by Chris Bostic
“We’re close?” he asked.
“Extremely,” Smig answered. “The structure is set back against the woods, immediately over the rise.”
“Good. My leg is killing me.”
“Sorry to hear that, buttercup.” Connie adjusted the load over his shoulder and exhaled loudly. “Try it with a hundred plus pounds of deadweight.”
“No worse than our backpacks,” Joe said, thinking back to his days on the move in the northern hills. If only he still had all the supplies they’d carried.
“Guys, enough. Let’s finish it,” Leisa said. She took Joe by the waist. Although he didn’t really need the help, he let her drag his limping body the rest of the way up the hill.
Based on Jade’s earlier description, Joe had expected to find a beautifully maintained mansion sitting on a immaculately landscaped plot at the edge of the woods. Even in the waning light, he could tell that was no longer the case.
The roof of the giant two-story bowed deeply at the far side. Weeds grew out of the gutters. Beyond wild bushes lining the expansive front porch, the last column was broken in half. The porch roof hung down there, partially obscuring boarded up windows.
“Whoa, it’s wrecked,” Joe uttered as he froze at the top of the hill. He turned to Jade, but stopped when ferocious sounding dogs barked.
A pair of massive hounds came tearing off the collapsed corner of the porch toward the exhausted group. Joe barely mustered the strength to unsling and raise his coilgun before the dogs reached them.
CHAPTER 9
“Don’t shoot!” Smig commanded.
Joe could hardly resist the urge and slipped his finger off the trigger at the last possible moment.
The pair of collie dogs ran straight past Joe. The first stopped at Smig to jump on him while the other went over to Connie. It snarled and whined while trying to jump to touch Faith.
“Easy, Bruce,” Faith said. “It’s okay. Duh. They’re obviously with us.”
“A little overprotective, I’d say.” Connie raised a boot to keep the dog at bay.
“It will be alright,” Faith told him. “You can set me down if you don’t want him bothering you.”
Joe watched anxiously as Connie lowered Faith to her feet and tried to back away. She swayed and reached out to grab onto his arm.
Bruce jumped up on her again, knocking her back into Connie. In his weakened state, he fell to the ground with Faith sprawled over the top of him.
“Get off him,” Jade said, stomping her way over to Faith. “And where’d these dogs come from?”
Faith made no effort to sit up. Connie twisted to the side and found himself face to face with Bruce’s snout. He jerked back the other way and inadvertently buried his face in Faith’s cleavage.
“Sarge!” Jade exclaimed. “Quit groping my sister and get over here.”
“I’m trying,” he said, and flopped back down on the ground. He had to cover his face to keep Bruce from drooling all over him. “Ugh. Just get her and this mutt off of me.”
Jade hung back, keeping Joe and Leisa between her and the hounds. “I would but jumpy dogs kind of freak me out.”
“They’re not any old mutts,” Smig said. “Baby sister, meet your newest siblings.”
“What?”
“That one is Bruce, obviously.” Smig turned to the darker of the two collies that had stretched out at his feet looking for a belly rub. Unfortunately for the dog, Smig’s short arms wouldn’t let him reach far enough to oblige. “And this playful fellow here is Bruno. They have been tasked with guarding the house.”
“So that’s the new creation,” Joe said, thinking back to the conversation in the barn. “Yet another crazy twist.”
“Unholy alliance,” Leisa muttered. “They look so real too.”
“All the way down to the slobber,” Connie volunteered from behind protective arms.
“His work keeps getting better and better,” Smig said, drawing a reproachful look from Faith.
“The way they run, pant…act.” Connie brushed Bruno back from his face. “I’d swear they were real.”
“They even fooled me,” Jade said.
“Not like we had time to process the whole thing.” Joe sighed as his breathing finally regulated and his heart rate slowed closer to normal levels. “They’re dang lucky I didn’t shoot one.”
“You would’ve missed anyway.” Sarge laughed. “I’ve seen you shoot.”
“Whatever,” Joe grumbled. He’d killed more savages than he’d care to remember, not that he’d had a choice. The nightmares gave him a daily reminder of his time behind enemy lines.
Granted, it had been a target-rich environment. When the savages mass charged shoulder to shoulder, deep as they were wide, anyone could’ve mowed them down. He just hadn’t been able to do enough to help when his squad mates were cut down.
Leisa tugged his arm. “C’mon, Joe.”
He flinched, and slowly came back to reality.
“We’re going to the house,” she said softly, and slipped a hand into his. “You kinda left us there for a minute.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. He looked up long enough to see the dogs loping toward the porch.
“Back in the hills again, aren’t you?” Leisa’s eyes seemed as tired as his own. “I get lost there sometimes too.”
“Yeah, lost. Been there, done that.”
“Never going back again, but that doesn’t mean we ever really left.”
Connie picked up Faith and threw her back over his shoulder with a grunt. He staggered up the hill like a sasquatch carrying away a young camper.
Between his shaggy hair and lengthening beard, Joe thought his sergeant resembled the part rather well. To lighten the mood, he shared that observation with Leisa.
She laughed out loud.
“What’s funny?” Jade asked, turning around to look at them.
“Everything,” Joe said. “Man’s best friend is a mechanical dog, bees are robotic. And now a sasquatch for a sergeant.”
“What’s a sasquatch?” Jade asked. “I don’t believe I’ve ever heard that term before.”
“It’s a fictional creature said to roam the woods, sometimes terrorizing unsuspecting campers and stealing jerked beef,” Smig explained. “No one has ever seen one, though there are allegedly grainy, low resolution photographs of hairy, bipedal creatures walking through the woods.”
“Sarge is getting rather hairy,” Jade remarked. “I really like that rugged look. It makes him look all self-reliant and outdoorsy in this mega masculine way.”
“That’s fascinating, baby sister.” Smig slowed as the others headed for the steps. “I would have thought he was just dirty. There’s a definite unwashed odor about him. Even I can smell that.”
“I’m standing right here,” Connie protested.
Smig ignored the comment. He angled over to a ramp at the end of the porch, and rolled up to join them at the front door. The dogs sat patiently underneath a window while Smig went to the door and inserted a short tendril from the end of his stubby arm into the lock.
As they waited for the door to swing open, Joe told Jade, “It’s just as well your sense of smell isn’t as good as your hearing or sight. No doubt we all need showers and a change of clothes.” He tried to glance into a window, but it was as though they were blacked out. The onset of nightfall didn’t help. “Please tell me you have running water in the house.”
“There’s a well pump, as long as there’s electricity.” Jade looked to Smig to answer the implied question.
“I can get it going, if necessary,” he answered.
“Better get some lights going for our guests first,” Faith said. “You can set me down now, Sarge. I know you’re getting tired, and I can walk from here.”
He swung her around until she was cradled in his arms. “I am that, but are you sure?”
“You are so sweet. Don’t worry.” She brushed her hair back in what Joe thought was an extremely flirty way. “There are plenty of handh
olds, big guy.”
Connie put her back on her feet, though she clung to his arm with a death grip. Her massive chest rubbed against his arm in what seemed completely intentional to Joe.
The mechanical lock on the door finally chirped and flashed green lights at Smig. “And we are in, people. So far so good.” He rolled back so Jade could grab the handle and push the door open.
Total blackness greeted the group. While Jade went on ahead to find a light switch, Connie held the door open for the others. Faith never let go of him, her hips blocking the doorway as Joe waited to go inside.
A single light popped on. Looking around Faith, Joe spotted what looked like a completely normal, albeit very upscale, home. Though the exterior looked well worn, the inside was immaculate—and extremely dusty.
“Not much juice. We’re on back-up power,” Jade told Smig. “You’ll have to work on that.”
Smig rolled on ahead, and swiveled to the right into a darkened sitting room. Though he hadn’t gone fast, his wheels stirred up a cloud of dust.
Joe fought off a sneeze. Leisa couldn’t stop hers, and exploded with the most unladylike outburst that he had ever heard. Even Connie jumped in surprise.
“Sorry,” Leisa mumbled, her eyes already watering. “I’m super allergic to dust.”
“Then this is not going to be good for you,” Smig said as he rolled back through the foyer and past a formal living room. “Perhaps the kitchen will be a little more lived in. Follow me, then I will fix the power situation.”
Smig guided them down a long hallway with Jade right behind him. Joe and Leisa followed closely, taking in every aspect of what appeared to be a tastefully decorated, modern house.
The dogs, Bruce and Bruno, seemed overjoyed to be back inside. They ran past and slid on a hardwood floor. Turning the corner, they flopped onto a shaggy accent rug on the family room floor, and rolled around to scratch their backs.
Thanks to their antics, another cloud of dust flew. Leisa sneezed again.
Joe rubbed her shoulder and turned away from the open great room to find an unusually long kitchen table, and then the rest of a gourmet kitchen.
Jade stopped at the table. Joe watched as she ran her hands over the back of a chair. Her lips curled in a grin so sweet and innocent that she almost looked like a child.
“This was my seat,” she told him when she noticed him watching.
He smiled back, but quickly changed the subject. With a clunk, he deposited his coilgun on the table and went to look for a drink.
“How about some water?” He ended up answering the question for himself when he found the sink at the back corner of the kitchen. “Thank all that’s holy.”
Joe repeated that comment several times over once Smig had the power turned on and the well pump hummed to life. He took his time bathing his face and drinking from cupped hands in the kitchen sink.
The cool water eased the tightness in his throat. It seemed to help Leisa as well. She soaked her face, relieving some of the redness from the dust assaulting her eyes.
“That’s better,” she said, water dripping onto her shirt. “So much better.”
Joe went to hand her a towel that hung on the stove handle, but quickly pulled it back. Instead, he soaked the towel in the sink to wash off the dust, and wrung it out before handing it to her.
“We need to go find the others,” Jade said once Connie finally took his turn at the faucet.
“In the basement?” Joe asked.
“Yes, but we can get them,” Jade replied. “You guys should take a shower or change clothes if you want to.” She patted Connie on the shoulder. “I’m not sure we’ll have anything your size.”
“You calling me fat?”
“You’re certainly a big, uhm, sasquatch.” She looked to Joe. “Did I get that right?”
He burst out laughing. “Did you ever.”
Connie grumbled his way over toward the basement steps. “What about your creator? Can I wear his clothes?”
“Maybe,” Faith answered from her seat at the table. “He’s about the same height, but quite a bit thinner.” She winked. “You could leave it unfastened.”
“His shirt?”
“That too,” she said with another wink.
“There are several bedrooms upstairs,” Smig explained. “Each of us has our own room which you may use to change.” When Connie looked at Smig curiously, he added, “Faith and I have rooms on this level. I don’t believe you’ll find any suitable garments there, though her shirts might have a little more room in the chest than Frederick’s.”
As tight as she wore her shirts, Joe didn’t think that was likely. Nor was he particularly worried what Connie ended up wearing. He was just ready to dump his own prison clothes and get cleaned up for the first time in ages.
“I’m headed up if you’re sure you don’t need any help.”
“We can get downstairs easy enough,” Jade said. “You guys go clean up.”
“The dogs will let us know if there’s anything outside to be concerned about,” Smig said, shooing them back toward the front door. “You should rest for a while. There’s no doubt you have to be exhausted after your ordeal.”
“Actually, something to eat would be nice,” Leisa said, still holding the wet towel over her mouth and nose.
Joe nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“Let me check.” Jade opened a tall cabinet, which turned out to be a chiller, and immediately shut it again. A foul odor quickly reached Joe’s nose. “That does not look good. Let me try the pantry.”
She went to a narrow door and squeezed inside. Moments later she came back out with an armload of dark-colored glass jars and a plain box that rattled.
“Looks like my creator’s canning supplies are still holding out. I guess he didn’t take them all with him, wherever he went.” Jade clanked the glass together as she sat the jars on the countertop. “I found some peas and beans.” Shaking the box, she added, “And plenty of rice.”
“This will take a little while to cook,” Smig said. “Faith would be a good candidate to cook you up a nice meal while you go get properly cleaned up and changed.”
“Sounds good to me,” Connie said. “I like a woman that knows her way around the kitchen.”
“I can cook just fine,” Jade huffed, surprisingly more upset that Connie would think she couldn’t cook rather than his blatant sexism. “I made all my creator’s meals and-”
“But you will need to help me check on the others,” Smig interrupted. “I’m sure Jade would be thrilled to show you around the kitchen sometime. As much as she pretends to be annoyed by Faith, she loves to show off as much as her older sister.”
“I’d like to see her do that too,” Connie patted her on the butt, “but I’d better get cleaned up. You go find your siblings, darling.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, playfully snapping off a convincing salute. After all, Joe realized, she had been inducted into the ranks of the Regulators—unlike the rest of her family.
“Let’s go.” Joe headed for the steps with Leisa in tow. “We’ll make ourselves at home.”
“You will find Frederick’s room is to the right at the top. Jade’s is on the left. Each pair of bedrooms has a shared bathroom.” Smig’s tinny voice faded as Joe climbed. At the top of the steps, he found a broad landing. Two sets of rooms were off to each side.
“You and Sarge can have the creator guy’s room,” Leisa suggested. “I’ll go to the left.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Leisa didn’t object. Joe let her lead him to the first door, which pushed open to reveal pitch blackness. With the towel still over her face, she felt around until she located a light switch, and tapped it on.
The room was comfortably appointed with a large bed on the far wall of the room. Heavy curtains completely covered a window on the sidewall, with the opposite wall opening to a bathroom in between the adjoining room.
The wall with the light switch had a long closet do
or that Leisa slid open to reveal at least twenty blouse and pant combinations neatly hanging, all exactly the same style and color.
“Not much of a selection,” she deadpanned, and slid the door shut. “That’s surprising for Jade.”
“Not much personality either,” Joe noted as he gazed around the room. “Shocking.” Nothing but dull colors and minimalist decorations adorned the large space.
“Truth. So boring. At least there’s less dust.” Leisa pointed through the bathroom to the adjacent room. “Go to your room and get changed for dinner. You can shower first.”
“You can, uhm…shower with me,” he said, failing to pull off a slick line.
“Yeah, right. You wish.” Leisa sat on the bed. She pulled back the covers and deposited them in a heap at the foot of the bed along with the damp towel. “Ahh, clean bed sheets. And they’re not dusty either. Like they’ve never been used. Not even a wrinkle.”
“I’d like to wrinkle you up,” he said.
“Jeez, Connie.”
That stung Joe perhaps a little deeper than she’d intended. “Hey!”
“I’m just saying. What’s gotten into you?” Leisa ran a hand through her matted hair. “I’m a gross sweaty mess and you’re acting all…I dunno.”
“Loving?”
“More like pervy.”
“That’s not nice.” Joe lingered in the doorway. While she stared at him curiously, he stripped off his dirty prison shirt and dropped it on the floor. “I’m happy to help clean you off.”
Leisa bit her lower lip and fought back a grin. It didn’t sound like she meant it when she said, “Not now, loverboy.”
Other than a couple brief intimate moments, they had hardly enjoyed a minute of alone time together—ever. Joe’s tired heart sped up as he watched Leisa eye him over from the bed. The very comfortable bed.
“There’s not much time until dinner,” he whispered, still lingering in the doorway. He swallowed down a lump of anxious energy. “We can get done quicker if we, uhm, go together.”
“Just hurry,” she said. “There will be no funny business until you’re sparkling clean.”
“Fine. At least you said until.” Joe stepped behind the wall and stripped the rest of the way, leaving the door open. He tossed his clothes out behind him into Leisa’s room as a not-so-subtle reminder about what she was missing out on.