Chapter 17: Oasis

Gene's clothes were drenched in sweat. Despite the minimal cool air being kicked out of the vents in the small truck and the dead of night all around, the desert heat was still stifling. Being packed in the rear seats with Holly and Wistin wasn't helping. Sofija drove while Anna dozed in the front.

"What are we going to find there?" Gene asked no one in particular.

Holly replied, "hard to say. I doubt Victor even knew it was there, was never part of M1's assets. Dad worked independently at times, maintained a few places off the radar. This one ... probably not more than a dozen of us even know it exists. Never been there, never had to..."

Gene sweated in silence, watching the endless shadows of sand pass by in the moonlight. They weren't so much on a road as a crease in the dunes which sometimes disappeared in the blowing sand. Sofija seemed to know where they were going, so he tried to relax between the overly-warm bodies to either side of him.

They'd managed to get their supplies together and headed out of Rjim in a hurry. There'd been no sign of any pursuit, but Anna's instincts kept them pressed to move away as fast as possible away from the town.

Gene turned toward Holly. "Your mom, too? Everyone in your family involved somehow?"

"Yeah ... she's ... Haven't seen her in years. She went deep when I was young. No idea what she's been up to. Anna never told me she had surfaced again. Can't be sure where she stands in all this."

"Shitty for all of us. Family and all that..." Thoughts of his own bubbled as the miles passed. He couldn't stop thinking about Tamara and the kids. He wondered if they were dead. Gene tried to prepare himself mentally for that very real possibility, tried hard not to dwell on it. Not easy.

"No word on yours, Gene," Holly said, as if reading his mind. "Anna tried to get intel. Victor's compound is still locked down, M1 still holding out there. No one's come back for a second try. No need, I suppose, it was just Victor's ruse." She laughed softly, "bet it pisses him off that I fucked up his plans for you." She glanced at Gene, saw the pain on his face, ran her hand along his jaw and through his hair. "Don't sweat it, Gene. We're doing what we can."

He glanced out the window past her face, grunted, said, "sweating is the only thing I can do right now. Fucking desert. Fucking Victor."

Lauren shook constantly as she stood in the narrow hallway. The darkness made it difficult to see anything further in the house. Her brothers moved inside and the giant closed the door behind them. The light from the device worn on his head offered just enough to see shadows on shadows.

The man turned toward them, held out the ring. "Panthea doesn't send this lightly. I'm gonna want a full story out of you three." His accent was gone, the menacing growl left outside. His voice was light, gentle, no hint of the tone he'd used only moments before.

Lauren's voice was small, quivering. "what happened to your accent?"

The man smiled a bit, said, "scared the shit out you, right?"

She shivered. "No ... the piss."

He glanced down at her soaked pants, nodded. "Sorry about that. Wait here."

The man disappeared only a few seconds, returned with a couple of plush towels. He dropped one on the floor and pulled Lauren over it, handed her the second, said gently, "take them off and leave them there. Bathroom is just there," he nodded his light toward a door a few feet away. "Clean up, I'll bring you some clothes. Use the candle if you need some light. You boys come with me."

Her brothers followed the man deeper into the house, leaving Lauren alone. She managed to shed her soaked clothes and darted into the bathroom. Overwhelmed and still frightened, it was all she could do to step into the shower once the water was warm.

Finch followed the huge man down a hallway and around a corner. He never slowed, leading them toward a door at the far side of a large room. In the darkness, it was all Finch could do to keep up. Logan just behind him, they continued on, saw the man push his fingers into the device near his ear. A very light click followed, and he pushed aside a tall bookshelf.

He motioned them in, and then pushed the shelf back in place once they were all inside. He flicked a switch and Finch could see a long, deep stairwell. "Follow that down, hang a left. There's food in the fridge, help yourselves." He sounded like a kind old grandfather, though from what Finch saw of the giant man, he looked no older than forty. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Finch did as he was told, descending the stairs, Logan at his heels. They turned left and the hallway opened into a massive windowless room. It looked sterile. Everything was white except a spare few nobs and panels. Finch wasn't really sure what to do. He was frightened, knew his brother was as well. He took Logan's shoulder and led him to the fridge.

Finch opened the door, pulled out cheese and bread and cans of soda and settled onto an oversized white couch. He ate quietly while Logan crammed handfuls into his own mouth.

Logan paused long enough to ask, "think he's going to kill us?"

Finch thought, seems like we ask that a lot lately. "Dunno. He really scared Lauren. He's so huge!"

"Didn't scare me." The way his brother's voice broke betrayed the lie.

"Whatever, Logan. Scared me."

The man returned with Lauren in tow, clean clothes fitting fairly well over her teen body. She looked exhausted, settled next to Finch, and refused the food he offered.

The man sat across from them in a small white chair. His smile looked genuine. "Well, out with it. Why are you here?"

No one spoke a moment. Logan broke the silence, "are you going to kill us?"

The man tilted his head, said softly, "no, I'm not going to kill you."

Lauren nearly whispered, "are you Dr. Henderson."

"Yes."

"Panthea sent us. We don't know what to do."

"How about you start with the extraordinary circumstances which would have forced Panthea to call in this favor?"

Over the next while, the three of them told Henderson as much as they knew. Everything from their flight from home to the gun battles, and eventually speeding away from Panthea's as she gave her life to save them.

"Dead, huh. Maybe. She's a wily one."

Lauren looked sick. "Pretty sure. She was bleeding everywhere, they shot her in the neck."

Henderson frowned, said softly, "well ... I hope not. She's one of the few people I trust in the world. Would hate for that circle to grow smaller. Especially in these times." He let out a long breath, smiled again. "Tonight, you stay down here. I'll see what I can find out. You're safe here for now. We'll worry about tomorrow ... tomorrow. You boys can shower in there, help yourselves to the fridge. Bed in there. Sorry, only have the one but it should be big enough for your three. I'll be just in that room if you need anything. Knock first ... don't want any ... misunderstandings, you hear?"

Tamara and Hannigan waited in the dense brush for the traffic to disappear before they made their way down the hill and into the small town just over the Croatian border. They had said little all morning, and no mention was made of the moments they'd spent copulating in the middle of the night. The duo had headed out before dawn and slipped into town before the sun had fully fallen on the town nestled into valley floor.

The moved through a small, quiet neighborhood of small, quiet houses, each looking a hundred years old. Hannigan wanted to find a car quickly, but none were out in driveways or along the roads. He began to grumble to himself, "we're exposed out here, goddamnit, we need transport now!" Tamara was growing used to the man's agitation. She felt the same way, which didn't help either of them keep themselves in check.

They rounded a sharp corner and trekked up a rise where a small laundromat sat nestled against the earthy mound behind it. Two cars were parked out front, though the business did not look open. Hannigan hustled them into the trees nearby and watched a few moments before nodding. "The grey one. The minute I have it fired up, you be there, got it?"

Tamara gave her affirmation and waited. She watched Hannigan open the door and jump back. A shout sent him running back toward her. "Run! Up that way!"

She followed him through the trees and up the steep hill behind the building, several minutes of running uphill had her quickly exhausted. Tamara stumbled, twisted her ankle, and cried out as she fell. Hannigan turned quickly, cursed, and helped her to her feet, bracing her with an arm under her shoulder. "Shit! Ok, this way!"

They moved slower than he liked and he mumbled curses the entire time. Finally, they stopped near where a road cut around the edge of the mountain rising ahead of them. Tamara sat down and massaged her swelling ankle. Through her pain she asked, "what happened?"

"Guy sleeping in the car, pulled a gun when he saw me."

"Jesus."

"Yeah. Think we're ok, but we can't go back that way. No idea if he'd call the cops. Fuck! Hate leaving a mark like that behind me. Someone looking for us might notice."

Tamara nursed her ankle a bit, said, "don't think I can walk far on it." She frowned. "Sorry..."

"Ok, no, it's ok." He looked around. "Pretty isolated here. You wait. I'll find a car and come back. You ok with that?"

She nodded.

Hannigan looked to where the road led back down the mountain, then glanced to where it wrapped around and ran up. He seemed to decide on a direction and sprinted through the trees, quickly gone from sight.

Tamara sat stewing, angry that she'd injured herself, angry that they couldn't find a vehicle. Angry that she had no idea if her family was safe, if they were alive, if she'd ever see them again. Angry, too, that she'd twice given into her needs and let Hannigan cum in her. She shuddered as memory of the sensation made her flush. She had to admit to herself that she liked it, like the man, and wondered briefly if they'd have another opportunity to fuck again. She secretly hoped so.

Lauren roused from what felt like a long sleep and sighed. The bed was the most comfortable she'd ever slept in, and despite her brothers to one side, there'd been plenty of room to sink in and fall asleep. She felt a moment of fear after the night before, but Dr. Henderson had been a different man inside the house. The shotgun-killer-giant seemed to have been left outside.

She had no idea what time it was. There were no windows, nor clocks. Lauren stretched, suddenly felt pretty good. Finch's leg was pressed against hers. She instinctively moved away from it, but moments later, she found herself wanting to feel that warmth again. It was reassuring, comforting. They were safe for a moment, despite everything trying to kill them to date.

Lauren had slept in the panties and shirt Dr. Henderson had brought her. They fit her pretty well, high-quality fabrics soft and casual against her body. She let herself drift a moment, felt her clit stirring on its own. Lauren swept her hand idly down to her genitals and gave herself a lazy caress.

Her body tensed. She was more in need of release than she realized. Lauren cast a quick glance beside her, felt certain that Finch and Logan were sleeping, pushed her panties down, and explored her slit with soft touches. She moaned lightly, again, thought to try to stay silent, but she felt too good to hold it in completely.

Her legs moved a bit, rocking slowly as she built. Lauren's pussy grew wet, the sixteen-year old's labia swelling with arousal. She dragged a finger to her hole and penetrated herself, gasped lightly and rocked her hips. She cast down the covers and exposed herself to the cool room air. Her flesh felt warm, and it wasn't just her arousal. Finch's body was closer, perhaps she'd shifted as she masturbated.

She felt his side against hers, his leg hot on hers. Even though it was her brother, that close flesh, that warmth made her feel giddy, excited. She let herself sink into the sensation as her fingers danced between her legs.

Lauren built quickly, rising, breathing heavier, hips rising to meet her hand. She twirled her clit steadily, felt herself ready to let go.

The covers moved down and just as her climax crashed down, she saw Finch's fingers flying along his shaft. He grunted, eyes glued on Lauren's naked flesh. The girl groaned, didn't look away from her brother's spurting penis. She orgasmed, moaning as cum shot into the air, splashing down on his stomach. She cried out softly as several drops of Finch's cum splattered on her arm. She didn't look away even as she felt the full impact of what she was watching. What her brother was watching.

Lauren lay panting, unable to think too hard on what she'd just done. Her eyes locked on the way Finch's cock drooled thick globs of semen out the tip and onto his slowing fingers.

Finch seemed to come to his senses first, covering himself briefly before yanking his underwear back up and jumping out of bed. Lauren's mind raced and before she could do the same, Logan had stirred and was staring at where Lauren's hand still rested, one finger dipped into her drooling pussy.

Lauren squeaked, closed her legs, pulled up her panties, and covered herself completely, then rushed out the door behind Finch.

His brother and sister had made awkward moves out of the room, separately. Logan had seen something amazing. He'd seen his sister's hairy pussy, her hand held there, her body flushed and sweaty. Drops of cum on her arm. Did Finch cum on her?

In all the times he'd seen things which made him horny, that one topped them all.

Alone in the bed, the fourteen-year old stroked himself quickly, the images of Lauren's dark's pubes, her wet fingers, the globs of semen on her arm, were plastered in his mind. The boy shuddered, fist moving quickly. He looked down and watched as his little cock expanded, swelled, and groaned as he saw his sperm shoot up into the air, splashing down all over the bed. He came hard, released his seed wherever it wanted to go.

Logan caught his breath and rolled over toward the middle of the bed. He saw a wet spot near where Lauren had fingered herself. He leaned in and sniffed. The smell was nothing like expected. It wasn't gross or upsetting. It smelled a bit sweet, pungent. Lauren's pussy juice made him hard again and before he left the room, Logan quickly masturbated to another orgasm, this time squirting his smaller load into the wet spot Lauren had left just for him.