DISCLAIMER: New story. New characters. If you have certain expectations then abandon them now or you’ll be disappointed.

FEEDBACK: Is welcome at p.phair.comcast.net and you can view my other stories at http://www.phair1.com/

RED SOX: Believe!

WARNING: Violence. Needless suffering. Pain. Trauma. You know, the usual.

SAVAGE

by phair

Chapter 8

“Hold still. I’ve almost got you cleaned up,” Beckworth mumbled. “Just a bit more pressure…,”

Kendall sighed, in spite of her pain, as her body relaxed into Beckworth’s tender ministrations. Their group had been left; bound and on their knees under a blazing sun for some time. Blinded by tears, sweat, and congealing blood, Kendall could not see what the others were doing to occupy their rest period. Beckworth seized the moment of peace to tend Kendall’s bloody wound. He carefully leaned her battered head against his shoulder while he treated her injury.

“Hope you’re not using spit to wash out that cut,” Kendall teased and was rewarded with a soundless chuckle rumbling in the chest pressed against her cheek.

“Like that would be the worst of my body fluids you ingested,” Beckworth replied with a snort.

“I was drunk: dead assed, half a gallon gone drunk out of my mind. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it,” Kendall managed to shift herself and crack open one eye to see her lover’s worried face. “Hey-Jay, is it that bad? Do I look so God awful?”

Beckworth shook his head, “Not at all. Just a nasty cut across your forehead. I’m having a bit of a time stopping the bleeding, that’s all. Babe, I need to tell you something. Kendall, you need to know this because…well, it’s the truth, you’ll always look beautiful to me.”

“Let me up,” Kendall, rankling at the declaration, pulled back from Jay’s gentle touch and tender words but could not free herself so easily from his embrace. “One cut doesn’t really matter much now, does it? Smith is going to do much worse to me, to all of us before sun down. And there’s nothing you or I can do to stop that, is there?”

Beckworth would not drop the original subject, “Kendall, for once in our lives, just listen to me. We may not have much time left alone; I need you to know, you must believe, I love…,”

“Stop it!” Kendall hissed. “We’re gonna die here. Face down in the dirt with holes in our heads and that’s if we’re lucky. There’s no time left for love and promises.”

Beckworth shook his head as he held her tight, “You’re wrong. This is the best time for love and promises. I do love you, Kendall. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you.”

Without invitation, Beckworth grabbed Kendall’s tether and pulled her closer to him. His kiss was soft at first. When she did not resist, he intensified his attention to her and pushed his tongue into her willing mouth. She accepted and embraced his entrance. They eased each others fears with their tender caresses. For all too brief an instant, the world existed just for this pair of chaste lovers.

“Oh look, the horny pig and his bitch are ready to fuck,” Smith shouted from a short distance away.

Beckworth broke off the kiss at the taunt but Kendall drew his attention back with the whisper of a promise, “You’re right, Jay. It might be the last time I get to tell you the truth. I did love you, back then, you know?”

“Really?” Jay asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, really.”

“Get off her,” Smith shouted as he kicked Beckworth away from Kendall. “She doesn’t belong to you anymore.”

“She never belonged to me,” Beckworth gritted the words out around his pain. “But then, a brute like you could never understand a consensual loving relationship versus your usual Friday night alley gang bang.”

Smith’s grin waned as Jay spoke. His right hand fingered the gun in his holster. A small twitch began over his right eye.

“Ooh, would you look at that?” Savage taunted with a brilliant smile and a seductively low voice. “Looks like Beckworth might know a thing or two. Hit a nerve, Smith, did he?”

Smith nodded agreement and said, “He sure did but I’m gonna hit a lot more than a nerve.”

He launched a vicious series of kicks at Kendall. When Jay tried to intervene, Smith gave him a few round house blows as well. He only stopped when both recipients were huddled together face down in the dirt and whimpering in pain.

“Now that’s what a real man calls hitting a nerve, bitch!” Smith spat at the pair. “Tell me bitch, am I a big man or what?”

Kendall gasped in pain when the guards jerked her upright by her forearms fastened together at the wrists. Her shoulders ached and her breath caught with the pain of her arms trying to bare the weight of her body. She scrambled to get her feet under her.

“I’d say,” she hissed, “I’d say or what.”

Mr. Smith’s punch planted itself squarely on her nose. Kendall’s knees buckled and she screamed at the agony inflicted on her shoulders as her body sagged and the noose tightened just a bit more around her neck. She gasped and coughed and sprayed blood from her nose and mouth while she struggled to break free of the vise like hold of the guards. They were just too strong for her. After a frenzied attempt to break away, she dropped limp in their clutches in utter exhaustion. She resigned herself to the physical torment which awaited her.

“HOLD!” A strong male voice shouted across the compound. “Guards, unhand that woman.”

Kendall sobbed in relief when her ass settled on firm ground and her shoulders’ burden was eased as the guards dropped her. Her vision was still clouded but she squinted trying to see the owner of the voice. He was tall and blonde but with tanned skin. His body was muscular but thin. He wore dark black military dress shirt and pants. He even had his tie firmly in place. Kendall, near the point of emotional and physical exhaustion, gave an idle thought as to why he didn’t sweat as profusely as the prisoners and armed guards surrounding them.

“Yes sir, Commander Esau, sir” Mr. Smith gave a half assed salute and a smirk. “Anything you say, sir. Now how ‘bout we discuss my money?”

Without missing a step in his crisp military cadence approach, Esau pulled his weapon and shot Smith between the eyes. He gave a swift kick to the convulsing body as he passed. A half cock of his head sent his guards in a scramble to subdue Mr. Jones. It was a brief and dull struggle before the terrified man was dragged to his knees at Esau’s feet.

“Give me one reason not to kill you,” the Commander demanded before shoving his gun barrel into the Jones’ quivering mouth.

“There’s no need to kill him,” Beckworth shouted. “He’s on his knees already. Why waste the bullet?”

Commander Esau grinned and removed the gun from Jones’ mouth. “If I let you live then you’ll answer to me. You’ll obey my orders gratefully. If you don’t then you’ll be punished and vigorously punished. I’m I being clear? Do you understand?”

“Yes, please don’t kill me!” Jones tearfully begged as he groveled at the Commander’s feet.

Esau nodded and holstered his gun. “You will all obey me or you will suffer my wrath. Is that understood?”

The group sat silently. Esau snapped his fingers and one of the guards began kicking Woody. It was a rhythmic assault punctuated by his screams of pain.

“His beating will stop when I have my answer,” the Commander casually stated.

“We’ll obey, we promise, please stop this insanity, there’s no need,” Beckworth frantically beseeched.

It only took a finger snap to stop the attack. Commander Esau gave a thin smile as he assessed the scene. The band of prisoners kneeling in the dirt before him was defeated. Then his eyes found somebody he did not expect in the group.

“Ah, how wonderful,” Esau’s smile grew to a grin. “My slave has been found and returned. Guards, if you see her to the whipping post then she can begin to receive her just reward for running away.”

The guards moved to take Brady but Savage moved faster. She sprang to cover Brady with her own body. Savage felt the terrified woman clawing into her embrace.

“Guards, hold,” Esau instructed. “Kendall, dear, please move away from my slave so the guards can punish her.”

“She’s done nothing wrong!” Kendall tightened her fragile but frantic hold on Brady.

“She’s my property and she’s knows the penalty for running away. Slave, tell Ms. Savage the penalty for run away slaves!” His voice bellowed on the command.

“Sorry Master, sorry,” Brady wept. “Runners get twenty hard lashes from the Master’s strongest guard. Please, Master, forgive me. Please. I’ll never run again.”

With a nod from Esau, the guards resumed their efforts to separate the women.

“FUCK THIS SHIT!” Savage screamed as she clung to Brady while the guards tried to pull them apart. “LEAVE HER ALONE!”

“Kendall, please don’t make me get rough with you. I’d much rather like to have a nice chat with you after the punishment commences. Perhaps an iced tea or two,” Esau intoned as if trying out a new pick up line.

“Spare her and you can talk my ear off all night if you want,” Kendall shot back.

“Guards, hold,” Esau’s eyes pinched at the command. “You mean you will suffer my company willing if I pardon my slave’s disobedience?”

Kendall was a bit confused by Esau’s interest in the counter offer but replied, “Sure, you don’t even need to give me the iced tea.”

“Excellent. Guards, free Ms. Savage from her restraints and then take the others to the work site.” Commander Esau took a deep breath before demanding, “Be sure to brand the new slaves and they are all to be shackled hand and foot, understand?”

“Yes sir!” The guards responded enthusiastically.

Kendall was cut free from her bindings and pulled to her feet. She stared in disbelief when Esau offered her his arm like an eager prom date. She took it but looked back over her shoulder to see what was happening to the rest of the prisoners.
“Ah, no, don’t worry your sweet head about them. They too will serve the greater good by liberating God’s Vengeance from the mud,” Esau cooed in her ear.

“And, how is it that I will serve?” She asked the question she feared the answer to.

“You have served well already by finding the tool to restore order to the world.” He gave a gentle pat to her hand before he spoke the next words, “I’m praying that God sees fit to have you serve even further in my bed as my wife and mother of my sons; the future leaders of the Soldiers of Heaven.”

Kendall stifled her reply when she heard a groan of pain after a slap of flesh, “Don’t let guards hurt them. Please.” She had to force the last word with all her strength.

“Guard, don’t bruise them. Break them gently,” Esau commanded happily as he watched the woman he planned to personally break weaken just a little.

Chapter 9

Kendall sat across from Commander Esau awkwardly sipping a bottle of frigid ice tea. The cold and wet was more than a welcome relief to her depleted system. She was forced to use her left hand because her right arm was fastened down by her side and shackled to a ring bolt in the floor. It was surprisingly easy, she found, to ignore the indignity in favor of the small comforts Esau's hut provided.

"You're enjoying that, aren't you?" Esau questioned.

Kendall nodded before finding her voice, "Yes. It's very good. Thank you."

"While my command center here is still a bit," he paused and gave a deceptively gentle smile, "rustic, I do grant myself some minor earthly indulgences."

Kendall could not stop her sideways glance to the young man caged at the far end of the room. He was staring straight ahead as his legs rhythmically pumped the peddles of what seemed to be a stationary bicycle. The wheel turned several pulleys which led out of the cage to a large metal box. Numerous cables led out of the box to several motorized appliances in the room.

"Ah, you are very inquisitive, my dear. You seem to have noticed my solution to the energy crisis." Esau gave a broad smile, "Of course, once the world is returned to the true heirs of Isaac then there will be no energy crisis. Only the faithful will enjoy God's bounty while Jacobian heretics and pagans will toil for our good."

"Forced labor? Slaves, you mean," Kendall set her bottle on the table. "It's gonna take a lot more man power than you got out there to take over the world, Commander."

Esau winked at her again. It was a dirty little wink that betrayed a filthy mind.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. You said something about God’s Vengeance. Is that how you plan to enslave the world?" Kendall questioned in a mocking tone of voice

"I can see you are skeptical. How very wise of you? If the patriarch Isaac had been as discerning then that wicked Rebecca would never have been able to trick him. The doppelganger would never have been able to steal Esau's birth right." The Commander took a thoughtful breath, "You've asked a fair question. I think a small demonstration is in order to settle the matter."

Esau rose from his chair. He crossed the room to a large foot locker near the shaded window. Within moments of rummaging through the contents, he produced a small folded gray cloth.

"Looks like cotton doesn't it?" He asked as he held the loose material by the corner.

Kendall shrugged unsure how to reply.

Esau bunched up three quarters of the cloth into a ball and left a little dangling tail. He placed the item on the foot locker. Stand back a bit, he used a liter to ignite the tail and then darted back two more steps. The tail flared and then the small ball of cloth exploded like a fire cracker. It left a wide scorch mark around the top of the foot locker.

"Oh my God," Kendall whispered a prayer.

Esau nodded agreement, "Yes, God has given us a powerful explosive which can be shaped into cotton like cloth. It is undetectable to screening machines, police dogs, and the human eye. The size of the blast is two hundred times the weight of the cloth. So, a suitcase packed with fifty pounds of the cloth will produce an explosive force of…,"

"… a ten thousand pound bomb." Kendall swallowed hard.

"It's probably enough to destroy a twenty story building and damage about twenty city blocks." The Commander chuckled like a school boy, "Kendall, try to imagine one of those suitcases in the lobby of every hotel in New York City exploding on New Year's Eve at 11:59:59 pm."

"Armageddon."

"It will mark the end of the old kingdom of the false patriarch Jacob and the rise of Esau's rightful heirs; Soldiers of Heaven."

"It will begin the end of the world," Kendall corrected quietly.

Chapter 10

Jay sat in the mud trying to regulate his breathing in an effort of quiet his rebellious stomach. Pain radiated from his left bicep but it had lessened considerably since Brady treated it. No more than twenty minutes before, three men held him down while a red hot iron burned I^ into the skin of his upper arm. It marked him as their property. It was a mark that would last forever. His physical pain paled in the grim shadow of his helplessness to escape their power.

"Oh, please, it hurts, please," Mr. Jones voice trailed off into whimpers as he buried his face in his hands.

Brady was treating the brand on his arm with the same mixture of mud, water, and drippings from nearby leafs as she had used on Jay. She ignored Jones' crying as she worked. However, when one of the guards glanced in their direction once too often, she tried her best to hush the man.

"Easy, try to stop crying," she whispered the advice. "Can't you feel how cool it's getting? A little numb too by now, I would guess. Feel it. You have to be able to feel it. Can't you feel how much better it is?"

His moaning softened as he listened to her. After a few breaths he nodded agreement along with his sniffles.

"It's a little better," he reluctantly agreed. "I guess."

"Just rest a bit. We'll be put to work soon, so rest as much as you can. I'll give it another treatment when we get our first break. Rest for now." Brady said before standing and making her way toward Woody.

Woody sat with his back against a young tree. Tears of blood ran from the burn on his upper arm down to his elbow. He let both his arms lay loosely in his lap chained at the wrist. His eyes burned with hatred.       

"Stay away from me, Cunt!" He hissed as Brady approached with her muddy healing mixture in hand.

She nodded and tossed the balled up pulp the last few feet. "If I were you then I'd use a bit of that to take the sting out and prevent infection. But, suit yourself."

Before Woody could hurl an insult her way, Brady walked back over to Jay and sat next to him. The two stared out at the inlet bay before them. Men, women, and children branded like them scrambled to pull heavy nets filled with mud from the bottom of the water. Once on the sandy beach, other slaves dragged the nets to a clearing to begin the drying process.

"What are they looking for?" Jay asked.

"The end of the world."

            "Brady," Jay felt his patience dwindle even further.

"There is a compound in the mud that is harmless when wet but is explosive when dry. It's as volatile as TNT and looks like linen. That's what the slaves are dragging out of the mud. It's what Esau wants from this island. It's the only reason that we're not already dead."

"He needs our expertise?" Jay questioned.

"NO!" Brady laughed at him. "He needs our brute strength to haul it out of the mud for him."

"Shit," Jay cursed as he watched a soldier whip a team of slaves not pulling their net out of the water fast enough.

*           *           *

Four bands of heavy link chains were wrapped around Kendall's sweating body; binding her upper arms, wrists, thighs, ankles. Kendall tried to remain still. Even the slightest movement brought her body in contact with the walls or ceiling or both walls and ceiling of her stifling prison cell. She didn't need another reminder of just how tiny the concrete box housing her was.

"Housing," she said aloud. "Not really house like, is it?" She was aware of the panic rising in her voice but could not seem to settle herself down, "More like a tomb. It's more like being buried…alive…oh God, help me…hey, help…I give up…help…please, oh God, oh God, help me…"

She was screaming loud enough to be heard outside the cell but nobody answered.

*           *           *

"OH MUTHERFUCKER!" Jay growled as he dug his heels deep into the sand and heaved the water laden, mud filled net out of the bay.

The flogger found his bare back seconds later.

"Shut it and keep pulling," the guard shouted.

Jay kept his cry and his sullen curse silent. He focused himself on getting the net out of the water. Once it was on the beach, he would have a few minutes to rest before the guards forced them to wade back in to pull out another net.

"SHIT!"

Jay heard the shout and felt the snap at the same time. One of the four tethers on the net snapped free and whipped back. He heard a pain filled howl as the weight of the net drained away. The loss of resistance sent him face first into the sand.

"Fucker, what now?" Jay groused as he righted himself.

Jones was the only one left standing. Directly across from Jay, he stood sobbing while staring at his red raw hands. Woody, who was behind Jay, was climbing to his feet and getting ready to tackle the Jones from the look on his face. Guards were coming at them from every direction. Jay scrambled back and knocked Woody down to his knees again.

"Stay put. Don't give 'em a reason to beat you. Come on, man! I need you healthy if I'm gonna survive the day," Jay rambled as he looked Woody in the eye. "Be smart; wait until we got half a chance to get away. Then I'll even help you ring the pussy's neck!"

Woody snorted an exhausted laugh as his body relaxed. "O.K. but I get to kill the asshole, right?"

"Sure. I just want a couple of body shots," Jay chuckled and gave Woody a quick fake jab to the shoulder.

"What are you two, lovers?" A guard hissed and swatted them away from each other with his police baton. "Watch it, 'cause fags don't do well here! No sir, they end up with ruptured shitters."

Jay moved away from the other man. He kept his gaze down but tried to get a few glimpses of the far side of the net. Jones was still on his feet whining about his hands as the two of the guards strolled closer. By their facial expressions, Jay guessed they weren't so much listening as considering how to force Jones to pull his weight. Literally.

Glancing down toward the water's edge, Jay noticed a lump in the spilled mud. He took a chance and looked up a bit more to study it. In seconds, he realized it was Brady laying half buried in the heavy mud.

"Help me," Jay gasped to Woody as he pushed to his feet and raced as fast as his shackles would allow across the sand.

Woody hurried after him panting, "I thought you said to wait!"

"She's in the mud, Woody. Dig her out! BRADY! BRADY! GET UP!" Jay yelled as he closed in on the still figure almost completely covered in the mud. Jay continued to shout as he started to dig, "Come on, and help us dig her out! Help us, damn it!"

Jay's pleas were ignored by the other slaves. The guards just laughed as both men frantically dug for the woman.

"Don't worry, she won't be the only fatality today. We'll hook you boys up with a couple a strong slaves. You'll be pulling on a better team. Earn more privileges that way. Let her and the Mama's boy go," a guard near them advised as he chuckled at the frantic rescue effort.

Woody's hand connected with a mass of hair. He clenched his fist into it and pulled for all his was worth. The hair and head came out of the mud with an audible pop. He flipped her over on her back and became painfully aware she flopped like a rag doll. Woody gazed into the dirty face certain Brady was already dead.

"MOVE," Jay knocked him out of the way.

Woody shook his head, "She's gone, Jay. She's not breathing."

"GET A REED!" Jay ordered before grabbing Brady's nose with his thumb and index finger. "HURRY!"

Jay squeezed down from the bridge to the tip of Brady's nose. Mud and snot snaked out of her nostrils. Jay swatted the remains away and repeated the procedure. This time much less muck appeared. Jay wiped it away again. He then clamped the nose and forced open mouth. As he hoped, her mouth was free of grit. He puffed three times into the space and then began to pound on her chest.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing?" Woody asked patiently with the reeds in his hand.

Jay gasped for breath and shook his head.

"Good. Then we don't need these," Woody chucked the reeds behind him. "Okay girl, time to breath."

*           *           *

The hatch at the foot of her prison cell opened. Warm but cooler air gushed in with dust and sand. Kendall struggled to snort out the foreign bodies trying to settle in her nose. She gasped and coughed but relaxed when her ankles were grabbed. The sudden pull toward the open door gave her hope. She wasn't about to fight that pull. Kendall tensed her shoulders and raised her head minutely to avoid a concrete burn on the back of her scalp. The strong hands reached up higher and pulled again. Kendall tensed her back and held steady as she was pulled out of the concrete cell. She arched a bit when clear of the structure to balance the hold the men had on the chains at her thighs and ankles. The men quickly dropped her in short cropped grass and she sank back into the damp foliage.

"Here cool down a bit," his words were followed by a light sprinkle of cold water.

His shadow clouded over her vision. Water splashed all over her body. It eased her fever as much as it taunted her thirst.

"Please…," she husked. "A drink, just a little…," she knew she was begging but didn't care.

"Well," she could hear him hum a bit, "I guess, a little wouldn't hurt too much. But, you must be good and obey me."

Kendall nodded as vigorously as her bonds would allow. She opened her mouth and waited. He knelt next to her and scooped her into his embrace.

"Promise to obey me?"

Kendall cleared her throat, "Ya, yes, I'll obey."

The water bottle pressed against her mouth. She rapped her lips around it and sucked.

"Swish it only and spit it out. Don't swallow!" He commanded.

Kendall reluctantly obeyed.

He caressed her cheek with the cold bottle, "Good girl. You want to be my good girl, don't you?"

"Yes," Kendall answered and turned her head to the bottle to lick the sweat off it.

"Have a small sip then," he cooed as he brought the bottle back to her parched lips.

Kendall savored a small swallow. She held back from drawing more in until he granted her permission.

"Good girl. Take a bigger swallow but not a gulp."

Kendall obeyed.

"Oh, such a good girl. You are really cutting down your time in the sweat box."

Kendall blinked and swallowed hard trying to form the words, "Cutting down?"

"Yes, my dear, cutting down. I must be sure you are pure and right with Heaven. So, you need to be cleansed. We are sweating the evil Jacobian world right out of you. Praise God!" Commander Esau shouted.

The soldiers gathered around them yelled their approval and applauded as well.

"I'm pretty cleansed now. Can't you let me up? Please? I've been in there forever," Kendall was begging again but didn’t care.

Esau smiled and caressed her face before speaking, "As long as you survive this trial, your place will be with me. I promise. But, you are not nearly cleansed after only four hours in the box. You must endure a day, my love, to be clean and worth of your master."

"Only four hours? A day? No, please, wait! I'll be good. I'll be better than good, I'll be spectacular," Kendall began to rant as Esau settled her back down on the ground. "Wait, I'm with you. 100% with you. Please, no…," she wailed as the soldiers picked her up. "Please, I'll do anything, please," her voice faded as the soldiers shoved her head first back into the sweat box.

"Just survive this, my love," Commander Esau whispered as he walked back to his hut, "and you shall be the mother of the future Master of Heaven on Earth."

Chapter 11

Mercy, kind and gentle, rained down on her in the form of droplets; pure, cold water. Her mind spun in sweet relief as her fevered skin cooled when the drops multiplied and turned to wild rivulets across her skin. She shivered as the chilly liquid caressed her body and brought her to the brink of ecstasy.

"Witchi…tai…to…witchi..tai…to…," she heard her own dry voice crack with her effort.

"I'm worried that you're hallucinating already," Commander Esau said with a hint on sadness in his voice, "and still we haven't sweated all the pagan idols never mind songs from your heart."

Kendall forced her eyes open. The sun had moved considerably since she had last been out of the sweat box. Turning her head to the right, she saw Esau kneeling next to her. His face gave the impression he was concerned but she didn't rely on that as a hard fast fact.

"Sorry. Just ranting. I'm confused. Too dry," she coughed to emphasis her point. "I want to be good for you but can't think clearly. Help me. Please, help me."

His expression changed. A grin settled on his lips. His eyes seemed to twinkle as he stared at her.

"You really want my help? Are you sure?"

Kendall nodded.

"Even if I put you back in the sweat box?" His grin turned to a taunting sneer in an instant.

Kendall swallowed hard, "Help me be good. I want to be right to serve you; to serve my Master," she paused a moment to gather her thoughts. "You should put me back in the box."

His sneer faded. Esau drew close and kissed her chapped lips long and hard. Blood trickled from the force he used. When he pulled away, he had tears in his eyes.

"Just a few more hours and we will be together. Before the sun rises tomorrow you will know how to serve me. You will learn how to please your Master."

"Thank you she whispered. Thank you, Master."

Chapter 12

Brady shivered in the frigid blackness surrounding her. No amount of cringing and shuddering could ease the all encompassing cold engulfing her. She was suffocating beneath its icy grip.

"Easy, Brady," his words were breathed warmly in her left ear. "I've got to get your fever down. You're burning up. Dunking you in the muddy water is all I could think of to help you."

Brady shook her head as she shivered. "Too cold now. Warm me up. Fight fire with fire."

Jay stared for several moments at the sick woman trembling in his arms. He, himself, knew nothing of medicine beyond first aide. Brady's doctorate was just a PhD and not much more reliable for emergency care. How could he trust her fever born delirious instructions? However, if she died, how could he live with himself for not giving her plan a try?

"Damn, this better work, Brady. Or else I'm docking you one month's pay," Jay tightened his grip as he dragged them both out of the shallow water under the big moon above.

*           *           *

The sun was just breaking over the hill top before her as she opened her eyes. Brady was glad for the light after a night of tortured, dark, and feverish dreams taunting her. She realized only on her relief that morning was breaking that her body was sweltering. Sweat drenched every inch of her skin. If she could have shifted what weighed her down she would have shrugged off the rags covering her.

Turning her head to look over her shoulder, Brady saw Jay's peacefully slumbering face resting on her arm. "Oh God, no!"

Her gasp roused the man in an instant. Jay rose to his feet ready to protect her. His chained legs managed to straddle her prone body as if to ward off any encroachers. He snarled a warning as he thrashed his head about but Brady wondered if he were even awake as he reacted to her cry.

"It's okay, I'm okay. Sorry, Jay. Relax and sit. Everything is okay. No trouble here," Brady hushed as she tried to calm his alarm.

Jay shook his head and steadied his breath before answering her entreaties. "Brady?"

"Yep. Thank you for protecting me, again. This time it was just me waking up but last time…I think…I th…was I dying, Jay?"

"Shh, it's alright. Everything is going to be alright," Jay eased himself back to the spot he had rested in before she awoke; cuddling her body to his own. "You're still warm. Lean back against me and let's see if we can't fight your fever with fire to fire."

Jay pulled Brady back flush to his chest. She tried to escape his hold when she felt how cool his body was compared to her own. Goosebumps broke out along her arms. She struggled but her body was too weak from her infections and fevers to put up much of a resistance.

"So, are you gonna rape me too?" She asked with a gasping breath and tightly closed eyes.

"Never." The word echoed across the slumbering camp. Jay lowered his voice to continue, "I would never harm you, Brady. You're my colleague and you're my friend and you're a person and I'm not a bad man."

Brady listened silently as Jay wept. He wrapped his arms around her body and buried his face in the crock of her neck, sobbing.

"Never hurt you, never hurt anybody, never, never, never…"

Brady held herself stiffly as Jay made his mumbling pledge over and over as the sun lit up the sandy beach before her; her prison was illuminated as morning broke.

Chapter 13

Kendall felt a gush of cooler air rush into her prison as the hatch opened again. She had no idea of how long she had been in the sweat box. The inhuman conditions she endured had sapped her mind and body of almost all her strength. She barely maintained enough energy to stay conscious. Rational thoughts were completely out of the question.

The guards grabbed hold of her and once more pulled her out of the coffin like confines. Kendall had only vague memories of this happening several times before. But, each previous trip out ended with her being stuffed back into the sweltering cement box like some undercooked side of roast. She resigned herself to suffer the relief of whatever mild form of respite Commander Esau planned for her which would be quickly followed by a return to the misery of her purging.

Kendall couldn't remember exactly when it happened but it did, indeed, happen; she had lost all hope of survival.

"My dear, you look positively drained," Esau spoke with a gently touch to her cheek. "Let's get you out of those chains and a bit more comfortable for the night, shall we?"

Kendall felt her heart begin to pound wildly in her chest when the first band of chains was removed. Esau helped her sit up while the guards freed her body from the rest of her fetters. She had no choice but to lean heavily on Esau as she was too weak to keep her upright.

"I have a nice cool bath waiting for you with some clear broth and a bit of water. Nothing too much to eat or drink yet, I'm afraid. Your belly needs to be ramped back up slowly to deal with food after three days without any nutrition. It took you so much longer to completely surrender than I originally believed it would. No worries, though. I've done this countless times before. Your body will come through this as pure as your mind has." He whispered in her ear, for only her to hear, "You're finally free of the Jacobian lies and ready to accept my word as law, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm ready. Thank you," she replied in a hoarse voice tinged with a hint of panic that Esau might not believe her and send her back to bake some more. "I accept your word. You are my Master. Thank you, Master, thank you for saving me."

Esau cuddled her against his chest and replied, "Oh believe me, it was and will continue to be my pleasure."

*           *           *

Brady stood in the food line with Jay right behind her. Behind him was Jones and behind Jones was the ever angry Woody. The line trudged slowly along. The food pot seemed to be dwindling faster and faster with each meager ration dispensed.

"There won't be enough for us," Jones whined.

Woody was nearing the end of his rope. He slapped the man on the back of the head, "Shut up before the guards get pissed. Besides, it's not like you work hard enough to deserve food."

"I work as hard as you," Jones half turned to complain.

Brady snorted back a laugh, "You're a joke. I know kids who pull better than you do."

"Bitch!" Jones went to swing at her and Jay elbowed him in the gut.

"You don't touch her, stupid. Never touch her."

Jones grimaced as he swallowed back his pain mindful that the guards were watching them, "What makes her so special?"

Before Jay could answer, Woody grabbed Jones by the scruff of his neck and hissed, "She's special because she pulls more than her weight on the line and she knows this island upside down. If we're gonna get away and back to the boat then we need Brady but we don't really need you. You understand, stupid?"

Jones shook Woody off and muttered, "Okay, I get it."

"FOOD'S GONE!" The call came from the slave with the ladle.

The unfed crowd groaned but remained in line. Some were too hungry and tired to move independently while others hoped there would be some remedy offered.

"Right then, the rest of you lot get back to your sleeping areas. Dinner time is over," The guard in charge ordered.

The group reluctantly trickled away from the empty pot. They were silent as they made their way. Chuckles filtered in the air from the guards amused by their helpless victims' plight.

"I'll gather a few bananas. Jay, try to get a coconut or two. Woody, do you still have that rock to smash them open?" Brady asked softly.

Woody nodded. "Yep, I got it. I'm hoping to smash something else with it very soon."

"Good, I hope so too," Brady gave him a big smile. "Okay Jones, you head back to our spot and tell anybody who asks that we all went to the bathroom."

Jones grumbled but headed back to their sleeping area as the rest of group split up to gather what little food they could find. Jay wandered over to the edge of the trees where the guards allowed the prisoners to defecate. Once he was sure nobody was watching him, he scurried a couple of hundred feet to a patch of coconut trees. There were several of them just lying on the ground around the base.

"Ah," he sighed, "our main course awaits."

Before he could scoop them up, he was grabbed around the throat and pulled down into the bushes. His mouth was covered with a meaty fist. He tried to struggle but an enormous weight settled on his chest pinning him to the ground.

"Easy Boss, we don't want to have to kill you in order to save you," Angie hushed in his ear.

Jay stopped fighting immediately and focused on the man sitting on top of him; Horse.

"Get off him before he smothers," Angie ordered. "Listen good. We don't have a lot of time, Jay. You need to get back there before they miss you. Brady, Jones, and Woody are here with you but what about Quon, Smith, and Savage?"

"Quon and Smith are dead," Jay spoke the words for the first time and felt a twinge of reality hit. "Kendall is with Esau. God knows what he's doing to her. They've got us dredging for…,"

"We already know about God’s Vengeance," Horse reassured.

Jay turned a questioning eye to Angie.

She shrugged, "We got into a few skirmishes with their guys and caught a couple. It is amazing what a fanatic with tell you when you ask really, really nicely."

"Not only that but their delicious when cooked properly," Horse gave a satisfied wink.

"Oh God," Jay fought down a rebellious stomach at the thought of how good any kind of meat would taste about now.

"Esau must have her in the main compound at the top of this ridge. We'll try to find her then get a plan together to evacuate all of you," Angie said.

Jay was dumbfounded, "Evacuate where?"

"The boat. Home Team 1 is intact. They took some gunfire from speed boats but made it back to open sea. They are waiting to rendezvous on our signal," Horse explained.

"How were you able to contact them?" Jay asked.

Angie laughed. "We got a Morse Code going with the radio and light flashes from the top of a tree on a rise back by the north side, crude but effective. Captain Cook started signaling as soon as he came under fire and we had an idea this was a shitty little trap being laid before they had a chance to spring it on us." Angie got very serious as she eyed Jay, "The only question is who tipped these little Soldiers of Heaven off that we were coming here in the first place."

"So few people knew about the operation," Jay answered. "Everybody on Recon 1,2, and 3 and Home Team 1 and 2, of course."

"Home Team 2?" A startled Angie asked. "There was nothing in the briefing about Home Team 2."

Jay shook his head, "They're only a connection to the main land, that's all; just my lawyer at Beckworth Industries and my Mom."

Angie scowled.

"Guards coming," Dell murmured from somewhere in the dark ending the discussion. "Gotta go now."

"We'll catch up with you another time, Boss. Head on back and don't forget your coconuts," Angie handed one of the hard round treats to Jay before she faded with the other two into the brush.

Jay sat gaping in their direction for several minutes. Then a twig snapped close by shaking him back to the reality of the approaching guard. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled toward the camp site.

"What are you doing?" The guard demanded as he pointed a flashlight on Jay.

Jay stopped dead in his tracks. He raised the coconut up slightly to show the man, "I was just trying to find something to eat. All the food ran out. I didn't get any."

The guard stalked over to him and backhanded him in one fluid motion. Jay hit the ground with a thud. The taste of blood filled his mouth.

"What do runners get?" The guard asked.

Jay shook his head trying to get up, "Not running. I was coming back. See…?"

The guard kicked him hard and asked again, "I'll only ask once more, what do runners get?"

Jay released his fragile grip and the coconut rolled away. "Runners get twenty hard lashes from the Master’s strongest guard," Jay quoted Brady from memory.

"That's right, and I'm your Master's strongest guard," The man laughed as he pulled Jay to his feet and back to the camp to meet his fate.

*           *           *

Kendall, having been bathed and fed, lay naked on the generously large and soft bed in Esau's hut. The man caged across the room continued to peddle the stationary bicycle without a sideways glance to her exposed form. She was grateful for that small measure of chivalry on his part.

Neither of them had a choice in their current state. He was chained to the bike and caged behind metal bars. His back spoke of the pain he would endure should he cease his labor. Kendall, for her part, was physically too weak to stand on her own. Still, Esau saw fit to have her ankles chained together with Darby style shackles and fastened with a short length of chain to a ring bolt in the floor.

"My dear, you are breath taking," Esau said as he approached the bed. "More enchanting now that you are properly broken."

Kendall closed her eyes in an effort to keep herself composed, "Thank you, Master."

"No, my dear, I want you to look at me when we are alone together. You must only avert your gaze when we are with other men or in the presence of the Matriarch. So, enjoy this opportunity to gaze upon your Master," Esau encouraged her.

Kendall swallowed down her revulsion. She opened her eyes in time to see Esau unfasten his belt. He was stripping off his clothes and he wanted her to watch while chained to the bed. Kendall was certain she knew what was next on her subjugation to do list.

"I'm going to give you a very special gift tonight, Kendall," Esau promised as the last piece of his clothing hit the floor. "You're going to receive my manhood the way women are commanded by God to passively accept her husband's lust and ultimately his seed."

Kendall struggled a bit to form the right words to sway him from his current strategy. "You're not my husband yet. We can't consummate what hasn't been blessed by God. You shouldn't take me like this unless I'm nothing more than a whore to you."

"While I do enjoy you, Kendall, you must learn to not to question your Master," Esau explained patiently as he climbed on top of her. "You really are nothing more than a whore to me. Yes, you will bare my sons and be their mother while they nurse. Regardless of purging, you were conceived as a heretic. You can only hope to faithfully serve. So, you are, in fact, little more than another slave to my cause. I will love and cherish you as long as you obey me and remember your only place is…" he paused as he shifted his thick, hard cock at her entrance, "…under me."

Esau drove his stiff shaft deep into Kendall with a grunt. The brutal force of his initial plunge tore open her tender walls. Kendall screamed at the vicious rending.

"Please, please, go easy, please," Kendall begged.

Esau ignored her pleading and drove in harder and harder with each successive thrust. Kendall screamed for mercy again but only received laughter from the man on top of her invading her body.

"Don't worry, you'll stretch out with a few more vigorous sessions," he promised in a tight lipped grunt. "You're body will learn to spread for your Master's enormous cock."

Kendall whimpered in pain beneath the weight of Esau's words and body. He pushed harder and harder into her until she thought she would split down the middle. Then, in the distance, she heard a lone voice cry out in anger and suffering. She knew the voice well and she understood the depths of his anguish.

Kendall, in a fit of blind rage as Esau ejaculated into her, shrieked her reply to the singular voice in the night, "BECKWORTH!"

Chapter 14

While she waited Esau inevitable return, Kendall let her body hang by her wrists from shackles bolted to the ceiling's cross beam above her. She was far too weak to keep baring her weight through her legs to support her body. In spite of the pain caused by the metal cuffs cutting into her fragile skin and the strain on her shoulders, she could not muster her reserves to force her body to stand upright any longer.

The right side of her face throbbed from the backhanded blows Esau peppered her with. The blood dripping down her lips had slow. Still, she was fairly sure her nose was broken in one or more places. No air could be pulled into the swollen passages regardless of how hard she tried. Her left ear was deafened from a punch he meant to deal to her face but she turned her head at the last moment. The act left the two of them howling in pain; her with a perforated eardrum and him with bruised knuckles from connecting with her hard skull instead of the soft tissue around her eye.

The beating began just as her rape ended. Kendall shouted for Beckworth when the first spit of Esau's semen invaded her. Esau was furious that the woman dared to call another man's name during his orgasm.

"You faithless whore!" He screamed as he leveled hit for hit to her helpless body.

Kendall found a bit of unreasonable courage in her pain, "RAPIST! Bet you can only cum when you RAPE! YOU'RE PATHETIC!"

"Pathetic, huh?" He taunted as he grabbed her around the throat and choked back any chance of reply. "I'll show you pathetic!"

Esau dragged her from the bed and chained her to the shackles hanging from the ceiling. She fought as hard as she could against him but she was just too weak from the daily abuse she had suffered since her arrival in the camp never mind her current beating. Esau, completely naked, stormed out of the hut after securing Kendall. He was screaming at his guards but Kendall's dulled mind could not process his commands.

Kendall let herself drift into a pain filled semi conscious state as she swayed in her chains. The banging open of the cage rattled her awake. Kendall watched in horror as the slave peddling on the stationary bike was dragged out of the hut. The gun blast that followed answered any question she had about his fate. She could not stop the tears gathering in her eyes from streaking down her face.

Angry voices and thumping sounds drew her attention to the open door of the hut. Several guards struggled to pull or push a chained and thrashing prisoner into the hut. Kendall tried to still her empathy for the wild man fighting an all but hopeless battle for freedom. One guard rushed ahead of the others and turned the stationary bicycle toward Kendall and, ultimately, Esau's bed behind her.

"No, let her see his back first!" Esau calmly commanded from the doorway.

Kendall kept her silence by wrapping her fingers in the chains above her head as the guards turned the man's scourged back toward her. She impassively observed the bloody whip welts covering the expanse. As the guards held him, Kendall realized the body shape and skin tone and sweaty smell seemed very familiar.

"Jay," her voice broke, "are you okay?"

Esau laughed at her comment as he entered he hut. His foot steps fell heavy on the packed earth as he approached Kendall. He stopped briefly next to Beckworth's brutalized back.

Pausing but a moment to view the bloody mess, he spoke, "This is the rutting stag you called for while being graced with my essence?"

"Fucking bastard," Jay gasped out in a low voice.

"Gag him," Esau commanded and a flurry of activity occurred behind him. "Now, Kendall, is this the dick you called out for while I gave you my seed?"

Kendall shook her head violently, "If you kill him, I'll find a way to get you. I promise, you'll be dead or blinded or deafened or castrated! I will not rest until you suffer three fold his fate."

"Ha ha, why don't you just give me a reason to do him in now? For that matter," Esau inched closer to Kendall, "Why don't I kill both of you right here, right now?"

Kendall leaned as far forward as her chains allowed and rasped her reply, "Do it!"

"NO!" Jay screamed. "Don't kill her. Don't do it."

Beckworth thrashed in the guards arms. The men struggled to subdue him. Esau stood impassively.

He finally said, "You're going to live long enough to produce my son." Then he asked, "So, should I kill him? Should I end your former lover's suffering? Should I spare him the pain of witnessing your continued violations at my hand?"

The words struck deep. Kendall looked up to see Jay fighting to look at her over his shoulder. He was desperate to make eye contact with her. She knew in that moment she needed to see his face if she had any hope of surviving this nightmare.

"No," she said emphatically. "Don't kill him. Please, let him live. There's no need to kill him."

"Good decision." Esau smiled as he grabbed a handful of Kendall's hair, "The cunt sucker gets to watch me fuck your ass for the rest of the day. GUARDS! Chain that idiot to the bike so he can power the fans. It's gonna get awful hot in here."

Chapter 15

Kendall felt the cool air tingle across her sweat soaked skin. It chilled her but also provided a small bit of comfort from the oppressive heat for her battered body. She forced her eyes open in order to see the one who's labor provided her relief.

Jay was wide eyed, staring back at her. The intensity of the gaze made her flinch and turn her face away. She was certain he hated her for saving his life. Saving him only insured he would survive long enough to witness her torturous repeated rapes. After all she had survived, she was fairly sure she could not bear seeing his disgust at her actions.

"We're alone. You can stop peddling. Take a break. Save some energy," her voice was raw from screaming.

Grunting across from her made her chance a glance in his direction. Jay was bending forward. His fingers stretched up to close the distance between themselves and the gag tied around his mouth. He snagged the cloth with his middle finger and tugged until the rag popped out and was forced below his chin.

He sat back up slowly. Jay was visibly trying to slow down his panting breaths. He seemed exhausted by the all efforts but managed to lick his dry and cracked lips. It took a few more deep breaths before he was able to make eye contact with Kendall.

"You okay?" Jay's voice was husky from lack of sleep.

Kendall had to push past her need to weep, "Don't worry about me. Stop peddling until he comes back. Save some strength."

Jay shook his head no.

"Come on, be sensible. We don't know how long he's gonna keep you hooked up to that thing. You got to save your energy. If you collapse, he might take you away. Then I'd be alone again. I can't… I need…," tears overtook her words as her head drooped down unable to face him in the wake of her selfishness.

Jay kept a steady pace on the stationary bike, "I'm not going anywhere with out you. He'll have to kill me to drag me away from you."

Kendall sobbed long and hard as the fan continued to swirl the steady cool breeze easing her pain.

*           *           *

Brady was pulling like a madwoman on the rope. The net didn't seem to budge more than a few inches in spite of her mammoth effort. She wanted to scream at Jones to dig in but the guards would just crack her again. If she was patient enough then maybe they would beat him this time.

"Ed, get a look at the faggot and the bitch," a burly guard wandered over mid way between Jones and Brady.

"Tsk, tsk," Ed noted from beneath the shade of a beach umbrella. "It looks like you're going to have to impress upon both of them the need to apply themselves a tad more, don't ya think?"

"Yep," The first guard agreed as he pulled his whip from his leather belt loop.

Brady frantically looked across to Woody. The man was struggling to pull his side by himself. There was nothing he could do to help more than he was already doing.

"Jones! PULL! Pull, damn it!" Brady shouted.

She was able to plant her left foot a good two feet in front of the other. Then she leaned her whole weight forward to drag the right one up. Her sudden momentum gave just enough slack so Jones could get another three feet ahead, gently tugging Brady's weight along for the ride. Brady could feel Woody shift the net forward as he leveraged himself up parallel to Jones. The net was finally at the sandy edge. Their muddy haul was getting lighter by the second as water drained away from the bulky heap to retreat back into the bay. Their burden would ease for a few minutes until they had to wade into the water and start all over again.

"Hey Ed, looks like they got the message."

Ed leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles, "Ya, but it don't mean they don't get a whoopin' anyway."

The guards' laughter burned in Brady's ears. She hated them as much as she hated herself for wanting to stay alive. She knew she would pretty much do anything to live through one more day. Even with hope of rescue a distant memory, Brady clung to life. So, she accepted their words as a promise and dug in for another pull.

"ATTENTION!"

Just the sound of his voice could still made Brady shiver. She had to squeeze her thighs hard to keep from pissing herself. The attempt was of little success.

"Just like a whipped dog," Brady thought grimly.

The guards snapped up straight and saluted their Commander.

"Report," he demanded.

"Sir, ten hauls today, Sir. Anticipate five more, Sir," Ed announced in a steady cadence and kept his eyes fixed on the horizon.

Esau scanned the beach front as he made his way over to Brady. She was on her knees as were the others working in the area. When his boots moved into her line of vision he stopped.

"How do you greet your Master?"
Brady quickly put her hands behind her back and leaned down to kiss his high polished boot tips.

"That's better." Esau lowered his voice as he spoke directly to Brady, "You were spared the whipping post because of Kendall's kindness. But disobedience can not be ignored. There is still a mater of punishment for your escape which needs to be settled. You wouldn't disagree with that now would you?"

"No, Master," Brady forced the words out.

Esau grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled her upright. Brady wisely kept her gaze down. Esau gave a little chuckle as he lightly shook her.

"Glad you agree. Let's go."

He guided her more than tugged her. Brady had to keep a quick step but Esau was far more controlled in his manhandling than his guards. However, his gentler escort manner did not keep her heart from racing when she realized he was walking her to his quarters. Brady tried to calm herself with deep breaths but it only made her sound like she was whimpering.

"Master's home," Esau announced as he kicked open the door. "And, he brought a playmate for the stag."

Brady tumbled forward and crashed into Kendall when Esau shoved her. Kendall let out a hiss of pain. It took Brady a few moments to understand her hand had connected with the woman's lacerated back.

"I'm sorry," Brady's voice was no more than a whisper.

"Shut it, Cunt!" Esau shouted as he shoved her against the cage holding Jay. "Take this key and get in there."

Brady clutched the key to her chest. She ducked inside the cage as soon as Esau opened the door enough for her to slip passed.

"Free that idiot from the bike."

Brady worked fast. She didn't want to upset her Master. He was using the tone he always used when he was angry with her. Nothing good ever happened when he spoke like he was now.

Esau moved behind Kendall. He watched silently while Jay's restraints were released. He waited until Brady helped the man off the bike then he grabbed Kendall's hair and jerked her head back. Putting his gun in her ear stopped the movements of the pair inside the cage.

"Okay, here's what happens next." Esau gave a wicked laugh, "Jay, you've worked hard all day so I'm giving you a nice reward. Kendall, you put on a good show for your lover so now's payback time…,"

"Don't…," Jay started to speak.

Esau pulled harder on Kendall's hair until she cried out. Jay fell silent again.

"Brady, my high spirited slave, needs to be taught a lesson. So, to accomplish all three at once…Jay, rape Brady."

The room fell into complete stillness.

"Think of it as multi-tasking. You get rewarded. Brady gets punished. Kendall gets to watch." Esau gave a heavy sigh and cocked his gun, "I really think you should get started Jay. Kendall's gonna look really bad with just half a head."

Jay was about to launch himself at the cage door. A cold hand on his forearm stopped him. He gave a half turn and saw Brady's firm set jaw and flashing eyes.

"It's not rape if I say okay. So, I say okay," Brady whispered. "Besides, it'll be the first time I sat down all day."

Jay ground his back teeth but gave a hesitant nod.

Brady turned away. She quickly shed her soggy clothes. Leaving them in a small heap, she sat then laid back on them as a pillow. She shot Jay one last nervous look and shut her eyes before spreading her legs.

"Jay, don't," Kendall pleaded, "I'm not worth it."

Esau tightened his hold on Kendall effectively shutting her up. "Get to work, Jay. That dyke is frigid enough as it is. Fuck her hard, Jay. Don't make me and Kendall show you again how to do it right."

Jay turned his back on them. He lowered himself between Brady's legs while slowly stroking his waking cock.

"I'm sorry, Brady," he hushed in her ear as his erection firmed up, "but Kendall is worth this to me."

Chapter 16

Brady lay beside Jay. They huddled next to each other on the filthy floor when Jay finally collapsed in exhaustion. Esau stayed watching them for a long time after that without speaking. He had put the gun away once it became apparent Jay would follow any command given. He finally wandered out the door without a backward glance.

Brady shifted slightly to look at Kendall. The woman still hung from the chains bolted into the ceiling. Her body remained perfectly still in spite of her many wounds. Brady met her gaze head on. Kendall's eyes glistened in the dwindling light with unshed tears.

"I didn't want any of this…if I knew back then…," Kendall's voice was low but strong. "I never would have charted the island."

Brady shook her head slowly, "Nobody wanted this."

"You're wrong," Jay interrupted.

He sat up. Shifting a few feet to the left, he tried to give Brady some extra space after their hours of forced intimacy. Even with the added distance, Jay could not face either woman. He kept his head and eyes down.

"You're wrong," he began again. "Somebody wants this to be happening. Somebody with money, power, and information. Only two people not on the island know anything about the operation or the island for that mater."

Kendall tugged hard on her chains when she realized who he meant, "YOUR FUCKING MOTHER! FUCK FUCKER FUCKEST!"

"Are you kidding me? Your mother is plotting the end of world?" Brady bolted up right to question.

Jay merely nodded his head.

"FUCKING CUNT!" Kendall screamed as she thrashed wildly in a futile effort to break free of her chains.

"This is ridiculous," Brady's fury was building at the improbable allegation. "Jay, you can't be serious. Your mother is like…seventy or something."

"She's only fifty five," a rich voice hummed softly from the far corner of the room.

The three prisoners froze at the sound. Nobody dared to breathe or move. Their eyes strained in the dank space trying to make out who or what had spoken.

"Ah, a little more talking and shouting would be helpful to cover the noise I'm gonna make breaking through the last floor board here," the voice encouraged.

"Angie?" Jay asked in a stage whisper.

"Shhh, cool it boss or I'll be next on your dance card," Angie warned.

"You've been there that long?" Jay blushed and hung his head.

She gently cleared her throat before speaking. "Long enough to know we're all entitled to the group psychiatry rate. Now, get some chatter going while I break this board free and get you out of here."

"Brady, scream," Kendall suggested.

Brady stared back, slightly confused, "Why me?"

"It's logical that you'd be the one screaming," Kendall reasoned.

"No, it's not. That's not logical at all. I didn't scream when Master raped me why should I scream now. I gave Jay permission," Brady was testy as she climbed to her feet. "Besides, you should be the one to scream after what Master did to you."

"For the love of…," Kendall bit her tongue against the pledge, "Brady, knock it off with the Master this and Master that crap. Just do it. Be useful for a change."

"Useful…fuck you! I was saving you stupid boyfriend's ass while you were sipping lemonade…"

"IT WAS ICED TEA!"

"Psst, this good enough, Angie?" Jay hushed as he crawled to the bars closest to Angie's point of entry.

"Yep, just keep 'em at it for a few more minutes," Angie grunted between snaps of wood.

Jay looked back at the two hissing insults at each other, "That shouldn't be a problem."

"I came here to save you…"

"Save? You call this saving?" Brady's shout faded to a whimper with the reminder of their present dilemma, "If this is saving then you're doing a terrible job of it, Savage."

Kendall stopped in mid sentence. Her anger burned out in one superheated spasm of anguish. She saw Brady's shoulders and head droop behind the bars across from her. Brady was spent on one a moment of righteousness.

"You're right. I am doing a terrible job of saving you," Kendall let the tears she'd been holding back run free.

Angie pulled herself out of the newly smashed hole in the floor. She scampered closer to Jay for cover.

"They always fight like this?"

Jay smirked, "College roommates. Brady introduced me to Kendall after…my charms failed to sway her, so to speak."

"Good thing there's more than one way to speak these days," Angie grinned.

She crouched low and snaked her way to the cage door. Fiddling with the lock took more time than she really wanted to waste but it eventually popped open.

"Both of you head for the hole and I'll get Kendall loose," Jay looked like he wanted to interrupt her but Angie kept talking. "Move it. We'll be right behind you."

Kendall bit her lip while Angie worked on the chains. Angie's sweaty and grimy body leaned heavily on Kendall. The pressure opened some previously healed wounds. The strain reduced slightly when the chains pulled free of her right wrist.

"One more," Angie promised.

Kendall was sure she heard foots steps coming from outside, "Please hurry."

Her request was immediately answered. Kendall staggered with her freedom. Only Angie's strong grip kept her from falling. She let the woman direct her where she needed to be. Kendall was halfway down the hole when Esau opened the door.

"What the…" a single shot from Angie's gun ended his questioning, his quest, and his life.

"MOVE!"

Angie shoved Kendall down the rest of the way. She kept pushing until Jay grabbed Kendall by the wrists and pulled her out from under the hut.

"RUN TO THE BEACH. STRAIGHT AHEAD. THROUGH THE BRUSH," Angie shouted as angry voices sounded the alarm back at Esau's door.

Exhausted or not, Brady was out in front, buck naked and sprinting ahead. Kendall, equally naked, was being dragged along by Jay. Angie brought up the rear frequently checking back to gage how close their pursuers were.

"A boat," Brady shouted as they broke clear of the foliage.

"Our ride," Angie clarified.

Brady grabbed a side while Jay dumped in Kendall. He took the opposite side with his hands free. Angie stuffed her gun in her belt and pushed from the stern. Once they were up to their thighs, Brady jumped in followed by Angie. Then the three women tugged Jay on board.

"Brady, take the binoculars and look for the yacht. Kendall, Jay, get paddling. I need to signal the fellas."

Angie took out a mirror and flashed it toward shore. She repeated the sequence three or four times before a series flashes were returned. She chuckled as she completed her signal.

"I see the yacht," Brady shouted.

"Clear sailing now," Angie grinned.

Jay tossed a glance over his shoulder before asking, "What about the others?"

"We'll get back to the boat and you'll send a distress signal to the US Navy with coordinates. They'll sail in like the heroes they think they are even though my boys are doing all the work," Angie explained as she settled into her seat.

"What work?" Brady went pale and turned to face Angie.

Angie shrugged, "They need to cover their escape to the other side of the island. They'll keep it simple. Just a couple of ordnances where the bad guys live."

"Oh no," Brady swallow hard, "they'll ignite Master's bombs."

Brady's lips to God's ear, the island exploded before her eyes.

*           *           *

Jay entered the boardroom to Beckworth Industries with a slight limp. His knees and hips had been aching since his time on the island. The doctor said it was most likely some form of arthritis unrelated to the conditions he survived. There were test to run but Jay declined to take them.

"A bit casual even for you, Jay," his mother intoned from the head of the table as he approached his usual chair. "You could have at least worn a suit jacket."

Jay grimaced as he eased back into the upholstery after he placed his briefcase on the floor between them. "I find linen is the only material I can stand against my skin."

Mrs. Rebecca Beckworth lifted her chin and looked over the glasses resting on the tip of her nose, "Have the doctor give you something for the pain and stop complained like a child."

She returned to her documents, ending the conversation. Jay had other plans.

"They're both pregnant."

She stopped writing but did not look at him to reply, "The doctor should be able to take care of those problems as well. Really Jay, are you completely useless without my guidance."

"Why did you give Esau away? Because, he was useless or because he didn't need your guidance."

Rebecca slowly looked up to stare Jay in the eye. There was no surprise or shame. Jay saw only raw ambition.

"Esau was another man's problem. I left him where he was when I moved on to your father." She smirked, "Who knew he'd be able to find me and have such a wonderful plan for the Mudsteek. Like the title? The lab should be able to make a fair facsimile from the sample in the vault. Damn shame, your nigger blew the mother load all to Hell."

"I don't think the lab is going to be able to help you out this time," Jay took a cigar from his shirt pocket and put it in the corner of his mouth. "By the way, I sent Kendall and Brady away."

Rebecca laughed, "You don't really think you can hide them or their children from me, do you Jay?"

"Not hiding. I thought they'd enjoy the Vineyard beach house. I sent Abram and Sarah to stay with them until the babies come."

"Two aging kikes to protect your whores?" Rebecca took her glasses off in complete frustration with him, "What a laugh you are trying to play all tough. Listen boy, I can squash you and them anytime I want. So, stop playing games. Abort your little bastards and silence those cunts. I don't care how you do it, just do it! We need to move on from this set back and get ready to market our new explosive."

Jay picked up his briefcase and put it on his lap. He flicked the locks open.

"You know, Mom," he spoke around the cigar as he reached in and took out a lighter, "you're getting a little old yourself. You missed one small detail. There is no explosive to market. And, there won't be."

"The lab boys…,"

"The lab boys can't reproduce anything because there is no sample in the vault."

Jay flicked his lighter but it didn't light.

"Jay," Rebecca pushed back from the table, "what have you done?"

Jay fingered the lighter before answering, "Like my shirt, Mom? Hope so 'cause my case is stuffed with them!"

Jay's lighter lit on his last try.

*           *           *

"What if it's not his?"

"Relax. It's his because he said it's his," Brady tried to reassure Kendall as much as herself.

A gentle breeze blew across the finely manicured yard. It tussled the newspaper in Kendall's lap. Black and white pagers rippling with the news of Jay's death. Both women lay semi reclined on cushioned chaise lounges. Sweaty glasses of ice water waited forgotten at their elbows.

Kendall asked, "Brady, do you think either of us was worth his life?"

It took a few minutes but Brady finally answered, "I hope so."

The End