"Behind Bars" (always open; PM hostess)

Preparing for the Casino "Field Trip"

All morning long, people had been making their way out to where the vehicles were being readied for the trip to the Casino. The initial thought of keeping the number of vehicles low to attract less attention had been abandoned when Charlie realized that even a moped in this suddenly silent world was likely to attract unwanted attention. The decision instead was made to take out 5 vehicles, including a mini-bus, two SUVs, and two One-Ton trucks with lots of cargo space.

Most of that decision hadn't been about noise creation but had been about scavenging for goods. Charlie had decided and others had happily agreed that they were going to come back with more than just their New Society Bank currency: everyone had something they wanted, from packaged foods and civilian wardrobes to more comfortable mattresses and high thread count sheets to a wider variety of farm seeds and breeding stock animals.

One particular former inmate was eager to find a firearm for his safety after failing the Gun Course and being refused a weapon of his own. Charlie didn't know this, of course, which made it a good thing that she had a snitch in one Jules Barker.

Charlie began to hear an unexpected and suspicious sound, and a moment later the South Watch Tower guard said over the radio, "Incoming vehicle. I repeat, incoming vehicle ... too far out to see yet ... just about ... there it is, boss. I think its the Chef, and he's comin' in like a bat out of hell."

Charlie and four others who she'd armed and now signaled headed for positions looking down at the main gate, some of them getting into a covered location before the guard was even done. Charlie spoke into the radio, "You're sure it's Steve...? Yes? Open the gate."

Their local techie had found a way to rig a gate control to the watch tower, and the guard activated it now. The gate was barely open enough for the finally slowing Harley to fit through when it penetrated the perimeter. It continued to slow, finally stopping near Charlie, who couldn't help but smile wide at the sight of her too-long-absent lover.

"Sorry boss, things happened," Steven told her, adding, "and I will explain it all, but not now. What is going on, what has been going on?"

Charlie was about to answer when Steven threw his leg over the bike's fuel tank and dismounted, revealing the young woman behind him. Jessi wasn't at all what Charlie had been expecting in a teenage niece: Steven had never said anything about her being beautiful enough to grace a Playboy cover, something Charlie could see even in her current state and three-digit speed hairstyle.

"We're making a run to a casino not far from here," Harvey offered in the silent Charlie's stead, stepping up to offer his hand out to Steve for congratulations of having returned safely. "The Warden and our local H&R Block rep' here have a crazy idea for us opening out own Federal Reserve. But personally, I'm just looking to score me a couple of cases of Tequila."

After their hands separated, the hungrily smiling CO stepped closer to the girl who'd just put both feet on the ground, again offering out his hand. "And who's this?"

"Harvey," Charlie said softly with an only slightly chastising tone. She'd already had to talk to him about his inappropriate behavior toward Molly O'Flanagan.

"This is Jessi, I've told her a bit about you," Steven began, "but not as much as I hope you will. She's my niece."

"It's nice to meet you, Jessi," Charlie said as she offered out her hand. She caught the glare the girl gave Steven and wondered what that was all about. She said nothing, though, and after her uncle asked about getting her settled in, Charlie said, "I think the best place for her right now would be your cabin."

The Warden turned, looked about, found the Black Book Madam, and waved her forward. To Jessi she said, "This is Maria. She'll show you to your Uncle's cabin and stay with you until we get back."

To the New Society's new brothel manager, Charlie whispered, "And no, you can not recruit her."

"The girl's thighs will remain closed," Maria promised in whisper before saying to Jessi, "Come with me, honey. We'll get you some food and water and maybe a shower.

She reached out for Jessi's elbow with a kindness that caused the girl to easily move to her and away from her uncle. Maria laughed and said, "I'll have to introduce you to Sarah. She runs the farm, and you've got enough dirt in your hair to replenish the farm's fertility."

"She'll be fine, Steven," Charlie promised. But, to reassure the man, she gestured the prison's CO to accompany the two, reminding him with just a harsh glare that this girl was not fair game. To Steven, Charlie said, "Harvey's remaining behind to watch the place while we take out little field trip."

Steven said, "It looks like something is happening here, something where my skills might be useful?"

"We could definitely use another gun hand," Charlie said, not realizing that Steven and Jessi had already been through their own gun battle this morning and the night before. "Maybe you can tell us a little more about what to expect out there, but tell us as we're driving. If we don't get this show on the road right now, we'll be spending the night out."

What Charlie didn't know was that -- just like Steven and Jessi -- the Casino Field Trip was going to run into some trouble with restless natives that would have them spending not just one night but two outside the relative safety of the former prison.
 
Jules was sitting mid section on the mini bus. He had a simple firearm stuck in his back pants. He couldn't say what the weapon was called, save that it was a gun and you could shoot things with it. He had managed to get all the correct answers to the questions though. As for his aim with the thing that he was able to obtain on the shooting range?

He hit the target. He didn't hit it where he was aiming, but he still hit it and that looked good enough. To be honest, it made him a bit uncomfortable. He still remembered his sister on floor, being shot in that burglary that had gone wrong, so very wrong. So much red ended up going around her body and then her eyes just simply stopped responding. If Jules had a loaded gun then instead of an empty one he wouldn't be here and there would be a chance his sister wouldn't be dead.

It was a very small chance, very small given everything, but your mind often doesn't work in a logical way. He kept his mind off of it though by taking note of everyone around him. Specifically the guy that sat behind him. He was young, twenty right on the dot, and looked like he had yet to really get his nose broken in by the world. He had glanced at Jules fire arm as well as a few others. Some people made it very clear about what they actually wanted.

He would be trying to get a gun and Charlie wasn't going to like that. Of course, Jules wasn't going to tell Charlie until he could get the man red handed. It looked better that way and it took more eyes off himself.

"What you looking at me for cocksucker?" the man said as Jules glanced over at him.

Jules wondered if he could also in the end peg his robbery of the casino chips on this man.
 
Jamie "Wall Street" Adams was not part of the inner circle, he had heard the Warden's announcements, even that little weasel Lewis who apparently was the self appointed or at least volunteer lead of the new groups FED. Jamie had forgotten more about high finance than any of these rubes would ever know, but if that little douche wanted that job, he could have it. Jamie was way more concerned about making money than controlling it, and more importantly getting back to some of the lifestyle that wealth afforded.

He strolled out into the area where the keystone cops were getting ready to go make their run at the Casino. Okay, some of them were probably good, but in Jamie's world the only people worth spending time with were those with money, and few of these folks had ever had more than two nickles they could call their own.

However, he saw one man he did respect, the seal tat on his arm had told him all he needed to. If he wanted to be, this dude could be one bad mother fucker, and yet he didn't. He stayed in the background, the good ones, the real ones didn't flaunt how good they were, they just knew it. Hell if he were a woman, Steven was the one man he would want to fuck!

He waited and after Steven got done speaking briefly with Charlie he approached him. They had talked a bit in the past, Jamie liked working the gardens with Steven, it was a bit of a hobby for both, and he, although not as good as Steven, also knew how to make shit run. "So, you joining this Casino run?" Steven turned and like he often did, he only nodded. Not a word spoken. "Yeah...well, if you want an extra set of hands, I have probably been in more casinos and understand their security as well as anyone you will find, outside of the guys that actually worked Vegas or Monte Carlo.

Steven stopped and listened, he knew Jamie's background, and although he fucking hated how he cheated those people, he had only cheated the rich, so he did not hold it all that much against him. "Yeah, but the thing is abandoned right? Can't believe they still have security."

Jamie had anticipated this question, "Oh, they probably do, maybe not all aspects, but built into the power grid are certain controls, casinos are tied up in lots of illegal money, and so they get certain priveliges, like if certain trips are hit, the doors automatically lock, fuck the firecode violations."

Steven had stayed silent, but he was convinced that Jamie might have certain insights that might be helpful. When they stopped talking he found Charlie and repeated the previous conversation. He left it up to her, whether the handsome, white collar criminal who also happened to be in better shape, than, well virtually all of the men other than him, might prove useful to their mission?
 
The Casino "Field Trip"

Charlie was beginning to feel uncomfortably safe: they'd traveled 20 miles toward the casino so far, and they'd run into no trouble whatsoever. It simply wasn't what she'd expected. Steven had described a bit of what he and Jessi had seen on their way in, and Charlie had very nearly decided to cancel the Casino Field Trip. But this route was as clear and peaceful as any country road down which she'd taken a Sunday drive with her parents as kids.

Before they'd left, Charlie had given the others a little lecture on the two purposes of the mission: to collect the gambling chips which would be the basis of the New Society's future economy; to scavenge food, water, household items (to make the prison more homey), and other items of worth to the community, not necessarily financial value to the individuals of that community.

"I know you're going to see other things that you want personally," she admitted, "and -- as long as you're being reasonable and remembering that these trucks are for hauling community resources -- I probably won't stand in the way of you taking a few souvenirs. But c'mon, people, be reasonable."

The convoy stopped at the top of a rise just half a mile from the casino parking lot's entrance. The place looked almost abandoned with not a human in sight and barely 20 cars dispersed about the 1,000 car parking lots.

There was one obvious sign that someone had been here recently, however: the 6 story hotel set just a bit apart of the casino gambling structure was a now gutted pillar of black smoke. Although the flames had burned out on their own, the cloud of black persisted and likely would for days to come.

"Peter, Nicki, you want the honors?" Charlies asked over the radio.

Peter was a war veteran who'd been struck by not one but two roadside bombs during his service as a Marine in Syria. He'd lost a leg but walked on a prosthetic with better coordination and speed that most people did on two flesh and blood legs. Nicki was ... well, she was just a crazy bitch who didn't fear anything that might have jumped out at their vehicle as they led the train from the prison.

"We're on it, boss," the woman said over the radio, and a moment later the couple's vehicle was off down the hill. They reported back every minute or so until they'd circled the casino property and reappeared near the front entrance. Sounding like a The Price Is Right host, she spoke into the radio, "Come o-o-o-o-o-n do-o-o-own."

In what was now the lead vehicle of the remainder of the convoy, Charlie gestured her own driver to head down, and the four vehicles headed to the entrance. Nicki reported that the back docks were open and a couple of delivery trucks had been ransacked. "Looks like someone beat us too it."

"A round in the chamber, safeties on," Charlie said as she checked her own weapons, "and don't shoot your neighbor."

She was carrying an assault rifle and her 9mm; she was surrounded by 15 people -- 9 of them armed -- who between them had a total of 22 firearms. Charlie was walking the razors edge, of course: she was still considered a dictator by some of Clark County Correctional's residents, and here she was surrounded by armed felons, one of whom could turn on her at any moment.

But Charlie knew she had to show faith in and respect for these people. She wanted to believe she could trust all who'd volunteered to come out here today. And by showing them this trust, she hoped she would earn their trust.

The front entrance of the casino had steel security gates, which the guys got past with a chain, hook, and One-Tonner giving a tug. With the swing of a heavy crow bar they'd brought along for just this purpose, the group was inside the casino. There were no bleeding, stinking bodies scattered about the gambling floor, but it was still obvious that one or more Immunes had been here before them, scavenging just as they were about to do.

"So, anyone know where we're gonna find this cache of chips?" Charlie asked after they'd entered the casino.

Jamie Adams had the answer for that, and off they went. They found the primary cage beyond a series of three doors, each of which they'd had to tear asunder to get past. It took most of the 16 of them pulling tug-of-war style on the chains to get the security gates open, but then...

"Look ... at ... that..." Charlie said in awe as they were looking at a 10x10 foot room with walls filled with racks of brand new, never before distributed gambling chips. There was a nice sized safe, too, which Jamie presumed was filled with actual American greenbacks. "Too big, too heavy. Leave it for the next guys."

They had already located a small electric golf cart like vehicle, and they went to work transporting every last chip to one of the trucks. When they were done with that, Charlie looked around the faces, smiled, and said, "Well ... go have fun. No one goes alone. You got one hour. When you hear the horn, get the fuck back or get left behind."

Charlie had a small air horn that she knew would echo through the building when she was ready to get the fuck out.

What she didn't know was that before that hour ended, all fuck was going to cut loose.

(OOC: Sending you all another PM. Yeah, I know, there's been a lot of them. Sorry.)
 
The exile of the 8 traitorous convicts.

Meanwhile, back at Clark County Correctional:

Harvey got onto the intercom and announced that there was a mandatory meeting for all remaining residents in the Dining Hall. He watched the procession of people from all about the prison to the one location, and once they were all there, he manipulated the gate and door locking controls in the Security Office to isolate all of them from the cell wings.

"Sorry, my mistake," he called over the intercom. "Go back to your work. Oh, and lunch will be served at noon as usual. Kitchen personnel please make your way to your work stations."

Now, with no prying eyes on the cells, Harvey and Yanni -- who was still recuperating but was ambulatory at the least -- visited 8 cells. In them were the men who had betrayed Charlie that first night: Yanni's attacker, the four who'd beaten the shit out of a rival gang member, Kistin's rapist, and Powell Mackenzie's coup conspirators, or at least the two who had survived, unlike Mack himself.

One by one, the 8 men were shackled, hooded, and taken out to a waiting prisoner transport van, out of sight of anyone else in the prison. He drove the van almost 40 miles away to a small, private, historic 3 car river ferry he'd hoped was still operational. It was, and driving aboard, they crossed the incredibly wide and fast flowing river. There, he unloaded and unhooded the 8 inmates after putting them on their knees.

"There's a bridge 54 miles that way," Harvey told them, pointing north. Pointing south, he said, "There's another one that way, 33 miles, I think."

He pulled his pistol out and -- without any warning whatsoever -- shot Kistin's rapist in the forehead. As the men panicked, some of them trying but failing to get to their feet because of the way he had secured their ankle shackles, Harvey told them, "Charlie asked you not to be pricks!"

He leveled the gun at one of the coup conspirators and put a round through his face and the hand that the man had been holding up before it. "She gave you a chance to be part of something new and special and constructive!"

Harvey was done making his point, but then Yanni stepped up to the man who'd stuck a shiv in his side and began jabbing his own improvised weapon into the man's torso over and over again. Harvey moved forward quickly to stop him, an instinctive action for a Corrections Officer. But then he stopped and backed away instead.

Yanni backed away as well, leaving the man slowly bleeding out from the wounds to his kidneys and digestive tract. Harvey dangled the keys to the shackles before the man, then tossed them some 30 yards into a nearby field. He knew it would take a lot of effort and time, too, for the shackled-together-men to make their way to the field and locate the keys, particularly now with a corpse attached to them.

"If I ever see you on that side of the river again," Harvey said, pointing to the other side of the waterway, "I'll cut off your balls like the girls had wanted, feed them to you raw, and watch you bleed out slowly."

And with that, he and Yanni got back into the van, drove it onto the ferry, crossed the river, and disembarked for a second time. Harvey removed a couple of key engine pieces so that the ferry would not operate -- for the inmates or anyone else -- and they headed for Clark County Corrections.
 
Lou was informed, by Charlie, that he would be remaining at the prison when the scavenger party went out. Not that he was disappointed by this news. He much preferred to remain where it was safest. He also was more partial to remain home with Chloe, and Molly his new and intriguing assistant.

The power had gone out, but was now mostly back up due to the generators. Though they were asked to tone down usage until they could get a better idea of how long it might be out and how much fuel was needed for running the generators for an extended time. In other words, power was to be used for security, cooking and just the bare essentials.

Lou took this time as a break from his constant working on the books. Used it to set up and familiarize Molly with how the new banking system would work. That is providing the crew out in the open were successful in acquiring the casino chips as planned.

It would also depend on them finding their way back and unharmed. The cook was the only one that had as yet ventured outside of the prisons walls and he had some horror stories to tell. Lou had only gotten a minor synopsis of those tales but it was enough for him to be glad he was staying behind and to cause him concern for the band now leaving in a caravan.

Lou found himself horny again from his close proximity the his red headed assistant and felt the need to go home and visit Chloe was imminent. He would first however make a tour around the upper wall of the prison. That would be his designated location if the facility came under attack. He carried the scoped rifle up with him. Mostly to look about the perimeter of the prison walls. It was unloaded at the time. He just hoped to get a feel for it and to see what was around out there.

Lou also knew in his own mind that should the search party not return, Harvey would be the brawn of the new leadership and what was left behind he would easily be the brains of.
 
"Well … go have fun. No one goes alone. You got one hour. When you hear the horn, get the fuck back or get left behind."

Doc MacFarlane nodded. He'd driven one of the One-Tons on the way in. He'd offered to do it, having driven trucks when the need arose during his medical work in Africa.

He handed the keys to Charlie.

"In case I don't come back," he said, by way of explanation. "Though I plan to. Place this size must have a pharmacy. I'm going to see if I can pick up some supplies. Diego's coming with me. If that's okay with you, boss."

Since he was now notionally the sole medic at CCC, with a client base that seemed at greater risk than average of injury by violence, Doc knew it was important to stock up on medical supplies. The infirmary was reasonably well stocked but they would run short at some point in the future.

He tapped the pistol in its holster at his hip. He couldn't remember what kind it was (9mm? Or was it 10?), just that he knew how to chamber a round and release the safety. The rest was straightforward. He hadn't done all that well at the shooting range - the sound the thing made when you pulled the trigger was off-putting - but he hoped that anyone he needed to point it at would just see sense and fuck off.

He'd armed himself with a crowbar. He and Diego both wore large backpacks and there were four folded-up sports bags inside. That should be enough to carry the supplies back, assuming the pharmacy hadn't already been looted.

He ticked off his mental list of things to get, informed by his experience of battlefield surgery with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Eritrea: surgical instruments, sutures, antiseptics, dressings, antibiotics, analgesics. Those were the essentials. Anything else would be a bonus.

He'd looked for Nurse Betty but had lost track of her. He'd considered asking her to come along but, he figured, she might have things of her own that she wanted to get and it didn't seem fair to impose.

And what about you, Doc? his mind asked. Not going to pick up a little something for yourself?

He hadn't considered it. What did he really need, though? He had clothes, food and security, of a sort. Love you couldn't buy but he had a place in the CCC and a strange sense of belonging. He seemed to be trusted and that gave him a degree of self-esteem he hadn't felt in years.

Abraham Maslow would be proud, he thought. The only thing missing is self-actualisation. Well, let's fucking self-actualise.

With a wry grin, he nodded at Diego. "Let's see if we can find a map of the location, you know, the kind of thing that tells you where to go to piss. Keep your eyes peeled."

Diego nodded back. "Lead on, jefe."
 
Jules

Jules helped with carrying the chips to the truck along with a large assortment of other people. If you think that makes stealing some for himself more easy then please just stop your criminal life now. With the chips being carried it meant all eyes were on him, making stealing the chips impossible.

With the chips in the truck Jules would have to wait on some kind of distraction and such a thing clearly wasn't a for sure thing. He thought about his other goals and felt maybe he would have to see about getting the chips at a later point.

Goal one, the man wanting the fire arms. That was an easy one, just wait until they all got back after the hour. He would have a gun by then, he would be able to be caught red handed. Jules would just inform Charlie on the ride home, it would be the most easy thing he had ever done.

Goal two, getting his drugs? That was a bit more tricky.

"In case I don't come back," Doc MacFarlane said. "Though I plan to. Place this size must have a pharmacy. I'm going to see if I can pick up some supplies. Diego's coming with me. If that's okay with you, boss."

So it looked like Jules had a bit of competition for that. He took into note Doc's statements and got ready to take action. Well, this was a big place, maybe he could luck out. Jules started walking away from the truck hoping to get back to it with some time to spare. The man that he had been selling drugs to at the cabin the other day quickly fallowed up to him, seeming to know if he wanted to get a new fix he may have to lend Jules a hand. Junkies, dependable as always.

Doc and Diego went one way, Jules and his lackey went the other. On their way Jules did find a handful of chips just resting on a roulette table. A good six hundred and twenty worth. That was not going to cut it, but he pocked it anyways. At least it was a start.
 
Just as Doc had looked for her, Betty had looked for him as well, but she and Charlie were in a different portion of the casino The Warden asked with a touch of humor in her voice, "Wanna go shopping?"

A couple of minutes later, Charlie spoke into the radio for the benefit of anyone else whom might be surprised or worried, "Breaking glass, breaking glass, in three, two, one..."

The casino was filled with the sound of the front window of The Boutique being shattered into a million little shards. Charlie dropped the heavy crow bar and told Betty and the other three women in her company "Madam Maria will surely pay handsomely for anything you bring back for her girls to wear. Oh, and don't forget to find something that fits you, too."

The women spent a half hour snatching anything and everything female off the racks, shelves, and even the mannequins. They filled the boutique's plastic shopping bags and then tossed the bags into cards they'd found in the service corridor.

They crossed the hall to another shop, this one with the glass already smashed by some of the guys. (They'd been there to do their own shopping, but some of them had spent part of their time watching the gals holding sexy lingerie and tiny thongs up to their bodies.) Here, the girls again loaded up bags with soaps, shampoos, razors, snacks, magazines, feminine hygiene products, condoms -- or at least what hadn't been taken by the boys -- and more.

Again, they filled up carts from the hallway, and with Charlie telling them time was up, they headed for the front entrance, still joyfully singing to the music blaring out of the speakers Betty had brought with them from the boutique. At the vehicles, they tossed bags after bags after bags -- as well as some box-cased items -- up into the trucks.

Seeing that they were still missing some of the crew -- Jules and his partner in crime in particular -- Charlie pulled her radio off her hip to call in the troops. A shot suddenly rang out from not to far away, followed by another; one round ricocheted off the side of the heavy duty truck, nearly striking Charlie. As panic erupted amongst the team and men and women ran in all directions for cover, a third and fourth shot rang out, this time from a different direction.

She would hate herself for this later, but Charlie's first thought was that one or two or more of her own people had turned on her: she was finally about to be assassinated, and this time it was by people that she herself had armed! She hit against the truck, pulled her sidearm -- her rifle was leaning against the truck's tailgate -- and scanned her own people, looking for the shooter.

But not a one of them still in sight was pointing a weapon at her, and when she had a moment more to get her bearings, she realized that at least two of them were already shooting at targets that were unseen by her. She turned and -- still crouching -- moved toward the end of the truck to get her rifle while the shooting in both directions continued.

That was when she found Louisa laying on the ground, staring up at the sky with wide open, frightened eyes; her hands grasped at her neck while blood spilled from it, staining the beautiful silk blouse and lacy bra she'd changed into at the boutique to the delight of the men who'd been across the hall at the time complimenting her with loud whistles, cat calls, and proposals of marriage.

"You're okay! You're okay!" Charlie told the woman in desperation as she tried to pull her under the truck's end and out of the continuing gunfire. She looked around desperately and cried out loudly, "Doc! Doc! Fuck, Doc, where are you? Louisa is down, she's shot. Fuck, Doc!"

She tried to remember if she'd seen Michael at the trucks or if he'd still been on his way back. It wouldn't matter whether he got here quickly or even immediately, though: as she watched, Charlie saw the life leave the eyes of the hardest working woman on the farm.
 
It took longer than expected to find their destination. The casino was huge and, while they found a map soon enough, navigating their way through corridors under emergency lighting proved difficult.

The pharmacy was a glass-fronted affair tucked between a newsstand and a luxury watch shop. The door had already been jimmied open. Once they'd made their way in, it was clear someone had been there before them. The safe, in which the controlled drugs were kept, had been ripped open and was empty.

"Bad luck," Doc said to Diego. "Guess this place must have been a target for whoever else lives in and around this area. You'd think they'd have tried for the vaults first, though."

Diego said nothing, waiting for instructions.

"OK, well, let's clear the shelves of whatever's left," Doc said.

They set to it. Soon, they'd filled their bags with antibiotics, bandages and basic painkillers. It didn't take long. By the time they'd finished, they still had some time.

"Diego, why don't you head off and pick something up for yourself?" Doc said. "I think I'll go next door and get myself an Omega. Always wanted one. Get you one as well?"

"Rolex for me," Diego replied. "I have taste. See you back at the entrance in twenty."

Doc MacFarlane emerged from the watch shop with an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Automatic on his wrist. List price $9900. Diego's watch was in his pocket, a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Oyster, finished in gold and a snip at $26,990. He hoped Diego would approve. He thought he would.

He got lost just once on the way back. It was just as the slot machines came in sight that he heard the first shots. He froze in his tracks. He started running just as more shots sounded.
 
Jules

Nobody goes alone was what was suggested, but it wasn't really practical. The lights were out in the casino and the place was as dark as midnight. You had to use flashlights to search, which means everyone was searching quite a bit slower. If you wanted to get all you could, people kind of had to spread out to be optimal. As such the lackey for Jules had moved quite a bit ahead like a scout. This wasn't fully intentional as Jules leg slowed him down a bit.

It did pay off though as it meant the two were a bit apart and what with the dark around them, they might as well have been in completely different buildings. So when Jules was able to find a cashier's draw that was wide open and full of casino chips that the lackey had simply passed because he didn't give a darn about chips, Jules was able to stay behind for a moment and clear it out.

The chips were in large dominations, which would make carrying them more easy, but using them a bit questionable. It helped in the current situation though so why get mad? There were a lot of 500 and 100 chips, a few smaller of course. In the end there was something like 23,430 worth, but of course Jules didn't count them till later. At this point he simply tossed them into a bag that he swung around onto his back.

His lackey was now well ahead, starting to look back, seeming a bit concerned.

"I'm fine. Just this leg, that's all," Jules stated.

The man started jogging back, being a bit more kind then expected. It was all for the best anyways, this casino was very large and they still had no idea where the pharmacy was. Doc would clearly win this game, but Jules at least got a well worth runner up prize.

"We best start heading back," Jules said.

And then the shots rang out. The lackey pulled back a bit, standing close to Jules, for a moment the only sound was their breathing. Then several more shots fallowed in the darkness. A quick burst of them all together and a thud of a body hitting the ground.

Jules made the biggest error of his entire life, he took his flashlight and pointed it at the direction of the sound. A man was standing above a body just a couple of steps away with a gun in hand. It was some kind of semi automatic rifle, but Jules could never tell you that, all he knew is it could kill somebody. All he knew is it had killed someone.

The dead body that the fire arm had ended was not someone from the bus. It was a man with a mask on. A really cheap looking werewolf thing, his clothing black but with red now leaking out over it. He had brought the gun that had got him killed, the killer had wrestled it out of his hands and then shot him down. And said killer was the fire arm enthusiast, the one Jules was going to nark on.

All at once, Jules' plans were collapsing in on themselves. The man with the rifle turned toward the light, he held the gun out.

"Cocksucker," he said.

Before Jules could register what he was doing, he drew the weapon from his back pants and fired it off. He felt like he was aiming for the man's arm, he hit his neck, right dead center in the neck. The man fell over, dead.

Silence fallowed as Jules tried to register what he had just done. The man had a gun, a high end weapon he wanted to smuggle into the prison. He had just killed some random being to get it, likely from a group attacking everyone right now. Jules had seen all this and the gun nut likely wanted to silence him so he couldn't tell. If Jules didn't shoot the man he would have shot Jules dead to keep him from talking. So, it was in self defense.

Yes, Jules shot the man in self defense, but it sure didn't seem that way, it sure didn't feel that way. The man's body just rested there, unmoving, a statement of what Jules had done.

The junkie, Jules loving servant, stood by Jules, his eyes glued to the gun in Jules' hand. Jules turned to him, his gun fallowed his eyes and for a moment pointed at the man. He was young, in his very early twenties with messy red hair and a look of fear in his eyes. He could have been thinking a lot of things in that moment, like maybe Jules would shoot him next to keep him silent.

Jules didn't know what to expect next, but what happened to him then would have gotten anyone off guard.

Jules lackey moved forward quickly and put his lips to Jules. His mouth connected with Jules and then the man slightly slipped his tongue into his mouth. Jules did not register that the man had any kind of feelings towards him. Heck, he hardly took any note of anything about him. Since Jules was never really drawn to people he had to admit, he had a hard time picking up on social cues and flirtations. Maybe this was the real reason why the man was so quick to buy most of Jules supplies? A simple crush.

Whatever the man's motive was the kiss still felt good. Jules may not have been the most into other people, but the activities themselves... they could be fun, even in cases like this where they seemed to come out of nowhere. The man's body sunk into Jules as they started to slightly wrestle one another with their tongues. Jules almost as a reflex grabbed slightly onto the kid's firm ass and squeezed it softly.

The lackey pulled back and whispered softly, "I'll never tell anyone. Everything that happened here is safe with me,"

He then kissed Jules one more time, quick and to the point this time around, and then pulled back for good.

Jules just stood there for a moment, honestly having no idea how to respond. Then some more gun shots rang out around them.

It was time to stop thinking and start acting, Jules started running back the way they came, back to the mini bus, back to safety. He would just have to sort out all of everything that just happened later. The lackey fallowed, still just as loving and loyal as ever.
 
Steven and Jamie

Steven had been working with Jamie, "This isn't it, right?" He said after they had stolen the chips form the main vault. Jamie looked at him, "High Rollers! Fuck I almost forgot!" Steven had not been in anywhere near the number of casinos as Jamie, but he had done a hit in Monte Carlo to an arab sheik who had been financing Taliban initiatives. As all hell broke loose, he had found a second vault, it was only to finance the high limit tables, table minimums of $5,000 or more. The two of them had headed back and luckily the chips were still on the carts used to go from pit area to pit area refreshing chips, but at quick glance there was nearly $1.6 million in high value chips.

"Will she need these?" Steven asked, al the numbers he had heard suggest $5, 10 and 25 thousand chips were too high. Jamie just laughed, "My guess is like any new economy there may be periods of hyper inflation, yeah, the main bank will probably want some bigger denominations. Steven had no real idea what any of that meant, but Jamie knew this stuff, maybe knew it too well!

So now with the new chips in the truck, Steven covered them with a tarp, he was afraid of the temptation if some of the crew saw that wealth and wanted Charlie to know about it first. Jamie and he then stuck together, at least through the first store. Steven, like the others went to one of the many gift shops. Toothpaste, razors, the lady kind for Jessi. He even got her one of those small vibrators, they called it a bullit. Things had progressed between them, but how much further he didn't know and his young niece clearly had needs she needed to take care of. He also picked her up some underwear, tight t's and thongs he knew she liked, from a Victoria's Secret that was conveniently located by the liquor store. At the liquor store, he grabbed a cart, tossing in a case of Four Roses, his favorite bourbon and two cases of beer, Michelob.

Earlier, leaving the Gift Store, Jamie had spotted the high end fashion stores, and it was in front of Armani, he saw her. How in the hell had he not seen this woman? Was she possibly with them? Madge was standing in front, and Jamie felt compelled to make an introduction. "That dress would look incredible on you, actually they all would..." He said sliding up next to her, and using the gun Charlie had given him to shatter the glass and give them entrance. "Hi, I'm Jamie....I wouldn't mind picking up a few things myself.

Steven was almost back to the truck with his hall when the first shots rang out. Then the next set from the opposite direction. He took off in a dead sprint, pushing his cart the last few feet up the ramp in the truck and finding the five extra clips he had brought with for his luger. At first he didn't see Charlie, and when he did, she was holding a dead girl in her hand. He guessed she was in a bit of shock, but there was no time for that, if they had shot the girl, they could shoot her.

He raised his eyes to scan the perimeter, but whoever they were fighting was moving, trying to gain position. He grabbed Charlie's cheek so she looked at him. "Forget the girl, sorry, but she's dead. There may be more, but I have heard at least four gunman, I would bet their are twice that, maybe three times. Hard to know if they know the area better than we do, but assume they do. If so, they are moving to sight lines, and cover, probably the high ground. It was then he saw the glint of sunlight on steel, and since it was pointed toward them, he assumed enemy. Pushing Charlie hard to the ground, he raised his gun and took out the shooter who was about 200 feet away on the roof.

He picked Charlie back up, "Sorry, he was shooting for you, how would he know you're in charge, unless they heard you give commands earlier and went and got some reinforcements?" He looked around and then took her hand to move away from the open, back into the casino, he had them hide behind the slots. "What do you know about the configuration of this place, how do you get to the roof?" Steven was trying to figure out how to marshall a counter attack, "You gave those classes right, who the fuck in this group actually knows how to use a gun? Do you have a way of reaching them, otherwise they could walk right into an ambush?"

His mind was flying, he had to figure out how to take out the shooters on the roof, otherwise they weren't getting many out alive! Suddenly he saw Jamie coming back with some gorgeous blonde, they had huge bags in their hands. "Jamie, you are with me, I am going to need a man who can move....can you shoot that thing?" Steven saw the gun in Jamie's belt. Yes, Jamie could shoot it, but what he might be able to hit was a different question. Jamie looked at Madge, "Shouldn't I stay with her?" Steven was focused again on Charlie, "I know you can shoot, and I hate putting our leader in danger, but...I'm not sure we have any choice?"
 
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Charlotte Higgins had never suffered a moment of fear in her life. Her parents had raised her to be strong and confident, and her brothers had taught her to be tough. The only two times in her life that Charlie had ever cried what when her older brother died of an overdose and her younger one was killed by the gang of the man who'd supplied the drugs, a man against whom her brother was going to testify.

And yet she was frightened now and about to cry to boot. Oh, it wasn't because she feared for her life. Fuck that: she'd been on death row, the next inmate in line at Clark County Correctional to have a needle inserted into her arm.

No, Charlie was afraid for them, the people surrounding her now who were both getting shot at and returning fire. She was the leader of this ragtag group of scavengers who -- except for Betty and Steven -- were all convicts and most of them killers themselves, in one way or another.

But fearful and about to cry Charlie was, because one of those convicts had just died in her arms; Louisa's body was still draining blood all over the new Warden's arms and clothes.

"Forget the girl, sorry, but she's dead," someone was telling Charlie. "There may be more, but I have heard at least four gunman."

Charlie finally snapped back to reality and realized it was Steven talking to her. He was saying something about sight lines and cover and high ground and glints of sunlight on steel. She only really flashed back to full consciousness when he raised his gun and fired at a distant target.

"Get everyone inside!" she said, echoing what Steven had. She took a last look at Louisa, leaned to kiss her cheek -- incidentally getting blood all over her own cheek -- and gently laid the girl down. When Steven shoved her under the better cover of the truck's back end, she asks without thinking, "What the fuck?"

"Sorry, he was shooting for you," Steven said, wondering aloud whether Charlie herself was the target.

They'd soon find out she was.

One by one as each of the others provided cover, the rest of the group that had been outside got inside. Steven took charge without Charlie having to give over command, his military experience kicking in. Diego -- another war zone veteran -- would soon be here to help them establish a perimeter and set down a defense.

Meantime, Charlie had established her own sight line of the truck that was filled with, among other things, the basis of the future Bank of the New Society of Clark County Correctional. And to her horror, the heavy duty truck lurched forward and began driving away.

"Fuck me, no!" she hollered as she ran out into the hall between the slot machine carousels and headed for the door. "Fuck no you aren't taking that, asshole!"

Without even realizing she'd done it, Charlie had retrieved the AR-15 for which she'd been looking when she'd found Louisa fatally shot. Now, as she reached the front door -- now devoid of glass as the sheet there had been shattered by bullets -- she aimed for the cab of the departing truck and carefully began popping off one shot after another until the clip was empty. She had no idea that rounds from outside the casino were striking the door frames and slot machines behind her.

She couldn't actually see what effect her rounds were having inside the truck, but after a moment the vehicle hit a curb, then a decade old tree, before coming to a stop. Later, they would find the wannabe hijacker with a bullet through his left temple.

Someone pulled her back into the casino again, where she found Steven and Jamie talking about getting to the roof. Charlie's brain returned to where it should have been, and she called out anxiously, "Where is everyone else? Is everyone okay? People, I need to know: who's okay, who's shot? If anyone hurt?"

Madge was the first person to speak up, telling her, "No one else is hurt, Charlie, far as we know. Some of the others are still inside the casino. That guy Jules, and a couple of others."

She gave Jamie a knowing glance just before he and Steven ran off to find an access to the roof. It amazed her how things could change so quickly: a few minutes earlier, Madge and Jamie had been standing in the casino's high end haberdashery, picking out a suit that fit his brash, forward, and sophisticated personality, and now they were ducking and weaving in an effort to keep their bodies from being shot up by unknown strangers.

Charlie finally caught sight of Doc MacFarlane, and forgetting for a moment that the woman had already died in her arms, she hollered to him, "Louisa's shot. She needs help."

But he was coming to her instead, investigating the blood on her face and covering her arms and clothes. She realized he was checking her for wounds and said, "I'm alright, I'm alright! It's not my blood. It's ... it's Louisa's. She's dead. Check the others, Doc. Check the others. I heard crying."

Charlie wasn't sure who she'd heard, but one of the women had been crying out from nearer the door. With Steven and Diego gone, Charlie remembered who she was and regained her composure enough to begin barking out orders for the others to find places from which they could guard the entrance and, if possible, the vehicles outside it.

She suddenly had an explosion of guilt as she remembered that her first thought was that one of her people had been shooting at her. It would be a life changing moment for Charlie, as if she hadn't had enough of those in the last days and years.

Betty was suddenly at Charlie's side, once again checking to see if she was injured having not seen Doc already do so. She reported with sorrow, "Kenneth ... the guy with the purple face scar. He's dead."

"Fuck," Charlie growled to herself as Nurse Betty wiped blood off her with some cloth she found somewhere. She waved the woman off, telling her, "Keep your head down. Find Doc. Help him if he needs it. Don't get shot!"

Charlie looked around and found some of the others shooting out the multiple front doors of the casino, few of them with any glass in them now; others were simply hiding, keeping safe. It was obvious that their attackers were trying to get to the trucks and SUVs now filled with supplies.

She wasn't going to let that happen. She caught the attention of a pair -- one male, one female -- who she knew had done well on the range and who had histories of being bad asses, before and during their prison time. They ran off deeper into the casino, then off to one side, until they found a back passage access.

Charlie led them through the serpentine hall, ever getting nearer the front of the establishment. Finally, they were at a pair of exit doors, through which she peeked out. Just as she'd hoped, they were at the back sides of their attackers. Charlie could see some of the enemies dead on the ground, her first thought being a rather inappropriate version of the classic board game Clue: Steve and Diego ... on the roof ... with the sniper's rifles.

"There's four of them," she told her cohort, describing where they were and making a plan to take them out. "Ready?"

They surged out the door and between the trash bins and a couple of parked service vehicles, and a moment later all three of them opened up and mowed down the remaining assailants. Charlie called out, "Check'em! Get the guns! Don't take chances: if they're breathing, stop them of it."

As she followed her own orders, Charlie heard one of her people pump one last round into an injured attacker, and it was over. She scanned the area finding it clear, then looked to the roof and got a wave from one of her own.

Then, movement caught her eye, and Charlie leveled her Beretta at a body slumped against the casino's outside wall. She moved toward the person quickly, ready to end another life of another scum ball.

But Charlie didn't fire when she realized she recognized the face. A chill ran up her spine and goosebumps flooded her skin, and after a moment she was finally able to make her greeting: "Well, hello there ... Warden Johnson."

Oh, Walter Johnson hadn't really been the Warden of Clark County Correctional: he'd only been the most senior staff member left after the Red Flu had killed everyone else off and the County itself had been unable to send a proper Administrator to run the place.

Walter had been the Senior Corrections Officer for almost a decade, and he had been one of the most brutal son of a bitches the prison had ever known. He'd had inmates beaten and had beaten some of them himself. He'd had some of the females sexually assaulted, and -- again -- raped some of them himself..

While Charlie had been untouched by him, she knew there were at least 3 female Residents who'd remained behind who Walter Johnson would prefer not to now meet in Charlie's New Society. As her two companions joined her again and realized who they were seeing, Charlie smiled widely and said with an official sounding tone, "Will the two of you please take our friend here into custody. Walter Johnson ... you're under arrest for ... well ... name it and I'm sure you've done it."

One of the two with Charlie had been wearing a Corrections Officer gun/tool belt, and luckily it had on it a pair of handcuffs. Walter was shackled, and the three Residents headed for the main entrance, with Charlie eager to see how everyone else had fared.
 
Chloe, with Maria

Back at the prison:

"What's with the smirk?" Maria asked Chloe when the two met at lunch for a discussion about the future brothel. "You look like the proverbial cat with the canary in its mouth."

"I think I'm in love," the younger, sexy woman said softly.

"Love?" the past-and-future Madam asked.

Chloe giggled like a teenager. "Lust then. I had my first orgasm last night."

Maria looked surprised, or what it skeptical? She knew Chloe's years-long history as an unwilling prostitute. The younger woman described in detail what the Number Cruncher had done to, for, and with her the night before.

"Are you sure you want to do this then?" Maria asked, gesturing a hand about the cabin in which they were sitting. It was one of the three Staff Cabins that Charlie had promised to Marla for the purpose of the brothel. "I mean, I wouldn't want Lou's heart to be broken when--"

"Oh, hell yes," Chloe interrupted. She laughed as if to say are you kidding? then explained, "I have no problem separating business and pleasure."

They chatted a bit more about the difficulties of being a prostitute while also having a life partner, but Chloe only laughed, reminding Maria, "I'm only fucking Lou because Charlie promised me my own house and pretty much anything I asked for. Lou's important to her, so I'm keeping him happy. That's it."

"You said you thought your were in love."

"Figure of speech," Chloe said, doing her best to hide her true feelings for Lou, which -- honestly -- she didn't know were so strong. "I'm in lust! Different thing. Lou makes me happy, I make him happy, and I make other men happy, too ... for money. No conflict here."

"Well, speaking of earning money," Maria said, pouring Chloe another cup of tea that a certain CO had slipped out of the Kitchen Stockroom just for her, "you have a client waiting for you in House 2."

"Harvey," Chloe said softly and without enthusiasm. "He's been wanting to fuck my ass, and I keep telling him no."

The young beauty went off to work, afterward collecting a box of goodies he was paying her with prior to the establishment of the New Society Bank by none other than Chloe's housemate. After she'd washed her mouth out to rid it of the CO's cum and then showered to get his sweat off her young skin, she headed back to her and Lou's home to spend the day decorating and napping ... and reminiscing about the previous night.
 
Lou went about his own day job on cloud nine. What he had done with Chloe, to Chloe. What she had done to him. He was on a sexual high. Not to mention that Molly had worn an extra tight top this morning and seemed to have even more of a bounce and jiggle in her step as the two of them prepared for what they hoped would be a full haul of casino chips to start their new monetary system.

Lou figured it would take at least a week to get it up and running properly. Would Charlie set the workers wages? Would certain jobs pay more and how would they determine those rates? Would a small stipend be enough to get everyone going? Would there be charges for meals and other so-called luxuries that the prison had offered free prior to the takeover?

There were still many questions to be asked and answered before the bank would be able to open it's doors for business. Providing the work force that went on the mission returned intact.

Lou's mind slipped to Chloe's day job as his eyes remained on Molly throughout most of the day. Had she started her employment? (of what would turn out to be the prisons most sought after whore.) If she had, was she sucking someone's cock now? Was there a cock buried deep inside her cunt or even her asshole? Would she tell him about her day job or keep it a secret from him? (though he already knew)

Molly was out scrimmaging for more office supplies as he daydreamed the hour away.Lou found his dick hard again as he thought about his new girlfriend in a multitude of sexual circumstances. Just then Molly made her way up directly beside him with a box full of accounting books from the prisons offices.
 
Molly couldn't help but notice the extra skip in Lou's step this morning. She couldn't know that it was mostly because of what he'd done to Chloe and not the other way around.

"Charlie left this for you, Lou," Molly aid, handing him some papers with at least 4 different handwritings on them. "She and the manager-types, -- Kitchen, the Farm, Infrastructure, you know -- they've come up with some interim guidelines for wages."

The pages also indicated what Residents got as Basic Benefits for a hard days work. "It looks good and fair, but you're the number cruncher. Oh, and she wants you to help Harvey with clearing out A-Wing and C-Wing."

After the power grid failed, it was decided that A- and C-Wings would be abandoned, saving on electrical power and, thus, emergency generator fuel. B-Wing was the logical choice as it had larger cells, a more roomy main passage, easiest and shortest access to all of the communal areas, and more.

Charlie had decided that A-Wing would be used for storing all the public inventory. She said publicly it was a random decision over C-Wing, but Molly knew it was because A-Wing was the Maximum Security Wing and could be more easily secured.

C-Wing was essentially being abandoned. Most of the women had already moved out, of course:
  • Huong, Marla, and Rosita -- all destined to be whores -- were shacking up together in #4.
  • Madam Maria was sharing #5 with Kirstin and Arlene.
  • Chloe was with Lou in #6, of course;
  • Nurse Betty had already lived in #7 and had welcomed Molly and Madge to live with her.
  • Paula, Wanda, and Kendra -- none of them Brothel Staff -- were in #9.
The first 3 cabins had been designated as being for the brothel or other public uses; #8 was in desperate need of repair; #10 was Stevens; and #11-13 had been or soon would be claimed by the men of Three-C.

Charlie was remaining in the Warden's living quarters. They were very comfortable and gave her easy and secure access to the Security Room and the entirety of the prison.
 
When Jules and his helpful fallower reached the transports it looked like things were already calming down, maybe. There had been at least one more casualty, Jules took note of Louisa resting dead on the ground, yet everyone around was breathing off a panic.

"There was an attacker, came from within the casino, shot Owen down. I think he's dead," Jules lackey spoke up for anyone to hear before he was even asked.

Owen, so that was the name of the man Jules had killed. Jules simply nodded for a moment and then quickly spoke up himself. "Ya, bastard tried to sneak up on all of us and shot down the kid before he even knew what happened," Jules lied.

Of course this was a very weak fib, by far one of the weakest Jules had ever told. All they had to do was look at the bullet hole in Owen and they would see that it didn't match the weapon that the dead man in the werewolf mask had. Of course that would mean they would have to look at the body which was lost in the darkness of the casino, which might still have other ambushers inside it laying in wait.

"I got lucky though, shot the attacker down before he could pop off any more shots," Jules went on. Why not make himself look like a hero? His days may have well been numbered.

After a few slaps on the back Jules and his lackey walked over to the long hoped for mini bus and rested their backs against it.

"What's your name?" Jules said, he knew it was rude, he was sure the man said it the other day in the cabin and he had seen him around a little bit from time to time, but Jules felt like he had to know.

"Atlas," he said, not taking any insult.

"Thanks, I, I...." Jules gulped and his voice went to a whisper. "I wasn't going to shoot you."

"Maybe I knew that, still wanted to kiss you though," Atlas said back with a shy blush.

Jules wondered if he should point out he didn't really feel that way about him, but that could lead to his new partner in crime letting everyone know exactly what he had done, namely shot Owen dead, in the neck, like a coward. No, there was no reason to burn this bridge and as such Jules breathed deeply, a calm feeling taking over him like it had for most everyone else. They had survived.
 
Just moments after Jules and Atlas showed up, the last of those who'd more or less hidden to save their lives came out of hiding. Charlie called out, "Steven! Doc! Callahan! Count off your people!"

Charlie had taken some advice from her military types -- which included Caroline Callahan, the prison's only female military veteran -- and had assigned the three people she'd called out a squad of people for whom they were responsible.

The guys called out to their squad members, who then called their presence back. Caroline did the same, and Charlie was thankful to learn that they'd only lost the three already reported: Louisa, Kenneth, and Owen.

"Is there any hope in finding Owen's body if we go back for him?" Charlie asked Jules and Atlas. The answer was no, though, Charlie thought she detected something more in the two men's tones than simply wanting to prevent more losses in the dark of the gambling floor. She called out, "Let's pack it up and get! I want Kenneth and Louisa in my SUV, back end."

Then she looked to Steven, pointed her drawn Beretta in the bound and gagged Walter's direction, and said, "I want him alive when we get back. He's yours to protect."

They'd done a survey of the dead attackers already and found that two more of them had come from the prison, another CO and the former Farm Supervisor. Charlie pulled the gag from Walter's mouth and growled, "Are there more of you out here? Who's left? Where the fuck are they?"

"Fuck you, you fucking convict![/i]" Walter growled before spitting and hitting Charlie's cheek and neck. She raised the 9mm to his face and very nearly pulled the trigger. But then she hesitated, laughed, wiped the spit from her skin, and smashed the gun into the CO's face, breaking his nose and sending a gush of blood down his face. She turned for her vehicle, hollering, "We're out of here! Let's go home!"

Two hours later, after detouring round a culvert bridge that wouldn't hold the weight of the now fully loaded trucks, they pulled up into the Loading Zone of the prison to the unexpected cheers of the balance of the New Society's population.

"Everything goes straight to C-Wing," Charlie announced, "unless it was something you picked out for yourselves. Don't be stingy, people. No one like a horder."

Even before the first box was unloaded, though, with those she knew she could fully trust standing on the dock above her, Charlie pointed to an empty wheeled cart Harvey had brought out and commanded, "All weapons, here, now."

She couldn't know if anyone had picked up a gun from those they'd killed, but she and Harvey had an accurate count of every pistol, rifle, and shotgun that had left earlier that morning.
 
Once Doc had checked Charlie was okay, he found a concealed spot behind a row of slot machines. He hunkered down and ripped open one of the loaded sports bags. There was little one could do with a gunshot in the field except pad it if on the torso or apply a tourniquet to a limb. He was so focussed on finding what he needed that he didn't notice Nurse Betty until she appeared at his side.

"Casualties?" he asked, without preamble. "Any alive?"

Apparently not.

"Any good with guns?" he asked next.

Also apparently not.

He unholstered his pistol and held it up across his chest, ready to fire if needed.

"OK," he said. "We wait. See anyone that doesn't look like one of ours, let me know. If it all goes to shit, we exit, stage left. There's a fire exit that way. But for now, we wait."

It was all over in a matter of minutes, though it seemed hours to the two of them. Once it was safe, they did a quick recce of the casualties. There was no one alive that they could do anything for. They helped recover the bodies. Doc leapt into the cab of his One-Ton just as Diego emerged, holding a rifle. Diego nodded at Doc. Doc nodded back.

"Glad to see you made it," Doc said.

"No problem, jefe." Diego replied, getting into the cab. "Like shooting ducks."

On the way back, Diego filled him in on what had happened and who was behind the ambush.

"Walter fucking Johnson," Doc said. "Really? That motherfucker?"

Diego nodded. "Exactly. Charlie's got him alive in the back of hers." He grinned. "Might get to try your castration technique after all."
 
As the unload was happening, Charlie asked Madge to meet her for a chat. "Are you familiar with the man we brought back with us from the Casino?"

Charlie didn't know whether to call Walter Johnson a prisoner, a hostage, or the accused. He was a former Corrections Officer-turned-wannabe-Warden. Madge acknowledged, "The guys I was riding back with, they told me. I'm not familiar with him before this, if that's what you were ask--."

"I want to put him on trial," Charlie interrupted, "and I want you to prosecute him ... ADA Harris."

Madge's expression and body language revealed not only her surprise at this but her discomfort as well. She was known amongst the Three-C population as Jane, as in Jane Doe; her name and profession -- putting people in prison -- was still a secret, with only Charlie, Harvey, and Maria knowing the truth.

"This man raped and brutalized both men and women, personally or through others," Charlie growled, the anger building even as she thought about it. "He will be tried by and judge upon by his peers, and--"

Madge couldn't restrain the laugh that escaped. "What peers? They're convicts ... inmates. You can call'em Residents until your face turns blue, but their still just criminals who you let out of their cells to run around planting corn, robbing casinos, and fucking one another."

Charlie contained the emotions building within her, then very calmly responded, "First, we don't plant corn for another two weeks. Second, you came away from the casino with your own pirate's booty if I recall. A suitcase full of books and makeup and God knows what else. And third..."

She stopped to think for a moment before asking, "Who are you fucking?"

"I'm not fucking any--"

"But you want to," Charlie again interrupted, adding, "Fuck someone. I mean, a beautiful woman like you jailed in a place like--"

"I was only in here a week before the Red Flu struck Clark Correctional," Madge reminded the Warden. "I hardly had time to build up enough horniness to want one of these thugs putting his cock inside me."

Charlie couldn't help but laugh at the sophisticated and elegant woman's vulgarity. The Warden had gotten her one good look at Madge in her undies just after she'd taken over the prison, and now she hinted at her own preferences by saying, "Well, maybe we can find you someone without a cock who can--"

"No thank you..." Madge responded, doing the interrupting herself now before adding with a bit more politeness, "...Warden Higgins."

In truth, Madge had indeed contemplated the possibility of laying with Charlotte. Oh, she didn't consider herself a lesbian or even bisexual, but Madge had been with women back in her college days and she'd very much enjoyed it. And it might be nice to enjoy a bit of sexual interaction with someone other than the men populating this place Charlie wanted to call her New Society.

That took Madge's mind back to Jamie Adams. The man they called Wall Street had been a target of one of her white collar crimes inquiries back before she joined the Criminal Division. He'd stolen millions of dollars after his own legit moneys had dried up and had ended up here in the Medium Security wing less than a hundred yards from the woman who'd helped put him away.

The irony was that while Madge had given him a good once over in the casino and, honestly, thought to herself I could see us fucking if your weren't a fucking criminal, she hadn't recognized him as one of her previous prey. Madge hadn't been in the courtroom during Jamie's trial: she'd only been behind the scenes, putting his case together, and -- in this context -- she simply didn't realize who he was.

After Charlie went back to talking about Walter Johnson, Madge finally relented and said, "Yes, I'll try him. But the moment it begins to turn into a kangaroo court, I'm out. I'm going back to my cell and I'm going to sit there until the next Red Flu comes along and kills us all."

With that settled, Madge returned to the cabin that was now her home, and Charlie asked Doc to come see her to continue the chat about the former Warden. She told him bluntly, "I'm putting Walter Johnson on trial, and when he is found guilty and sentenced to death, I want you to execute him via lethal injection. We don't have the drugs necessary ... but ... can you come up with a cocktail that'll kill him ... and ... I prefer it be painful and lengthy."
 
Introducing Leigh Evans

Just out of the shower, a still mostly naked Leigh Evans was just dressing when she heard Corrections Officer Hairy Harvey Lewis announce that the Casino Field Trip team had just driven through the gate.

"All Resident's not engaged in vital activities are asked to assemble at the Loading Docks to unload the vehicles," the former CO and current Security Chief announced. He added, "In case you're thinking Hell, I'll just let someone else do the work, just think of all the goodies that might be comin' in ... you lazy fucks."

Leigh didn't have to be urged to make her way to the off load. She had needs that she hoped would be filled by what she might find coming off the five vehicles.

Unlike Harvey -- who'd gotten a call from Charlie on the radio earlier during the team's return -- Leigh wasn't aware that the autos were also carrying two of the team's three dead.

She was at the docks even before the first of the two One-Ton trucks backed up; the two SUVs and the mini-bus stopped nearby, and people began bailing out of them with their hands filled with backpacks and bags. Leigh smiled at the thought of all the useful things they'd brought home with them.

The Farmhand and Stock Handler caught sight of Jules Barker, and once he was near, she approached him casually. Leigh had only briefly spoken with Jules in the Dining Hall a couple of times, but she'd heard he was the kind of man who could get you things that the other procurer of contraband, Lou Edwards, was less enthusiastic about obtaining.

She made her way inconspicuously to Jules's side, and when he turned and started at the nearness of her, Leigh smiled flirtatiously, asking, "Things went well?"

She let him answer, then -- looking at his backpacks -- stepped a bit closer and asked with a seductive tone, "Find anything that might interest me?"

Leigh glanced beyond Jules to find Atlas Alder giving her a strange look. She didn't recognize it as jealousy, as -- while she knew he was gay as fuck -- she didn't know that Jules had his own peculiar sexual preferences that might suit Atlas for his needs.

"Can I help you with something?" Leigh asked Atlas in a tone that was soft and sweet and yet still somehow said Fuck off you queer. The 26 year old wasn't really homophobic, of course; she simply didn't like Atlas Alder because he was so ... odd, in her opinion.

When Alder went back to helping with the unload, Leigh moved even closer to Jules until there were only inches between his body and her generous bosom. She licked her lips in a way that could only be called erotic, gave him a flirty smile, and said in barely above a whisper, "You should consider stopping by my new place in B-Wing. Maria let me pick out some things scavenged from the cabins. I got it decorated real pretty like. I think you'd like it. I got a new mattress, too. It's comfy."

Again, she looked at the containers in which he was carrying his booty. She smiled to him again, hinting, "You should bring your backpacks, too."

She knew that if he came for a visit, Jules wouldn't bring everything he'd gleaned from the Casino. But she hoped he would bring something a girl like her might like. Giving him a soft pat on the chest with an open hand, Leigh picked up a bag of loot and carried it to A-Wing, making sure that Jules got a look at her full, swinging ass as she left.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

OOC: I have begun a 1x1 for Jules and Leigh here. It begins with the post above -- word for word (so you don't have to read it again) -- and will include the more one to one interactions between the pair for some time. Please, read along.
 
Steven ...The Fight...The Fuck...

Earlier as the gunfire was in full effect:

At first Steven was concerned that Diego had been appointed by Charlie to go with he and Jamie, less than 10 minutes later, he would thank God she had. They had quickly progressed all the way to the back of the casino, there had to be service elevators that went to all floors, and as he hoped, there was also an accompanying stairwell nearby, that served as a fire escape if the elevators failed. They were only about 20 feet from the stairwell's entrance when the door unexpectedly opened and Steven saw a friendly, well, not friendly, but familiar face, Walter Johnson.

Steven had been scanning the perimeter, expecting to be attacked from the side, so the opening of the door had taken him by surprise, if Walter had been a pro, he should have gotten Steven first. Jamie had just been along for the ride, awaiting orders, and Diego had been scanning the left, just like Steven the right. Steven turned just in time to see the whites of Walter's eyes. Walter was only a bad ass to those who couldn't protect themselves, as a soldier he was old and probably never was any good. So as Walter raised his weapon to take him down, Steven expertly raised his luger and fired a single round, into his firing hand shoulder, watching the dirty CO drop his weapon aimlessly to the ground. Steven killed only when necessary, and as the bullet hit, Steven was impressed how fast Diego closed downing the now wounded man to the ground with a single punch. He didn't knock him out, but it was close. They stripped the man of any weapons and left him to collect later, not knowing Charlie would beat them to it.

Diego was in far better shape than he looked and the three men climbed the nearly 200 feet of stops up to the roof in less than 30 seconds. This was the moment of truth, they had no idea of the quality of the snipers outside, but knowing Johnson has likely been in charge, he felt better. "Okay Jamie, you are first through the door, stay low and shoot, shoot, shoot!" Jamie turned his head, his handsome face full of terror, "Why me?" Steven just laughed, because you are least useful, we can cover you, you can't us. Once through find a spot out of the line of fire and keep a steady flow of bullets going in the air, for God's sake shoot high, I don't trust you not to shoot us, if you actually go after them."

Jamie didn't like it, but he knew Steven was right, and as they broke through the door he did as told. Steven didn't know what Diego would do, but the punch had won him some points. Jamie crashed through the door, and they were quickly facing one shooter who turned and shot high, over Jamie's head as Steven hoped. Steven went second and shot as he turned the corner of the doorway, the first shot, hit the man between his eyes, but he fired two more anyway. "Let's go!" Steven went right, Diego left, and within seconds Steven heard shots and hoped it was Diego, it was, second sniper down. The other shooters now knowing they were under attack, went for cover, and stopped their cover on the vehicles below.

Steven got the third guy in the neck but as he turned he saw the fourth shooter about to take his shot and there was nothing he could do, this was his time. Well, his time until he saw the man's head blow out from the right, as Diego's bullet entered from the left. Diego suddenly came into view, smiling, and all Steven could say was "Thanks!" In those few minutes a bond was formed between thest two men that would never be broken. As the firing started, Jamie had pissed himself a bit, Steven saw and smiled, "Nothing to be embarrassed about, this was hard, we'll get you new trousers on the way out." Diego went to the rail and signaled down, while Steven checked all the shooters, collecting guns and ammo, and making sure they were all dead. The first one Diego shot wasn't dead, but he wasn't making it out. Steven put one last round into the man's head, ending his suffering.

Diego came up, "That's the right thing, these guys were just soldiers." And Steven and Diego shared a tight embrace. As the hugged, Steven thanked him, "You are a bad ass, I'd fight with you any day!" Both men understood the significance of the compliment, "You too, Seal!" Diego reciprocated. They got Jamie some new pants from the shops, a nice pair of Hugo Boss, Jamie grabbed a Piaget watch as well. Diego and Steven grabbed two Tag Heuer's, they were more rugged and functional, befitting the two soldiers. On their way out, Steven pushed Jamie in Madge's direction, "He is a hero, first man through the door, you should thank him."

Steven was running hot, he always was after something like this, and he knew it had to wait, but as he saw Charlie he gave her what was hoping a knowing look, "When we get back, I REALLY need a few minutes alone when we can!" If she looked down she would see the hard on he ws sporting and two hours later when he finally closed the door behind him to her office, he was still in the same condition.

At her command he had made sure that all the military types were accounted for, and he was feeling a sense of pride and comfort, as Diego had not been the only one to have handled the situation well. He would talk to Charlie when he got back but this, combined with his experience back at his farm and leaving made him think they needed to start establishing their own perimeter guards and patrol, they should expect aggressors, as awareness grew of their fully functioning community.

He saw Charlie had found Walter Johnson, and had him cuffed. She gave him the command to watch him, and then he laughed as she busted his nose. Bleeding like a stuck pig, "You fucking shot me...how can you follow that bitch!" Steven didn't even answer, it couldn't have been more obvious in his mind. He had heard the questioning of Jules and he didn't listen as much as he watched the man's eyes, and that of his collaborator, they were hiding something, Steven simply made note, Mr. Jules would necessitate closer watch.

The trip home was pleasantly peaceful, and once back, Charlie took charge. He saw Jessi come out, standing next to the Madam, and Steven gave her a thumbs up. He had work to do, but he saw her smile, knowing he was okay. He agreed with the confiscation of the weapons except, he walked up to Charlie, "I think I'll keep mine, if that is okay...I think YOU may need it." This would be a key point between them, he hoped that she understood that when shit hit the fan, he was prepared to take initiative, and he had her back.

Present Time

It was almost an hour later, all the booty safely stored, the reserves of the new bank inventoried by their banker, the other provisions locked safely away, that Steven could finally follow up on his earlier statement. Walking into Charlie's office, he was still pumped and as she came around her desk, he pulled her into his arms and turned as he slammed them against the door of her office. "We need to celebrate, I will make a feast, but now...Jesus...I need to fuck!" The statement was unnecessary, as they were already peeling off each others clothes, and seconds later, the Seal, was bending the Warden, over her desk, finally giving his hard on the relief it demanded....
 
Charlie grasped the edge of her desk near her naked midsection with her left hand while her right hand with its fingers splayed pressed hard against the surface's glassy top. Looking back over her shoulder at Steven -- grunting and moaning as he pounded her from behind -- she herself emitted gasps of air as the pleasure he was causing her built up.

"Do it! Do it, Steven! Do it!" she taunted him, wanting to see him explode and groan out in ecstasy and knowing that he was close. Finally, with a great grunt, he rammed deep inside of Charlie and emptied out his balls. She laughed at seeing his expression and hearing his delight, telling him after she thought his brain had recovered enough to comprehend her, "We're gonna have to send you out on more of these suicide missions in the future."

She pushed him away from her, turned to face him, and shoved her slacks and panties from her knees to her ankles. Hopping up on the desk, parting her knees -- her ankles were shackled by her pants but all was good -- and pulled him in between her thighs, telling him, "You ain't done working until the boss tells you you're done working."

They went right back at it again, with Charlie falling back onto her desk and letting her own grunt of satisfaction escape a couple of minutes later, just seconds before Steven once again filled her with his seed. Charlie started suddenly when she saw the door of her office open, and laughed when a very embarrassed Molly turned away and slammed it shut again.

"That girl," Charlie said as she again pushed her first of two prison lovers away from her and began putting herself back together. "She's pining over the Numbers Cruncher, and although I've pointed out half a dozen other handsome and very willing men to her, she seems to only wet her panties for that short goofy bookkeeper. I don't know what it is about him, Jesus."

Once they were dressed again, and sitting on opposite sides of her desk drinking the former Warden's booze, Charlie told Steven exactly what he'd been thinking earlier in the day: "We need to train a Security Force, to keep this place safe. A couple of guards in the tower with scoped rifles isn't going to cut it if we get attacked."

They talked about the specifics and made some decisions, after which Charlie suddenly changed the subject, "Are you and your niece fuckin'?"

The reaction on Steven's face was priceless, and Charlie couldn't help but laugh. She downed her drink and poured another, telling him, "I see it in her face every time she looks at you, Steven. She wants you. Maybe you don't see it, but it's there. You're gonna have to deal with it. Either let her down easy, or--"

She jabbed a finger in the air toward his groin, and talking about his manhood and it's state of being whenever he was around her, finished, "--do it the hard way. It's no one's business but yours and Jessi's, Steven. And ... if it means you and I are over ... well, I'm a grown ass girl. I can handle it."

A knock at the door and Molly's desperate need to speak with Charlie had the latter waving her lover toward the door, saying, "Get out, you've got work to do. Molly! Come in! We're done fucking!"

The shy redhead slunk into the office, stepping aside to let Steven leave; she couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes but did glance at his groin, where he was still hard and beginning to show darkness where his and his boss's fluids were leaking through the cloth.

Playfully, Charlie called at Steven as he left, "Good meeting, Mister Douglas. Very satisfactory."

As he left, Steven could probably hear Charlie laughing and and embarrassed Molly asking, "What the hell was that...? Oh my god!"
 
"Visitors Day" at Clark County Correctional

Earlier in the evening:

From the woods just yards beyond the ditch, Yolanda "Lanny" Vance watched as the convoy of vehicles zipped by them down the highway at close to 70 mph. It wasn't the first time she'd seen them, of course, as they'd passed by earlier this morning.

This morning, though, the trucks had been empty and the SUV and minibus had been riding higher with only the weight of the passengers. And this morning, the driver's side of the SUV second in line hadn't been riddled with bullets, some of which had shattered the driver's side and rear cab windows.

There was another detail of interest to Lanny: 3 of 5 of the vehicles bore the identifying logos and text of the nearby Clark County Correctional site.

Lanny looked to the young man laying in on a blanket in a shallow grave in the midst of a small clearing. None of the others -- 5 more including Lanny -- had known that the teen had been allergic to bees until he'd stepped on a ground nest of yellow jackets.

"Everyone up on the road," Lanny ordered. When no one moved, she demanded, "Move!"

The others did as she requested, and once alone, Lanny pulled the edges of the boy's blanket over his face and body and pushed the dirt over him. After a minute of silent contemplation over his grave, she joined the others on the road.

"Let's go," she said, walking north. "It's gonna be dark by the time we get there."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

They reached the prison sooner than Lanny had expected, watching the sun set beyond it to keep it out of their own eyes as they approached. She looked to the others: "Pistols stay in holsters or under coats. Rifles stay on backs. We don't want to be showing up at dark looking like an invading force."

The 6 people beginning the final trek toward the prison looked like anything but a militia or raiding party, of course: Lanny -- who was 28 with the body of a supermodel, not a warrior -- was the only adult female in the group; the only adult males were 55 and 60 years old, with the former walking on a prosthetic leg and the latter short one arm; there was a slight, petite girl just short of her 20th birthday; and the remaining two pedestrians were a 12 year boy and 11 year old girl, both of whom were small for their age and not at all the gun toting types.

As they continued up the road and again came into the view of the prison, Lanny lit up their most powerful flashlight and flashed it repeatedly directly at nearest watch tower: she flashed three times quick, three times long, and three times quick, hoping she was signaling S-O-S and not O-S-O.

"Let's go," she said again, leading them up the road. "Just remember, if anyone shoots at us, guns stay down and you hit the dirt."

Every 50 feet or so, she would repeat the signal toward each of the towers that, one by one, came into her view. In between, she would shine it at the road before her, hoping that if someone was watching, they would realize that the approaching horde was anything but an invading army.

Eventually, Lanny caught sight of someone in the nearest tower to the prison's entrance, a silhouette that showed him talking into a handheld radio. She brought them up to within 100 feet of the gate, at which point she was told to stop. They did, and -- one by one -- Lanny turned her flashlight to shine upon the others with her in an effort to show the lack of threat they posed.

"We are looking for someone we think is here in the prison!" she called out, hoping that the man in the tower and some of those hurrying up toward the gate -- with guns! -- would hear her well enough. "We were told that he might still be alive here. We're not sick! We all are immune to the Red Flu."

She gestured to the younger woman, signaling her to come up front and stand by her. "We're looking for an inmate. His name is Michael MacFarlane."

"He goes by the nickname Doc," the younger woman called out. She looked to the half dozen people just now getting close enough to show dimension to their forms, and she thought that just maybe she recognized the familiar shape of her likely-last living relative. She finished, "My name is Ashley Kingston. I'm Michael MacFarlane's step-daughter."
 
Lou and Molly worked well into the night when the chips were delivered to their makeshift vault. Only Lou himself and of course Charlie would know the sequence of combinations it would take to reach the inner room. Molly would have access to the outer room where there would remain enough chips for everyday activity.

In fact the two had been working very close and putting in many hours together. Their mutual respect for each other had grown into a friendly series of teases, sexual innuendoes and bantering. About the only daylight hours they had been apart the entire time was when they each had to report to Nurse Betty for their prison physical, as it was getting to be called.

Nurse Betty had his file and went over it with him. She saw he was borderline diabetic and that his cholesterol was also on the edge of being too high. He told her he had been taking the medications to keep them under control. However he had been a little lax as late since the takeover.

She assured him there was enough stock in the pharmacy for now and jotted down his need to receive pills daily, but that it would need to be addressed. Lou, ever the efficient paper pusher handed her a list of pharmacies, clinics and hospitals in the area where the stocks, for his perceptions and other pharmaceutical needs could be rejuvenated during a future search party.

Then it was back to work, back to Molly. Despite his increased sexual trysts with the gorgeous Chloe, Lou could not help but wonder what it would be like to have his face buried between this energetic red heads thighs. Or to see her bouncing up and down on his lap as he sat at his bankers desk.

The two of them had created ledgers for each and every one of the residents. Even so for Charolette Higgins, though he wasn't sure she would want or need one. She had access to the main vault and could take whatever she pleased, whenever she pleased.

Of course Lou could as well. There was really no means of checks and balances set in place for either one of them. For her to keep track would take far too much of her time and energy. For him to try and keep track of her would be pointless. He did ask her to journal any amounts she might help herself to just so the balances would remain correct. And of course Lou Edwards was as honest as the day is long.

With the chips safely counted and put away Lou asked Molly to run the front sheet of the ledger book over and Charlie give it a final go over before they would begin to distribute chips the next morning after breakfast. He was still worried that when the inmates realized they were not all on the same level playing field with the Doctor, nurse, chef and Chief of Security that there might be grumbling or even trouble occurring.

Some thirty minutes later Molly made her way back to the office with a face red enough to match her hair and an exclamation of "You're not going to fucking believe what I just walked in on!"
 
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