"Behind Bars" (always open; PM hostess)

[hzilfiger]

Doc and Betty waited. Doc had watched Charlie's vehicle speed off towards the town with misgivings. He switched the engine off then glanced at Betty.

"Not sure that's a good idea," he said. "We'll find out soon."

Nothing happened for several minutes. Doc got out of the cab, followed by Betty. They crept into the treeline, moving to the edge of the forest to try and get a better view. Doc's sense of disquiet grew. He turned to Betty.

"Keep an eye out," he said. "I'm going to talk to the others. We need a plan in case this goes south."

He found them just as Charlie's last message came over the radio.

"Ass, Gas, or Grass ... I'm assuming you heard all that. Come on in, slowly, with your guns down and your hands visible. Our new friends here are well armed and twitchy."

Doc looked at the others, hands on hips. "Well, what do we do? Do we all go in? Or leave one here to go for help in case it's an ambush?"

 

[LP1957]

Harvey, who was the man in charge of security at the prison had essentially pushed the decision of allowing Paula to be part of their crew onto Lou and Caroline Callahan. A cowardly move Lou thought to himself. Caroline was stuck in Harrisville and it was unknown if or when she would return home.

Paula was known to be very volatile. Despite the fact he had suggested using her in the community store, it was not 100% certain that she wasn't working with outside entities. Due to the circumstances of her leaving and then returning to the prison, she could very well have those outside interests in mind and putting her on the wall, highly armed and capable of using that against the very people she was professing to protect? Lou was not prepared to make this decision on his own, despite the fact that they were currently understaffed and vulnerable to attack when a crew was on a mission.

The next day as Lou and Molly did their best to work on their schedules, inventories and banking duties the distractions of the GGA crew, or as Lou referred to them as Search Party #2, being held virtual captive weighed heavily on all who were still at the prison as they awaited further news on the situation.

This distraction, along with the Leigh situation, Paula's asking to be armed and added to the security detail, and Molly's flittering and bouncing about in her usual sexual manner had him completely distracted. (More detail on this in Green Acres in SRP)

 

[Homerun2611]

Steven had not taken nor ridden in one of the main vehicles. In fact Charlie had suggested he not come at all, to let his shoulder heal. The new girl Paula, a woman Steven characterized as dangerous, supposedly had intel the town should be uninhabited. Steven doubted that. His brief travels back to his home had given him a perspective of the nomad like militia groups that were forming, and things could change drastically by the day if not by the hour.

He had agreed to come in on his bike and hang back a bit, Jessi would travel with him, and once the group was in town, they would go to the far side of the main highway and make sure there were not any unexpected visitors who might come in from the rear flank. Steven had wanted to have he and Jessie lead the way and ensure all was clear, but she had rightly argued he was no in top shape, and he needed to care for Jessi.

So, as Charlie had begun her trip into town, Steven came up beside Jamie and Lanny's truck. "I am going to take my bike off road and circle behind the town from the west. I want to make sure that we aren't surprised. Once I am sure the rear perimeter is safe I will keep guard on the back edge of town." He held up the radio, "Just have Charlie send me a message when we are ready to head out, and have her let me know if she wants me to take the lead, or guard the rear?"

Steven looked at Lanny and then Steven. "Could you two do me a favor, when you get in town, go into one of the nicer houses, I would really love a couple more good bottles of bourbon or maybe even some 21 year old single malt scotch? I am sure you two can recognize the good stuff, but you may need to search some and I would appreciated discretion?" He winked at the two, pretty sure they had plans for enjoying this trip that extended well beyond procurement of the items on the various lists.

So Steven was not with the others, and in fact had made it almost all the way to the back highway when Charlie's message came across. "FUCK...that bitch set us up?" Steven looked at Jessi who had no idea what we are talking about, nor the fact that Steven would eventually realize he was wrong.

So unlike the others, who followed Charlie's orders coming in slow and non threateningly from the front, he too started off slowly, coming in with motor as quiet as possible from the back. When they were about half a block away, he stopped. Jessi got off her bike, with her bow and a handful of arrows. "See that big oak over there? He pointed to a massive tree about two hundred yards away from where they were, on the far end of a grove of trees that would hide her approach, but with the ability to have line of sight on the proceedings below where the caravan had just pulled up.

"When I show up, watch their people, if you see anyone raise a gun, unless I am looking right at them, put an arrow in them, can you do it, it is just like shooting a wolf, aim for the neck and head." He saw the doubt in her eyes, "You can do this Jessi, I know you can. Don't shoot unless you think someone has the drop on me, but if they do...you've got to shoot to kill!"

He watched his niece get off and move like the quiet and experienced hunter she was, there was not a fucking chance in hell anyone would hear her. He then drove his bike back away, only to make a U-turn and gun it, flying into the town, like he had flown into the prison only a few days alone. He came screeching to a halt just outside the cafe where the woman Nadine was holding Charlie and Caroline.

He got off his bike and stared at the men who had raised their guns in his direction. "I've got you covered from behind, and who they don't kill, I will...ask any of them?" He took off his jacket, wearing only his t-shirt and exposing the Navy Seal tattoo on his arm. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his lugar, never moving quickly, but never stopping. "I want to be clear, take a look at this tattoo, do you know what it means?" The dead man was now looking at him "You're a fucking Seal?" Steven smile, "Very good, so let me make this clear, if we start this, I may not make it out alive, but I can guarantee, you won't either."

So far no one had been stupid enough to shoot, and Jessi had followed directions, but he could see her in the tree, bow in place, and the arrow facing in this general direction. He slowly backed away from the men, turning slightly so he could see both the men and the woman seemingly holding his boss and sometime lover, hostage. Moving his head back and forth, he pushed through the door of the diner, smiling "Hey Boss, who are our new friends, are they joining us on our shopping spree, maybe we invite them back for dinner?" Steven was more than ready to kill at Charlie's order, but he was thinking maybe he wouldn't have to? But he kept his finger ready and on the trigger.

 

[CutiePie1997]

(OOC: Keep in mind that the images below are out of context (eg, Nadine isn't topless.)

"My name is Nadine," the woman who'd invited Charlie and Caroline into the café said as she led the way inside, the three of them followed closely by half a dozen armed men and women. "Welcome to Harrisville."

"Thanks," Charlie said with a forced and nervous smile.

Caroline, however, mumbled, "Some invitation."

The Warden of Three-C, however, just gave her companion a shut it glance and gestured her to follow and join her at the booth to which Nadine was inviting her. Sitting, Charlie gave Nadine a good once over survey. She was a beautiful woman, tall at maybe 5'10" in boots, with a shapely body that one day soon Charlie would learn measured out at a delicious 36B-24-36 with gravity defying tits and a small but firm ass.

Nadine was dressed against the chill of the morning in a flannel shirt and loose fitting denim jeans, under which -- unseen, of course -- were a sexy, underwire bra that boosted the beauty's bosom and a pair of panty hose that greatly contained her body heat.

"Why are you here?" she asked Charlie, who she'd immediately taken to be the leader of this mission, if not all the people partaking in it.

"Food, water, booze, meds," Charlie said without hesitation. "And no, we didn't come here to take them from anyone. We were under the impression this town was unoccupied, like I said when I told you about Walter Johnson."

"You really have him?" Nadine asked, uncertain if what she'd heard over the radio was legit. Charlie confirmed it. "And who are you?"

"I was an inmate," Charlie answered. She gave a very, very brief explanation of how she'd come to power, not mentioning the half dozen men she and others had killed those first days to achieve that control. Finishing with what she hoped was still true among the Residents, Charlie said, "Now, I lead these people, what we call the New Society of Clark County Correctional, because they want me to."

She saw the expression on Nadine's face and said chuckling, "Yeah, I know, the New Society. It sounds corny, but ... we are really trying to build something."

A moment later, a man hurried through the door, calling excitedly to Nadine, "Rider! Just one, motorcycle."

"Watch them," Nadine said casually to the others in the cafe, and immediately the guns that had for the most part lowered were once again pointing at Charlie and Caroline. The leader of the Harrisville militia rose and hurried to the door, asking, "What about the others."

"Three vehicles, coming in slow," another man said, lofting his radio to indicate that a Watch had signaled. He looked toward the woman sitting in the booth, saying, "Slow, no guns up, just like she ordered."

Well, it wasn't just like Charlie had ordered, of course: only 3 of the 5 vehicles out at the wood's edge were moving into town. She whispered to Caroline about her people, "They're not sure this isn't a trap. Smart."

A moment later, Caroline was backing into the cafe again with -- Of course, Charlie thought to herself -- Steven entering cautiously, finding her, and quipping, "Hey Boss, who are our new friends?"

"Friends," she emphasized, not wanting her lover and most experienced combat veteran to think he needed to suddenly begin eliminating people in an effort to save her.

"Are they joining us on our shopping spree?" he continued as he made his way nearer to Charlie; he was still on guard, just as were the others whose guns had shifted from aimed at her and Caroline to exclusively aimed at him. He suggested, "Maybe we invite them back for dinner?"

"Steven here is our chef," Charlie said as she cautiously rose out of her seat, again causing weapons to point her way. She walked over toward him as she spoke, "And the invitation to come with us back to Three-C ... Clark County Correctional if a valid one. We have enough for all of you if you're hungry."

There were mixed reactions from those around her: most of them were more concerned about the scary SEAL with the Luger than they were about a good meal, and yet many of those bellies were growling from a lack of a complete and balanced diet as of late.

"Put it away," Charlie whispered to Steven, meaning the pistol in his hand. Then, loud enough for Nadine and the others to hear, she said, "We're all friends here."

She asked the man getting reports from Watch which vehicle was leading the partial convoy into town, then asked for her own radio back again. She said into it, "Doc, Betty ... we're in the middle of town, at a cafe by ... is it really called Central Park?"

Nadine nodded, and -- after peeking out the window toward a crossing pair of street signs -- Charlie continued, "Central Park, in the middle of town, at West 1st and Connor. Bring it in slow."

Charlie turned her body as she handed the radio back in such a way that her face was close to Steven. She asked in whisper, "Jessi's safe?"

She got a nod. Her body was close to Steven's as well, and Nadine picked up on it, asking, "You two together?"

"In a way," she said. She glanced toward Caroline for her reaction: Charlie and Jessi's Uncle had returned to fucking once again, and Caroline -- who'd also been spending some time in the Warden's bed -- wasn't entirely enthused about the development. Charlie said to Nadine, "The vehicle leading the way ... it's our doctor and our nurse, neither of which I'd like to see shot down by some trigger happy militiaman. Can you...?"

Nadine considered the request, then said into her radio, "Listen up. I don't want anyone shooting up our new friends, so ... unless you see guns pointed at you, no one is gonna be pointing guns back."

She looked to Charlie and got an acknowledging nod, then asked, "Doctor...? And a nurse?"

Charlie again nodded, and Nadine got back onto her radio, saying, "Trevor, lead vehicle's got a Medic in it. Why don't you invite to City Hall."

She explained to Charlie, "Some of my people are hurt. Your doctor and nurse fixes them up ... then, we're friends."

Charlie thought about the offer for a moment, then said, "I can't guarantee anything, but Doc Michael and Nurse Betty will do their best."

 

[hzilfiger]

Doc brought the Ford to a stop. There was a man in the road holding a rifle. The muzzle was pointed at the sky. Which was good, Doc thought. For a start.

The man trotted up to the driver's window as the other two vehicles came to a stop behind. Doc rolled his window down. The man glanced in, studied the two occupants then looked in the rear window to make sure there was no one else.

"You the doctor?" the man asked.

Doc nodded. "Yeah. And this lady here's a nurse. Why?"

"We've got some people needing medical assistance," the man replied. He was in his forties, unshaven and lean. He had a fresh bruise on one cheek. He wore double denim and work boots, all dusty and unwashed for days from the smell. "Your boss lady said you can help."

"Order? Or request?" Doc asked. "Never mind. We'll help. Where?"

The man opened the rear door and got in. The rifle was laid in the man's lap after he'd closed the door. Doc glanced over at Betty. She sat perfectly still in her seat, hands in her lap, as if they were going on a Sunday drive. She gave him a small, tight smile.

"City Halls," the man said. "Drive. I'll direct you. Straight on then right after two blocks."

"OK," Doc replied. "I'm going to let the others know. On the radio. That okay with you?"

The man nodded. "Do it. Tell them to keep going straight after we turn off. Someone will meet them."

Doc keyed the radio. "Listen up. This is Doc MacFarlance. We're going to tend to some people needing medical attention. Vehicles behind, proceed along this road. Someone will direct you where to go. Take it easy, people. There's no threat here. All is well."

Hoping that were true, Doc put the Ford into gear and moved off.

 

[CutiePie1997]

As Doc was sending out his message, Charlie asked, "Can I see them ... my people?"

Nadine was hesitant, but gestured the Three-C Warden up. She led the way outside, stopping to whisper to a man who had seemed to be somewhat of a leader. She looked to Charlie again, saying, "This way. City Hall's just two blocks away."

The parade of plague survivors headed away, sometimes on the sidewalk, often in the otherwise empty streets. There were very few cars to be seen. Charlie wouldn't know this until later, but after both the New American Brotherhood and Walter Johnson's groups had come through and taken what they wanted, Nadine's people had dealt with the abandoned vehicles. They'd siphoned the remaining gas and diesel, stored it away in a secret location, then removed those vehicles from downtown.

Nadine had wanted to eliminate any duck and cover positions for anyone who might venture into town in the future, making them vulnerable to her snipers. Ironically, the only vehicles left in the downtown area had been the 6 that had created the bottleneck in which Charlie and Caroline had been ambushed.

Nadine's group -- which had actually taken the name the Harrisville Guard -- had since sewn up the town that bore their name. One of their members was a former EOD Specialist with the Army and had rigged one bridge each on the roads coming into town with explosives to either keep enemies out or keep them inside, whichever served them best at the time.

They had taken down 2nd floor doors and -- when necessary -- broken through walls of buildings, then rigged zip lines between those buildings, such that a person could literally run and zip a route circling the downtown area. With additional lines on spurs going outward, a minimal number of just 8 snipers could cover all of Harrisville's outer perimeter and Central Park at the same time.

Steven and Jessi couldn't know it, but the latter had had a scope's crosshairs on her the entire time she'd been climbing and taking up position. As the little parade of people -- Nadine, Charlie, Caroline, Steven, and 6 armed escorts -- crossed the street and entered Central Park, the leader of the local militia said without looking Jessi's way, "If your girl wants to come down out of the Oak tree, she could join us for a hot coffee or a cold drink."

The three convoy vehicles came into view a block and a half away, but armed men on the street stopped them and only allowed Doc's vehicle through. Nadine told Charlie, "I hope you don't mind, but I think we'll split you and your folk up until I know you aren't gonna shoot us all in the backs."

Charlie smiled, then -- recalling a line from Firefly -- paraphrased, "You don't know me, but if I ever shoot you, you'll be facing me."

She left off the and you'll be armed part of Captain Malcolm Reynolds' statement, not feeling it was necessary. Ironically, Nadine smiled to Charlie, and added, "And I'll be armed?"

Charlie couldn't help but laugh. She also couldn't help but ogle the ass of the woman leading the way and then glance to Steven, thinking I bet you want a piece of that ass as much as I want a piece of that ass.

She and Steven had discussed -- only in passing while naked in her bed -- the possibilities of bringing another woman into their bed, just for a bit of added thrills, and Charlie already had female lovers who would very much fit the bill.

But most of those women -- Caroline who was doing other women and Marla who was doing both other women and men -- already had pretty active social calendars. Of course, they could hire a third, one of Maria's whores: Marla was one of course, but there was also Huong and Rosita. But Charlie had never been the pay for it kind of girl.

Maybe she fits the bill, Charlie thought of Nadine. She had no idea at this point, of course, that time would eventually put her in bed with Steven and a woman with whom he himself was eagerly and actively trying to become lovers: his niece, Jessi.

As she and the other continued onward, ultimately climbing the steps to a historic building with City Hall etched in the granite above the doors, Charlie watched as Doc and Betty pulled up and got out, the second truck was taken to the west, and the third was held right where it was.

As she was led down the main hall way, to her left and right Charlie found sand bag lined walls and window frames -- additional protection for sniper positions -- and four rooms that were fairly well stocked with all sorts of resources: food in a variety of containers, water in all sizes of bottles, and boxes, crates, and cases of other goods, including quite a collection of toilet paper, paper towels, and other common household items.

"The Brotherhood and Johnson's group took what they could carry and left, apparently having other places to be," Nadine explained. "There was a lot left behind. I organized the survivors in time to prevent little skirmishes over beans and ass wipe. We're pretty well set up."

As they continued, Charlie suddenly began hearing a sound that -- steps later -- made her stomach turn over: it was cries, moans, and outright screams of pain. They entered what had once been the town's clinic -- part of the same, big, historic building but served by the street on the other side of the block -- and as they continued she saw men, women, and children on beds, exam tables, stretchers, and the floor.

There were people helping the ill and injured, but Charlie, Doc, and Betty would learn very quickly that only one of them was a Nurse while a second one was an Army Medic.

Nadine explained as she gestured to three different rooms of the clinic as they passed. "Some sort of food poisoning, we're not sure. One dead, six down, including three toddlers. Over there, explosion fire. We were transferring fuel when it blew. Three dead at the scene, three dead afterward. It was ... well, you can see for yourselves. That room, four more injured in a fire fight when we were out scrounging. Brotherhood, I think, but who knows."

She turned to look at the man who'd been identified at Three-C's Doc Michael, asking with almost a pleading tone, "Can you help us?"

Betty had already split off and was with a little girl who'd been near the fuel explosion. She looked up to Michael with a desperate expression: her eyes were filled with tears.

 

[Homerun2611]

Steven knew as soon as he walked into the Diner, that if he started to shoot, there was little chance he, nor anyone else from their team was getting out alive, and that included Charlie and Jessi. That was unacceptable. Charlie's emphasis of "Friends, made it clear and he would stand down. She made it even more clear a moment later, "Put it away...We're all friends here."

Steven smiled, in the most charming way he knew how at Nadine as he holstered his gun. "Pleased to meet you." It wasn't a total lie, Nadine was gorgeous, and standing next to Charlie, he couldn't help but think this was exactly the type of woman he and Charlie had discussed as a nice little addition to their sexual buffet. A thought, little did ne know, that ran through Charlie's mind as well.

Of course, it would end of being Jessi, who was the first addition, but in that case it was a bit more of Charlie as the welcome third party, but later, he and the warden would also enjoy the tall, blonde in a night that could only be described as outrageous. Three people who liked it rough would push the extremes of pleasure and the ability of pain to magnify and intensify the experience. The type of night he would never think of subjecting his Jessi too, but a side of him that occasionally demanded satisfaction!

All of that would come later, as he holstered his gun, he looked back and could barely see Jessi, but knew she was watching carefully, likely confused. Steven, didn't know it, but soon would, and would curse himself for putting Jessi in that kind of risk. "If your girl wants to come down out of the Oak tree, she could join us for a hot coffee or a cold drink." Steven gave her a look and Nadine winked, a friendly gesture, but she also motioned into the far end of the block to the second story window where there was clearly a sniper's rifle trained on his niece.

Of course Steven did the calculus, if the guy was a true marksman, then Jessi would be a goner, but anything less, and the odds of hitting her at all in the 10 MPH breeze went to near zero. He doubted there were any other true marksman here, than him, but it was not worth the risk, and they had the numbers and position, Steven needed this to end without fire. He smiled at Nadine, "Yes, thank you, I will." He might have been mistaken but he sensed a reaction from Nadine that was a bit more than professional as well.

Steven turned and putting two fingers in his mouth, gave a whistle that could have been heard from a quarter mile away, which was about what it took and then he waved his beautiful niece in. As Jessi neared them, it was not just the men who noticed his gorgeous young niece, even Nadine looked, "Is she with you too?" It was almost a compliment the way she asked, or maybe it was the way her eyes momentarily went down and admired his crotch, but he only smiled, "My niece, but yes, she is important to me."

As Nadine told Charlie that she wanted the team split a bit, Steven took a chance, "We have one small team a man and a woman, who are planning to go house to house, they are looking for a few pretty specific items, is that okay? She is a reporter and he was in jail for white collar crimes, not exactly dangerous, I promise!" Maybe it was an act of good faith, or even flirting, "Okay, tell them they can go, but don't disappoint me, and know I will have eyes in the sky on them if they come out with or doing anything they shouldn't." Charlie seemed to have a smile on her face as she mic'd to Steven and Lanny that they in essence, had a license to go do, what they clearly intended to do." (NOTE OOC: The specifics of their escapades will take place in the Lanny, Madge and Jamie 1x1).

When Jessi arrived they were just about to enter the building with the infirmed. Without even asking Jessi immediately went to the bedside of one of the burned children, raising a glass with a straw to their lips, and Steven couldn't help but smile, she had such a tender, good heart. He needed to be so careful not to hurt her or expose her to some of the realities of their world.

Steven went from killer to nurse, gladly emptying bed pans, doing anything he could to help as he marveled at the work of Doc and Betty. However, he also saw there were a few who were not going to make it, it wasn't his first time confronted by this, and he knew the answer, as unpleasant as it may seem.

Charlie and Nadine were together. "Some of them have no chance, you know that right? And what they are experiencing is excruciating. We don't have the meds to painlessly euthanize, so, the next most merciful thing is a bullet." This was hard, but true. "It is hard to kill a man, harder to kill a friend. I can do it, I've been trained to do it, but I would get the others out of here, I will be quick, accurate and they will feel as little as humanly possible." Steven could see the torment, "I know it is hard, but it is the kind and humane thing to do..."

 

[CutiePie1997]

(OOC: This takes place beginning during the walk to City Hall and after the previous posts.)


Jessi watched, silent and still, from her perch as her Uncle, the Warden, Caroline, and a whole pack of gun toting strangers crossed pretty much diagonally across the open center of town, never realizing that she was one finger pull away from possibly being shot out of the big Oak like she'd shot so many squirrels out of trees back at the cabin.

She was surprised when Steven whistled and gestured her down. The easiest thing to do was to drop her weapons, then climb down, and by the time she was on the ground again, there was a gunman just twenty feet away, casually but not overly intimidatingly pointing a rifle at her and saying, "You can leave that there."

The man was young, handsome, and well built, not so much as Steven, of course, but still nice to look at. Although she wouldn't realize it until later, Jessi had very little experience with men her own age, let alone ones who might pique an interest in her, sexually.

As she'd been growing up in the cabin with her father, most of the men with whom she interacted were older men, merchants and laborers and such from the two most adjacent towns, men with whom her father had had business. Jessi had never had even a spark of sexual interest in any of them, of course; she was simply too naïve and innocent to have such thoughts.

Her first ever thoughts of sexual pleasure had come years ago, when she'd first discovered the joys of touching herself. Next, she'd accidentally walked up on her father as he masturbated, and they'd had a loving conversation about many things intimate in nature.

But her first thoughts of sexual activity and enjoyment with another hadn't come until her Uncle Steven had shown up at the cabin, just a week and a half ago. And in that time, her world had ... oh ... it had shifted like the ground during an 8.8 magnitude Earthquake.

These new and very recent experiences were probably what were causing Jessi to look at this young, gun toting man as something more than just ... well, a young, gun toting man. Recently, she'd begun having new and sometimes confusing thoughts about the males in the prison.

Oh, it wasn't like she was lusting for them all, contemplating taking new and varied lovers. Jessi was very happy with what was happening between her and her Uncle now, even if they had to keep it totally under wraps. No, it was just that she looked at men differently now, saw them for what many women saw men, whether that was for the good or for the bad.

And she couldn't help but look at this young man from what she would later learn was called the Harrisville Guard and think to herself, Would he be like Uncle Steve in bed or different? Would different be bad? Or good?

"Is she with you too?" the apparent leader of the townsfolk asked after that young man escorted Jessi back to the others. Jessi didn't understand what Nadine was implying -- with you, too -- and simply ignored her.

"My niece," Steven said, "but yes, she is important to me."

Jessi moved up close to her Uncle, gripping his elbow with one hand, seeking the feeling of security in a situation that suddenly seemed less secure. She hadn't expected to see so many armed men and women in Harrisville, particularly after that Paula lady -- a former inmate -- had returned to Three-C and said the town was abandoned. Had Paula lied? Or had she simply not been there when the current residents began to play house again?

"We have one small team a man and a woman, who are planning to go house to house," Steven told Nadine.

He spoke of Jamie and Lanny (OOC: you said Steven, fyi) and the team's original quest to scavenge Harrisville for supplies. Nadine considered the request, alternatively telling both Steven and Charlie, "They can look around, under escort ... and unarmed. And they don't take anything without permission. Good?"

"That works," Charlie said, looking to Steven with an expression meant to say I know, it isn't the way you'd like it and at the same time, But it's the only choice we have. She smiled to Nadine, adding, "We appreciate your kindness. We have some ... holes in our inventory of resources at the prison, as you can probably imagine."

As they completed the walk to City Hall, Charlie and Nadine spoke specifics about what the Ass, Gas, or Grass team had come to town to find. The latter female said, "We can help you with some of that, sure. But meds and medical supplies, I dunno. The two militias that came through here while we were hiding out in the woods, waiting for the dust to clear ... they pretty much cleaned the town out of that. You might be able to find stuff in medicine cabinets around town, but we've pretty much gone through all of them, too. I don't know what I can spare."

"Anything helps," Betty said with a friendly tone just before entering the big, historic building.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

Minutes later:

Steven approached Nadine about the suffering he was seeing around the Clinic. "Some of them have no chance, you know that right?"

She did, of course. But most of the people here were her neighbors, friends, even family; admitting that they might die, despite the care they were being given, was difficult.

He continued, "And what they are experiencing is excruciating."

He spoke of how the merciful thing might be a bullet, to which Nadine immediately responded without any thought, "No. No ... I won't have that."

"I know it is hard, but it is the kind and humane thing to do..."

The parent of one of the burned children stepped up to Nadine, whispered, and then stepped away again. The town leader said softly, "Excuse me a moment please."

Charlie moved up closer to Steven, looked into his eyes with a meaningful expression, placed a hand upon his chest in an intimate way, and said, "You're a good man."

Then, standing on the toes of her boots to reach him, she gave him a soft but meaningful kiss on the lips before turning away and asking Michael, "How can I help?"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

Meanwhile, across town:

Lanny slipped out of the truck and -- upon direction -- handed over her weapon to a man who'd just gotten a call on his radio. The Guardsman said, "The Commander says you can poke around for things you need, but this isn't an exercise in looting. You need water, food, medicines...? Feel free to look, and if the Commander says you can have it, you can have it. But no jewelry, watches, rare paintings ... that kind of shit. You ain't the Krauts in Paris."

Lanny couldn't help but smile at the reference. During her overseas correspondent career, she'd done her share of stories about occupying forces pillaging the homes, businesses, government buildings, and museums of the conquered. Sadly, one series of those stories had been about a now-disgraced Company of American troops who'd stripped an ancient town bare of its historic valuables after the US invaded Iran.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

OOC: This scene involving Lanny and Jamie picks up in the 1x1x1 thread that also at times involves Madge. If you click on this link, you will taken to the appropriate post in the already ongoing thread. Then, if you click on link in the upper right corner, "Madge, Lanny, and Jamie Makes Three", that will open up the 1x1x1 thread in its entirety, so that you can follow all the posts at that point.

(Of course, our contributing writers are already subscribed to the 1x1x1, so these instructions are simply for readers who have only recently discovered our story. If ever you have a problem following the many threads, feel free to PM me with your issues.)

 

[LP1957]

Back at the prison Madge was diligently monitoring the radio waves. On one she was surfing from channel to channel in hopes of finding a break off from the mission that could give them true and secure updates. Nothing as yet had been found.

On the other radio she was listening to the open channel that the mission was using. Here she heard bits and pieces on what was going on. Waiting and hoping that Charlie would be given the opportunity to use her radio to let them know what was going on. She had Huong, one of the working girls, relaying whatever snippets she heard to Harvey and Lou.

From what could be discerned, things seemed to be in a holding pattern. It seemed that the group had been split up, it also seemed like only 4 of the six trucks were accounted for in town. Charlie's, Docs and two others. That meant that 2 vehicles and their inhabitants were either on there way back to the prison or waiting in hiding if things went south.

Marge was instructed to remain quiet on their end unless Charlie called on them. Then she was to have Huong find Harvey and Lou immediately. Lou of course was in his office. Passing the time inside of his assistant Molly while contemplating his situation with Leigh and her farmers.

 

[CutiePie1997]

Charlie decided that there was no reason anymore to remain on guard when it came to Nadine and her people and instead threw herself into helping in the Clinic. She didn't have a medical background, of course, but with Steven and Doc and Betty and the Harrisville Guard people who did have such training, soon many more patients were being served.

Of course, as Steven had pointed out, not everyone laid out in the too-small medical facility was going to make it, and Nadine knew -- again, as the stranger had pointed out -- that some of them would be better served if their lives simply ended sooner than later.

"Will you come with me," Nadine quietly whispered to Charlie at one point as she was making her rounds. She glanced in Steven's direction, adding, "Bring your boyfriend with you."

Charlie couldn't help but smile a bit at the woman's ability to judge situations. In a sense, Steven was Charlie's boyfriend, while in many others, he wasn't. Oh, she didn't mind that the only thing between them were a good, hard, satisfying fuck every couple of days and a fun, teasing conversation that often followed.

And while she was used to men who held back, keeping parts of their lives in deep secrecy -- things like wives, families, dark lives, and more -- Charlie couldn't figure out what Steven was hiding from her. That bothered her. It wasn't like ruling over a former prison population during a sometimes violent, post-apocalyptic, viral pandemic was easy, but still, whatever was going through Steven's head and giving him far off looks at times ... well, it was bugging the fucking shit out of her.

"Steven..." Charlie said softly to him when she approached him. She gestured his attention to Nadine, who was looking back at the two of them while leaving the room. Knowing that he would understand, she said, "I'll catch up with you."

While Steven went off toward their hostess, Charlie found Doc and Betty and checked on them...

In a little room off the main hallway, Nadine was waiting for Steven. She didn't immediately speak: the emotions in her face were obvious. She began vaguely, saying, "Humane ... and quietly."

She cleared her throat, looking him in the eyes. "The families have given permission. One adult male, one adult female ... two--"

The words caught in her throat, and after she cleared it again, she recalled with emotion, "They weren't supposed to be there ... near the fuel transfer. They were kicking a ball around down the block. The wind caught it ... it rolled toward the trucks. We, um ... we still don't know how it happened ... the fire, the explosion."

Nadine knew that Steven would know to which of the children she was referring: they were both mostly hidden by bandages now. She walked up close to him and laid a hand upon his chest, not unlike Charlie had earlier in the cafe, wanting him to know that this was something personal between them, as well as professional.

Softly, she said, "There is morphine in the black box on the shelf behind me. I'll, um ... I'll be there with you. It's my duty to the families."

Back in the clinic, Charlie looked up to see Nadine and Steven returning. She pulled Doc away from his current patient, and once they were isolated from potential eavesdroppers, she told him, "Steven and Nadine are going to end the suffering of some of her people."

She looked into his eyes, seeing that he knew what she meant. She looked at the patients filling this particular room, then back at him. "You are a good man, Michael."

Charlie didn't qualify it with an explanation, though, she could have talked about his professionalism as a doctor in such strange circumstances or his relationship with Betty, who was now happier than she'd been her entire life, or even in his care for his stepdaughter, who'd seen so much out there in the world and was now safe under his roof again.

Instead, she just turned and again joined those tending to the patients.

 

[Homerun2611]

Steven was unsure of how his offer had been taken, it had not been given lightly, nor without the knowledge that if requested, the toll it would take on him. Steven had once heard someone say, they had killed so many they had lost count. He could not understand it. Well, not like he killed, no mass bombings or use of chemicals, each of his "hits" were execution style assassinations, a bullet, a knife, an arrow. 378. That was the number, and he remembered every single one. Twenty years of killings, the last five being on his trip to get Jessi. It is a horrible thing to take someone's life, no matter the reason. Each and every killing takes it toll, eats away at one's soul, until you are not sure there is anything left. Steven had been in the role where he was rarely judge, or jury, but he was always, always the executioner.

What was his secret? The thing, the look, that drove Charlie crazy? The answer was simple, he had 378 of them and he was quite certain that list was about to grow. He had just finished a bed pan when he saw Nadine approach. He could not help but let his eyes linger. For a man who had gone near a decade absent the want of a woman, he now had Charlie, and then Jessi, but also, he could not deny completely, the attraction to Nadine. She was tough, strong, intuitive, beautiful and had a body that seemed to scream out its desire to enjoy wicked things!

"Steven..." It was his sometimes, but incredibly enjoyable lover and full-time boss. The way she said his name, told him all he needed to know. His offer had been accepted. He didn't say a word, he was solemn as the situation dictated, but he followed the two beautiful women, preparing in his mind to carry out his duty. Charlie sent him in Nadine's direction who was looking back at him, "I'll catch up with you." Steven stopped, for only a moment, looking at Charlie. "Don't, please...you will not want to watch what i have to do, I wish I didn't have to watch it myself, I have seen way too much of this already." Their eyes met, and he thought there was understanding, perhaps an inkling of insight from her of the man who remained such a mystery.

He was nearly next to Nadine when she looked him in the eyes and softly said, "Humane ... and quietly." He stood firm and looked into her eyes to ground her and make sure she heard him. "You don't have a silencer, do you?" Steven had assumed the answer was no, but instead Nadine sent a private channel message and three minutes later Steven was handed a small bore pistol replete with silencer. "Ask and ye shall receive, this will be much better...The gun shot is the most humane, the least chance for pain, I can almost guarantee they will feel nothing."

He stopped and just looked into her beautiful, but grief stricken face. He let her absorb what he had said. She was looking into his eyes, a special bond building with every second, "The families have given permission. One adult male, one adult female ... two--" FUCK, he knew it, the fact she couldn't even say it, he understood, CHILDREN. He had seen the two burn victims, their frail little bodies in agony, but Damn! He hated the fact he would have to kill children. He had done it only three times before, all under almost exactly the same situation. Little lives that got caught in the horrors of battlefield casualties, but it sucked, sucked, SUCKED!!!!

She softly, reverently, shared the details. "They weren't supposed to be there ... near the fuel transfer. They were kicking a ball around down the block. The wind caught it ... it rolled toward the trucks. We, um ... we still don't know how it happened ... the fire, the explosion." She moved closer, putting a hand on his chest that reverberated throughout his body. He put his hands on her waist, "Bad things happen to good people, bad things happen to the innocent, I'm so sorry....so, so sorry! You are doing the right thing." He wanted to hold her, not let go, letting her continue.

"There is morphine in the black box on the shelf behind me. I'll, um ... I'll be there with you. It's my duty to the families." He let out a deep sigh, "The morphine won't help, your presence will. Here is what will happen. If you can handle it, you will hold their hand, ask them to think about the happiest moment in their lives, whether it be playing as a child, a first love, or a simple walk through a flower covered field, but let them hold that, those endorphins flowing. I will place a hand on their shoulder, and then I will put the gun, just behind their right ear, not touching. The bullet will go in small on one side, go through the center of the brain, their thalmus, they will be dead before they ever feel the pain.and there won't be an exit with this type of bullet and gun."

He saw both horror and relief on her face. "Are you religious?" Steven was not, he had seen far too much to be able to believe in a benevolent God, but knew others were. "I have a small bible, I always carry..." He did not mention he had if for others, not for himself. "Just in case, just before I fire, as they recall their memory, if you could silently give them their last rites, it may well be meaningful to their families."

Steven was making it clear, in his every statement, that for him, killing was agonizing and horrific, but necessary, and he would give them the most honor he could. Somehow in the midst of all that emotion, he didn't even know who initiated it, but their lips met, and they shared a long embrace and a deep, deep kiss. When they broke, he held her for a second longer, "You will be fine, but this is hard, and it will mean everything to them and their loved ones that you were there.

From that point they went to each room, and carried out the protocol exactly as Steven had described, moving from room to room so that no one knew what was happening. Sffft, Sffft, Sffft, Sffft!!! Steven shot his gun four times, each execution going exactly according to plan, it was over in less than five minutes total, no one else, other than Charlie and Doc even knew what was taking place, they carried out their duty. The children were the last, and only after the last mercy shooting was done as they faced each other, did they let loose and see the tears running down each of their faces. From there it was only a second before they shared a long and very tight and highly emotional embrace. The hug lasted nearly twenty seconds as he let her sob into his shoulder, a release of emotion and a silent tribute to the dead and to each other.

When they walked back to the group, the tears had dried, but neither one could really speak other than Nadine letting some of her people know to go and clean up the after effects of their mission. They separated and Steven found Charlie, walking up he pulled her into his arms. He needed to feel warmth, life. "You said earlier, I was a good man...more often than you know, I really wish I wasn't, that it was someone else who did the things I seem to do."

 

[CutiePie1997]

Steven may not have known who'd initiated the kiss, but Nadine more certainly had. The extreme emotion of what was happening and what was about to happen had merged with her earlier thoughts of him, both of her instant attraction to Steven and of her imaginings of him and Charlie naked, embracing, and moaning out in ecstasy.

Before she knew it, Nadine's mouth was on his in a desperate, passionate kiss, from which she then very quickly extricated herself when she truly realized how ridiculous she was being.

"You will be fine," Steven said.

Nadine wasn't sure whether he was being sympathetic about her unexpected embrace of about the four actions about to come until he continued, "but this is hard, and it will mean everything to them and their loved ones that you were there."

Of the four, three were conscious when Nadine and Steven returned to them; of those three, two had at least one reluctant and yet approving family member with them. The burned woman, Esther, hadn't been a resident of Harrisville, one of only a handful of current residents who hadn't been. Nadine had befriended her that very first day of the unofficial establishment of the Guard, and by the third, the two of them had secretly become lovers and, over the days to come, had fallen deeply in love, something that was no longer a secret among the community.

In a sense, Nadine was Esther's family, and as such, she'd been the one to whom the woman had begged for relief from her suffering. It was hard to see her end come, and Nadine had very nearly taken the little .22 pistol back from Steven to do the deed herself. But she'd known she wouldn't he able to pull the trigger.

After it was all done and the bodies were lovingly wrapped in plastic and bed sheets to prevent the others from seeing the bodies or the blood, Nadine and Steven returned to the Clinic. She excused herself from the man's company, but not before thanking him for what he'd done. "I know that was hard."

Charlie had remained with the others, not wanting to partake of the merciful killings. Steven came up to her, saying, "You said earlier, I was a good man...more often than you know, I really wish I wasn't, that it was someone else who did the things I seem to do."

"You are a good man," Charlie stressed again, pressing a kind hand to his cheek. "And in the future, I will try not to ask these things of you."

She couldn't know whether she would or wouldn't do that, and -- to be honest -- there was a good chance she would. But for right now, that was what Steven needed to hear.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

A couple of hours later, with the last two convoy vehicles called in by Charlie, the entire crew from the prison sat down to a bit of a feast in the Cafe at which Charlie and Caroline had sat with Nadine earlier. The mood was light with some, heavy with others, but the building friendship was obvious amongst most of them.

There was still some hesitance in the faces of some, and the fact that the Ass, Gas, or Grass crew was still disarmed mad Charlie a bit nervous as the night went on. But dinner would go off without a hitch, and as Nadine brought out two cases of beer -- one domestic, one exotic, and both in bottles -- the mood lightened more and the horrors of the day were put aside for at least a moment or two.

Charlie stood up and, with Nadine's permission, offered her people a place at Clark County Correctional. She explained that, yes, her Residents were most convicts, but that she believed that she'd weeded out the worst of the worst. "And each time we meet new people like you, the percentage of criminals -- like me! -- goes down."

That resulted in some laughter, and when it faded, she finished with her offer then ceded the floor to Nadine. Surprising the previous speaker, the head of the Harrisville Guard made the same offer to Charlie and her people. "We are very secure here, maybe not as much so as you are behind your fences and walls and bars. But we have room and we have big, comfy beds--"

She glanced toward Jamie and Lanny, continuing with a smirk, "--as some of you already know."

Marvin may have been sitting at the opposite end of the boarding house earlier with a bum knee, but his hearing -- and the fact that he'd been sitting over the centralized heating vent with ducting running throughout the building -- had been more than sufficient to hear Lanny calling out as her body was enveloped by the pleasure of sexual ecstasy.

Nadine spoke more of what Harrisville had to offer, then vowed, "Whatever happens, our two communities will remain friends. Charlie here tells me you have established an economy with a currency ... poker chips, yes? I think that is ingenious, and -- if you would permit -- Harrisville would like to become a member of your New Society."

The two women shook hands, the beers were distributed, someone found a guitar while someone else beat on a variety of objects to lay down a beat, and the night went on.

 

[hzilfiger]

Doc MacFarlane sat in a corner and worked on getting drunk. The day had been a stinker, possibly as bad as anything he'd encountered in Eritrea. Then, at least, they'd been in the middle of nowhere with little at hand. Here, they were supposedly in the middle of the most advanced country on earth. And yet they had little at hand.

They had done what they could. Doc had been impressed by the efforts the CCC team put in to help. What the patients needed was not so much medical skill as care and attention and that was delivered, with a humbling dedication, by Charlie, Betty, Stephen, Nadine and the others.

It became clear that some of the injured would live and some would die. That was the nature of things. That Doc could accept because he had seen it played out time and time again. But the ending of children's lives at the point of a gun had shaken him. Even though the rationale behind it was indisputable.

There was no prospect of survival. The only promise was of pain and suffering. But it was still difficult to accept.

Doc had helped dose the morphine then let Stephen do what he needed to do. Then, when the work was done, he found a chair, listened to the speeches with half an ear and concentrated on getting blotted.

 

[Homerun2611]

Steven had given Doc a nod, acknowledging what he was sure the man already knew. Steven had grown to have great respect for Doc and it was hard to look a man of healing in the eye when he had just done the opposite. Oh, it was the right thing to do, Steven had no doubt. He hoped if situations were reversed someone had the courage to do the same courtesy to him, but still, he knew it was also brutal and hard to reconcile for Doc or any human being.

Steven listened to the speeches, both by Charlie and Nadine. Both were impressive women, leaders that Steven would willingly to to war for. In every classic way, Steven was a man's man, a cowboy from a bygone era, more Clint Eastwood than anything, maybe a touch of Harrison Ford, but only from the Raiders series. Despite that old school nature, he had no problem and in many ways preferred a woman as his authority. Perhaps it was sexist, but they had a way to feel with their heart but lead from their head, and somehow, their pussies, unlike so many men's cocks, never seemed to lead them astray from their responsibility.

Jessi had sat with him as they ate, but he was not ready to be good company, and somehow his niece understood. When the music started, he like Doc sat alone, but he had not yet indulged in the mind numbing therapy of alcohol. Despite his best attempts, he was reliving this afternoon's time with Nadine, and when he looked up, he saw her, she was sitting next to someone but also clearly alone. He recognized the far off look in her eyes. "Jesus man, get your head out of your ass!" He said it aloud, scolding himself for being so self indulgent.

How dare he sit here and mope, he had lived through this before, he should have anticipated what she must be going through. He got up, walked over to the man with the music, "Got any Sinatra?" The man did, Frankie's Greatest Hits, "Perfect...please play Summerwind..." Steven was an okay dancer, but that was not his purpose here, he wanted something that had a nice smooth feeling, something to dance slow, yet softly to.

He walked over and extended his hand as Nadine looked up, "Dance with me, pretty lady?" He smiled but she saw the look in his eyes, he understood. He helped her up and they moved out to the periphery of the group, most of which were probably not happy that his request had so little funk. He grasped his hands around her waist and swayed to the music, he could guess part of her issue, "You were lovers with her, weren't you?" He hoped she wasn't shocked, "I hope this helps, I have a feeling her last thought was probably her time spent with you, and all I can say is if that were my last thought, well...that would be a mighty nice choice."

Steven was simple, but sincere. He had not asked her to dance to seduce in any way, he already had two amazing women, one of which he loved to the center of his heart, a second who made him feel things and ignited a spark he had once thought expired. No, he did not do it intentionally intending to recruit a third...but over time he would realize that was exactly what happened.

As they were about to finish the dance and before he walked her back to the table he looked into her eyes. "That was a mighty nice offer, but I will be going back, at least for now, I am needed there. However, if you find you are in need of my ... specific skills, all you have to do is radio and I will be here, okay?" As they walked off, he saw Charlie who had been watching, she was smiling at him, it was amazing to him how much she understood about so many things...

The dance finished he looked for Jessi, she had a hurt look on her face, but she needn't and he hoped she would understand. "Do you want to stay here longer, or are you ready to get out...I think I can get a bottle of wine, and Jamie said the boarding house beds were nice. I figured if we just kinda sneak out, we might find one for ourselves..."

Their first time together had been incredible, but now...particularly after today...he was really longing for a second!

 

[CutiePie1997]

"Dance with me, pretty lady?"

Nadine looked up at the hand Steven offered and laughed, embarrassed. "Really?"

But someone teased her to get up and boogie, and someone else called out, "Someone has to be the first to get this party going."

She took the hand, stood, and joined him in the dance. It reminded her of her first 8th grade dance at Catholic Middle, with space for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost between their bodies. Nadine found herself conflicted by the fact that they were being to socially appropriate considering who they were and what the day had brought them, and yet deep inside she would have loved to be alone with Steven, naked and fucking atop one of the cloth covered dining tables.

"You were lovers with her, weren't you?" he suddenly asked, regarding the woman whose misery he had ended earlier in the day.

Nadine diverted her eyes, certain that they would glaze over and tear up in an instant. The former happened, but she was able to prevent the latter, telling Steven, "Yes we were."

A few seconds passed before she explained in a soft voice meant only for him, "I'd never ... never been with a woman before. I'd never considered it. I'm not a lesbian. At least, I don't think I am. I have no interest in women in general. But..."

She drew a breath and released it in a sigh. "There was something about Esther. She was ... well, she was everything I'd never found in a man before. Loving, caring, sympathetic and empathetic both. She read my feelings before I had them. And she knew what I needed before I needed it.

"One night, she kissed me. Before I knew it, we were in my bed, making love. I'd never been so ... content in my life."

Finally, one of the threatening tears broke loose and ran down her cheek. "I don't know that I ever will be again."

Nadine couldn't know it now, but she would again find sexual contentment, and she would find it while straddling the lap of the man with whom she was having such a non-intimate dance.

He spoke of Esther's last moments, thoughts, and feelings, and Nadine agreed with him that their being there had been what the woman would have wanted. T

Then regarding her offer for anyone from the prison who wanted to stay in Harrisville being welcome, he thanked her but said he had to go back. However, if you find you are in need of my ... specific skills, all you have to do is radio and I will be here, okay?"

"Thank you, Steven," she said, standing on her toes and kissing him on the cheek with as little intimacy as had been involved in their dance. Nadine wanted to plant another big kiss on the man's lips, but this was neither the time nor the place. "I'll keep that in mind."

Charlie had been watching the pair, and -- while they were still only just getting to know one another -- she could see in Nadine and Steven's body language that all the pair would have needed was privacy to get naked and get off. Hell, they already had Sinatra.

"I sent some people over to the Boarding House to make sure it was prepped for your people," Nadine said when she joined Charlie at her table. "There's plenty of room for all of you."

They talked about the pillaging her people had done -- under the watchful eye of the Harrisville Guard -- and they made some final decisions on what the Ass, Gas, or Grass crew would be allowed to take or would have to leave behind. Charlie would have preferred to take everything her people found of interest, but that would have meant making enemies of a friend that she saw as being vitally important to the success of the New Society.

Caroline came walking up as Nadine was excusing herself, and leaning in close to Charlie she whispered, "I want to eat your pussy ... right now."

Charlie looked up with a smile, asking, "Should I invite Steven?"

The look she got from the true lesbian before she turned to amble out left Charlie laughing. She did look off to her sole male lover, studying him while he spoke to his step-daughter. They has spoken earlier about the need to keep their sexual relationship contained by the prison walls, so as she rose and wandered off after her favorite female lover, she knew that he would be good with them not spending the night together.

Of course, Charlie didn't know that Steven had begun spending his night in bed with his niece, who the rumor mill was already saying was having a secret fling with Jessi. It was like something out of a bad morning soap opera, actually: Jessi was pretending to be interested in Jamie so that the other men in the prison would leave her alone, while at the same time Jamie and Lanny were said to be on the verge of getting hot and nasty with each other, despite the stories that Madge was still trying to enforce a claim on the man and quite possibly had been seen in a naked embrace with Lanny, a story that had begun with an unknown source and -- therefore -- could very well have been total bullshit.

Watching Charlie head out the door, Jessi heard her Uncle ask, "Do you want to stay here longer, or are you ready to get out...I think I can get a bottle of wine, and Jamie said the boarding house beds were nice. I figured if we just kinda sneak out, we might find one for ourselves..."

"I already got us a room," she told Steven in whisper, her lips spreading in a slight smirk. "Room 2F, second floor. Take the back stairs, right at the top, left. Jamie put his stuff in 2G, across the hall, and he's been making casual comments about how he hopes you don't snore since you'll be in the other bed."

They both knew that her affair with Jamie was the cover they needed to spend the night together. She told him, "Wait five minutes before you leave, Uncle."

She stood, hesitating a moment over him so that his eyes were level with the shapely bosom he'd enjoyed so much their first time. I'll see you there. And yes, bring a bottle of wine, but ... be casual about it."

 

[Homerun2611]

Steven couldn't help but smile at Jessi's need to keep their taboo relationship a secret. However, given how he felt, and how remarkable yesterday had been, he would have crawled over crushed glass to be with her again.

Steven knew where to find the wine, there was actually a surprisingly good bottle of cabernet, but of course the best he could find for glasses, was two simple water glasses, but they would work He had a corkscrew on his keychain, so slipping out the back, he waited ten minutes before working his way up to 2G. He looked over each shoulder before entering and delighting in what he saw. (This will eventually be picked up within the Steven, Jessi and Charlie 1x1)

While Steven was going the classy route, with a fine wine, for his tryst. Jamie had other plans. Eventually he needed to end up in the room next door, but he had no real desire to listen to two people fucking while he was alone. So, he procured a bottle of Jose Cuervo, a lime, a knife and a shaker of salt. He held up all three as Lanny glanced his way from across the room.

The smile on the man's face, not to mention the party favors, suggested one thing and one thing only. He gestured his head toward in the direction of the boarding house, but a barn and a blanket would work just as well. His smile was asking the question, more words were not required, "Round 2, sexy lady?" (To be carried on eventually in "Madge, Lanny, and Jamie Makes Three" 1x1)