* * *

We were there for hours getting to know one another between bouts of fear and tears. The tough Latin queen from before turned out to be the softest when she broke.

All she wanted was her mother and all I wanted was to get across the room so I could put my arms around her and offer comfort.

The waiflike kid never stopped whimpering but no one told her to shut up because we all knew what she was feeling. I was suddenly more upset for them than myself.

They were still so young, some of them no more than babies. What the fuck did these sick fucks want with them? As if I didn’t know.

“Let’s exchange names and hometowns in case we get separated.” I kept my voice steady so they wouldn’t know I was afraid. One of us had to be strong for the others and it appears that was gonna be me.

“What good’s that gonna do?” It was the Latin queen again. I looked at her with steady eyes.

“Because we’re getting the fuck outta here one way or the other. And if I get separated from any of you I wanna know who I’m looking for then maybe that could give me some idea of where to look.”

I saw the flash of hope before she buried it. I know morale is just as important as physical strength so I kept at it. “Now we’re all gonna use our heads and think. Whatever you were before today, whatever your thinking, we’re in this together.”

“If one of us escapes then we need to know what to tell the cops. Best case scenario we all make it out together.” Good, now they weren’t looking so beaten and the snivels from the other corner had stopped. Well kinda.

My adrenaline was kicking in and I just knew I wasn’t gonna die today. There were five of us in that room. I don’t know how, but somehow I’m gonna get us all out of this.

All I needed was that one chance. I guess mom is right, I am my father’s daughter as she’s always accusing me of whenever I get what she calls ‘difficult’. Bring it on motherfuckers.

“So go ahead.” I got the little lights of hope that I’d been aiming for from the younger girls. The other one who was about my age gave me a look like she wanted so badly to believe, but she knew it was bullshit. I warned her with my eyes not to say anything and she looked away dejected.

The more I listened to them the more stern my resolve grew. I wasn’t meant to die this way. I had things to do, dreams to fulfill.

I’ll be damned if Ricky Jarvis groping me in the funhouse on our seventh grade field trip was going to be my one and only foray into sex-land.

Poor Ricky had gotten a bloody nose for his troubles and I’d come away with a healthy distaste for anything male. Pig.

More time went by and the fear was now mixed with anxiety. After listening to the others I knew there was a pattern here; that this hadn’t been by chance. They were all daughters of men or women who’d served.

I didn’t mention my suspicions to the others, but I was ninety percent sure this had something to do with daddy and his service. If he knew someone was after him there was a good chance he’d know where to look for me.

I comforted myself with that thought, but knew it was a long shot. If he’d known he’d have kept me under lock and key.

I scanned the room once more for anything, any way out. Since there were no windows the only light came from the sliver that leaked through beneath the door from the one out in the hallway. I hadn’t shared my plans to try an escape with the others, but I was on the lookout for any opportunity.

I heard the drone of voices out in the hallway and strained to listen. All I got was something about a trip to California but they could’ve been talking about a vacation for all I know.

The next time I heard the key in the door I knew this was it. I braced myself and prepared for whatever. A few hours had gone by so it might be night outside, and since they were worried about this safe house, maybe they were in a hurry to move us.

There were two of them this time, the second one built much bigger than the other. I concentrated on working the kinks out of my hands and feet to get the blood flowing again once freed, and winced at the pain.

I felt hot and sticky and I needed a bathroom break like yesterday but didn’t want to bring unnecessary attention to myself by asking. I was amazed when they actually offered before leading us out into the hallway.

The men stood outside the door while we took turns in the stall that had been set up like that of a girl’s middle school restroom.

Not many houses with that little attachment I’m sure, something else to make note of. I took a deep breath and psyched myself up to be ready for anything as it became obvious that we were indeed on the move once again.

If I thought I was afraid before, nothing prepared me for what I felt when we stepped from what felt like a hundred foot tunnel into darkness and smelt sea air.

That could mean only one thing; we were leaving the country most likely by ship. Well that puts a different spin on things.

* * *

* * *

After our run we went back to getting things together so we could leave. Each of us had a duty to perform to make sure that the compound was secure.

It had been getting dark out when we decided to do a last walk through of the mansion and that’s when Cord found a book with codes. Codes that only the seven of us, and the man who wrote them would understand. I took the book and moved to the secure computer with the others following behind.

It was a bit of a shock to see the words as they unfolded on the screen. Not just the meaning, but it was like hearing from the old man again. Like he was reaching out from beyond the grave and the eight of us were going to work on this last job together. I knew my brothers felt pretty much the way I did, gut punched.

The codes only left us with more questions than answers and now we were left wondering who the people the commander mentioned were. We were pretty sure the ‘he’ was the Desert Fox but had no clue who the ‘she’ that he asked us to protect could possibly be.

That made the shit worst. If the old man was going to such lengths to protect her identity then she must be of importance to what was going on here.

At least we knew now that the CO had definitely known about what was going on-on the water and had been making moves to put a stop to it. He wasn’t dirty, like some had tried to make us believe.

Not that any of us believed that shit for a minute. The old man was made of better stuff than to be on the wrong side of this sick shit.

He also knew about the tunnel that we’d found, he’d got that far. After the shock of finding the codes had worn off it was decided that we would blow the tunnel and put it out of use instead of waiting. We set the time for later tonight and went back to work.

I needed a hot shower to wash the cobwebs from my head but that shit wasn’t about to happen any time soon. There was a new urgency in the air now too, like we didn’t already have enough on our plate.

There was some talk about how to deal with the women when it came time to leave as we wound down from the day. Five grown men were now brainstorming on how to control their women just so we could leave and take care of business. It was good for a laugh at least, listening to them talk.

They still believed they were the ones running shit. One good thing about being stuck babysitting my sisters is that it’s given me an inside look at how their minds work. When it comes to the fight between the sexes, my money’s on the women hands down.

The talk switched somehow to whose woman was the most trouble and who had the most control over their respective mate. Devon and I shared a grin and just shook our heads.

In my mind I was thinking, ‘look at them. They’re so funny these brothers of mine.’ They haven’t got a clue.

I listened with a smile on my face as Tyler got the rest of them going with his shit. Since I’m the sucker they’ve been leaving stuck here with the women more often than not, I could tell them they’re full of shit, but why bother? It’s more fun watching them tear their hair out.

Ty is the funniest one of all. Mr. Big-shot is as whipped a motherfucker as I’ve ever seen. Though he’s still deluding himself that he’s the one in control.

Poor Dev and I have been trying our best to keep the peace while the rest of them lose their damn minds, and I for one, am praying that my day don’t come no time soon.

On the one hand, it would be great to finally have what my brothers have found, that shared love and affection that’s so evident between them and their chosen women. But then I think of the headaches each and every one of them has to deal with and I back the hell off.

“You listening to this shit?” Dev came up beside me to watch the show.

“Look at the shit eating grins on their faces bro. You think we’ll ever have that?” I didn’t miss the hint of longing in his voice. Like me, he hides it well, but I imagine he might be feeling the need every once in a while too.

“You feeling the urge brother?” I looked at him out the side of my eye. I wonder if he’d notice that I skirted his question. The truth is no matter what goes on in my mind, I’m not completely sure.

Sometimes I find myself on the fence. Out of nowhere I’d get that burning urge for a woman of my own. And every time baby Zak lays her little head on my chest, I want one of her too. That’s when Ty lets any of us near her; damn baby hog.

“I’m not sure that’s for me brother.” I hated the ring of sadness in his voice. We all knew where each of us came from, the shit we’d endured as kids, so I knew why he might feel that way. It was okay for me to feel that way about myself but not my brother.

Of all of us, he needed someone to love and be loved most. Whereas the rest of us had had shitty or neglectful parents, except for Ty who’d lost his mom tragically, Dev’s story was a horror. It hurt me to the core to hear him say such a thing.

“You’re wrong brother, it’s because of what you suffered that you’d be the perfect husband and father.” There was such a look of hunger in his eyes that it was a shock that I’d never noticed it before.

Oh he wanted this alright. I also knew his stubborn ass would fight it with every breath in his body because he didn’t think he deserved it. Or that somehow he wouldn’t live up to his responsibilities which is bullshit.

Now that I’d seen that look, I’m going to make it my mission in life to see that he never lets the opportunity slip through his fingers if it should arise.

I’d have to work on him first though because he can be a hardheaded son of a bitch. I knew just how to get him too. “If you don’t do it then I won’t either.” He gave me one of his looks.

“Don’t be an ass Quinn, you can’t deny yourself happiness because of me I won’t have it.” He looked towards the others to be sure they weren’t sticking their nose in.

“Fine then, it’s settled, we’ll both go for it. If asshole Ty can be domesticated I say we can too.” The laughter lightened the heavy mood and we moved to join the others.

* * *

It was already going dark outside by the time we broke. “Whose place are we eating at tonight?” I liked this new arrangement. Before the women came it was a toss up as to what form of swill we’d be eating with each of us taking turns.

“Zak’s.” Ty with his greedy ass keeps track of these things. “Let’s go round up the girls, have dinner then we’ll go take care of the tunnel.” Cord with his newly whipped ass was almost out the door after that suggestion.

“Looks like the danger’s passed.” No one had to guess at what Logan was referring to as we watched Cord cross the yard.

“Thank fuck, you assholes need to calm the fuck down, too damn hyper. Next time one of you go the fuck off I’m putting something in your food.”

“Look who’s talking, Ty you’re full of shit.” Logan laughed at his misguided ass.

“What’re you talking about? I never acted like a caveman. Zak was damn near certifiable, Con was a bitch to live with and our fearless leader here had a strong case of PMS with his bitch made ass. Of course that one is fucking nuts so his shit is to be expected.” He pointed out the door at Cord. “But me, I was the only one who kept my cool. I never went full asshole.”

“You’re also the only one who had to be medicated.” Devon deadpanned and the rest of us howled with laughter, while Ty gave us the finger and stomped out the door. He had a point though. This last meltdown of Cord’s was something I could do without for at least another week.

That’s another thing about these new relationships my brothers are in. Not a day goes by that one of them isn’t having to corral his woman for some misdemeanor or some shit, or losing their damn mind because of something their woman did, and the rest of us are left having to calm their ass down.