.” Hondo said, trying to reassure her.  
 
He laid Scarlett in the seat, covered her, and fastened the seatbelt on her again. As he did, Bella painfully climbed over the seat, groaning and whimpering from the pain she felt in her body, and using the last of her energy to collapse beside her sister. She grabbed Scarlett’s hand and held it as she sleepily stared up into her sister’s face.
 
“I’m so sorry, Scar.” She whispered.
 
Once Maggie was in, Hondo set himself down and fired up the engine, and drove out of the canyons, in case they had drawn attention. As they exited the canyon and once again passed the face-rock, Bella passed out. Seeing her out, Hondo stopped the jeep, pulled out his cane and in a flash of light they were gone, reappearing just outside of Center Town.  
 
It took not but a couple more minutes for them to reach Clyborn’s garage, and he stopped a way away from it, so his passengers were not seen.  
 
“Maggie, stay with the girls.” He said as he shut off the jeep and stepped out, to which she just nodded.  
 
As he walked up to the shop, Zoey and Macey burst out, excited to see him.
 
“Papa! We were worried about you!” Zoey exclaimed as she charged at him. Plowing into him and wrapping her arms around his waist as she got to him.
 
Macey trotted up and just stopped short, apparently excited he was back, having been worried too, but as usual, she tried not to show her emotions about those she loved in front of others.
 
Not too far behind them were Miniya, who jogged to catch up to the girls, and Patricia, Madison, Mae, and June, who ambled up a bit slower.
 
“You’re *hic!* back!” Miniya said, hiccupping as she tried to speak.
 
“You alright?” He asked.
 
“She got the hiccups not long after you left. Patty says its because she got worried, but Miniya denies is.” Madison said as he trotted up to join them.
 
Miniya shot Madison a dirty look before turning back to Hondo.
 
“I just *hic!* get them sometimes.” She said shrugging.  
 
He noticed that her eyes seemed a bit red, but since she had been acting oddly lately, he half expected her to have been crying or something. So to not embarrass her further he said nothing at the moment, but would talk to her about it later.
 
“You get them?” Mae asked hopefully as she approach.
 
“Just Scarlett an’ Bella, unfortunately. Two of them were shot way before we got there by some lunatic with a creepy smile, named Roy, you head of him?” he asked.
 
Both Mae and June shook their heads.
 
“No. Do you know who they were?” Mae asked.
 
He shook his head, “I don’t. Another was beaten badly an’ died in transit to the slave processin’ camp. Bella would know who, as she was with her when she died, but I gave her some medicine to help her heal an’ she’s passed out now.”
 
“What about the others? Any clue?” Mae asked.
 
“Not sure of any of the others except one. A little blonde girl named Billie.” He said.
 
“Please, don’t tell me…” Mae started to say but paused as he nodded solemnly.
 
“Yeah. That Roy beat her and raped her while interrogatin’ her an’ she died from her injuries in that jail cell.” He replied quietly.
 
“Oh no!” June gasped.
 
Mae hung her head and closed her eyes, “Not Billie too… Kiah will be devastated.”
 
“Were they close?” He asked.
 
June nodded.
 
“Yeah, almost like sisters. Those two and one other, a fox girl named Luna. You hear anything about her?” Mae asked.
 
He shook his head.
 
Mae sighed, “* I hope she is alright. Luna was like their little sister and Billie was like her twin almost. They were closer than any of us were with Kiah, but *sigh* … I don’t know. Kiah almost did not go with us because Billie said that we were lied to and would be better off running. I barely talked Kiah into it. Luna had been taken in by a family headed towards flight town, both Billie and Kiah stole money and paid them to take her with them and give her a good home. Seeing her name crossed off the list, though, makes me pretty sure those people sold her out for the reward. Had Luna still been there, Kiah would not have gone with us. I’m not sure she would have either, had her and Billie not gotten into a fight about whether we should trust Fernando or not… I know she acts like a spoiled, hot-head but its only to hide a lot of pain… This, though? … I’m not sure she will be able to handle it.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Well, maybe keep it quiet for now, until we can talk to Bella an’ Scarlett further.”
 
Mae nodded and sighed again before walking up to Hondo, stretching up on her toes, and kissing his cheek. He ave her a bit of a confused look as she stepped back from him.
 
“What was that ‘bout?” He asked.
 
“It’s a thank you, at least a small piece of one. I couldn’t begin to thank you or Fernando enough. He saved us, you both protect us, and you risked yourself to save two more of us at my request… I.. I don’t know anyone else in the world that would do that for girls like us.” Mae replied.
 
“Or wessen *hic!* like us.” Miniya threw in.
 
“Well, I don’t expect thanks or payment, beyond helpin’ with chores, makin’ somethin’ out of yourselves, listenin’ to Jefe an’ myself, an’ showin’ us the respect we need an’ deserve from y’all. But now’s not the time to talk ‘bout any of this. Zoey, Macey, go climb in the back seat with Maggie. Don’t ask her a bunch of questions as she’s had a hard day. The rest of you go with Madison an’ Patty.” Hondo said as he looked over at the other jeep.
 
“I see the trailer is hooked up.” Hondo replied.
 
“Yeah, and Jerry said to tell you, if he was not back, that he did a few extra things to it for you, free of charge. Something about some lighting, and a welder generator combo deal attached to the air compressor. He wanted to tell you about it himself but he had to leave for another emergency job that came up and said he probably would not be back until late, so he understood if we needed to take off before he got back.” Madison replied.
 
Hondo nodded, then pulled out his watch and looked at the time, “Well, I’ll have to send my thanks later, but it’s gettin’ late. Already a few minutes after one. We best be gettin’ back. Pull up beside my jeep, once I stop outta town a piece, an’ I’ll zap us back close. Once I drop the girls off at the hanger, Maggie an’ I will take the sisters to my camper to put to bed. No sense movin’ them ‘round more than we need to.”
 
Madison nodded as the others headed to the jeep ahead of him, “Sounds good. Just give me a minute and we’ll be ready.”
 
Madison trotted to catch up with the others as Hondo turned and headed back to the other jeep. The girls were already in the back with Maggie when he got there, and he could tell they had questions by the somber, serious looks on their face.
 
“What happened to them, papa?” Zoey asked as he climbed in.
 
“They will be alright. Just sleepin’ while they heal. They were hurt pretty bad, but we’ll talk ‘bout it later, kitten.” He said.
 
Zoey nodded and sat back into her seat.  
 
“Okay, papa.” she answered quietly.
 
Not long after the other jeep pulled along side him and he pulled off, stopping out of town a mile or so, and waiting for Madison to pull up beside him again. Once he was pulled up close and even with him, Hondo pulled his can out once more and in a brief flash of light both jeeps were gone, appearing about a mile from the hanger.
 
It did not take long to drive to the hanger, and once there the girls jumped out and headed in to find Molly, and the others, aside from Patricia and Madison went inside to their respective areas. Madison and Patricia grabbed their long guns and hopped in the back of the jeep that Hondo was driving, so he could give them a lift back to camp.  
 
The trip from the hanger to the camp was uneventful, taking a little longer than normal as Hondo took it slow so to not jostle the sisters too much. Once back he pulled up to the camper and stopped, stepping out shortly after and heading to the far side of the jeep, and to the sleeping sisters door.
 

As the two mechanic’s jeeps pulled up to the Hanger, a couple soldiers approached to visually check on who the drivers were, but as Hondo stepped out they returned to their patrols without a word. Hondo sighed and stretched a bit as he stood by the jeep as the others, other than the two rabbit-wessen sisters, joined him.  
 
“Zoey, Macey, I want you two to go in an’ find Tonya an’ Molly an’ get to helpin’ them again, alright?” He said.
 
“Yes, Papa.” Zoey replied.
 
Macey nodded and followed without saying anything in reply, as she sensed that he had a lot on his mind and needed obedience rather than words right now. Despite her upbringing and insecurities, she really wanted to be a good girl and was trying even harder lately.
 
“What are you going to do with Scarlett and Bella?” Mae asked as the girls left.
 
“I figured I’d take them to my camper for now to rest. I need to take you both, Madison, an’ Patricia back to camp, anyway.” He said.
 
“Take who to your camper?” A soft, familiar voice queried from the doorway of the hanger behind him.  
 
He turned to see Molly limping towards him.
 
“The girls said you saved someone?” She said more than asked as she approached.
 
He nodded, frowning at her a bit though he did not mean to. It had been a long day already, though, he was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, and seeing her still limping made him worry just a bit more than he already did.
 
“You alright, darlin’? You’re limpin’ again.” He asked as she came up to him.
 
“I sort of fell asleep while Tonya was doing laundry and just am a bit stiff still. The girls coming in woke me up. They were all excited about a wanted poster, pies, you saving someone, and hot chocolate, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of what they were saying.” She said, a slight grogginess to the edge of her voice that he only just caught.
 
He nodded to the jeep and she look in to see the two bedraggled rabbit-wessens passed out in the front passenger’s seat, covered in a couple hooded blankets.  
 
“Mae, June, an’ the other bunny girls Jefe rescued are on a wanted poster along with Ichigo an’ several others, though most of the names were crossed out as dead or captured, interrogated, an’ sold off to black market slave rings that reside just outside the reach of Jastrey’s army. I managed to rescue those two, though I was too late for others an’ … yeah, I was just too late.” He said, an air of frustration to his voice as he thought of the deer-wessen girl and her large, sad eyes that seemed to beg him to save her, though he refrained from saying anything about it as the others did not need to hear about it nor about it bothering him.
 
“What happened?!” Molly asked in a worried tone, as she put her free hand on his arm.
 
“Master Hondo, he.. he re.rescued the r.r.redhead from a jail cell where a creepy crazy guy and some kid r.raped and killed the o.other girl there, th.then went to the sl.slaver camp and rescued th.the other wh.wh.while I protected the other girl!” Maggie stammered excitedly.
 
Molly looked at her then up at Hondo who nodded and replied, “Maggie wanted to come an’ help. We had to go to fight town an’ get the one from some creep who grinned and laughed all the time. Bastard made your blood run cold. An’ older guard there helped us get away an’ I’m pretty sure unloaded both barrels of buckshot into the bastard but he still came out to wave an’ watch us leave, with that damn grin on his face… I don’t know what he was, but there was somethin’ evil ‘bout him.”
 
“Please don’t tell me you tangled with Roy.” Molly said in a very worried tone.
 
Hondo nodded, “Big diesel pickup, looks new, flat-brimmed black hat, black vest, silver jewelry, just feels soulless?”
 
Molly closed her eyes and swore softly, “Oh #$@!… Oh sweet Jesus, not Roy.”
 
“You know him?” Hondo asked.
 
“In a way … He.. he was on the Grey Lady’s ship for a day when we were being held there. He beat us both for fun and he… he… He did things to me and.. and threatened to do things to James…. I heard of him before that but thought it was all a lie until I saw him that day… If he had not had business elsewhere I’m not sure either of us would have gotten off that ship alive or at least whole… He’s evil, bad evil, and they say those who cross him seldom survive and those who do, do not survive for long… He.. he scares me worse than anyone else in this world ever has and he’ll be after you now and.. and I’m not sure you can kill him.” Molly said shakily.
 
Hondo patted her arm, “Don’t worry, Darlin’. I’ve dealt with some dicey characters before.”
 
“No! You don’t understand! HE CAN’T be KILLED!” She exclaimed before turning away as she tried to push the memory away. “I tried to forget him, what I saw, what I felt, what he threatened but….” She turned back to him, “We.. James and I, watched him put a knife into his own chest, pull it out, and watched as the wound closed up over the next several hours, hours of mental and physical torture…hours of delighting in our pain, making me.. do thing to him… He threatened to rape me and do so until I dropped dead, but he got a call about other business, so he never got to fulfill the threats, though I believe he meant what he said… It’s rumored that he works for the spirits, but many think he’s made up, sort of the boogie-man face of the spirits, but… but whatever he is, he’s not human and he is real…. I don’t know if it was just exhaustion or not, but… I half felt like he was draining energy from us, from our pain… I’ve never felt such despair in my life… Even after when the Grey Lady beat us more and threatened to kill us, her threats seemed hollow, and the pain was easier to bear… him just being gone made us feel better and everything after him seemed… fake.”
 
He had never seen her like this before and it worried him. What’s more, he could see the others were bothered by it too.
 
“Molly, we’ll talk about it later. Now isn’t the time.” He said glancing at the others.
 
She looked at him then at the others and saw the worry on their faces and gasped slightly.
 
“OH! I.. I’m sorry! I .. I didn’t…” She stammered.
 
Hondo put a hand on her shoulder, “It’s alright. We’ll talk later.”
 
He then turned and looked at the others without taking his hand from her shoulder, hoping his touch would help her calm down, “This stays with us, understand? I’ll look into it, but we are leavin’ an’ if he’s after anyone it’s me an’ me alone. I don’t want the others to worry, so I’m trustin’ you all to keep it quiet. I hear that word gets out an’ I’ll be very displeased an’ lookin’ for who spoke outta turn, understand.””
 
Most all nodded, except for Maggie who had started to tremble and stare at the ground again. He took his hand from Molly’s shoulder and lightly grabbed Maggie’s arm. She jumped at his touch and looked up at him with scared eyes. He kept his hand in place and tightened his grip in a comforting way, not a painful way.
 
“If he’s after anyone it’s me an’ me alone, understand? He has no reason to be after anyone else.” He said softly.
 
“B.b.but I w.w.was th.th.there.” She whimpered, trying not to cry again, though she was terrified and on the edge of breaking down again.  
 
“Maggie was there when you faced him?” Molly asked in a surprised tone.
 
Hondo nodded, “She insisted on goin’ along in case the girls needed medical help. She stripped down an’ wore her shawl like a slave tunic an’ went in as my slave. She was very brave an’ did very well for bein’ so terrified. It’s been a hard day for her, but she did very well despite it all.”
 
Molly looked at her with some surprise and admiration, as she too knew Maggie’s past and just how timid and jumpy she could be.
 
“That is very Brave… Did.. did you attack Roy or anything?” Molly asked her.
 
Maggie shook her head.
 
“N.n.no. H.he did t.tell me to l.lift my r.r.robe to sh.show him my b.b.body, b.but I. I. I d.didn’t. H.he tr.tr.tried to get m.m.m.aster H.hondo to let him f.f.#$@! me, but he w.wouldn’t let h.him t.t.touch me. M.maybe if I had h.he’d’ve not b.been so a.a.angry.” She stammered quietly.
 
Hondo shook his head, “No, he was a bastard an’ shouldn’t be allowed to touch any woman, ever! He kept jokin’ ‘bout #$@!in’ ya to death. Even if he hadn’t talked like that, I’d never have let him touch you. You don’t bargain with a mad man like that, an’ you don’t bargain with your body!”
 
“D.d.don’t y.you b.b.bargain w.with y.y.your b.b.b.body every t.time you r.risk yourself f.f.for us?” She asked quietly, having a hard time holding it together as she shook.
 
Molly looked up at him, “She’s not wrong.”
 
Hondo frowned, “Maybe not in some sense, but in practice she is an’ you know it. We’ll talk ‘bout that later, though. In the very least, it’s my job to risk myself to help keep you all safe an’ to save others. I don’t willin’ly allow others to hurt me to get it done, though.”
 
Molly nodded, “I understand, but you are right, we should talk later about this… Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out there. It’s just… I worry about you, you know?”
 
He nodded, “I know.”
 
“So, what else happened?” Molly asked.
 
He gave her a quick run down on going to the slavers camp, leaving Maggie and Scarlett, Maggie shooting the wolves to save Scarlett, and him acting like a handyman who needed a new slave wessen and buying Bella, leaving out some details about what Roy had said, about the slavers, things he said, and about the girls he could not save. Molly and the others, who had not heard all of this either, were amazed by it all, and for the moment they forgot their fear of Roy from Molly’s reaction and Mae and June forgot their sadness over the news of their fellow bunny girls who had died and the worry about telling Kiah about Billie being dead and Luna on the poster with her name crossed out.
 
“You really amaze me, you know? All you do to help people like you do, and Fernando too… I honestly would have never imagined being a part of all this a couple months ago, but I can’t imagine living any other way now.” Molly said, shaking her head in amazement as she processed it all.
 
Hondo shrugged, “We do what we can when we can. If I had it my way, we’d have saved them all, but Jefe reminds me, as I remind him at times, that we can’t save everyone, though we’d like to… Honestly, Maggie was the one who was amazin’ today. Despite all her fears she held together. I’m very proud of her.”
 
Maggie blushed at the praise, but also frowned and shook her head, “Don’t be, master. I.. I am not sure how I didn’t fall apart or run away… I.. I wanted to… I wanted to just sob or run most all day… I’m.. I’m no good for you, for this.”
 
Hondo put a hand on her shoulder to which she jumped at again before steadying herself once more.
 
“You underestimate yourself. You did very well. I know of a lot of others who haven’t been through a fraction of what you have but would have ran or fallen apart on me. I know you were scared, but you stayed by me an’ protected Scarlett despite that. That means a lot to me an’ I’ll be tellin’ Jefe ‘bout it too. I know you’ve been through hell, but you’re a good woman, Maggie, an’ I look forward to seein’ all you will accomplish an’ become, if you keep this up.” He replied softly.
 
She stared at the ground, but her deepening blush and the slight smile that crept across her lips showed that his words meant a lot to her. She closed her eyes for a moment and let a few happy tears fall as she stood there. She was not used to praise of any kind, and coming from him it meant even more to her.
 
“Th.thank you, M.master. I.. I will keep trying to do better for you and.. and the whole camp… I want to make up for all I’ve done somehow… I will make up for all I’ve done somehow.” She replied softly.
 
She was not sure if she had gained any further self-confidence this day or not, but for once in her life she felt she had not been the coward she had been for so long, the sin of which haunted her worse than the pain, torture, humiliation, and abuse she had suffered. For once she made someone she looked up to proud and she liked the feeling. Despite feeling like a weak, cowardly slave still, she had a glimmer of hope of being more than that someday, and that was more than she had in a long time.  
 
“What now?” Molly asked, more for something to say as she felt a bit uncomfortable somehow with the attention he was giving Maggie.
 
While she had felt some aggravation from not being able to join in the night before, she did not feel uncomfortable about it. She did not even feel uncomfortable with sharing him with Valentine, though deep down she felt some superiority to Valentine, as far as being with Hondo was concerned at least, even despite her own feelings of inadequacy, but somehow his attention to Maggie made her feel a bit jealous. She felt for Maggie and knew all to well of the poor woman’s plight, but in the back of her mind, a small voice, one of jealousy, told her that Maggie was stealing her time with him away from her. She tried to push it away as she knew it was not really true and she knew Maggie needed him, and she knew Hondo loved her, but she could not help the feeling. She wrote it off as being weak and tired from her injuries, though a part of her feared her weakened state would make him lose interest in her. For a woman, she was grounded, had a lot of common sense, and was smarter than she would ever give herself credit for, but she still fought with the normal womanly insecurities, despite telling herself she knew better and despite knowing that sharing him was better than not having him at all. All she had seen, been through, and felt in the past years, though it was less than some other had experienced, was still enough to force her to question what she thought she knew. She felt a bit guilty, on top of it all, for questioning Hondo’s love for her and Maggie’s needs or intentions, but she still could not help it entirely.  
 
“I need to take some folks back to camp, so I figured I’d put these two in our bed at the camper so they can get some rest. It might gall Val some, but if she knows what’s good for her she’ll not argue ‘bout it.” He replied.  
 
“Valentine and the.. er, her older sister are here working on that flying ship.” Molly said, almost referring to Maria V as the other Valentine, before catching herself.
 
Hondo narrowed his eyes a bit and his tone got a bit cold, “She was supposed to help with lunch first.”
 
Molly shrugged, “They said something about Ruth not needing help and handling most of it at her camper this afternoon. I guess April, Kiah, her sister, and cousins were enough help.”
 
Hondo frowned but nodded, “Well, if Ruth told them they weren’t needed, I reckon I can’t say much ‘bout it, but I will be checkin’ in with her on it… Jefe did say he was pickin’ up lunch today from town… *sigh* … it’s been a long couple of days.”
 
He shook his head and let out a weary sigh before grumbling more to himself than to anyone, before again recomposing himself and returning to his normal demeanor. The others did not think much of it, as they knew it had been a long couple of days and had felt the effects themselves, though not as hard as he did, but only Molly saw how tired he actually was and started worrying further about him, which at least took her mind off her jealousy. His calling the camper bed ‘our bed’ while looking directly at her also gave her a boost of confidence. It was not his bed, or the bed in the camper, or anything else, but their bed. It made her ache to lay in it with him and feel his strong arms around her, but she knew that would have to wait.  
 
“It has been.” She replied softly, sounding a bit tired herself
 
He nodded in response before turning away from her to look at the others.  
 
“You an’ Patricia all packed an’ ready to leave camp?” Hondo asked Madison.
 
Madison nodded in reply, “Yeah, the night shift stayed up a bit longer so we could pack, then they packed before going to bed so we were all ready. Mr. Fernando seemed in a hurry to leave, so we figured we should be ready.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Good. An’ he isn’t the only one, believe you me. The sooner we get outta this hell-hole the better! … So, can you an’ Patricia stay an’ help sort out the food an’ such? There are tool sets that need divided between the rigs too, but I’ll have to point them out when I get back.”
 
“I am not the best mechanic, but I know basic tools. You want us to separate them in piles and have you look them over when you return?” Molly asked.
 
He nodded but gave her a serious look at the same time, “Yes, but you find a stool an’ sit an’ rest while they do the work.” He then turned to Madison, “Molly will help you both sort them, but don’t let her do any of the liftin’ or the like. She’s only to supervise until she is completely healed.”
 
Madison nodded, “No problem.”
 
Molly put a hand lightly on his arm and gave him a reassuring smile, “I’ll be careful, my love. I appreciate you looking out for me, but please don’t worry. I’ll take it easy until I’ve healed up, I promise.”
 
He gave her a half smile and patted her hand, “I hope you will, but I’ve also seen you push yourself for me an’ others. Just don’t push yourself right now. There’s no emergency at the moment, understand?”
 
She nodded, “I do, and I’ll take it easy.”
 
He nodded before turning back to Maggie.
 
“You all packed?” He asked.
 
She looked down sheepishly and nodded, “Yes, Master. I… I really don’t own much to pack so it did not take me long.”
 
He frowned, “I need to take both you an’ Molly clothes shoppin’ once we land in a better place, don’t I?”
 
Maggie shook her head and spoke quickly, “I don’t need many things, Master, honest! Please forgive me if I sounded ungrateful! I have more than I used to, as I only used to have one outfit and nothing to wear underneath! You’ve already given me more than I’ve had in a long time, I was just meaning I did not need time to do anything!”
 
“Maggie, settle down. You’re alright… You should have more. What we got you was just bare necessities. We’ll get some nicer things here soon, an’ I want you there so you can pick what you like.” He said.
 
She looked up at him for a moment the looked back down, “You’re too good to me, master.”
 
He sighed and rubbed his eyes, “I know you want me to help ya out an’ be your master for now, but you really don’t have to call me master, you know.”
 
“I..I like to call you master, though. You’re the only master who has ever been good to me and I have wanted to own me.” She replied.
 
“Even though I scare you, still?” he queried  
 
She nodded timidly.  
 
He sighed, “Well, be that as it may, I need you to take care of somethin’ for me until we leave.”
 
She looked up at him, trembling still slightly and feeling exhausted, but she so wanted to please him, to continue to make him proud, and to redeem herself from her past.
 
“What is it? I will do whatever you want, or try to at least.” She said timidly.
 
He could see she was exhausted from working so hard to hold together, but still she seemed eager to help. He was not sure if it was from fear of him or trying to please him, but he didn’t have the time, energy, or mental clarity to deal with it all right now.
 
“I need you to come with me an’ watch over these two at my camper. I thought Val would still be there, but I reckon they were serious ‘bout gettin’ that shit heap airborne. All you have to do is check on them occasionally, make sure no one bothers them, an’ rest. If we leave tonight I need you able to drive…” He said, but was cut off.
 
“I’m able to drive, even without rest, Master! I promise!” she said quickly, in an octave higher than her normal tone.
 
Hondo frowned at her, “Maggie, slave or not, I need honesty from you at all times an’ I’m not gettin’ it right now! I can see today exhausted you, so you’re in no shape to drive right now, are you?”
 
She cowered a bit in fear, for a moment, as his tone was sharper than normal, when talking to her at least, and once that wore off, her ears dropped and her body sagged a bit as she looked down at the floor again.
 
“I..I’m n.not lying, m.m.master, honest… I am t.tired but.. but they used to m.m.make me stay away for d.days at a time at the lab before. I can handle it if you n.n.need me to help still before then.” She replied timidly.
 
“An’ how many drugs did they force into you to keep you up?” He asked firmly.
 
She shrugged, “I. I d.don’t know. S.s.somtimes they w.would sh.sh.shoot syringes f.full of stuff in.. in.. into me, somet.t.times m.m.make me eat a bunch of p.pills or snort powder into my nose, and somet.times they would j.j.just beat me if I slowed down or f.fell asl.l.leep.”
 
Her voice was very quiet and her trembling still obvious. He felt bad for snapping at her, as he knew she was barely holding it together. Though he mostly knew what happened to her, he knew he did not fully understand it. The drugs, the rape, the physical, mental, and emotional abuse. How she functioned at all was beyond him, at the moment. He knew they, he and Molly, needed to do more for her, and involve her more to help her but, how to do so, was something he had not figured out yet.  
 
He sighed and nodded, “I know you’ve been through hell an’ I appreciate you wantin’ to push yourself to help the camp… to help me, but unless it’s an emergency I don’t want you pushin’ yourself that hard. So, watch over the girls, get a nap in, an’ be ready for tonight, alright?”
 
She nodded, “Yes master.”
 
About then Karl and Marvin trotted out to join them and see what was happening.
 
“Hey, how was the trip to town?” Marvin asked as they came up.
 
Karl peered into the jeep as they approached.
 
 “Rabbit wessen? I didn’t think they were on the grocery list.” He said with a grin, trying to be funny.
 
Hondo gave him a blank, but chilling stare.
 
“Former Bunny girls an’ friends of the four Fernando rescued. We kept them from being sold as slaves or brutally killed. Unfortunately, they are the only two I could save. A couple others were gone to slave markets further south and a couple other died horribly. So, I see nothin’ funny ‘bout any of it.” Hondo replied coldly, his patients almost nonexistent at this time, due to being so exhausted on top of everything that had happened in the last few days.
 
If anyone else in camp was as mentally exhausted from dealing with stress as Maggie was, Hondo came in a close second, due to Valentine, the rescues, and those he could not on top of everything else he had been dealing with, and then Fernando third. Though he could make Maggie rest, he could not let himself rest as there was too much to do still. He just wanted to get out of this festering hell hole of a town and move on. As bad as fight town seemed at first, it drained far less from them all than this place had.
 
Karl took a step back and held up his hands defensively, “Whoa, now, Master Hondo! I.. I didn’t mean anything by it. Just felt tense out here and wanted to lighten the mood.”
 
“Learn to read the room better, an’ for now just don’t! Not until we get out of this god-forsaken town, at least! … Flight Town… Heh! Purgatory is more like it.” He replied coldly and in a low tone.  
 
Karl nodded and took another step back.
 
“Okay… sorry.” He said quietly.
 
Marvin glanced at Maggie and cocked his head slightly as her. He was used to her seeming nervous and often slumping dejectedly, but he had not seen her this bad in several days, nor seeming this tired.
 
“You alright, Mags? How was town?” Marvin asked her.
 
She glanced at him then quickly looked down.
 
“I’m.. okay. Town was.. was… th.there’s a lot of p.people there.” She stammered quietly.
 
He nodded, “Yeah, it can be crowded at the bazaar, but … you sure you’re alright?”
 
She nodded quickly but continued to look away from him, “Y.yeah. J.j.just t.tired.”
 
“Are we okay?” He asked.
 
“C.can w.w.we t.talk l.l.l.later. It’s b.been a l.l.l.long d.day.” She whispered.
 
He nodded but replied hesitantly, sounding a bit sad as he spoke, “Sure, Mags, sure. We’ll, uh, .. we’ll talk later.”
 
Marvin turned and gave Hondo a questioning look to which he just shook his head. Marvin sighed and nodded.
 
“Uhm, yeah, so… y.you need me, er, us to do anything?” He asked hesitantly, feeling a bit hurt and confused over Maggie’s response.  
 
“Yeah… Why don’t you two help us unload this jeep an’ put everythin’ on the table to sort, so they can work on that while I take Mae, June, Maggie, an’ the Bunny girls to camp… uhm, where are Minerva an’ the others? They ready to go or has Jefe taken them to camp yet?” Hondo asked.
 
“Uhm, They are in that basement getting ready to leave. They just finished packing and cleaning up. She, uh, she said that Ichigo, Abby, and this new girl Master Fernando rescued were staying to go through boxes until he came and got them, I guess. They, uh, they should be headed out soon.” Marvin replied, feeling a bit flustered still, so it took him a moment to order his thoughts.  
 
“*Hic* Leaving?! I’m not *Hic* packed yet, though!” Miniya exclaimed, still dealing with her hiccups.
 
“Just help us with this, for now, an’ then change an’ pack while Patricia an’ Madison sort stuff out, an’ I’ll take you into camp when I take them.” Hondo replied.
 
She frowned a bit but nodded, “I guess that w. *Hic* works.”
 
“Lala, Lili, and Terri? They upstairs?” Hondo asked, turning back to Marvin.
 
Marvin shook his head, “N.no. They, uh, they are going to help move the kids back to camp. I, uh, I guess Minerva has a route through the old storm sewer tunnels that can get them there unseen, but they need help carrying the kids packs and helping make sure everyone stays together. They are mostly good kids, but I guess Master Fernando figured Minerva could use the help.”
 
Hondo nodded, “That’s fine.”
 
“I’m glad I get to ride *hic* back instead. I hate th. *Hic* those sewer tunnels.” She said out loud, though mostly to herself.
 
Hondo glanced at her briefly before turning back to Maggie, who still stared at the ground.
 
“Maggie, go get your stuff so we can go. No sense havin’ to come back for it.” Hondo said, firmly, though he tried to soften his tone a bit.
 
Maggie jumped at the sound of her name and looked up at him like some frightened animal. She nodded quickly after he finished speaking and scurried off. As she left, Hondo made Molly go sit down while him and the 7 others quickly unloaded the jeep in which Scarlett and Bella were sleeping. As they finished up, he sent Mae and June to climb in to the back seat and sit behind him, while leaving a seat open behind the rabbit wessen girls for Maggie to sit. As they headed to the jeep, Maggie appeared and he sent her to join them. Marvin started at her in a sad, questioning way as she passed. She glanced up timidly and uttered a quick, “Sorry.”  Before quickly heading to the jeep.
 
Marvin watched her for a moment before turning to Hondo.
 
“I know you’re busy and.. and maybe its none of my business, but is Maggie alright?.. I’m kinda worried about her.” He asked quietly.
 
Hondo sighed, “*Sigh* Yeah, she’s alright, but I think you two need to talk. We don’t have time today an’ she pushed herself a bit hard, so she is physically an’ emotionally exhausted right now, so its probably not the best time... When she’s rested I’ll urge her to talk to you.”
 
“Did I do something wrong?” He asked.
 
Hondo shook his head, “Not that I know of… Marvin, she.. she’s a broken woman. A good one at heart, I believe, but broken. I know you want to help her, but… *sigh* … I’m not sure you can. At least not how you want to. She needs help an’ understandin’, but she also needs to find who she is an’ come to terms with the trauma she’s faced. It will be a long, hard road for her, an’ she will go through a lot of changes, some good days, an’ a lot of bad ones. So, don’t take it personally or be too hard on yourself. She needs friends, so be one for her.”
 
“But.. but what if, well .. *sigh* I thought we could be more than friends. I wanted that and.. and I thought she did too, but…” He replied quietly.
 
“Wantin’ an’ bein’ able to are two different things. I think she wanted to, but I believe she’s not able to right now… Listen, just wait an’ talk with her later, after we get out of here.” He said.
 
 
Marvin frowned and nodded, looking down for a moment before looking back up at Hondo.
 
“Does… does she want you, instead?” Marvin asked.
 
“Would you hate me if she did?” He asked
 
Marvin looked down for a moment, and after a few seconds shook his head, “No.”  
 
“But you’d be a bit more hurt.” Hondo replied.
 
Marvin nodded.
 
“Well, I don’t know ‘bout her wantin’ me per se, not like you’re thinkin’ at least, but… She wants me to be her master.” Hondo replied.
 
Marvin looked at him questioningly, “But, we all call you and Master Fernando Master. Partly because you rescued us and deserve the title, and partly to stay safe as some hate free wessen.”
 
“That’s not what she meant, as her an’ I had a discussion ‘bout this. She.. She said she’s too broken to be free, an’ owes too much for her sins of the past, what she did, though forced to, in that lab an’ while workin’ on the Grey Lady’s ship. So, she begged me to take her in as my slave. I don’t hold to slavery, as you know, but I’m not sure what else to do. She.. she told me some things that… Let’s just say I’m not sure how she isn’t a hysterical, insane mess. Most folks who would have gone through what she has would be mentally insane an’ unable to function. She functions, though sometimes it takes a lot of willpower an’ it exhausts her… *sigh* I was probably a bit harsh with her a bit ago, but I just don’t have time to deal with her like she needs at the moment… I’m half at a loss of what to do, honestly, but if I do what I think I may have to… you may hate me for it.” Hondo replied seriously.
 
Marvin looked down for a moment in thought before looking back up at him, “What.. what if I became your slave too? Maybe then we, her and I could…”
 
Hondo cut him off, “It’s not that simple, unfortunately, an’ no, you are a free man an’ need to learn to function as one. You have the mental an’ physical ability to do so. Maggie, she… She doesn’t have the mental or emotional ability to be free.”
 
“What if I’d rather be a slave than to lose her?” Marvin asked.
 
“You’re not understandin’ me. Even if you were my slave you could not be together. If you were, there are things that could hurt you an’ break her completely, if they were to happen. I promised not to talk about this with anyone but Molly, so you will have to talk to Maggie yourself. Just understand, I know this hurts, but if you push her an’ get her, it could destroy her. I wouldn’t take her in like this, as my slave an’ such, if I did not think it was the only way to save her. Understand, I owe her a lot for bringin’ Val back to me, despite all the hell Val has put me through since. Was it some random stranger, I’m not sure I’d have it in me to put so much effort into her, as it is goin’ to be a lot of work, time, an’ headaches for me, Molly, Val if she pulls her head out of her ass, an’ time I won’t have to spend with my girls or helpin’ others. I care ‘bout Maggie, don’t get me wrong, but I owe her a lot too. I care ‘bout you too, Marvin, which is why when I say this understand it’s for your own good, … You can be her friend but do not try or hope for more. It could destroy you both.” Hondo replied firmly.
 
“But, what if it didn’t destroy us?!” Marvin retorted a bit angrily.
 
“Are you willin’ to chance her wellbein’ on that? Are you that selfish?” Hondo asked back in a low, slow voice.
 
Marvin glared at him for a moment before sighing and looking down, his shoulders sagging from the weight of sadness he felt.
 
“No, no I couldn’t…. I.. I want to be with her, but I care about her too much to chance hurting her. If you are that sure about it …” He paused
 
“I am.” Hondo replied.
 
“Then, I’ll talk to her and do as you say.” Marvin said quietly.
 
Hondo sighed as Marvin turned and walked away to join Karl, who had made himself scarce. The teens heard it all, but they acted like they were too busy to know what was going on.
 
Miniya still stood by so her turned and stared at her blankly for a moment. She stared back curiously, hiccupping occasionally, but she got the message all of a sudden.
 
“Oh! Uhm, I guess I’ll help them with unloading the other jeep and stuff.
 
Hondo nodded, “That would be good, but just try to be ready to go when I get back. As soon as Patricia and Madison are done with the task I gave them I’ll take you three into camp.”
 
“What about *hic* everyone else?” She asked.
 
“I plan to have us all in camp by three PM, if possible. Whether we leave tonight or tomorrow, I want us all together this evenin’.” He replied.
 
She nodded and turned to leave him and Molly alone. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy. She was not sure if she really wanted to be with him or not, though she felt the question was moot. She owed Fernando too much and felt at least a pull towards him for that, if not also for the power he represented, and she felt that her sister needed her there to help level out her fan-girl attitude, and to protect her from being crushed when Fernando rejected her from being overly clingy. But still, there was something about this cowboy-like man that drew her in. At the very least he had her respect, though a part of her wanted at very least a friendship with him, though she felt that someone like her could never have friends or be worthy of them. Any further wanderings of the mind she had past that she mentally chastised herself for. She could not help feel something for him, but she was Fernando’s and that was the way it would be, unless he wanted her no more and threw her away. Being thrown away was something she expected someday, but what then? Why would this man want a used up, thrown out slut like her? She sighed a bit to herself as she got to work, avoiding conversation with the others as much as possible while working to allow her time to think and to focus again.  
 
Her head and body felt more at ease than they had in a long time, thanks to something of Hondo’s she had borrowed for some courage, but that was not on her mind at the moment. Had it been on her mind, she might have not been found out, she might have hidden the partially used bottle, and he might have not even noticed that one was missing, due to being so busy. Unfortunately, she did not think of it and being found out would be a shame to her that she would not soon forget.
 
After Miniya had left them, Hondo turned to Molly, who sat staring at him worriedly.
 
“You alright?” Molly asked him softly.
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah… We’ll talk later, I promise. An’ don’t worry ‘bout me, alright? … You trust me, right?”
 
Molly nodded, though she looked at him worriedly, “I do, and I love you so very much. Promise me that you’ll rest and we can spend some time together after we get out of here. Do that and I’ll not worry so much.”
 
He nodded and gave her a soft smile, “We will, that’s not a promise, but a fact. You just get better so I can have my way with you, woman.”
 
She blushed slightly and gave him a soft smile in return, “I will.”
 
He bent down and kissed her cheek quickly before turning and heading back to the SUV.
 
As Hondo heads back to his vehicle, after dropping off the younger two girls at the hanger and giving orders to everyone else, something in his coat pocket vibrates. It catches him off guard, having forgotten of the business band color dot security mall radio was there that Fernando gave him. He pulls out the radio and increases the volume to listen in.  
 
“Anybody from Os Animas or Death From Above out there?” a voice from a very young male voice says.  
 
There is no reply for the moment and the request is repeated again “Anybody from Os Animas or Death From Above out there? Come in Os Animas.”  
 
Again no reply. Hondo remember that the voice replying on the radio would have a Spanish access as the request repeats again “This Billy Bombah calling anybody from Os Animas or Death From Above, Come in Os Animas.”  
 
Hondo replies in his worst Chicano Latino impression, “Ju Izz Dis?”  
 
“Oh Good!” The young voice replies. “It’s Billy Bombah. With the kids at the convoy.”  
 
“Den wha’s da Pass Wood?” Hondo continues with his imitation.  
 
“Pass Wood?” the young voice replies.  
 
“Yes, Pass Wood. Juu know – Supah Secreh Fayze.” Hondo keeps the act going.  
 
“Uh... I’m a liddle tee pot, short and stout. This is my handle, this is my spout...” The young voice answers.  
 
“Guud Enuff...” Hondo replies. He continues, “Wha juu gotz to say?”  
 
“The Wessen Kids are being taken out of the hanger through the sewers. I think they are being taken to the army camp.” The young voice says.  
 
“Go wit dem. Call Bahk Wehn Juu Git Dare!” Hondo replies.  
 
“OK...” the young voice replies.  
 
Hondo does not reply but looks about inside the hanger. He sees no one who could be a child. He goes down to the basement, seeing Ichigo, Abi and Naya there. Without saying a word he goes to the exit into the sewer area. Looking about he does not see anybody there but does hear the patter of running feet leaving the area. He thinks about following but decides not to follow. He goes back upstairs to his vehicle to plan on what to do with the supplies. He decides to talk to Fernando about this later today.  
 
He just thinks to himself, “Wha’ da Fuque. Some brat willin’ to sell out his buddies to Hector’s People?” He blood begins to boil but forces himself to calm down.. He lets out a pent up sigh before climbing back into the SUV. For now he tries to not think about it but it really bothers him.
 
Once back in the Jeep he started it up and headed for camp.
 
 There was no conversation most of the ride back, as Mae and June could not help but think about what Bella and Scarlett had been through, what they had escaped by trusting Fernando, about the others that had been sold, about those who had hopefully escaped, about those who had died and how they had died, and about those who were after them, especially this one named Roy that had Molly so worked up. They had heard of Roy before, as had other, but most thought he was just something used to scare little kids and the simple minded. Even as bunny girls he was used to try to scare them with people saying things like, “run off and Roy will find you!”, Disobey and they’ll call Roy!”, “If Roy gets ahold of you, you’ll wish that customer/fighter had beat you to death.”, and other such things. Roy was not their primary thoughts though, as they had not seen him. They trusted Fernando and believe Molly had seen someone calling themselves Roy, but not seeing or feeling his presence, he was still just a scary bedtime story to them. What was not a bedtime story but scared them both, was what Kiah would say or do when she found out about Billie and Luna, though they were not sure if Luna was the other one who died yet or not. Only once Bella woke again, would they find out. They also worried about how Kiah would take them being in camp with them. It’s not that she hated them or anything, but they were not exactly friends either. That was the least of their concerns, though.  
 
Maggie sat quietly, just too tired to think. Really, she was much more exhausted than she let on or would even admit to herself. She was proud that she had held it together, but she was too tired to get much satisfaction from that right now.
 
As the pulled up to camp, Mae finally broke the silence.
 
“Mr. Hondo, uhm, would you please not tell Kiah about Billie or the girls dying or anything?” She asked softly.
 
“Not that I had plans to talk to her, but do you think it’s fair to keep that from her?” He asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror and noting her distraught visage, but noticing that she was looking right back at him.
 
Mae Sighed and shrugged, “…I .. I don’t know… I’m just not sure she can handle it, not right now…. We.. we will tell her, just please let us do it in our way, and when the time is right.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Alright, I’ll try to leave it to you, but I’m not lyin’ to her ‘bout it either. I’ve a lot to do today, so if she asks I’ll tell her we can talk ‘bout it later, but you two need to tell her soon, if you really believe it’s that important to her. Also, I’m not askin’ these two to not tell her when they wake up, either.”
 
Mae and June look at each other for a moment silently, with June shrugging before she turns back to look at him in the rear-view mirror.
 
“We’ll talk to them if we have to, but… Kiah doesn’t get along with them too well, so I doubt she’ll try to talk to them, at least not right away.” Mae said.
 
Hondo sighed wearily, “*sigh* … great. They start fightin’ an’ I’ll beat all your asses, involved or not.”
 
His weariness was becoming more evident. He did not mean to growl or snap, but it was taking less and less to annoy him. On top of that his patience was worn thin and there was a lot to do and a lot to get through before he could sleep again. He snapped almost as a reflexive defense at this point, not even realizing he was doing it most of the time, though those who he snapped at sure noticed.
 
“It.. It’s not like that! They, well… I’m not sure why they don’t really like each other, but Kiah wasn’t happy they were supposed to be coming with us, and they, well Scarlett at least, wasn’t happy Kiah was coming with us, when Mr. Fernando picked us up, that is. They never really fought that I saw, and Bella tried to be friends with her, but Kiah seemed to shun her.” Mae replied quickly and defensively.
 
June nodded and added softly, “Bella is kind, even to those who don’t deserve it.”
 
Mae nodded, “She is…  As far as Scarlett and Kiah go, well, they stayed away from each other mostly, other than an occasion growling at each other. But Kiah never would say why she doesn’t like them, just that she doesn’t.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Understand, an’ they don’t have to be friends, but everyone here has to look out for each other an’ at least get along. They start fightin’ an’ causin’ issues they’ll be gone! So, you want them to stay you’d better talk to them, as I can’t compromise safety of the camp due to little girls fightin’.”
 
Mae frowned, “We’re not little girls, you know… We might be small, but that’s not our fault.”
 
He raised an eyebrow at her, “Listen, I know you all have been through a lot, but I need you all to act like responsible adults. I know you all have tried to help, but Kiah’s attitude has not given me much confidence in you all, though she an’ April did stop Val from killin’ herself. I owe them for that an’ maybe I shouldn’t judge you all on her attitude, but she’s the one who makes herself known from your group. I don’t know any of you well, understand, an’ don’t have the time to right now. So, just help keep them away from each other.”
 
“Kiah likes you, you know.” June said very, very softly.
 
“What you say?” Hondo asked, acting like he did not hear her.
 
June was about to repeat herself but Mae touched her arm and shook her head lightly at her.
 
“Nothing.” June replied, still very quietly but a little louder.
 
“I’m sure you said something.” Hondo replied back.
 
“What she was trying to say was that Kiah’s a good person, despite how she talks and acts so… please try to forgive her.” Mae said, which she thought would be better received by him than what June said, though June was not wrong.  
 
“Hmm.” He grunted back, annoyed that Mae stopped June from repeating what she actually said and that she lied to him.
 
He stopped himself from scolding her though, as he was at least aware that he was in a bad mood. He was trying to get June to speak up, as she was too soft spoken and timid for her own good, but he figured he had to be coming off as harsh for Mae to stop her and change what was said like that. Besides, he did not really care right now whether Kiah was a good person, liked him, or any of that. He just wanted people to get along so they could safely move out when the time came.  
 
As they drove through camp, they passed Ruth, Susanna, Kiah, and April at Fernando’s dub box camper handing out food boxes before pulling up to his camper and stopping. He climbed out and headed around to the passenger side as Ruth started their way. Mae and June climbed out shortly after he did and headed towards April and Kiah, hoping to draw Kiah’s attention.  
 
As Hondo opened the passenger side door, Maggie climbed out and headed into the camper and Ruth approached him.
 
“Mr. Hondo, how many lunches do you n… Oh my!” She exclaimed as she saw him pull the young, blond bedraggled rabbit wessen girl from the front seat and hold her in his arms.
 
“What happened?! Is she alright?!” She asked quickly, after the short pause that it took her to regain her senses.  
 
“They will be alright. A couple more bunny girls, friends of the others. Had to rescue them before they were killed or sold on slave markets outside Jastrey’s reach.” He replied almost flatly.
 
He heard the girl’s voices protesting something and Kiah name being called out as he spoke to Ruth but did not hear what was said, only that Kiah came trotting over to stick her nose in business it did not belong in, yet again.
 
“What’s going on, Mr. Handsome? Buy some new bedroom toys while you ….” Kiah started off in her normal snarky, yet seductive, tone, stopping short upon recognizing the girl in his arms.
 
Kiah had started to follow Ruth, but Mae and June waylaid her for a moment, telling her that Hondo was busy and in a bad mood. Whether it was the fake pride in herself, a formulated opinion that all men wanted her for being small, lean, and blond, an inflated opinion of her abilities to seduce, or her stubborn, single-minded goal that she would be one of Hondo’s women one day, it was unclear, but their warnings fell on deaf ears. When she pushed to go on and asked what he was busy with, making a comment at the same time about being able to improve his mood if he let her, they told her that he had rescued a couple girls in town and it would be best if she left him alone to take care of them. Had her already insatiable curiosity not been enough to push her on, the jealousy, brought on by the thought of him possibly being with girls that were not her, added to her drive to go see him and make herself known.  
 
Her snarky approach and the way she tried to outline her curves and small breast when around him, along with the seductive way she leaned towards him, annoyed him further, seeing it as her attempt at manipulating him and signs of a shallow person. Valentine had tried to manipulate him enough recently, and though Kiah’s moves were more a desperate cry for attention and to be loved, it was not something he could see. All he saw was manipulation and an over-inflated ego, not the carefully constructed façade, the hero worship that drove her, or the broken little girl hiding behind the sexy air of confidence. All he could manage to do is shoot her a glare as she approached in what seemed a confident manner. Her stopping short was misinterpreted to be because of his glare, not her surprise in who he held.
 
Kiah did not recognized the muddy, bloody, beat up wessen girl in his arms until she came right up to them, and it was the last person she expected or hoped to see. To her it felt like her heart had fallen into her belly at the sight of the girl, and a wave of despair washed over her.
 
“No…” She whispered as she stared at the girl in his arms.
 
“Good thing you stopped short on that sentence, or I’d have put her down just to beat your ass! Say anythin’ like it again’ an’ you’ll be lucky to just get my belt across your backside!” He growled, not realizing that it wasn’t his demeanor that made her stop.
 
“Bella?” She asked hesitantly, in almost a whisper.
 
“Yes, Bella an’ Scarlett is in the jeep still.” He said nodding to the jeep, to which both Ruth and Kiah looked in at the redheaded rabbit wessen and gasped before turning back to him. “She’s asleep, as is this one. I gave them some medicine to help them get better, though it will take time an’ when they wake up they will be hungry an’ very weak. When they wake they will need broth for a day or two, then eased in to food. They have been starvin’ since before we rescued you an’ your friends, like you were, only things got worse for them after you an’ the other three were rescued. Now, I’m told you hate them. I don’t give a damn ‘bout that, but I expect you to leave them alone an’ no fightin’. You cause problems an’ I’ll throw your ass out so fast it’ll make your head spin! I find out you did somethin’ to make them not show up at the meetin’ place so we could save them when we saved you an’ I’ll sell ya to the damn slavers myself!
 
Kiah jumped and seemed to get nervous at his last threat, though only Ruth picked up on it as he was already turning away.
 
“Do you need help?” Ruth asked.
 
“No. Maggie’s gonna watch them for me. Just need meals for my group before I go back.” He said over his shoulder as he carried Bella towards the camper.
 
As he entered the camper with her, Ruth put a hand on Kiah’s shoulder.
 
“Let’s go back with the others and get meals set out for him.” Ruth said softly, yet firmly, seeing something was greatly bothering the girl.
 
Kiah pulled away, sharply from her.
 
“No!” She exclaimed, staring at Scarlett’s unconscious form the whole time.
 
“Kiah, we need to do our work and stay out of Hondo’s way.” Ruth said more firmly.
 
“But, I … I…” She stammered, pausing as she was not sure what to say.
 
“What’s wrong? Did you do something or see something?” Ruth asked, finding her sudden flightiness different.
 
When Kiah looked up at Ruth she saw a glimpse of fear and confusion. She looked more like a lost little girl at the moment than the young woman she was. Ruth had seen her normal flirty, sassy side, and a glimpse of her serious side, but this was new.
 
Kiah looked at her, at the camper, at Scarlett, back to her then ran off to the girls’ camper, shutting the door hard behind her. Ruth stared the direction she ran for a bit before shaking her head and heading back to where the dub-box camper where the other girls were.
 
“Is there something between Kiah and those girls Hondo rescued?” Ruth asked the others as she approached.  
 
Mae looked down and nodded, “Yeah, but I’m not sure what. She doesn’t like them, I know, but she would never say why.”
 
“Well, the look on her face was not one from someone disliking some, or hating them either. She looked scared, especially when Hondo said something about selling her to slavers if she was the reason that they missed the meeting where he and Fernando picked you up and brought you here.” Ruth said with a frown as she looked towards the girls’ camper.
 
“Maybe I should go talk to her.” Mae said starting to walk off.
 
“No, stay here. We have work to do.” Ruth said firmly, causing Mae to stop in her tracks.
 
Mae sighed and nodded, before turning back without saying anything. She knew she did not know Kiah the best, not like Billie and Luna had at least, but out of those of them there, she felt she had known her the best, and until lately she felt she knew her fairly well, or at least had her figured out. The reports of her being serious, seeing a little first hand at the camper that morning, her risking herself to save Valentine, and this recent development only told her she really did not know Kiah at all. She took for granted that though they knew Kiah was broken, like they all were to some extent, she was just a bit of a slut and an otherwise shallow person, but she started to wonder if she had judged her wrong.
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,
 
Kiah slammed the door, rushed to the bed, and fell into it, burying her face into a pillow as she landed and started to sob.  
 
Bella had always stolen the attention of those around with how cute, outgoing, and sweet she was. Among the girls she knew April and June were definitely cuter than her and Mae was at least on the same level but none of them figured out how to even fake the sexy, confidence that she had, which was the only way she knew she could ever hope to come out ahead of the other three. Bella, though, was cute, sexy, kind, and more, and she, nor the others, could never hope to compete with her, and Scarlett, though not as kind, and even a bit mean at times, was still far cuter and had a charisma about her that seemed to draw in men and women alike, far more than any of them. Bella acted humble about it all, which Kiah felt made matters worse. Scarlett just knew what she was capable of, and Kiah had always felt she held an air of smug superiority about her, towards her and the other, because of it, though Mae claimed she did not see it.
 
Kiah was sure with them there now she would be overlooked, losing Hondo to them and being pushed back into obscurity at best. On top of that, Scarlett has always been harsh and condescending to her, which is the only reason she said those lies to Bella, trying to scare her away. She knew if she was to have a chance at a new life with anyone that Bella and Scarlett could not be there. And now, if they talked she was sure Hondo would blame her for Scarlett and Bella missing the meeting, and he would hate her and possibly sell her into slavery again for what happened to them. It was almost preferable to her to die rather than go back into slavery, and the thought crossed her mind on taking her own life, though it was utterly abhorrent to her. She felt so confused, so scared, and so alone at the moment. Even had she known her words to Bella back in fight town had nothing to do with them not making the meeting, it would have been of little comfort to her.  
 
She had lost. She would not be loved. She would be alone again, doomed to whatever cruel fate this world had in store for her. Of these things she was sure. She saw no redeeming factors about her at all, though she acted like she thought everyone wanted her. She just knew from experience that acting like that often made people take notice and want her, though it was never for who she was that they wanted her. That is all she really wanted, was to be wanted, wanted for who she was and to be loved for more than blonde hair, a slender body, and a set of tight, wet holes. No one had ever really wanted her or cared about her, but she did not blame them. As she saw it she was scrawny and not much to look at. She had a decent, round ass for her size, but it was the only decent feature she thought she had, despite still thinking it was too small. She was not curvy like some women, those of which she saw as a standard of beauty. Though she acted like she was proud of her small, firm round breasts and the small, pink pointy nipples on them, she saw herself as flat chested as a little boy. She had fantasized about Hondo grabbing them, kissing them, and more, yet had nightmares about him looking on her bare body with disgust, deeming her unfit to touch. She also dreamed of him selling her or throwing her out for being so worthless. Scarlett always told her she was a stupid, air-head, and plain, and Kiah believed it.  
 
She had no talents that she knew of, except in bed. Her education was not even at a basic level, she had no useful skills, and she was terrified all the time. June acted terrified all the time, but in truth the one of the four girls who acted the most confident, Kiah, was the most terrified of them all. She envied June for being able to say she was scared and act scared, actually. Telling others how she really felt terrified Kiah almost more than being alone, as she was sure once someone got to know the real her, they would reject her for sure and tell everyone else what a useless person she was.  
 
Kiah did not want to act mean either, but it helped keep people at arm’s length. Besides, she could not live up to Mae, Bella, April, or Scarlett anyway. Scarlett had told her she was a bad person all the time, and even Mae had called her uncaring before. She did not take it to heart, really until her fight with Billie, the last time they saw each other, when she called her an evil, unfeeling whore. She knew it was just in anger, but could not help but believe that the one she called her sister and best friend must have really thought that about her, and since she was not the only one who saw it in her then it must be true. IT hurt more as of them all, Billie was probably the only one she had ever fully opened up to, about her past, her fears, her hopes, and her dreams. Had she known Billie was dead at that moment, ending it all might have not been abhorrent to her enough to stop her from taking it past a mere thought.
 
She had tried so hard to push all those thoughts and feelings away, to act so strong and sure, but just as things were seeming to look up, those two appeared. She had slept little the night before, and felt physically and emotionally exhausted from hiding her own insecurities, along with dealing with Valentine’s and saving her from killing herself. Valentine attempting to take her own life alone was enough to dredge up memories and feelings that Kiah had tried to bury. All her work in constructing this façade and keeping it up was weighing on her, and it all was becoming too much of an effort to maintain. Her world seemed to be falling apart again, but instead of cracking this time, it seemed to be crashing down on her. While her imagination was worse than reality, she was sure the worst was yet to come.
 
All she could do for the moment was sob and cry out to a higher power, though she was not sure whether there was one or not, and after all she had been through she was fairly sure if there was one they were a cruel being. Though she felt it was useless to do so, she could manage nothing else at the moment.  
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
Hondo entered the camper and headed to the loft bed, finding that Maggie had laid an older cover blanket over the bedding, and stood by with other blankets to lay over the girl. He set Bella carefully down, and took the snuggie off of her, to keep her from becoming tangled in it, before placing laying her dirty, bare form towards the middle of the bed. Maggie covered her as he left and retrieved Scarlett, repeating the process of removing the now dirty snuggie from her soiled, tattered, thin, exhausted body, and then laying her next to her sister so Maggie could cover her up to.  
 
Once they were both covered, Hondo headed out of the loft with Maggie on his heals. In the main area, as he headed towards the door, he felt a tug on his sleave, as Maggie reached out and grabbed his arm softly, causing him to stop and turn towards her.
 
She looked down sheepishly, a blush evident on her face, as she held onto him.
 
“P.P.Please d.don’t be a.angry, Master b.but, uhm … I … I held together for you, didn’t I?” She stammered quietly.
 
He nodded, “You did an’ I’m very proud of you for that.”
 
She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, “I.. I’m g.glad I m.made you pr.pr.proud, Master, and.. and though I.. I know It’s not my place to ask but… you.. you promised if.. if I held together… you.. you…”  
 
She paused and sighed, standing trembling.
 
“Maggie.” He said softly.
 
“Forget it, Master! I’m Sorry! I Should know my place!” She blurted out.
 
He grabbed her other arm and held it tightly, “Maggie, calm down. You did nothing wrong.”
 
She just stood trembling still so he pulled her to him and held her against him with one arm while stroking her hair with the other.
 
“I had almost forgotten was all… Just have a lot on my mind.” He said as he held her.
 
She nuzzled into his chest and cried softly, melting into his arms as he held her.
 
“I know, and I’m sorry… I’m sorry I’m so weak and pathetic, master. You have better things to do, I know, and I’m sorry.” She whispered through the tears.
 
He sighed and continued to stroke her hair as he spoke softly to her.
 
“Shhh, now… Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s alright… You did good today… really good. It’s alright…” He replied in low, soft tones.
 
(continue next post...)

[Escape from Flight Town, sometime after 12:30.]
 
From behind the Kharkovchanka (tank tread vehicle), a manhole slides open, and the children from the hanger begins to come out and gather outside the huge tank tread vehicle.
 
With the sheep girls, Minerva line up the children by age and size order, making Little Mary as the first on line. After the man hole is closed, she leads the children to the large area to explain to them that they will go get their lunch meal and sit in this area to eat. While she talks to the kids, General Jastrey and Major Moynihan step out from the command tent and observe what is going on. Minerva gets the kids to follow her around Ruth camper and behind the back of the campers, and to Fernando’s Dub Box and electric camper. Ruth was there with April and Kiah getting the meals ready for the kids.
 
Minerva sends Little Mary first to be served with the others behind her. Being polite as they are, Little Mary says “Thank you” before walking off to the large area and stand around wondering where to sit. Lilly and a couple of other friends step up to Little Mary and take her to where the Bunny Girls and Teen Campers are and sit beside them to be in the shade the vehicles are making. The others sit with their friends group scattered about the open area.  
 

---

Quote:

 
Hondo walks to see if Fernando has returned, but not seeing him, he goes back to his camper to check on Scarlett and Bella for the time being.
 
Fernando goes through the merchant area looking for some treats to for children. Pickings are getting slim or so they seem. He did manage to scrape together around 150 donuts of assorted varieties and a large tray of custard cut up into 120 3in x 3in x 3in squares. The price for everything was a bit more than he expected, but at this point he does not care for it is for the children and he’ll be gone from this mess of a town before the sun rises the next day.
 
With some care he manages to get the desserts back to the blimp parking area before teleporting himself and the items to behind his Dub Box Camper. There he walks over to the table where Ruth was putting away the left-over food and the side orders he and Hondo needed. He places them on the fold away table, separating the custard and the donuts.
 
“Give the children a donut and a custard. I should have some cardboard soup cups for the custard in the top shelf.” He tells her, adding, “Wait a while so they can eat their lunch meal first and not throw it out for the dessert.”
 
“Will do.” Ruth says, adding, “Hondo was looking for you.”
 
“Alright. I’ll find him.” Fernando replies, adding, I’ll take the lunches I ordered when I come back.”
 
Ruth nods.
 
Fernando walks around to the front of his camper, thinking he would see Hondo around. Since he does not see Hondo, he waits.
 
Hondo comes out of his camper, holding back all his emotions and weariness, holding back from biting off anyone’s head that comes to him the wrong way. He goes to check on Ruth.
 
“Wha’s up? Seen Fernando ‘round?” Hondo asks.
 
“He was here a couple minutes ago, turning in these desserts for the kids.” Ruth says.
 
“Did you see where he went?” Hondo asks.
 
Ruth pointed down past Fernando’s electric camper, “He went that way.”
 
“Many thanks.” Hondo says before walking down the length of Fernando’s electric camper. It only takes a few seconds to get to the front of the camper where Fernando was. He turns to take a step towards his camper truck, but sees Fernando in front of his camper. “There you are, Jefe.”
 
“Yeah, what’s up?” Fernando replies.
 
“I’m gonna need some help with two I just rescued.” Hondo points out.
 
“Anything I should know first?” Fernando asks.
 
“Well...” Hondo moves his hat to scratch his head for a second, “Remember when you rescued the bunny girls, but there were supposed to be others with them but they never showed up?”
 
“Yeah.” Fernando throws out.
 
“I found two of them. A third was killed and a fourth was sold into slavery before I got there to rescue them.” Hondo explains.
 
“I see. Where are the two you rescued?” Fernando asks.
 
“Maggie is watching over them, they are in my camper bed, gave them a bio pill but they are in bad shape. They will need to be on a liquid diet for a couple days, broth, soup, teas and juice.” Hondo explains.
 
“Come with me then...” Fernando says, walking to his sliding door. The door slides open and is held in place by a latch. Fernando steps inside and looks about his cabinet and pulls out a couple cans of chicken soup, vegetable soup and a box of green tea bags before handing them to Hondo.
 
Hondo hands back the chicken soup, “They are Rabbit Wessens.”
 
Fernando takes back the chicken soup, “Oh.” He puts the cans of chicken soup in his cabinet and looks about, finding a couple cans of tomato soup and hands it to Hondo. “If you need more, I have jars of soup mix, just add hot water. And like the tea let the soup cool to give it to them warm, not hot. Cook it hot so it can cook but when done let it cool down to warm so when they eat it, it will not be a shock to their system.”
 
“Will do.” Hondo says as he steps out of the way for Fernando to step out of the camper and closes the door. He then asks, “Do you want to check them out? See if they are going to survive?”
 
“No. Not because I’m being mean or anything. You have them in your camper, in your bed wrapped up in blankets to keep them warm, gave them a bio pill and got some soup and tea for them to take in later until they are better. And you have Maggie watching over them. I can do no better than what you did. I cannot add to what you did, other than...” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his metal candy box, opening it and giving Hondo a Bio Pill, “when the soup is ready to eat, take the pill and crush it in the soup before serving it to them.”
 
Hondo nods as he takes the pill and puts it with his pills.
 
Fernando asks, “Anything else?”
 
Hondo thinks, before saying, “I received and interacted with a strange call on the radio we got when we fought Hector’s men at the forest tower.” He pauses for a second before saying “One of the kids called in seeking Hector’s men. I gave it my best Fake Mexican accent.”
 
“Before I tell you that I know, what did he say?” Fernando asks.
 
“You know?” Hondo asks.
 
“First, what did he say?” Fernando asks.
 
“He gave a report that the kids were leaving the hanger to get to here.” Hondo says before he asks, “How do you know?”
 
“Kids pay attention. And kids snitch when they see something wrong. They told on him to Abi and Minerva, and are keeping an eye on him. Minerva told me about it. I just feel sorry for him.” Fernando explains as they begin to walk around the front of the electric camper.
 
“Why?” Hondo asks.
 
“Minerva is the reason why that kid is still alive. The others want to kill him, and when Minerva leaves, they will get him and kill him.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Let me dare ask, Wha’ do you know about this... kid?” Hondo asks.
 
“One, other than the mayor’s daughters, all the kids are Hybrid Wessens – part human, part Wessen, except for one who is a pure Wessen. Hector put him in to spy on the group. The others have been onto him since he joined in, as he’s always had fresh food from somewhere, money and seem to disappear for hours and come back with clean clothes. He claims that he has stolen them, but things were given to him by Hector’s support group. He was followed by the others and he was found out though he does not know that he was found out.” Fernando explains.
 
“Almost feel sorry for the brat even though he deserves it.” Hondo says.
 
“He deserves what he gets. I am not going step in the way to save him. We are leaving this place, though there is a lot to do before we go. I got to get lunch to the girls at the hanger before bringing them here, there are several storage boxes to bring here from the hanger’s basement and give out to everyone. We have to check the vehicles and make sure their fuel and systems are running, and that bee keeper lady is showing up at around 3:30 with some honey and mead. What are you up to after lunch?” Fernando explains and asks.
 
“Let’s see. Other than dealin’ with the girls I rescued, I’ll get the others from the hanger to here to get them started to gettin’ ready to leave. Then I’ll meet up with you after you come back.” Hondo replies.
 
“Good. Let’s go to your ride and put away those soups for them, then get the lunch I need to feed those at the hanger.” Fernando states. He then requests, “I need a favor from you though.”
 
“Name it.” Hondo replies as they walk to Hondo’s camper.
 
“I need Macey and Meeshie riding with you in your camper tonight. I do not trust that bum battery pack, and do not want to break down and move Macey and Meeshie to your camper in the middle of the night.” Fernando explains.
 
“Not a problem.” Hondo says.
 
“Thanks.” Fernando replies, “I’ll pack up her night things and a change of morning clothes. And a couple cans of cat food for Meeshie. After lunch.”
 
“What about Itchy Koo?” Hondo asks.
 
“She’ll be with me. She’s an adult, and can handle if the camper breaks down.” Fernando replies.
 
“Alrigh’ then.” Hondo says.
 
“Thanks.” Fernando replies.
 
At Hondo’s Camper Hondo steps inside for a second to put away the cans of soup before quickly stepping outside. After locking the camper, He and Fernando walk around the rear of his camper and trailer to Fernando’s Dub Box. Ruth was there, though having cleaned up the table, was setting up to hand out the desserts to the kids when they are ready.
 
Ruth asks them before Fernando or Hondo could say anything, “You men ready to gather your group’s meals?”
 
“I am. Thanks.” Fernando says.
 
“I’ll be doin’ the same.” Hondo adds.
 
Ruth places couple brown paper bags on the table for Fernando. Fernando takes bags off the table, while Ruth puts bag on it for Hondo. Then men gave thanks as Hondo gets his bags before they head off. They walk to the front of Fernando’s camper before they go in their separate directions. Fernando walks over to Minerva, taking her by her waist and pulls her towards him. He tells her that Ruth is almost ready to give the children a snack in the next few minutes and should check on her first to see if she is ready before sending the children. He also told her of what Hondo told him about spy within the group sending a message to Hector’s people which Hondo intercepted. She was not happy in hearing about this but they agree that they will deal with it later and to let things go as they happen.
 
Giving her kiss on the forehead, Fernando lets her go and continue on his way to the hanger. Once at the Blimp parking lot, Fernando teleports himself to a few yards from the hanger, allowing himself in past the guards at the front main doorway which he nods to. It take a moment to walk to the back office and then down the stairs to the basement.
 
Abi, Ichigo and Naya were sitting around when Fernando enters the basement. He puts the bag on a barrel to sort out the meals before he calls to Naya first. Naya gets up and trots over to him, with her hands folded in front of her and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
 
“Calm down Naya. It’s not like I’m #$@! you here and now in front of the others. I’m just giving you a lunch.” Fernando tells her.
 
“I... know... but I’ll do anything for you because you saved me from getting killed.” Naya says.
 
He hands her a veggie sandwich and a sweet water drink. Naya leans over to him and gives him hug, deliberately pressing her body against his, making it last longer than it should have. Eventually she lets him go, sitting on the floor directly opposite from him with her knees up to her chest but legs opened just enough to show off the white panties she was wearing to him. Fernando ignores it as best as he could.
 
He then calls Abi, giving her a meat sandwich and a sweet water drink in a bottle. They exchange a long stare to each other, making him ask, “What?”
 
“It will be a cold lonely day when we share a bed together.” Abi tells him.
 
“What is that supposed to mean?” He asks.
 
“You saved us, you save the children, you saved me but don’t think that I am going to bend over for you to #$@! me to pay you back for all that you did for us.” Abi tells him, pointing her thumb to Naya.
 
“Just a few days ago, you were about to let me do you lovely as payment for saving Little Mary from a Rope Dog Bite.” He tells her.
 
“That was different.” Abi retorted.
 
“Look, Abi, if I can call you that...” Fernando begins.
 
“You can since we now know each other better.” Abi says.
 
He continues, “Well Abi, we do not have to like each other, but we should respect each other. OK?”
 
“That’s the problem.” Abi says.
 
“What’s the problem?” Fernando asks.
 
“The problem is I do like you. And maybe if things were different, it does not have to be a cold and lonely day for us to share a bed.” Abi tells him.
 
“What are you trying to say?” Fernando asks.
 
“OK, I’ll say it. I’m jealous that you have all these females around you wanting to drop their panties for you and give you themselves in a sexual manner for whatever reason. Maybe it is me, but I want to settle down, get a house, some land to grow some things, and do what elder women do when their man gets home from work. I do not want to be on a line to wait for my man.” She tells him.
 
“So, if I can dare say, within your heart, you think in some way that I am your man?” Fernando asks.
 
“You’re not my man, though I feel like you should be. Look, I’m confused about how I feel and I do not want to be taken advantage of because I am confused. Maybe I can be honest with you in saying that, but I worry that in saying that it will back fire on me and be taken advantage of.” She says.
 
“Let me say this... You bent over or sitting on these short barrels with your legs open and me stroking my cock in and out of your pussy?” He says to her.
 
“No!” Abi replies.
 
“Then, deep in your heart or mind, is it something you want to happen?” He throws at her.
 
She answers without thinking, switching back and forth on her answers, “Yes... wait – NO! I Don’t! Stop confusing me!”
 
“Look, Abi. It is OK to be confused. It’s fine to sort out your feelings. But you have to do what you think is right for you, not right for others or think it is going to pay some debt you think is owed. You do not pay any debt with your body for one, even if that debt is your life. You just have to think what is right for you and act on it. Nothing more. You understand what I am telling you?” He tells her.
 
Abi looks down at herself and nods her head.
 
He tells her, “Look, take your lunch and enjoy it. We will be leaving here soon.”  
 
Abi nods as she takes the lunch and goes to the short barrel she was at to eat.
 
He calls for Ichigo to come over to get her lunch. She stands there looking up at him as she receives her meal. As he hands her a sandwich and a soda, Ichigo lets out, “So both Abi and Naya want you to #$@! them?”
 
“It’s not going to happen. Not now anyways.” He says to her.
 
“Well, we spoke about it while you were out there.” Ichigo tell him.
 
“Whatever you three spoke about, I do not want to know about it.” He tells her.
 
“It is rather simple – how we all want to be #$@!ed by you for one reason or another. Even I, as your little girl but I’m the lucky one to sleep with you because the chances of you #$@!ing me is higher than their no chance at all.” Ichigo says.
 
“Ichi...” He growls at her.
 
“It’s OK... daddy.” She says mockingly.
 
“Take your lunch and eat it. We will be leaving as soon as we are done.” He tells her.
 
Ichigo takes her meal and gives him a big ‘canary had eaten the cat’ smile before walking to the barrel she was at. The three of them begin to have their meal. Fernando walks about the basement, finding a large hand truck in a dark corner of the room and brings it to the barrels ad boxes that were put to the side to take with them. After the sandwiches, Fernando gave out a snack that Ruth put in with the lunches.
 
In total it takes less than a half hour for them to eat though Naya claims to only be able to eat half of the sandwich she has as she has not eaten in days and her stomach shrunk. Fernando takes the left-over food and puts is in one bag and the garbage wrappers and containers in another. Usually he would clean up and recycle them, but for now he is not sure what to do. So he holds onto to them for now.
 
He takes one final look at the boxes and barrels before getting everyone together along with the hand truck and teleports everything together in the space between the front of his VW Camper and where Karl and Marvin park their SUVs.
 
“Ichi, Naya – get into my camper and relax. Abi, you’re free to do as you want. Minerva is over there with the kids if you like. I’ll be setting up these barrels and boxes.” Fernando tells them.
 
Ichigo calls to Naya, “Let’s go...”  
 
Abi looks around before leaving to find Minerva. Fernando walk about for a second before running into Hondo, having lunch with Tonya, Zoey and Macey on table and chairs beside his camper.
 
“Hey Hondo. Can I see you for a moment?” Fernando asks.
 
“Sure? Everything OK?” Hondo asks as he follows Fernando.
 
“Things are fine. It is something the girls found in the basement.” Fernando explains as they turn to Fernando’s camper, seeing the barrels and boxes there. Fernando taps on 3 boxes and 3 barrels, “These 6 are yours, but...” He reaches into one of the boxes and pulls out 2 wooden cube chess boxes, one 18in X 18in X 18in and 12in X 12in X 12in, with Hondo’s initials on the top. He hands the boxes to Hondo, “Feels like Gold coins and other things in it. I also got two boxes like that with my initials on it. I have not opened them yet.”
 
“Hmmm...” Hondo responds. “What’s in the boxes? If you know?”
 
“Clothes, tents, blankets, dry foods, canned foods, pots, pans, survival gear, and various other things. The girls took inventory so they would know the details.” Fernando explains.
 
“I see.” Hondo says.
 
“I gotta move the other boxes, though I can teleport a few of them into their campers but some I have to bring in... if you know what I mean.” Fernando explains.
 
“I know what you mean.” Hondo replies.
 
“Alright. I’ll see you later. Remember, 3:30, the bee keeper lady comes with some mead to try out.” Fernando reminds Hondo.
 
“See ya ‘round.” Hondo replies. He head back to his camper with his boxes to put away before taking the barrels and boxes to the trailer.
 
Fernando teleports his boxes to the front passenger seat of his camper and the barrel and boxes to the Dub Box camper. Barrels and boxes are then teleported to Karl’s, Marvin’s, the teen boys’ and girls’, and the bunny girls’ campers. He then puts 2 boxes and 2 barrels to take to Ruth’s camper. Knocking on the door, Joanna answers.
 
“Oh, hi Mister Fernando. Everything OK?” Joanna greets him at the door.
 
“Everything is fine, I think. But first, I got these boxes and things for everyone and this is your share. I do not know the exact contents of the boxes and barrels but it should be something you can use or trade.” Fernando explains to her.
 
“Oh... Leave them there and we’ll deal with them later.” Joanna asks.
 
“It is better for it to be inside your camper. You can go through it and pack up what you need and store the rest you could trade in the box in the back.” Fernando explains.
 
“Alright. Get them in.” Joanna replies.
 
“I can only lift them in. You can slide them to the back of your camper.” Fernando explains. He then lifts each box and barrel into their camper. Esther and Susanna help her slide the boxes and to the back of the camper.
 
While they move the boxes and barrels, Fernando takes two boxes and barrels to the Den Mother’s Troop bus. After a brief explanation, the boxes and barrels are moved into the troop bus. The last set of 3 boxes and barrels went to Jeanette and crew. Jeanette had a lot of questions to ask about this “gift” but Fernando tells them, “Do with it as you want. Empty out their contents, store them away and use as needed. Keep the box and barrels for future use.” They wanted more questions answered but Fernando just ignored them and told them to get ready to leave by tonight.
 
He goes back to this electric camper, about to open the sliding door when Zoey and Macey approach him from behind.
 
“Uhm, daddy?” Macey calls to him.
 
“Yes, Macey?” Fernando replies before opening the sliding door.
 
“Is there a reason why you want me to be with Uncle Hondo tonight?” Macey asks.
 
“It is more like you to be with Zoey, as the camper has a battery that is not recharging and might give problems on the trip to the next town. Instead of having you move to Uncle Hondo’s camper when the camper breaks down, it is better that you be there in the first place.” Fernando explains.
 
“What about Ichigo? She will be with us?” Macey asks.
 
“She will be with me. But Meeshie will be with you in Uncle Hondo’s camper. I just need you to behave and trust you to behave. When Uncle Hondo tells you it is time to sleep, it is time to sleep. No games, no girl-talk, no gossip, no love chat. And do not trap Kitty in the bedroom, Meeshie will take care of Kitty’s needs.” Fernando explains to her.
 
“Yes daddy...” Macey tells him.
 
“Don’t ‘Yes Daddy’ me, Miss. You are to do your best in not only for me but for you. Now, go inside and get a carry bag, the things you need, a blanket and a fresh set of clothes to put on in the morning. Got that?” Fernando sternly tells her.
 
All Macey can do is nod her head. Not the answer he wanted but he’ll talk to her about it another time.
 
“Now, Ichigo and Naya are inside getting things ready for us to leave by tonight. Go in, get your things and you can go with Zoey and Uncle Hondo. I have things to do before we leave. Now go.” Fernando tells her before opening the sliding door. He then points for Macey to go in and get her things.
 
Macey glances over to Naya and Ichigo before getting carry bag to put her things in and then getting onto the bed to get to her shelf to get a few things, including a change a fresh clothes. Fernando reaches into the camper and pulls the thick blanket off the bed and folds it up ad rolls into thick tube about a foot and a half long and less than a foot across. Macey steps out the camper with the bag over her shoulder, Fernando takes the blanket and puts it under her shoulder. She gave him a strange look.
 
“Tonight is going to be a very cold night. And the blanket has my scent on it, so you can sleep thinking I’m there. Now go with them and behave. I’ll see you around dinner time before we roll out.” He tells her.
 
“OK Daddy.” Macey replies before leaving with Zoey.
 
As she leaves with Zoey, Fernando lets out a sigh.
 
“Stressed out?” Ichigo says from her corner of the bed.
 
Fernando looks inside the camper, seeing Ichigo on the bed near by the door.
 
She continues, “Since you gave Macey our blanket, how are we going to stay warm?”
 
“I have another blanket in storage for us to use.” He tells her before throwing in, “We need to take the mattress off the bed and on to the floor. Naya, I need you to pack your things and put it on the driver’s seat for now.”
 
“OK...” Naya replies shyly.
 
“Why you moving the bed to the floor?” Ichigo asks.
 
“The batteries and motor that moves this camper is under the bed. I am having trouble with one of the battery packs; if there is a problem, I do not want the bed to get damaged. Besides, you will be in the passenger seat riding shotgun while we travel to the next town.” He tells her as he climbs into the camper and closes the sliding door.
 
“Oh... I thought we were going to have some alone time to practice making babies.” Ichigo says in a teasing tone.
 
“I’m sure Naya will be willing to allow me to demonstrate on her how babies are made while you watch and learn.” Fernando tells her.
 
“How babies are made?” Naya asks.
 
“You cannot be that dumb...” Ichigo says.
 
“I’m serious, how are babies made?” Naya asks.
 
“Explain it to her while you go sit on the driver’s seat and she sits on the passenger seat while I move the bed to the floor.” Fernando tells her.
 
Ichigo mews in complaint before crawling off the bed on all fours, almost teasing Fernando into seeing her white panty covered ass from under her skirt. When she gets to the edge, Fernando sends a fast swing to her rear end, smacking it hard with a loud clap though it was not meant to hurt.
 
“OW! Why You Did That!” Ichigo complains.
 
“A daughter does not tempt or taunt her father with some booty peek-a-boo in front of others.” He tells her. “Now go to the driver’s seat so I can move the bed.”  
 
“What about Naya?” Ichigo asks, trying to play the blame game.
 
“One, since I have her papers, I own her, like I own a few other Wessens in the group. So I could do with her as I please. If I want to #$@! her here and now in front of you to teach you how parts fit, then she will be y demonstration doll. Now, while I move the bed, I need you to explain to her how babies are made.”  He tells her.
 
Naya gathers her things and takes them to the passenger front seat. While Fernando moves the mattress cover, blankets, and pillows to the floor, Ichigo and Naya talk about sex and how babies are made. Though Naya knew a lot about sex, the union of an egg and sperm creating a baby was something new to her. She just thought sex was sex and making babies was something else.
 
Fernando opens the chest under the bench and pulls out another thick blanket for them to sleep in when it is time for bed. He then moves things in the cupboard under the sink and stove, and moves everything from the shelf on the bed to under the sink. He then flipped the bench over to that the seat was on the wall of the chest and the back was on the back of the chest.
 
Ichigo looks at the back, “It’s all metal back there.”
 
“Yeah and?” Fernando replies.
 
“If it is metal, it would protect us from what happens with the motor and the battery.” Ichigo comments.
 
“The heat from the battery and motor would go through the metal and you would be the egg in a frying pan – safe from the fire but not from the heat.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Oh.” Ichigo says.
 
Taking off his shoes, jacket and hat, Fernando lies down on the bed moved onto the floor, staring up at the ceiling. Taking off her shoes, Ichigo steps out of the driver’s seat and onto the bed beside him or a moment before deciding to climb up on him and straddle him with her hands at his shoulders so she can look down at him. Naya turns on her seat to look at him.
 
“Rough day?” Ichigo asks.
 
“The day is not over until we are at the next town. Until then there is a lot of work to do before we leave of this hell hole and though I can run this camper on the remaining batteries, that one back pack might cause problems and I cannot fix it here and now.” He explains.
 
“Then how about removing it?” Ichigo asks.
 
“Can’t. It provides a balance to the vehicle among other things.” He lies. He could remove it but he thinks he can use it to make a trade with it in the next town and save some money in fixing it. He then tells her, “Look. I’m tired and I need some time to rest.”
 
“Well, go head. I’ll be here.” Ichigo say, signaling Naya to join them.
 
Naya takes her shoes off before getting on the bed and lies on her side facing them.
 
“You two setting me up for something?” He asks.
 
“No. But it just turned out that way.” Ichigo replies.
 
“Hmph...” He responds.
 
“It is not like I’m gonna force you into doing something, even with Naya’s help I doubt we could do anything as you are so much stronger than we are.” Ichigo taunts him.
 
“Ichi – cut it out. I need some peace and quiet so I can rest and think.” Fernando tells her.
 
“OK Then...” Ichigo replies.
 
[To Be Continued...]

Ruth places couple brown paper bags on the table for Fernando. Fernando takes bags off the table, while Ruth puts bag on it for Hondo. Then men gave thanks as Hondo gets his bags before they head off. They walk to the front of Fernando’s camper before they go in their separate directions.  
 
As Hondo heads back to the mechanic’s jeep he had brought and put the bag inside, he realized he forgot to count Maggie in the needed meals. He swore at himself for just thinking of that and turned to walk back, but stopped short as he remembered that Ruth had said something about adding extra meals into the mix. As promised, there were extra, to be exact three extra meat meals and two extra veggie meals, which he was pretty sure was more than she said she would put in originally. He chuckled softly to himself and shook his head.  
 
He knew Ruth was a good woman, too good for this shit-hole of a world and too good to be just another of his women, as she deserved to be loved by one man and to not have to share that love, except with their own children. Not that he did not think that of Molly, and he had once thought that of Valentine, though her pushing him away and now wanting redemption, along with Molly’s pushing him to take her back and let them share him, was the only reason he did not force that belief on either of them.  
 
His moment of a nice thought was ruined as his mind wandered in that direction. He would do his best to love them both, if Valentine did indeed turn her attitude around, but he saw it all as a reflection of weakness in himself. He saw it all as his fault, for not being strong enough to keep Valentine in the first place, of not being chaste enough to be alone and push Molly away as she cared for him when he was injured, offered her mind, soul, and body to him in his time of need, and for not being more decisive or firm enough to tell Valentine it was over and send her away for her sins against them and their marriage. He wondered if he was too soft, too forgiving, on top of it all. Though forgiveness was a biblical ideology, forgive and forget was church manifested extra-biblical nonsense shoved down practitioners’ throats by the holier-than-thou type who wanted their transgressions forgotten by the simpler minded, so they could move on in their pious manner, free to offend again at their leisure. It was so shoved down everyone’s throats that as a boy and young man he believed it, only to find out in his early twenty’s, the hard way, that it was a wrong ideology. Though he knew it, he felt he had to relearn the lesson a time or two and wondered if this would be another instance of that. The only difference was he knew he would never forget what she did. His questioning was if he had allowed her too much room for forgiveness, even if her actions and attitude had to earn it still.  
 
He sighed and shook his head after a moment, realizing that he had been standing beside the jeep, silently staring at nothing for several minutes as his mind took off down that rabbit-hole. His fatigue was catching up with him, but he had to push it off and keep functioning for a while longer, before being able to rest again.  
 
With a sigh of frustration at himself and the situation he was in, he grabbed a spare meat meal and went inside the camper. As he entered he did not see Maggie, so he called out to her.
 
“Maggie? I brought your lunch.” He called out, though not too loudly.  
 
The bathroom door popped open and a pair of masked eyes with some wet hair draped over them peered out. Seeing he was alone, she opened the door and came out in the buff, damp, with a towel clutched between her breasts, and an air of nervousness about her that she just did not have the strength to hide.  
 
“M.master Hondo, y.y.you didn’t h.have to b.bring me f.f.food. I.. I know you h.have a lot t.t.to do.” She stammered, glancing at him quickly before looking down at the floor again.
 
“I do, but you need to eat. One of my chores is to help make sure everyone is fed, that includes you.” He replied, trying not to stare at her wet, naked form too much, though it was hard not to as she was quite cute, especially in this wet/bedraggled state.  
 
“Th.thank you, M.m.master…. I.. I h.hope you d.d.don’t m.mind that I t.took a sh.sh.sh.shower.” She said.
 
“Of course not. You’ve had a long day an’ cleanin’ up before you rest is good to do if you can.” He said as he set her food on the counter.
 
“S.s.sorry I d.din’t ask f.first, but I..I didn’t w.want to b.b.bother you.” She replied timidly as she clutched her towel a bit tighter; her body and mind just reflexively expecting punishment for acting on her own for herself.  
 
She flinched as he put a hand on her damp shoulder and squeezed it slightly.
 
“Relax. It’s alright. I know we need to talk an’ go over this master/slave relationship, as we both have a lot to figure out an’ overcome, but if it helps, as your master, I’m givin’ you an order to take care of yourself. When not doin’ what I asked you to do, or when you need to within reason, I expect you to wash, use the bathroom, eat, sleep, and so on. I want to help you, Maggie, an’ I am wilin’ly takin’ you in as my slave because you asked it of me, I owe you for takin’ care of Val an’ bringin’ her to us, an’ I believe you are a good woman who just needs some help. But even so, I can’t direct your every move, as I don’t have the time. I also want you to get more comfortable with me, as I’m not sure how I’ll be able to help you, especially with your heat, if you’re afraid of me all the time.” He said softly.
 
“I’m s.sorry, M.m.master… I.. I’m not r.really af.af.afraid of you… I’m just… I’m.. I’m sorry!” She exclaimed as she leaned into him and started crying again.
 
“*sigh* … No, I’m sorry. I put you through too much today… I was so focused on tryin’ to save those girls I didn’t see how much it was exhaustin’ you.” He replied.
 
“No! It’s all my fault for being weak and cowardly!” She blurted out into his chest as she cried.” Please, forgive me! I’ll do better, I promise! Punish me, for being bad! I’ll take any p.punishment from you, if you’ll forgive me!”  
 
He pulled her close for a moment and rubbed her back, “Maggie, you did nothin’ wrong. You showed more bravery than several here at camp have, an’ without promptin’, you listened to me better than most here do, an’ you’ve been through more than most all of them, with maybe the bunny girls or a couple of the others Jefe saved bein’ the only ones comin’ close! Hell, Val hasn’t gone through a quarter of the shit most of ya have gone through an’ she completely fell apart on me! You maybe are fallin’ apart now, but you held together when I needed ya to. I couldn’t ask for a lot more, other than for you to try to not be so scared of me… an’ maybe to wear some clothes ‘round the camper.”
 
She pulled back from him and looked up for a moment as she sniffed away her tears and tried to regain some composure, before looking down at her bare, wet body.
 
“Are… *sniff, sniff* … are you ashamed of my body?... B.because I’m w.wessen?” She asked softly.
 
He frowned at her, “This has nothin’ to do with me bein’ ashamed, which I’m not, or you bein’ wessen, though ya are. There is a lot of traffic in an’ out of here, an’ I don’t want someone gettin’ the wrong idea ‘bout you an’ hurtin’ you, then me havin’ to kill them for hurtin’ you. Plus, I have a couple girls, one mine an’ one Jefe’s, who are still impressionable an’ are learnin’ how to best be decent an’ such. I don’t care if you sleep in little to nothin’, but durin’ the day at least, while out an’ about, at least panties an’ a bra or shirt, an’ shorts, pants, or skirt is preferred as well, since we don’t want folks thinkin’ I’m usin’ you or the like.”
 
She blushed a bit, as the thought of him using her ran through her mind, “I.. I don’t mind if people think that.”
 
“Well, I do. I want them to think well of you an’ I need them to think decent of me, at least. Can’t help people if they think I’m goin’ against the rules I’m pushin’ on others.” He replied.
 
“B.but, y.y.you’ll still h.help me w.w.with m.my heat, r.right?” She asked nervously.
 
He nodded, “I said I would an’ I will, though I’ve not had a chance to talk to Fernando yet… Are you gonna be able to not be afraid of me enough so I can?”
 
She looked up at him sheepishly for a moment before looking back down and nodded, “Y.yes… If m.my h.h.heat is l.like they used t.to b.b.be, th.then I.. I w.won’t have a ch.ch.choice b.but to b.be fr.fr.fr.friendly… especially w.with you.”
 
Though he did not fully understand, he had an imagination and nodded knowingly.
 
“Alright then. Now, how ‘bout you eat an’ get some rest.” He replied.
 
She nodded.
 
“Oh, an’ I’m probably gonna bring Tonya, Zoey, an’ Macey back in a few minutes, as they need to get ready for tonight, lay a truck seat down an’ turn it into a bed for them, as Macey’s ridin’ with Zoey an’ I tonight. I’ll tell them to keep it quiet for you.” He replied.
 
“Th.they don’t h.have to worry ab.about me.” She said quietly “There.. there’s room n.next to th.those bunny girls on y.your big bed. I can w.watch them better there… I’ll get dressed first, though.”
 
“You don’t have to get dressed if in there. Just have somethin’ ready, like a robe to throw on or a night shirt.” He replied.
 
She looked away from him again sheepishly, and blushed with embarrassment this time.
 
“I.. I d.don’t have any th.thing like that.” She stated softly.
 
“Well, we’ll have to fix that at the next best stoppin’ point. For now…” He paused and headed to the loft, disappearing inside and returning shortly with a black t-shirt in one hand and the dirty snuggies from the rabbit girls in the other.  
 
He threw the snuggies by the door before holding the t-shirt out to Maggie. “Here is one of my t-shirts. I wear a tall, so on you it should almost be a nightgown.”  
 
She looked at it and him for a moment before reaching out with a trembling hand and taking it from him, before setting the towel down and pulled it on quickly. Though it was quite large on her, so much so that if she wasn’t careful more than cleavage would show through the neck, it went down almost to her knees. She looked up at him with it on, and looked to be at the verge of crying again.
 
“Th.thank you, M.master… You’re s.s.so kind t.to me.” She whispered.
 
He forced a soft smile for her, “Eat an’ get some rest. I need you rested enough to drive tonight. Check on the girls occasionally, an’ if there are problems, call Jefe or I on the radio. Don’t use our names, though. Jefe calls me the righteous cowboy on the radio, ‘cause of fight town, I reckon, an’ we all just call him the medic. You remember how to use the radio, right?”
 
She nodded.
 
“Alright. Get some rest. I’ll be around if you need me.” He said.
 
She came up to him again, without saying anything, and stared at his chest for a moment before looking up at him fearfully. She stared up at him for a moment before quickly stretching up on her toes and kissing his stubbly cheek. After, she quickly dropped back flat footed before taking a quick step back while staring at the floor and blushing, trembling all the while. He looked at her for a moment before placing a hand on her arm and giving it a light squeeze again. She tensed at his touch, visibly fighting her reflex to jump as he touched her, but despite her tired state it was a good effort on her part. After a few seconds, he let go, turned, grabbed the dirty snuggies off the floor, and strode out without another word, leaving Maggie to her food and a nap. There was still much to do and little time in which to do it.
 
Once outside Hondo climbed back into the jeep, threw the snuggies on the floor, fired up the engine, and headed back to the hanger. He was in a bit of a hurry, but not like the night before, so he drove fairly quickly, though not recklessly. While he could have cut the time greatly by teleporting, it was still a newish concept to him, and just thinking of covering such a short distance with it was not something that came to mind right away. Within ten minutes he pulled back up to the hanger, shut off the jeep and stepped out. The soldier guarding the front glanced at him and nodded, though nothing else was said. The wessen squad he was pretty sure was that of Sargent Piper Quartermain, and though Elis had said he would introduce them at change out, Hondo had already left to town by the time that had happened. Normally he would try to find the Sargent to meet with her, but as he had a lot to do and they were planning to regroup at the camp soon, he did not feel that it was a priority at this time.
 
With food bag in hand he headed in to where the group was still working on sorting stuff out.
 
“How goes it?” He asked in general as he approached, glancing at the tool piles.
 
“I think we are getting close. How do the tools look so far?” Molly asked.
 
He looked them over and nodded, “Yeah, looks ‘bout right… The extra trouble lights, big charger, an’ air tools, the larger jack, the weldin’ supplies, an’ some of the single larger tools go in the tool trailer, since it has more room an’ a generator/air compressor/ welder combo unit on it. The battery jump box an’ air compressor goes with the other jeep. The small hand tools an’ battery stuff I want in the jeeps, as the trailer can be switched as needed then.”
 
Molly nodded, “Makes sense. We should have it wrapped up in 30 to 45 minutes.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Sound good, but I brought lunch, so you all probably should take a break an’ eat.”
 
“I’m down for lunch!” Madison says as he set down an armload.
 
Patricia shook her head at him disapprovingly, “You’re always ready to eat.”
 
“Never know when the next meal might be, so get it when you can.” Marvin said, trying to defend Madison.
 
Madison grinned and nodded, “My thoughts exactly!”
 
Patricia just sighed and shook her head, as there was no use saying more since she would not win this one.  
 
“Miniya, would you call into my girls an’ tell them to come on out?” Hondo asked, as he headed to the kitchen to set the food out.
 
She nodded, “Su .. *Hic* ..ure.”
 
He shook his head, “Still have the hiccups? Damn.”
 
Miniya just gave him a sheepish look before heading off to get Tonya, Macey, and Zoey.
 
Molly chuckled, “Heh! Yeah, they seemed to almost stop until you got back. You have a strange effect on some of us women.”
 
He shrugged, “Don’t know why. I mean, strange, I get, but can’t say as I’ve given anyone the hiccups before.”  
 
As he set out the lunches he bagged up four meat lunches.
 
“Extra?” Molly asked.
 
He shook his head, “No, I planned to take the girls to the camper now, if they had all their stuff ready, an’ eat with them there so I could get them lined out. Jefe wants Macey to bunk with Zoey tonight, so need to get that back bed in the truck setup for them.”
 
“Macey’s riding with us?!” Zoey exclaimed as she skipped up, overhearing the conversation.
 
Macey and Tonya followed behind a bit slower, with Miniya bringing up the rear, hiccupping still as she approached. Macey looked a little glum, but was not sure if it was because she was with them another night or just her normal somber look.  
 
This town had not been friendly to Macey or Zoey either. Since they had gotten lost trying to go see Hondo, after they were told he was hurt bad and of which they were accused of running away to which neither Fernando nor Hondo spoke to them for several days after they were rescued to protect the girls from their own anger, they had been mostly locked away, besides the couple quick trips to town. It was for their own protection, for Zoey’s because she was part wessen and for Macey because Fernando felt she was safer tucked away with Zoey in Hondo’s care. In truth they probably both felt like they were both the only friends each other had and the only ones who truly understood their hurt, sorrow, and yearnings.  
 
Though Zoey got to see Hondo occasionally, she craved some time alone with him, or with him, her, and Macey alone, since in almost he every thought she included Macey, including some of her wilder thoughts and imaginings she would not share, even with Macey due to her spilling her secret back in center town. In reality, though, most of the thoughts were of them going swimming, or camping, or going to town and getting a treat together, but occasionally, when feelings in her stirred, it was more. Sometimes her imaginings were of four of them together, as sometimes Val was still with them or Tonya was along, but, in her mind, there was not much she wanted to do without Macey by her side. Though she included Macey in some of her wilder imaginings, which were fewer than her more innocent imaginings, it was never about doing things to each other; it was just about doing things together.
 
 Macey had not really seen or spent time with Fernando since before everything went crazy in Flight Town, and though she felt as Zoey was her only real friend, she had several thoughts about spending time alone with her father that consisted of just them alone and no one else. It’s not that she did not like her Uncle, in fact she loved him and loved being with him, though she was not so vocal about her feelings as Zoey was. For Macey, Hondo was probably the third person she ever loved or felt loved her back, with Zoey being the second and her father the first, but her love for each of them was different and the place her father held in her mind and heart was something special, and her yearns for him were stronger and special. The aching she felt for time with him, and the jealousy she felt from Ichigo and others having time with him that she could not, only made her imaginations wilder. She was fairly sure most of her wild imaginings would never happen, and though her imaginings were a lot wilder than Zoey’s they were not a lot different in some aspects. Growing up in a whore-house had a way of effecting a young mind that way, to where even the imaginings of going out for ice cream with her adopted father turned racy. In truth Zoey’s were not a lot different despite her innocent nature, but she had lead less than a sheltered life as well.  
 
Growing up as a slave did not afford one a lot of privacy and, as such, facts of life were talked about freely and often displayed openly. Every slave knew it did not matter on their station, if they were experienced, or if they wanted to or not, if they were called on to be of service, they had to be of service in anyway or capacity they could, which was usually bodily. Hondo and Fernando had both saved them and their bodies from use they had both accepted as fate, and thus, in at least a part of their young, but approaching womanhood, minds, they felt that not only did all they have and were belonged to their fathers, but also it could only be protected if taken by them as well. Though neither of them talked about it, and they knew where their fathers stood, it did not stop their adolescent minds from wandering on the what if or maybe coulds. For now, just being with them would have been enough, but they did not get enough of being with them, so it made all the feelings worse.  
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah, Uncle Fernando think’s it would be safer as he’s havin’ some issues with his rig. So, I’ll take you three in an’ show you what needs done, we can have lunch then I’ll come back here. You alright with keepin’ an eye on them, Tonya?”
 
Tonya nodded, “Of course, papa. I don’t mind.”
 
“So, we are leaving tonight?” Molly inquired.
 
Hondo nodded, “Yeah. Jefe confirmed that with this request.”
 
Molly nodded, “Alright. Another night would have been nice, but I think we can be ready.”
 
Hondo nodded then turned back to his girls, “You three have your stuff all packed then?”  
 
“All packed and ready to go!” Zoey exclaimed cheerfully, feeling excited about moving on and moving back to the camper, which might give her more access to Hondo.
 
“I’m all good.” Tonya replied.
 
Macey nodded slightly but did not say anything.
 
“Can’t hear your brains rattle, little lady. You all ready?” He asked Macey.
 
Macey looked up at him with a lopsided frown.
 
“Yeah I guess.” She replied glumly.
 
“You alright?” He queried.
 
She sighed and nodded, “*sigh* yeah.”
 
He knew there was something bothering her, but he did not want to embarrass her by pushing it in front of everyone, as she was a fairly private person about a lot of things. Besides, he was running out of time to get everything done and he figured she was as tired of this place as the rest of them were.  
 
He nodded, “Well, alright, you girls go throw your stuff in the Bronco as we’re leavin’ the jeep here for now. Zoey an’ Macey in the back seat, Tonya can sit up with me. Don’t forget to grab Meeshie, Kitty, an’ their stuff as well.”
 
They nodded, then trotted off as Hondo turned back to those remaining.  
 
“There should be a few extra meals there, so split them as needed. I’ll be back in an hour or less, hopefully. Miniya, Patricia, if you would clean out the other jeep, please. There are some clean snuggies in the back that I need placed up front in one of the jeeps once they are both cleaned up. There is a few dirty ones that need washed, please get them in the washer for Molly as she should be resting.” He said, glancing at Molly as she gave off a frustrated sigh for feeling so helpless still.  
 
“We can do that.” Patricia said, with Minya nodding, though frowning a bit at the thought of laundry.  
 
“Those rabbit girls were pretty dirty, so wash the seats down the best you can. Patricia, that jeep with the snuggies in it you an’ Alice will be riding in, since she has some mechanic abilities. Madison, you an’ Robin will take the one with the trailer. That should leave Dakota, Francis, and Jordan to take your dune buggy an’ Lisa an’ Nancy to the girls’ dune buggy. So, once we have everything loaded you two can drive into camp yourselves. Wait until I get back, though, as I want to throw a couple thing on the trailer an’ it will take a couple of us to manage it.” Hondo said.
 
“Heavy stuff?” Madison asked.
 
“More so awkward. We’ll deal with it when I get back.” He said.
 
“What a *hic*bout me?” Miniya asked.
 
“Eat your lunch an’ help them out for a bit, then go get ready. When I come back I’ll take you an’ Molly in.” He turned to Molly, “You need any help?”  
 
She shook her head, “Not really. Just need to finish packing up our clothes and such. Will have to wait until the wash is done, but shouldn’t be more than a couple hours if we get the sunggies in right away.”
 
Hondo nodded, “We can work with that. Just want to get you back to get some rest before we need to leave.”
 
“I’m fine if there’s more to do.” She replied.
 
He ignored her reply, “Anything else need done upstairs in our room?”
 
Molly shook her head, “No, all that was done a while ago.  Not much left but a few of our items and some clothes I need to pack.”
 
Hondo nodded understandingly, taking it to mean that his guests from the previous evening were gone already. That made him feel some relief. As much as he needed last night, after all that had happened that day, he still felt off about it all. He was not sure if he should feel guilty or not, but whatever he should feel he kept it held back for now. There was no time to unwrap it all or even begin to process what he had done, what he might do, what he had become, or what he might yet become on this path he was going down in life.  
 
He nodded for longer than needed as a few thoughts ran through his mind, which made Molly cock her head at him curiously.
 
“You alright, my love?” She asked.
 
Hondo looked up at her questioningly, as he did not realize he let so much time pass at first, “Hmm?? … Oh! Uh, No! .. no. Just.. *sigh* just my mind wandered a bit there. Got a lot to do yet, and trying to fit it all in.”
 
He was not lying, though his reply was purposely misleading. Not because he was trying to hide his thoughts from Molly, but he knew she would try to get him to talk about it, something of which it was not the right place not did they have time to do so.
 
“You’re tired, aren’t you?” She stated more than asked.
 
“Darlin’, you know I am, but please don’t ask me to rest or the like. I don’t have time, no matter how much I want to. An’ please don’t argue with me ‘bout you restin’ when I ask you to. I am runnin’ on empty, but I have things I need to do an’ I can do them if I’m not so worried ‘bout you all. So, I NEED everyone rested. Tonya will drive first, but I want you up to keep her alert as she’s never driven at night before. I NEED you to rest and heal so you can look after the girls when I’m not around an’ can eventually rest. An’ I just NEED everyone to listen an’ do what I say right now, without questions as I am gettin’ growly, I know I am, an’ I don’t want to snap at anyone.” He replied softly, with an undertone of frustration to his voice.
 
He knew she worried about him and it made him love her more, but he just was not sure he could take the “You need to rest and take care of yourself” conversation right now. He rubbed his eyes as he braced for her to argue, albeit lovingly, but he was surprised as she just came over to him, put a hand on his arm, gave him a worried look, a kiss on the cheek, and then stepped back. He looked up at her questioningly.
 
“I understand, my love. Just tell us what to do and we’ll do it.” Molly said.
 
The other’s who had been listening in and obviously watching them both, seeming to only be missing their popcorn as they watched and hoped for a show, nodded in agreement.
 
“Sure, Mr. Hondo! Just tell us and we will get it done!” Madison replied.
 
“I’ll *hic* help if I *hic* can.” Miniya said, sounding a bit reserved.
 
“Is there anything else?” Patricia asked.
 
He shook his head, “No, just what I stated. When you get back, I want everyone to rest if you can, main drivers at least and back-ups if possible. I know some of you are guardin’ but I’ll ask for a few more soldiers if we need to. We aren’t in a big convoy this time. It’s our camp. The army will come later. SO, we have to handle everythin’.”
 
The others nodded.
 
“Understood! Alright ladies, you heard the boss!” Madison said as he turned and walked off.
 
Madison stopped shot, turned around, looked at them all for a second before returning to sheepishly grab his food before Turing and heading off again quickly.  
 
Both Patricia and Miniya shook their heads at him and Molly chuckled softly. Molly glanced at Hondo for a moment and wondered what Hondo would have been like as a teen, and she wished she would have met him and been with him then. She knew he was not of her timeline, as he had told her as much, though she did not understand it all, but that did not factor into her thinking. She just wished she had known him when he had less of a burden on him, when it could have been just her and him against the world, in a time he was more young, free, and his heart full of optimism and hope. She loved him for who he was now, but she ached for him to be more relaxed and for a time when smiles came to his face more readily. He smiled for her and the girls at times, but she could see too much hurt and stress under it. She had not seen him smile in a time where it was not masking some pain or struggle. That was something she wanted to see, now more than ever; a time when her man smiled without pain.
 
Marvin and Karl we the next to grab their lunches then head back into the main hanger to look over what they had left to do and to bullshit with Madison, and then the ladies grabbed theirs and went to the couch by the work bench, to eat, talk, and lay out their own plans, sure the men, or boys as Patricia referred to them as, would miss some detail if they did not stay on top of things.  
 
As they left him to eat their lunches, talk, and to go about their tasks, Hondo went to the fridge and grabbed a beer from it. There was only a couple left, but he was fairly sure they would all be gone before they left, if he had his way at least. His gut felt bad again, his body and head ached, and he felt just worn thin. He took a deep swig from the beer bottle and stood quietly for a moment before fishing into his pocket and pulling out a small metal container. He popped it open and pulled out a pain pill and an energy pill from it, from the batch the older Valentine, Maria V, had given him, popped them in his mouth and washed them down with beer. Molly would not approve, but he had to keep going and knew of no other way. He was not sure why he felt so off inside, but after all he had been through he really didn’t question it, writing it off as stress, exhaustion, and weakness, the latter he hated and refused to accept. There was not time to rest, though, so he would rest later and continue to push himself for now.  
 
After he had washed the pills down, the girls appeared again, with their bags over their shoulders, and cats in hand, and headed towards the Bronco. He downed the last of his beer and tossed the bottle into a bottle container, of which someone would sell to some brewery for them to reuse later, though he did not care who.  
 
There was not much that was not recycled somehow in this world, which was probably the only good thing it had going for it. Bottles, like other things, were hard to come by and were made thicker and hardier than those from his time, so they could easily be washed and reused. He did not care to sell them himself, but someone would later, he was sure, but who he had no way of telling. He owned the hanger, though he had only wanted to rent it. However, renting the hanger for a few weeks was almost more expensive than buying it out right, due to all other groups interested in it for the space in which they could secured goods and vehicles, as well as it containing one of the few accesses too water. The one renting the hanger for a week could make their rent payment plus, if they advertised water and sold access to it by day, which was not against the rental agreement. The rental company could have made more money by leasing access to the well alone, but either they were not ambitious enough to do so, or had ulterior motives in making the water access as unpredictable as was the price to access it, since the renter, if they were willing to sell access to the water or the water itself to others, set the price as they saw fit.  
 
Owning the hanger had at least given them control over a well, of which few were available as is in town. The only question now was, what he would do with the place once they left? He had not even thought that far, in all honesty. Locking it up and hoping for the best was all the time he had right now, but maybe Fernando had an idea, if he ever got a chance to talk to him this day without something else that needed his immediate attention pressing on him.  
 
As he approached the Bronco, the girls hoisted their bags inside and climbed into the seats he assigned to them earlier, Macey holding Kitty and Zoey holding Meeshie as they sat in place, since Meeshie and Macey still were not exactly on friendly terms, though Meeshie was learning to tolerate this new intrusion into her life. He climbed in once all their doors were shut, started the engine, shifted the trans into first, eased out on the clutch, and started rolling towards the camp once more.  
 
In less than fifteen minutes they were back in camp, parked beside Hondo’s camper, cats and bags inside the camper, and the four of them out sitting at the table beside the camper, eating their lunches, as they had done many days before Valentine had lost her mind. It was like a brief window into more pleasant days past, which gave Hondo some hope that things might settle out a bit once they got away from this town. As they sat there the girls chatted about things, some things they wanted Hondo’s input into, though none of it was overly important, and he gave them an overview of what they needed to setup before they left that night, when their mouths were full and they were forced to be quiet, at least.  
 
As they sat eating, Fernando walked up to them.
 
“Hey Hondo. Can I see you for a moment?” Fernando asks.  
 
“Sure? Everything OK?” Hondo asks as he follows Fernando.  
 
“Things are fine. It is something the girls found in the basement.” Fernando explains as they turn to Fernando’s camper, seeing the barrels and boxes there. Fernando taps on 3 boxes and 3 barrels, “These 6 are yours, but...” He reaches into one of the boxes and pulls out 2 wooden cube chess boxes, one 18in X 18in X 18in and 12in X 12in X 12in, with Hondo’s initials on the top. He hands the boxes to Hondo, “Feels like Gold coins and other things in it. I also got two boxes like that with my initials on it. I have not opened them yet.”  
 
“Hmmm...” Hondo responds. “What’s in the boxes? If you know?”  
 
“Clothes, tents, blankets, dry foods, canned foods, pots, pans, survival gear, and various other things. The girls took inventory so they would know the details.” Fernando explains.  
 
“I see.” Hondo says.  
 
“I gotta move the other boxes, though I can teleport a few of them into their campers but some I have to bring in... if you know what I mean.” Fernando explains.  
 
“I know what you mean.” Hondo replies.  
 
“Alright. I’ll see you later. Remember, 3:30, the bee keeper lady comes with some mead to try out.” Fernando reminds Hondo.  
 
“See ya ‘round.” Hondo replies. He head back to his camper with his boxes to put away before taking the barrels and boxes to the trailer.
 
The girls finished their lunch as Hondo moved stuff around in the trailer behind the camper and started to stash stuff away. He was about half done when the younger two peaked their heads around the corner and watched him quietly for a moment.
 
“You finished your food?” He asked after a moment.
 
They both nodded in reply.
 
“So, probably should be getting’ your sleepin’ area setup in the truck like, right?” He said more than asked.
 
“Uhm, Macey wanted some more clothes and stuff from their camper, so Tonya said we should let you know what we were doing.” Zoey said a bit hesitantly, reacting to his mood that she almost could feel empathically at the moment.
 
He sighed then nod, “Alright, but be quick ‘bout it. I want you both with Tonya in the camper workin’ while I’m gone. It’s safer in camp now, but I don’t want either of you far from me, Molly, Tonya, or the camper until we are someplace safer, alright?”
 
They both frowned a bit but nodded.
 
“Okay, papa.” Zoey said a bit dejectedly, feeling almost trapped still.
 
Hondo picked up his head and looked at them, hearing her tone well enough. He set the box down he had in his hands and walked over to them slowly. Macey just looked at the ground, and Zoey looked up at him nervously, half expecting to get scolded for her tone. Instead he put an arm around them both and pulled them against him.
 
“I know it’s been hard on you both, bein’ here, an’ I’ve been a bit hard on you too. I’m just worried ‘bout you both.” He said.
 
“We know.” Macey said quietly.
 
“Zoey sighed and nodded, “*sigh*, yeah, we know, papa, but… its just so boring being cooped up and… and we want to do things with you.”
 
“And Daddy.” Macey added.
 
“I know, an’ we’ll do our best to do more with ya an’ find a safer place to stay at the next place. Just try to understand an’ keep bein’ good for us. We’ll try to do better too, I promise.” He said.
 
Macey just nodded, and Zoey gave him a weak smile.
 
“We love you, papa.” She said quietly.
 
Macey nodded, though she looked pretty glum, “Yeah… wh.what she said.”
 
He forced a smile and nodded, “I love you both too. Now, hurry up an’ get what ya need. I hafta leave soon to go get Molly an’ Miniya.”
 
The walked off, slouching a bit as they headed off. Even Zoey’s natural good spirits were being tried in this place. She was happy to be back home, but it still felt off. Something was just not right here, and she wanted Hondo to stay with them until it did, but she knew he had things to do. She owed him too much to get in his way, yet she wanted to latch onto him and not let go. It tore at her, and though she tried to hide it, she wore her heart and emotions on her sleeve.
 
 
As Macey approached her and her father’s camper, with Zoey on her six, Fernando stood at the sliding door, about to open it.
 
**“Uhm, daddy?” Macey calls to him.
 
“Yes, Macey?” Fernando replies before opening the sliding door.
 
“Is there a reason why you want me to be with Uncle Hondo tonight?” Macey asks.
 
“It is more like you to be with Zoey, as the camper has a battery that is not recharging and might give problems on the trip to the next town. Instead of having you move to Uncle Hondo’s camper when the camper breaks down, it is better that you be there in the first place.” Fernando explains.
 
“What about Ichigo? She will be with us?” Macey asks.
 
“She will be with me. But Meeshie will be with you in Uncle Hondo’s camper. I just need you to behave and trust you to behave. When Uncle Hondo tells you it is time to sleep, it is time to sleep. No games, no girl-talk, no gossip, no love chat. And do not trap Kitty in the bedroom, Meeshie will take care of Kitty’s needs.” Fernando explains to her.
 
“Yes daddy...” Macey tells him.
 
“Don’t ‘Yes Daddy’ me, Miss. You are to do your best in not only for me but for you. Now, go inside and get a carry bag, the things you need, a blanket and a fresh set of clothes to put on in the morning. Got that?” Fernando sternly tells her.
 
All Macey can do is nod her head. Not the answer he wanted but he’ll talk to her about it another time.
 
“Now, Ichigo and Naya are inside getting things ready for us to leave by tonight. Go in, get your things and you can go with Zoey and Uncle Hondo. I have things to do before we leave. Now go.” Fernando tells her before opening the sliding door. He then points for Macey to go in and get her things.
 
Macey glances over to Naya and Ichigo before getting carry bag to put her things in and then getting onto the bed to get to her shelf to get a few things, including a change a fresh clothes. Fernando reaches into the camper and pulls the thick blanket off the bed and folds it up ad rolls into thick tube about a foot and a half long and less than a foot across. Macey steps out the camper with the bag over her shoulder, Fernando takes the blanket and puts it under her shoulder. She gave him a strange look.
 
“Tonight is going to be a very cold night. And the blanket has my scent on it, so you can sleep thinking I’m there. Now go with them and behave. I’ll see you around dinner time before we roll out.” He tells her.
 
“OK Daddy.” Macey replies before leaving with Zoey.**
 
As they walked away, Zoey moved up beside her, taking her bag to help her, leaving the blanket in which Macey clung to tightly as they slowly walked back, of which Macey seemed to deliberately be going slow.
 
“Why did you need more clothes? You have a bag at our camper already.” Zoey asked.
 
Macey shrugged, “Dunno. Guess I wanted to wear something different. Don’t you even want to wear something other than your jeans, button up shirts, and that duster coat?”
 
Zoey shrugged, “Not really. It’s better than what I used to have as a slave. An old t-shirt with holes and canvas pants tied up with rope were all I had. It’s so much better since Papa saved me and I’m not a slave anymore.”
 
 “Yeah…” Macey replied, frowning a bit as she thought of the life she was living before Fernando had saved her, what she had been hiding from that day she offered to suck his dick for some protection, and what fate she might have been doomed to had he not came along or had taken it upon himself to take her in and care for her.  
 
“Well, Maybe I wanted to have my sweatpants to sleep in incase something happens, instead of just sleeping in my underwear and hoodie.” She replied quickly after a moment, trying to change the subject to divert her own thoughts.
 
“I’m still not used to panties. They feel weird, so I don’t like to wear them, especially when sleeping.” Zoey said scrunching up her nose a bit as she pulled out a wedgie subconsciously.
 
Macey gave her a bit of a sour look, “I know!  ... *sigh* Well, maybe I wanted something nicer than the skirt and hoodie I’ve been wearing too. Something..”  She paused, sounding a bit sad as she spoke again, “something that Daddy might like to see me in.”
 
Zoey looked over at her friend noting the sad tone in her voice, and the distant look in her eyes.
 
“You don’t want to stay with me and papa, do you?” Zoey asked, seeming upset at the thought that Macey might not want to be with her.
 
“It’s not like that.” Macey replied grouchily.
 
“But, then why are you upset? Are you made at me, or Papa, or something?” She asked, feeling as if Macey’s unhappiness was a reflection on her somehow.
 
“You know that’s not it!” Macey snarled.
 
“Then why?!” Zoey asked, sounding a bit desperate.
 
“You know why!” She replied curtly.
 
“I don’t!” Zoey exclaimed.
 
Macey stopped short and turned to her, forcing Zoey to stop quickly too.
 
“*Sigh* I just… I just… I just feel like daddy doesn’t want me around anymore, that’s all.” She said quietly and sadly, before turning away.
 
“That’s not true!” Zoey exclaimed.
 
“But what if it is?!” Macey exclaimed in a horse whisper.
 
Zoey frowned and looked down, “Well, Papa loves you and you could always stay with us.”
 
Macey shook her head, “It’s not the same.”
 
“You don’t love papa?” Zoey asked, sounding a bit hurt.
 
“NO! I mean… Grrr… Of course I love him! I love him and I love you! There, I said it! Don’t make me say it again, okay?!  But! … but it’s not the same! Besides, he’s your dad, not mine!” She growled quietly.
 
“He could be if you wanted.” Zoey replied quietly, as she looked down sheepishly.
 
“It’s not that…*sigh*… You’re just to young… you don’t understand.” Macey replied in a condescending tone.
 
Zoey looked up quickly, looking a bit hurt, “I don’t understand wanting to be held by Papa, and loved, and wanting to sleep with him, and feel him hold me, and feeling good just by being with him, though I feel like it should be more, somehow? I told you how I feel, remember??”  
 
Macey raised an eyebrow at her, “Okay, so maybe you understand, a little at least, but..
 
“But what?! *sigh* … You’re my bestest friend, Macey, and I just want you happy, even if that means sharing papa with you, as well as Tonya, Molly, and Mama! Don’t you understand?!” Zoey asked quickly.
 
Macey frowned, but softened her tone at her, as it hit her how much Zoey cared about her and was not only willing to but wanted to share with her. She had never had anyone really care about her like this before Fernando took her from under his van, took her in, cleaned her up, and brought her into this group of strangers that were now becoming her real, true, and only family. And though they did care, she was only really starting to understand it, though much of it evaded her still.
 
“Zo, I do understand and appreciate it but.. uhm… Do you want time with my dad like that?” Macey asked quietly.
 
Zoey stopped for a second and stared at her as her mind reeled for a moment. It was not any scenario of which she had really postulated before, though Fernando seemed strong and dashing to her, albeit a bit scary at times. He had always treated her well, and had only really spoken harshly to her a couple times, though she knew she deserved it. She did feel safe when he was around and her papa could not be, but it had not really occurred to her until now. She honestly had not thought about this before now, though, and she was not sure exactly where she stood.
 
“Uhm… well… I don’t know… I mean, I guess if Papa wasn’t around and I was scared or sad and he offered to hold me and make me not feel scared I would… I mean, uhm, er.. I love Uncle Fernando, though he scares me a little sometimes, but… I guess it just wouldn’t be the same as with papa, I mean… I want to be around him, but I want Papa more, I guess… uhm…” She said quietly as she took on thoughts she had never had before.
 
Macey nodded, “I understand. So, now try to understand how I feel. I love Uncle Hondo, I do, and I love you and want to be with you both… Maybe I want to be here a lot and want Uncle Hondo to love me and want me around, but it’s.. it’s just not the same! I want Daddy more. I want time with him more, or at least more time with him. And.. And.. *sigh* … I… I want him to want me… Understand?”
 
Zoey frowned but nodded, “Yeah, I understand, but… What if something happened and.. and you needed to live with us.”
 
“You mean if I lost daddy?” Macey asked quietly.
 
Zoey nodded.
 
“What if something happened to Uncle Hondo and you needed to stay with us?” Macey asked back.
 
“I … I don’t want to even think about it.” Zoey said quietly.
 
“I rather not think of losing either of them, honestly… I’m.. I’m not sure I could take it.” Macey replied quietly.
 
Zoey nodded, “I’m sorry I asked… It was a bad question… Sorry, Macey.”
 
 Macey was about to reply but Tonya popped out of the camper and interrupted them.
 
“There you two are! We need to get seats down, and beds made, both of them, so we are ready to leave.” Tonya said. “Papa wants all that ready as soon as possible.”
 
They nodded and started heading to the cab of the truck, of which the camper was built around.
 
“I’ll be glad to get out of here.” Macey said glumly.  
 
Zoey nodded, “Yeah.. me too.”
 
Their mood was notably darker for a while, due to each battling with their own fears and doubts, of which their talk had pushed to the front of their minds. This town had not been good to them, and though a few with them now had been rescued and were glad this group had stopped in Flight town, Zoey and Macey would both long remember this stop with a frown, being glad it was nothing but a memory.  
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,
 
After Hondo had finished in the trailer, he checked on the girls, who were quietly working on setting up the truck cab for the trip. Of the three rows of seats, the front was cleared of anything not needed, and left open for the girls to sit up with him before going to bed. The middle seat was laid down and the curtains put up around it, as they prepared to make it into a bed, and the back seat was laid down, with Tonya working on putting the curtains up and making it up into a bed for the rabbit wessen girls, of whom Hondo did not want to leave in the camper alone, especially in their current state.  
 
Hondo noticed that the girls seemed quieter and more somber than they had before, but he wrote it off to them being tired as well. Even had he known what plagued them, there was little he could have done or said.
 
After going over some further details with Tonya, telling the girls to stay close or inside the camper, but to leave Maggie and the Rabbit girls alone, then quickly asking a couple of the teen guards to make some passes by his camper while he was gone to make sure the girls were good, and asking Ruth to keep an eye on them and to use them as needed for any meal clean up or preparations, he hoped back into the Bronco and headed back to the hanger.  
 
(To be continued …)

As Hondo pulled up at the hanger, he found everyone, minus Miniya, standing around talking by the couch, though the conversation stopped as he approached.
 
“All done?” He asked.
 
Marvin nodded, “Everything is sorted and packed back up. Just need to load whatever you need loaded.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Good. Did all the food fit into the trailer?”
 
Molly nodded, “They packed it good, everything fit with room to spare. We put a few food items in the jeeps for emergencies.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Good thinking.”
 
“It was Karl’s idea.” Molly replied.
 
Karl just shrugged, “Wasn’t anything major. Just thought in case someone got separated or stayed behind helping with a repair, you know.”
 
“Well, it was good thinkin’. Should have an emergency food an’ water kit in every vehicle. Since you came up with the idea, I’d like you to make a list of items you think should be in an emergency food box an’ oversee makin’ sure each vehicle has one. I’m sure Ruth an’ Molly might have ideas on it as well, an’ I’d like to look over your list before we buy anythin’ or you start assemblin’ them from supplies.” Hondo replied.
 
Karl was not sure whether to be happy that his idea was appreciate or to groan at the work he made for himself by opening his mouth again, but something else about that worried him more.
 
“Er, I’m not sure Ruth is up to talking to me. Since, well, you know what happened, We’ve kinda kept our distance from each other and, from some of the looks Jo has given me, I know she’s still pissed. Ruth’s sorta avoided me, so I know she’s still hurt.” Karl replied quietly, as he looked away from the group, the shame evident from his expression.
 
“Funny how a man’s words an’ actions can linger on, like that.” Hondo stated, frowning at him a bit.
 
Karl nodded, “Yeah… I know I was a real asshole to them and to Tonya… I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. I’ve never really had people treat me well, nor had the responsibility or freedom to take actions that I would have to be responsible for like this… I had my first taste of being a free wessen and first responsibilities as a man, and I #$@!ed it up. Not sure I can make up for it, know what I mean?”
 
“You might not be able to. That’s why what you do an’ say is so important. Once you’ve done somethin’ or said somethin’, it can’t be undone or taken back. You hurt people an’ even if you’re sorry, it doesn’t change that you hurt them. They may forgive you an’ in time you may make or restore a relationship, but it’s never the same as it was or could’ve been. You can try to lessen the pain you caused someone but even if they let you try, you can never remove it completely. It’s like the scar from a deep wound that heals but never fades, or healed muscle that never acts right again. Once hurt, some things never go back to the way they were.” Hondo replied, somberly.
 
As he spoke Molly’s eye caught some movement from the deck of the dirigible, but as she glanced over she just saw the blur of someone ducking out of sight.  She did not know if Hondo was talking only about Karl or thinking of Valentine as he spoke, but she could not help but think of her as he spoke.  She was pretty sure it was Valentine that she saw duck out of sight, and could not help but hope she heard some of what he said, and felt guilt from it. For his sake, she was willing to share him with Valentine, if she got her act together, but that did not mean she would let Valentine do whatever she wanted nor treat Hondo how she wanted. A part of her wanted Valentine to hurt inside, to suffer for what she had put Hondo through, though she did not want Valentine to hurt more if it hurt Hondo further. She did want Valentine to feel the guilt she should, though, and if it looked like Hondo was close to forgiving her, Molly planned to give her some lessons in humility and in serving her husband as not just a wife, but as more than a wife. If she was to share Hondo with Valentine then Valentine would know how to and would serve him as a slave first. Though she was sure Hondo would not agree to this verbally, she had no intention in burdening him with her intentions. This was something to be settled between them, as his women.
 
Karl nodded at Hondo’s reply, “I understand, now… I just don’t know what I can do to make them not hate me.”
 
“Well, you need to be a man, an’ since you’re the one who caused the hurt, you need to figure it out.” Hondo replied.
 
“I.. I can talk to her.” Molly offered, as she shook off her thoughts for the moment.
 
“Would you?” Karl asked, sounding hopeful yet pleading.
 
“He needs to take care of his own problems.” Hondo replied to which Karl frowned at.
 
“I’m not disagreeing with that, my love. Just saying I can talk to Ruth about the food items for Karl, for now. Once we get settled again then he can work on making things right, though this project probably should not wait on them to get things settled, since we do not know if they will forgive him or not.” Molly replied.
 
Hondo sighed and nodded, “*sigh* … yeah, I reckon you’re not wrong. … Alright. Karl, get some ideas put together a list an’ give it to Molly so she can talk to Ruth, then you take their ideas and line out a list for the boxes an’ give it to me.”
 
Molly nodded, “Sounds good to me.”
 
Karl groaned, “Er, uhm, well, I, uh… I don’t write so well, you see… or at all really.”
 
Hondo furrowed his brow as he frowned at him, “I thought you said you had some book keepin’ trainin’?”
 
Karl shook his head, “No, some book reading training. They taught me to know certain words and numbers and do a little math to help watch out for people who might cheat our master, though the bastard deserved to be cheated. I can read some, more than most, but not many have use for a wessen who can write.”
 
Hondo rubbed his eyes again as his headache was not seeming to get any better.
 
“I.. I can write some… enough to handle this, I think.” Molly said hesitantly, feeling a bit ashamed at her lack of schooling all of a sudden.
 
Hondo nodded, “Alright, but once we get to the next place, class will be in session. I ain’t the one to be teachin’ anyone, but it needs to happen. Was thinkin’ ‘bout the girls earlier. They are gettin’ bored from bein’ cooped up. Well, need to start them on some school work so they are doin’ somethin’ productive with their free time, especially when I need them inside, accounted for, an’ safe. Might as well get everyone else involved too… Just not sure how to handle it.”
 
“Well, I’m not very good, but if you help me get better, I’d be willing to help teach the girls and lay out lessons for the others like Karl or whoever else needs them.” Molly offered.
 
“That would be appreciated, but we’ll have to talk ‘bout that more once we get outta here, as there’s still too much to get done before we leave tonight.” Hondo replied.
 
“You mean we have to do school learning? I’m too old for that stuff.” Karl whined.
 
Hondo glared at him for a moment before rubbing his eyes again and shaking his head, “I need a #$@!in’ drink.”
 
“Your open bottle from the jeep is over here.” Molly said as she stood up slowly from the couch and walked over to the shop bench.
 
“What bottle? You said somethin’ ‘bout it earlier, but I’m not sure what you’re talkin’ ‘bout.” He replied.
 
“One of the bottles you brought from town, in that case of whiskey, was open. We assumed you opened it.” Marvin replied as Molly grabbed the bottle and brought it over to him, her movements still a bit stiff.
 
He took it and looked at it, recognizing it and the label as one he had bought that morning, and sure enough the seal on the cork had been broken and a bit less than a quarter of the bottle was gone.
 
“I didn’t open this, an’ I swear all of them were sealed when I loaded it.” He replied, frowning as he looked at it.
 
“I didn’t see any of them open when I was packing stuff in the back, back when we were in town.” Madison threw in.
 
Hondo looked at them all a moment, looking for someone to fess up.
 
“Now, I don’t mind sharin’, but there’s a time an’ place to drink, ‘specially if you’re not used to it. I’ll not begrudge anyone a hit, if it’s appropriate, but I’d prefer to be asked first.” He said with a bit of a growl, as he looked between them all.
 
“I wanted one, but I was waiting until I could rest for a bit.” Molly said, being the first to speak up.
 
Marvin shook his head, “I’ve only drank alcohol when with you or MAster Fernando, and would not take any without asking.”
 
Hondo looked at Karl, who held up his hands and shook his head vigorously, “It wasn’t me, honest!”
 
Hondo walked up to him and sniffed the air just to be sure, and then wrinkled his nose as all he smelled was sweaty goat-man.
 
“Hmm… You didn’t but you could use a shower.” Hondo replied in a low voice.
 
“Hey!” Karl protested, before sniffing himself and then frowning, “.. *Sniff, sniff* … ehh. Maybe I could use one, but you could trust me a little… I might be an asshole but I’ve never lied to you!”
 
Hondo frowned at him but let him alone and turned to the others.
 
“It wasn’t us, Boss. I swear.” Madison replied.
 
“We haven’t had a drink since we took over guard duty, honest.” Patricia said in their defense.
 
“You don’t think Maggie had some, do you? Her nerves were pretty frazzled from the looks of it.” Molly asked.
 
He shook his head, “No, I’d have smelled it on her. She had a break down when I got her to the camper, an’ had to hold her for a bit so she’d calm down. Had she drunk that much, I’d have smelled it.”
 
“Then who did?” Molly asked.
 
“I’d like to know! If it wasn’t any of us then someone was in our ride who shouldn’t have been!! … *growling sigh* … The girls were actin’ sheepish but I’m not sure when they could have, unless it was while I was gone after those girl… They were with you two. Were they out of your sight?
 
“They were with us the whole time you were gone, and when we got back they went right inside and were in their room until you asked Miniya to get the for lunch.” Patricia stated.
 
Hondo looked at her quickly as something she said hit him funny, “Wait,… Miniya… hmm.”
 
“I, uh… I didn’t think much of it until now, but while you were gone she said she needed to check to see if the jeep was locked and she went outside and was there for a bit before coming back.” Madison said hesitantly.
 
“You let her go alone?” Hondo asked a bit sharply.
 
“We tried to get her to stay, but she insisted that we stay and let her check the jeep alone.” Patricia replied, in their defense.
 
Madison nodded, “Yeah, and I didn’t want to send Patty out there, or leave her alone with Zoey and Macey, and I REALLY didn’t want to take the girls outside until you got back... And, come to think of it, she got the hiccups not long after she returned.”
 
Patricia nodded in agreement, “Yeah, right after I asked her what took so long. She seemed a bit nervous and started hiccuping. She just shrugged it off and said it wasn’t really that long. Sorta seemed odd that she volunteered to go out alone, since she seemed nervous to be away from you, but I didn’t think much about her being nervous when she came back in, until now at least.”
 
“Where is she?!” Hondo growled angrily.
 
“She went upstairs to get ready when you pulled in. I know you’re angry but…” Molly started to try to calm him down but he turned and stormed upstairs angrily before she could finish.
 
“You think we should follow to make sure she’s alright?” Madison asked.
 
A slam, then a raised voice, a squeal, and Miniya crying out were heard shortly after and they all looked up at the stairs.  
 
Karl shook his head after a moment, “I don’t think it’s safe for us to go up there right now.”
 
Molly sighed and started towards the stairs.
 
“You want me to go with you?” Marvin asked Molly.
 
She shook her head, “No. I’ll be fine.”
 
As she headed off Patricia shook her head, “Why was he so mad? It’s just some whiskey.”
 
Marvin shook his head, “It’s not the whiskey why he’s mad.”
 
“Then, why?” Patricia asked.
 
“He left the three of you to protect each other and the girls, right?” Marvin asked.
 
Patricia nodded, “Yeah.”
 
Madison sighed and nodded as he caught on, “*sigh*, I think I get it.”
 
“What?” Patricia added, still not understanding.
 
“By going out alone and leaving you all for a drink, when he trusted her to help you all, she put herself, you, Madison, Zoey, and Macey all at risk. That’s why he’s angry.” Marvin said.
 
“Oh! … she did, didn’t she… damn.” Patricia replied, understand finally.
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
Hondo stormed upstairs and did not even knock on the door, just throwing it open roughly. Miniya jump, and held her shirt over her breasts, as she had stripped down to her panties and was in the middle of changing clothes.
 
“GAHH! Oh, Mr. Hondo?! You Sc.sc *HIC* Scared me!” she exclaimed as she looked at him.
 
He didn’t say anything, just gave her a hard, cold stare.
 
“Wha *HIC* What’s wr.wrong?” She asked hesitantly, but he did not reply.
 
She then glared at him angrily, “What?! You want a look or something?”
 
He walked up to quickly to which she brought her arm up defensively and flinched as if she expected to be hit, though she tried to just look angry. He grabbed her arm and roughly yanked it off to the side.
 
She dropped her shirt and thrust her breasts out as she gave him a defiant look.
 
“So, just want to #$@! me, is that it? I’m a we *HIC* wessen after all, and it’s all I’m good for, right?!? I Should have known you weren’t any different!!” She snarled.
 
He pulled her closer and leaned down a bit. Though she did not know it, her attitude really set him off.  
 
 She half expected him to roughly kiss her or something, to which though she acted defiant, part of her wanted him to. She wanted him to hold her down, kiss her, and roughly #$@! her, as she had been aching for it, especially since he and Fernando took out Giovanni, and the feeling had only grown since, though she tried to deny it.  
 
The part of her that denied it told her she belonged to Fernando and needed to be with him because she owed him, first and foremost, he owned her, second, and third, because she felt Minerva needed her with them, to make sure she did not get too clingy to Fernando and push him away. The other part of her just really liked Hondo, for some reason beyond her immediate understanding, and imagined him treating her softly and gently, unlike she had been treated before. As rough as he was, she could imagine him being gentle, especially after how she saw him with his girls and Macey. Fernando, she could only seem to imagine him being rough, but to be honest, the thought of being treated any other way but rough had been dead in her until recently, so she had not truly given Fernando a fair shake at that. She figured it did not matter though, as it must have all been a fairy tale she had cooked up in her own mind. Before she had been angry most of the time, angry and drunk, and she regretted, for a moment, ever letting her anger slip.
 
She had anger issues, she knew this, and some of them directed at her sister, mostly for getting involved with Hector when she told her not to and for it forcing her to work for Giovanni to hide from Hector and his men, as she had almost gotten captured a few times after being mistaken for Minerva. Despite all that, and feeling like her life was cursed because of her sister’s sins, she was the older twin and felt responsible for Minerva still. She had always been the more serious and level headed one of the twins, often being accused of being a stick-in-the-mud or grumpy by her sister and their friends. But as kids her grumpy, level-headed approach had saved her, her sister, and their friends several times. Had her sister listened to her about Hector it could have saved them yet again, but instead she was doomed to watch it play out even worse than she predicted.
 
She braced angrily for the inevitable, the anger more a façade to cover her sadness, as she had been so sure he was different from all the others that had ogled her, hurt her, and used her, but she knew, if she was right yet again, it would all be proven to be nothing more than an illusion of grandeur.  
 
She snarled at him, but stopped in some confusion as he sniffed her, instead of kissing her. She had been sniffed before, that was nothing new, but she did not expect it from him, especially not in the mood he seemed to be in. What happened next she expected even less, though she mentally kicked herself for not seeing it coming. She had been so lost in thought, then so startled that her mind went to all the bad places it usually went, lumping him in with the others that had used and abused her in the past, when with one word he made her realize that he was not the villain in this story, but she was.
 
He gritted his teeth and growled slightly after he sniffed her, pulling back enough so he could look into her glaring eyes as he spoke.  
 
“Whiskey.” He hissed.
 
Her eyes got big for a moment and she gasped in realization. She had been found out, and her anger, distrust, and bad thoughts of him were all wrong. She was the bad one here, not him.
 
“Wait.. Wait! I.. I can explain!” She exclaimed, all traces of anger gone as fear and shame took their place.
 
“EXPLAIN?!?” He growled angrily
 
He did not have words at the moment, and her attitude she had shown, though when his mind was a bit more rational he understood it due to where she had come from, in his current state, though, it only proved to anger him more.  
 
In one quick movement, he let go of her arm, bent her over, and wrapped an arm around her, pulled her back up into his armpit while his arm warped firmly around her, just below her breasts, pulling her side into him and leaving her ass exposed in front of him.  
 
“Please, Stop! I’m Sorry!” Miniya cried out, unsure of what he was doing, but finding herself afraid and unable to mask it with anger due to her shame.
 
She did not have to wait long to figure out what he planned to do with her, as his free hand came down hard on her backside, swatting her ass hard and each blow leaving a red, hand shaped welt.
 
“AHH! Stop! It Hurts! I’m Sorry! Please! I’m sorry!!” She wailed as he swatted her.
 
After several swats he let her go where she fell to the ground, landing on her backside.
 
“Oww! ..*Sniff, Sniff*” She cried out, crying still but trying not to sob uncontrollably, as she found herself a bit confused.
 
She knew what it was about but the why escaped her, as it had Patricia in her conversation with Marvin.
 
She half rolled to her side and leaned on her hip and elbow, trying to keep her weight off her sore backside.
 
“*Snif, Sniff* .. I’m sorry… please, please… I … I didn’t mean to steal, I.. I just… You don’t understand.” she whimpered as she stared at his feet.
 
“Try me!” He growled.
 
“I just.. *Sniff* .. I… I’m a coward… I’m a coward and scared all the time, kinda like Maggie, but.. but I can usually just act angry and.. and hide it, but… *sniff, sniff* I.. I couldn’t with you and I didn’t want to let you down…” She said quietly before he cut her off.
 
“Well, ya did! I’m extremely disappointed in you!” He barked at her.
 
“It was just a little whiskey! I’ll.. I’ll pay you back! Honest!!” She exclaimed, her look begging and scared, as she pushed herself to her knees , so she could look up at him better.
 
“You don’t get it, do you?!?” He asked in a frustrated tone.
 
She searched his eyes and face quickly, trying to figure out what she was missing, what he wanted from her, how to make it right, and what to say to make this all go away.
 
“I.. I stole from you and..” She started to say hesitantly, before he cut her off again.
 
“NO! It has nothin’ to do with that, though if I thought you were stealin’ I’d tan you ass for that then throw ya out with nothin’ but air between you an’ what the almighty gave ya!” He replied angrily. “I trusted you to help Madison an’ Patricia! To protect each other an’ the girls! I asked that one thing of ya all day!! An’ what did you do? You made an excuse to go to the jeep alone, riskin’ your life an’ theirs, an’ for what? A drink?!?!”
 
“But… I.. I only risked myself!” She retorted, it all not sinking in fully yet.
 
“No, you didn’t! By you not bein’ with them, they had less help I somethin’ went bad, by rexposin’ yourself, you brought attention, by riskin’ yourself, you left the others in a bad situation whether or not to stay an’ let you get hurt, raped, taken, or killed, or them riskin’ the girls to try to save you! You think they would just let you get hurt? If they had, they would have been torn apart inside, an’ if they had tried to rescue you, everyone could be dead or hurt an’ they knew Jefe an’ I would be pissed either way! They have been through a lot too, despite bein’ human, but they are good kids an’ if you had been hurt or killed they’d have blamed themselves an’ I can’t fix that! Jefe can patch wounds, but he can fix dead or fix ones heart, mind, an’ soul when they are hurtin’ from what they have gone through! You risked everythin’, includin’ my trust in you, for some alcohol!” He said, snarling a bit.
 
Her eye’s got wide as it fully dawned on her, what she had done.  
 
“I.. I didn’t… I thought..” She stammered, trying to look for words.
 
“No, you didn’t think! That's the problem. Now, get dressed an’ packed. I don’t trust you an’ I’m takin’ back so you’re not my problem anymore!” He growled.
 
Miniya looked down for a moment and soon her breath got ragged as she tried to fight off her emotions, but they soon overtook her and she started to sob. She doubled over, still on her knees, but her face against the floor, as she sobbed.  
 
He looked at her for a moment before turning quickly around to the door. He stopped short, as he turned, as he saw Molly standing there, looking at him sadly. He grimaced at her expression before headed out the door and past her.
 
Molly looked at Miniya and sighed sadly as she shook her head, before closing the door to leave the young woman alone. Once they were gone, Miniya started sobbing harder.
 
*“What have I done!.. Why am I such a useless failure! Why?! … Why do I mess up everything! .. Giovanni was right!.. I’m just trash! A useless, stupid whore!!.. Why can’t I be more, why?!?”* her mind screamed at her as she thought of what she had done.  
 
Everything felt hopeless to her at that moment, and all she wanted was for him to return, to pick her up, and hold her. He could call her trash, a whore, a useless animal, anything he wanted, if he just held her, but he did not come back.
 
-,-,-,-,-
 
“My love, at you alright?” Molly called out to him, after she shut the door.
 
He stopped at the stairs and stood quietly for a moment before replying.
 
“I reckon.” He replied a bit curtly, not turning to her as he spoke.
 
“About Miniya..” Molly said.
 
“What, about her?! You want to tell me I was bein’ to harsh?! I should have let it go?? That sorta selfish negligence can get folks killed!” He growled.
 
“I don’t think you should have let it go, but I do think you were a bit harsh.” She said.
 
“Still don’t trust me?!? Well, I don’t have to explain myself to anyone, not even you.” He growled.
 
She came up to him and put a hand on his arm to which he turned sharply and gave her a hard look, much harder than he intended to. He stared at her for a moment, but her soft, worried look made him relax a bit, and give her a frustrated sigh.
 
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” He said quietly.
 
“You don’t have to be sorry, my love. I know you are tired and frustrated. And I do trust you, despite what I said earlier about Maggie. It was not my lack of trust in you talking, either, please believe me. It’s my own self doubt and insecurities. But, that’s my burden to bear, not yours. And, I know you were harsh for a reason, and I understand that. I’m not trying to question you or your methods either, but… *sigh* That girl has had it rough, much like Maggie has. She reacts differently, but she likes you. She hasn’t figure out how to let anyone in yet, though, so I think she feels very scared and alone. On top of that, she was a slave until recently. I know you and Fernando try to treat us with dignity, as if we were free humans, but the fact is we are not. We are wessen, and all of us were slaves, at one time or another.” Molly said softly.
 
“But you are human, an’ you aren’t slaves.” He countered.
 
“But we aren’t human in most people’s eyes, and we were slaves. I’m not arguing with you, please understand, but I think sometimes you both miss something about us. I was lucky, having been freed at a young age and having some learning and gambling skills, which were taught to me by my former Mistress. I also met James, someone with a similar mindset, though he was a bit less learned and a bit more reckless, but I think that’s what drew me to him. Most of the others here barely know how to read, most don’t know how to write, a few know how to fight some, but mostly for entertainment, some know how to do farm work, and others only know how to spread their legs. We were beaten, ridiculed, restricted, abused, used, harassed, and more! Lives as a slave are structured. You don’t think or do for yourself. You eat when the food bell rings, whatever slop the wessen assigned to cooking make from the masters scraps, you sleep at a set time, you do the same chores every day, you know what you should do, when you should do it, and where you should be at almost every moment of the day. You do your masters bidding and if you fail at it, or talk back, or act on your own you get beaten or worse. With some masters, getting a beating is a relief, as the alternatives can be far, far worse. Miniya, like many of the others, are not used to being free, to acting on their own, to being accountable, or to think and do more than their little skill set allowed. A couple weeks ago she was in nothing but see through negligée, letting men touch her and #$@! her while she tried to distract them with words and body, probably high on drugs or the like to keep her mind from thinking about what she was doing to herself, to make the pain easier to handle, to make her comply better to request, and knowing that a single failure could mean a bullet to the head. She was probably between wanting to die and just not wanting to feel. Fernando rescued her and healed her, like he did others, but like I said before, she had no trade or usefulness. She, like many of the others are lost, scared, and still trying to cope with all they have been through. Two weeks isn’t a long time to be away from that. All this is still a dream to her, most likely… *sigh* .. I don’t think she knew what she was doing when she slipped away to drink, honestly. I think she was scared and tried to drink it away so she didn’t fail you. Like I said, she likes you and I think she was just trying to do what you asked without falling apart. You said Maggie fell apart later today, right? Well, she had you with her most of the time. She has been able to give you her trust, that is obvious, and she has been with us longer, though maybe been through more than most of us have. Despite that, could she have held out so well if they had switched places?” Molly asked softly.
 
He shook his head, “I don’t know… Doesn’t really matter, though. *sigh* … Maybe I was too hard on her. I didn’t think ‘bout her like that… I reckon I see you all as people, as free people. I know most of you are inexperienced, but I guess I don’t think too much ‘bout the struggle she, an' the others of you, might still be havin’, nor how it is all feelin’ unreal still… Maggie said somethin’ ‘bout them keepin’ her drugged up much of the time too. Would make sense that the bastard Giovanni was feedin’ his girls somethin’ to make them more manageable too. … damn.”
 
“It’s alright, my love.” Molly said as she leaned into him and nuzzled her face into his chest, “We know you care and we trust you. I.. I just wanted to make sure you understood it from her side. Maybe getting spanked like that will help her think more later, but you do need to talk to her still, nicely. I think she needs someone like you speaking nice to her. She needs that in her life.”
 
“Maybe, but she’s Jefe’s, so she needs it from him, not me.” He replied.
 
Molly shook her head softly as she leaned against him, “Just because she is Fernando’s doesn’t mean that you can’t be there for her too. She needs mentors, ones she can trust, and she likes you.”
 
“I doubt she will trust me after this.” He replied.
 
She pulled away and looked up at him, “I’d not be so sure about that. You maybe were a bit harsh, but even so, it was not like the abuse she has gone through in the past. She might be scared of you, more so now, but you made her aware and spanked her ass for what she did. You didn’t whip her, or cut her, or screw her, or threaten her life.”
 
Hondo frowned and looked away as he spoke, “To be honest, I could not help but think, 'what if somethin’ would have happened because of what she did?' What if Zoey an’ Macey were kidnapped, hurt, raped, or dead, an’ the others the same, because of her? … There was a time I’d have told her to get out of my sight an’ never return for that, but now… *sigh* … I’d be a fool to say this world hasn’t changed me an’ I’d be a liar to say that I might not have choked her to death for that. I’m getting’ angrier an’ move violent than I ever though I could be. Sometimes I worry how far I will go.”
 
She squeezed his arm, which caused him to look down at her. Her look was worried, but caring and trusting at the same time.
 
“I don’t worry about that. I just worry about you beings alright and not tormenting yourself over things that have happened. No matter what happens, though, I know you will be you. Maybe you will get more violent and angrier, maybe you will lash out without meaning to, but I know you will always love me and the girls and try your best to protect us all. But, as much as you worry about how bad you could be, all I see is you getting stronger and more protective of us. I know, like us, you and Fernando are still adjusting to new lives. It’s a new world for us all in some ways, and yet the old haunts us all continually, as well. I am not worried about what you will become. I look forward to seeing what you will become.” She replied softly.
 
He could not help but smile softly at her. He half expected her to act like Valentine would have, as he was sure she would disapprove and say something about his anger lately, condemning him for it or the like. Getting use to Molly, her supportiveness and her own unique insecurities and quirks would take time. He also wondered if Valentine would have done better than he gave her credit for, if she had not gone to pieces on him, that is. But at the same time he was almost glad this happened as Molly’s unique perspective helped him a lot, as did her special, caring way. He knew the older him of this timeline had experienced things differently, and wondered if he would have been farther ahead if he had Molly in his life, instead of her not really being with him like the older Valentine had said. Now was not the time to think on it all, though, but it did give him a lot to chew on later.  After a moment of looking down at her, he leaned down and kissed her softly, on the lips. She put her good arm around his neck and pulled herself into him, making it deeper than he planned, but not more than he wanted. As tired as he was, he would have not minded working off some of this frustration with her, and feeling the body of the woman he loved pressed against his, skin to skin. Unfortunately, there was a lot left to do this day and she needed to heal and rest still, so she could help drive if Tonya got to sleepy, so the best they could do for now was this moment and this kiss.  
 
After letting the kiss linger for several seconds, following up with a few other softer, smaller, shorter kisses, neither wanting to let up or let go, they finally stepped back from each other.
 
“Well, uhm… I’ve got a lot to do.” He said.
 
She nodded, “You think I should, uh, maybe talk to her?”
 
Hondo shook his head, “No, just leave her be for now. I’ll talk to her later, before I take you both into camp. Maybe it's cruel, but she’s not a kid. It will be hard, but I think she can come ‘round faster than some of the others. She just needs the right push… Maybe despite my messin’ up it will cause her to lurch in the right direction, I don’t know. Regardless, she needs to think on it all for a bit.”
 
Molly nodded, “I understand. Uh, … do you need me to help with anything?”
 
He shook his head, “Not really, an’ I want you takin’ it easy still.”
 
“I’m all packed, and I’ll rest at camp, I promise, but I need something to do. I’m feeling a bit antsy. Really would like something to do, other than sit still.” She said.
 
She would not tell him that his anger and raised voice made her feel nervous, even when it was not directed at her, as she did not want him to feel bad for it. It was not his fault or her fault really, just the way most women were wired and he had a way about him that made women tremble, worse than many other men had. She wondered if that’s why he felt that women never really liked him. He was too hard on himself and a bit oblivious to the signs a woman gives off when she likes a man, that she knew all too well, but she was fairly sure he was not aware of the strength he projected at times, even when not angry. There was something about it that made her nervous, antsy, weak, and scared at times, but along with the feelings of an increased desire for him, that she could not explain. It was as if her body tingled and her private parts ached for him as she felt those others feelings. It was as if he somehow set off a mini heat in her, when he let his stronger emotions flow, and while she could see how it would frighten and confuse many women, it somehow thrilled her. The women that shied from him because of this feeling, she felt were missing out, but she was glad they were, as she might not have this with him had others been more receptive of him and him of them.  
 
He nodded, though he did not completely understand what was going through her head, he understood feeling useless when injured and needing to do something.
 
“Well, anything of ours that is light enough for you to carry in one hand, you can stow it in the Bronco for now. Also, do a room check an’ see if we are missin’ anythin’. I’m not sure what we are gonna do with the place, but we own it, so I would like to leave it in good shape.” He replied.
 
“You own it, you mean.” She replied.
 
He shook his head, “No, we own it. You are my woman, an’ as long as you are with me, whatever I have is yours too. If you choose to leave me, then it is no longer yours, as that is your decision. I don’t hold to splittin’ things when gettin’ divorced or partin’ ways, as I don’t believe in divorce. Once you made a commitment, I figure it’s for life… That’s been one big issue, for me, with tossin’ Val out. I made a promise to her, an’ though she broke her end, until she leaves or cheats on me with another, I don’t feel I can throw her out. I did enough damage to that promise by takin’ you as my woman before it was all over between us, but despite my failin’s, you gave me a way to honor that promise, an’ I can’t help but care ‘bout you more for that. I know what you’ve said ‘bout sharin’ me with her an’ others, an’ maybe this will be needed, but if you had asked me to be yours alone I would have an’ I’d have probably been angry at myself for breakin’ that promise to her, despite what she’s done. You’re a good woman, Molly, an’ as long as you stay mine, no matter who else I have as a woman too, everythin’ I have will be yours too an’ you’ll always be not just my woman but my partner an’ will be my number two.”
 
She smiled and blushed a bit as she looked up at him. She loved him, very much and did not understand how she had been so blessed as to have him. She had loved James, and still did, but James was dead. She would never had left James for Hondo, and not just because she did not feel she did not deserve Hondo, but the canine wessen in her must have given her a certain loyalty that many other women just did not have. How it all had happened, despite bad years, bleak days, dark moments, wrong actions, she did not know, but she was with him now and whatever fear she had before, of Maggie taking him from her, was gone. Even if he took Maggie in, as more than a slave, Molly felt in that moment that she would not be surpassed in his eyes, not surpassed by any but maybe one.
 
“I.. I don’t know what to even say, my love. I see you as more than my man at times, as you are like a loving master to me, at times. A wessen woman like me finding love with a human man like you is seen as a fairy tale among my kind, and among humans it is spoke of as taboo. It makes me happy that you see things this way, but it will take me time to fully process and understand it all. Even to me, being with you feels like a dream sometimes. One I almost cannot believe is real. For it to be real and stay real, I’d share you with as many women as you felt you needed, as long as I could still be your woman and have time by your side. Maybe to some it makes me sounds weak or stupid or something, but we wessen don’t get men like you.” She replied softly.
 
“I still don’t see a wessen when I look at you. As see a woman, albeit a woman with some fuzzy wolf-like ears and a soft bushy tail that gives away her moods in whether it's up and waggin' or droppin'.” He said with a grin.
 
She blushed, “I could never really make my tail do different; it just does things! And.. and my ears and tail aren’t my only differences, you know.”
 
“Doesn’t matter. None of it does. What matters is who you are, an’ you’ve shown that in how you treat me, the girls, an’ others. That’s all I need to know.” He replied.
 
“You said I’ll always be your number two, but… but what if Valentine comes back?” She asked.
 
He frowned, “I try not to think too much on her as I have too much to process myself right now. But, lets say even if she earns our forgiveness, and I mean our: yours, mine, Tonya, Zoey, Jefe, an' Macey. She needs forgiveness from these, in the least, for me to even consider her becomin' my woman again. An' even then, she’d have to work very, very hard to be number three. If she amazes us all, the best she could get is close to equal with you, but even then… As long as you don’t turn on me, hurt me intentionally, or break my trust, she could not surpass you.”
 
Molly took on a somber look as she thought about that, nodding at what he said.
 
“I’ll … I’ll do my best to not fail you, my love.” She said softly.
 
“You continue to love me an’ learn to trust me better an’ you’ll never fail me. Now, I need to go see ‘bout gettin’ the glider, mini copters , an’ other parts loaded, if we can… Wish I had a better place to put them, then on the top of the pipe-rack on that tool trailer.” He said.
 
“I understand. I’ll make sure everything else is ready to go.” She replied.
 
“An’ take it easy!” He added, firmly.
 
She smiled at him, knowing he said so out of care for her, “I’ll try… uhm, …”
 
He cocked his head at her as she paused, “What?”
 
“Did you think of trying to put that glider and stuff in the dirigible? That older Valentine, Maria as you’ve been calling her, she gave me a tour of it a few days ago and it has a large cargo deck, two of them actually, though only one had a big door from outside that could handle that stuff. I’m sure it would fit!” Molly said.
 
Hondo shook his head, “I have my doubts where that hunk of junk will get out the door, let alone off the ground! Hell, can’t say I’ve heard the engine start even once!”
 
As if on cue, a couple pops followed by a loud BANG were heard in the hanger proper, that caused Hondo to turn, pull his pistol, and run down the stairs and into the hanger to find out what was going on. It had been a long day already and was not close to ending. Whatever it was, he was sure he really did not need it on top of everything else.
 
(To Be Continued …)