Chapter 29: Same Shit, Different Boat

There had been sirens going off all night, but only one round of explosions, somewhere in the north of the city, around midnight. Tamara had dozed off and on throughout, never comfortable, and rarely able to do more than slip under for a few minutes at a time. Hannigan had been restless beside her, which didn’t help, and he frequently got up to pace in a tight circle. Neither of them enjoyed being closed up in a basement.

The smell was becoming overwhelming. There was no toilet, so a large trash can had been used instead. Even with the lid tight over it when not in use, the day of nervous bladders and bowels had left a terrible odor hanging heavy in the thick, stale air.

It was also incredibly awkward to use it with no privacy, though Tamara figured the alternatives weren’t worth the risk, and she had already spent her share of risks in another way. She knew that fucking Erol had been dangerous. They could have been caught out by looters or neighborhood brutes, or by an unexpected missile.

The more she thought about it, the more she analyzed why she’d felt so powerfully the urge to give herself to the teen. It was Finch. She thought of her son, and though she’d tried to fight the way he was in her sexual fantasies, it actually caused her pain to think he might have died a virgin, without ever knowing even a moment of pleasure with a woman. Everyone should feel that, at least once. For a minute or two, at least, Tamara’s mind brought her son to life as she imagined it had been Finch’s penis inside her rather than Erol’s.

Sounds of a long line of passing vehicles going north rattled them a few minutes, then another group ten minutes later. Most of the huddling people were munching on stale bread and sharing small cups of water.

A voice called down in Turkish and everyone stood up, including the Americans. Erol listened and translated the words after the voice went silent. “The Americans are on the northern outskirts of Istanbul. More air strikes are expected all day. Stay in place. Reserve food and water. Wait for instructions. Oh, and he said the loudspeakers are out, and that power will be out indefinitely.”

Tamara’s heart sunk at the teen’s words.

Hannigan pulled Erol close to his face. “We’re going fifty-percent watch immediately. With this news, the looters and thugs will be out securing supplies. Two at the entrance, two more near the last stairs except during active raids. Team one has first watch, switch every four hours. Make it happen, Erol.”

The teen nodded, and Tamara could see the confidence growing in the boy. She smiled at the knowledge that she’d been his first just hours before.

Sirens went off again and the fire team stood watch by the door as a somewhat-distant explosion sent moderate shockwaves through the building. Tamara swallowed her fear, huddled near the back, and kept her pistol close by.

Hot coffee slid down Gene’s throat thick and bitter. He didn’t remember waking up, wasn’t certain how he’d gotten into the chair. His eyes felt like sandpaper even before he tried to open them. His body hummed with a million acute aches and general dullness, the movement of bringing the cup to his lips sending his head swimming with nauseousness. Gene groaned with effort.

“I know, Gene. I know. I told you it would be rough when you came down.” Holly’s voice was thin and tight, none of the usual carefree brightness evident in her cadence. “It gets better after a day or two.”

“A da--” Gene’s throat scratched to a halt, causing him to cough violently, spilling hot coffee onto his leg. Holly grabbed the cup and put it down, holding Gene’s hand as he fought for breath. When he’d stopped coughing, she held the mug to his lips and let him suck the bitter black fluid down again. “Jesus, Holly. I feel like shit.” He opened his eyes narrowly to see the short nineteen-year old looking as rough as he felt, her blonde hair sloppily pulled back behind her head, the silky strands looking like frayed strings.

She managed a very small, tight smile. “That makes two of us.” She glanced past Gene and nodded to someone behind him. “When you’ve got your bearings, we’re wanted in forward debrief.”

Gene closed his eyes against the pounding which had started in his temples. “At least get me something for the headache. I can’t function like this...”

“Stick out your arm,” a male voice said brusquely. Gene obeyed without thought. A quick jab of sharp pain hit his shoulder, but he was too sluggish and thick to react. It was over quickly, and in moments, Gene felt his head and muscles relax. It took the edge off, at least.

Holly took Gene’s hand and helped him to his feet. “Listen, Gene. We’re safe enough right now, no running for a while, ok? We’ll need to take a couple of days to recover, ya know? Figure out what we know and what we do next.”

Gene nodded, almost imperceptibly, and found that his legs worked just enough to keep him moving forward without collapsing onto the rough metal panels which made up the floor.

Lauren stretched lazily late in the morning. She had stayed up into the early hours with Logan and Georges playing board games, trying hard to forget about the confrontation with Juliana. Despite her shame at being found out, the teen felt herself aroused each time Georges shifted and his pajamas showed the boy’s genitals moving underneath. She wanted to be with him again, but Logan being there put a damper on the excitement.

She didn’t remember Georges joining her in bed the night before, but a warm body was pressed against her naked flesh. She sighed, noticed hard flesh pushing against her butt. That doesn’t feel like Georges... Lauren turned her head to see Logan’s sleeping face near her shoulder. Her brother had crawled in with her at some point and was just as naked as she was, his hard little penis against her in a way that made her clit rise.

For long moments, she held still, the thrill of what was possible racing through her rapidly-awakening mind. She’d come close to doing things with Logan, had even taken his penis in her mouth once, but feeling her brother’s small cock against her ass made her body shiver and tense. Lauren moved up the bed slightly, wanting to move his dick closer to her privates.

Logan’s penis slid down into her butt crack as she slid up, soon pressing against her young anus. Lauren shuddered as the heat from the head of his dick resting against her tightest hole made her grow wet. Her fingers slid instinctively to her slit.

Lauren moved slowly, her ass shifting up and down as her fourteen-year old brother’s penis nestled against her butthole. Her clit strained with each movement, her excitement rising quickly. Lauren felt Logan stiffen and knew immediately that he was awake. She didn’t stop.

It took only seconds before she heard him panting and grunting, warmth spreading against her asshole. Three quick squirts of wetness signaled Logan’s orgasm as his cum splashed against her and ran down over her ass cheek. Lauren came. “Ohh ... ohh ... uuuuhnnn ... uhnnnn ... oohhh...” Her vagina drooled down her thigh and onto the bed as her body shuddered through climax.

Logan’s body was warm and tingling. He wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. “Did we just have sex?” he asked almost innocently. He could feel his semen sliding down his testicles and onto the sheet. Did I just do it with my sister?

Lauren giggled softly. “No, not exactly ... you weren’t inside me...”

“Oh.” He was disappointed despite his sleepy euphoria. “I thought we did...”

Lauren slowly turned over and looked at his face. “Maybe we will ... soon. Ok? Maybe we will...”

Logan smiled. “Ok...”

Lauren stretched and reached a hand down to his half-hard penis. She stroked it a few times gently, his cum coating her fingers. Logan watched her slide a finger between her lips as she tasted his fluids. She giggled again, then let out a long sigh. “Let’s get up before we’re noticed.” She nodded towards the window where it was clearly late morning already. “Maybe later we’ll ... you know...”

Logan grinned, his penis already hard again at the thought of what ‘you know’ could mean.

“We’ve stopped them cold.” Erol’s voice was becoming strained as the day wore on. They all felt the terror of being trapped in a fragile, smelly basement while sounds of explosions both close and far away threatened to overwhelm their self-control. Tamara’s stomach had been in knots since arriving in the shelter.

She watched Erol listen as another young man spoke rapidly in Turkish before darting up the stairs and disappearing into the outside world. Erol continued. “Heavy fighting to the north, more along the water. The Americans have the city surrounded, are demanding surrender of the army. They’ve already overwhelmed the naval defenses, Palel said it is just a matter of time before they start the heavy bombing.”

Hannigan demanded, “is there no way out? Where are the Turkish forces right now?”

Erol shrugged, “all around, I guess. I don’t know, he didn’t say.”

Hannigan’s normal cool demeanor had been lost in the night, and his face showed the stress under which they all currently lived. He nodded sharply, his eyes telling Tamara to come closer. They huddled near a pile of canned food near the rear of the shelter. “We can’t stay here. This could go on for days. Weeks. We have to pick our moment and get out.”

She pleaded, “and just leave these people to their fate?”

“We can’t save them, Tamara. We just can’t. Their best strategy is to wait until one army or another sets up here. They’ll bring food and water and treat them as civilians in a war zone. It’s a damn sight better than what they have now.”

Tamara thought about having to stay in the shelter for days or weeks more. She resigned herself to his viewpoint. “You’re right. I can’t take this much longer. I have to find my family, and I can’t do that here ... So ... tonight, we try to break out?”

He nodded. “Yes.” His eyes followed Erol as the teen knelt next to an old woman who was sobbing quietly. “We could use his help.”

Tamara watched Erol a moment. “I don’t know that he would go with us. He’s needed here.”

“I know that. But we don’t know this place, we don’t speak the language, any help we could get would be appreciated.” Tamara’s face showed her resistance. He continued. “It will be dangerous, he’s safer here. I know that. But we can ask...”

Clearly, he meant that she should ask. She steeled her nerve, considered her options, and when Erol rose and looked in her direction, she motioned him to her. The stained brown skin in the dark shelter was almost black on black, but his eyes showed a bit in the dim light of the candles burning in the basement. Those eyes were so young yet had already seen more than his years. Tamara felt again his inexperienced thrusts and longed to feel Finch inside her.

“Erol ... we can’t stay here. The two of us. We need to get somewhere ... North of here. We have something important to do, and the longer we wait, the harder it is going to be to get there. We’re leaving tonight, and we’d like you to come with us. We could use your help.”

Erol said nothing a moment, glancing around the room slowly. “I’ll go with you.” He surprised her with his decisiveness.

“Just like that? It will be dangerous, Erol. We’re asking too much from you.”

“I know.” He managed a small smile. “I will go with you. They will be alright here. There are rumors of a supply convoy delivering food and water, and the military police were seen a mile south keeping order. I can do more good helping you.”

Tamara smiled despite her reservations. “Okay, then ... Thank you, Erol.”

Hannigan shook his hand and thanked him, as well. The teen said, “so ... what’s the plan?”

Hannigan whispered, “after dark we slide out and move as freely north as we can. We need to get a read on where the troops are positioned. It is going to be bloody difficult to get through, but with only three of us, we won’t be quickly seen. We’ll have to be very, very quiet, dark, and ready to defend ourselves. That might mean ... killing your countrymen, Erol. Or killing mine ... I don’t like that, but right now, trigger fingers will be itchy, if you know what I mean.”

Erol pondered that a moment, nodded. “Okay...”

“I want to get up high somewhere once we’re closer to the fighting. I need to see what’s going on. Is there a hill, or a tall building, somewhere we might be able to sneak in and get up to the top without elevators?”

“Probably buildings, yeah. I know a spot in the north part of town where there is a small rise and tall offices on it.”

“Plan A is to get there first. We’ll have to adjust as we find where the deployment of forces are concentrated, but that sounds promising.”

Erol nodded.

Tamara said, “perhaps ... perhaps wait to tell the others ... They may not take it well that we are abandoning them...”

Erol frowned, said, “yes ... I suppose they would see it like that ... I will wait. Promise me, though. Promise me that we won’t steal their supplies or weapons.”

Hannigan nodded. “Only what we brought with us. We’ll find water to top off somewhere. Food ... we’ll deal with food later...”

“Goddamnit, Holly, we are not going to discuss this in front of open ears! Fuck, woman, you know the protocol.” Gene had sat mostly silent for the previous hour as the team of four older, out-of-shape members of M1 grilled Holly on the details of the past few weeks. They asked everything in triplicate, and usually again after another subject had been hammered for a while. Two men and two women took turns playing bad cop, and Gene’s head was beginning to pound again just a few minutes in.

After what had seemed like an eternity, the team had dismissed Gene. Before he could rise, Holly had interjected, kicking off the verbal sparing that rattled Gene’s nerves.

“Gabriel, listen to me, motherfucker. Gene is the center of this. You know that as well as I do. Whatever is in his head is more important than all of us combined. He knows more than you about what is going on in the field, and he deserves to be in on the briefing.”

“Protocol alpha-eighteen is explicit, Holly. He is not cleared for the contents of the brief, and he will not be included.”

“Protocol is there for when things are going right. Things are very much fucked, Gabriel. I promised Gene that if he helped us, we’d include him in everything. He deserves to know what is going on so that he can help us.”

“Promises break, Holly, especially those made foolishly.”

“You can’t stop him from learning what is said, asshole. You can only delay it.”

The man puffed up, clearly trying to physically intimidate the short blonde. “You leak one word, you let slip one detail, and you’ll spend a few weeks in the brig.” He eyed Holly before passing his angry gaze to Gene. “I can, and I will, keep you from compromising things.” He motioned to the short, black woman near the door. “Buzz in Jackson.”

As the woman pressed a button, he turned back to Holly. “You are done with this assignment, Ms. Bridgewater. Gene is no longer your responsibility. You are forbidden to make any further contact with him. Do you understand this order?”

“Are you fucking nuts? I’ve heard of sub sickness, and you have all the classic fucked up narcissistic signs, Gabriel. How fucking dare you? My assignment was set well above your pay grade. I think you’ll find that it doesn’t get overridden so easily.”

Gabriel laughed. “Really, Holly? A lot has changed during your little adventure in Africa. Spider went rogue. He’s no longer your direct superior. I am.”

For the first time in days, perhaps ever, Gene saw that Holly was speechless.

“Didn’t know that, I see. Now you do. Ah,” he said as a tall, thin white man passed through the door. “Jackson, please escort Mr. Polanski to his quarters.” He turned back to Holly, “I think we’re at an impasse, Ms. Bridgewater. I’m don’t think I trust you right now, so I’m canceling the briefing.” He motioned to the short black woman near the door. “Vienna will see you to your quarters instead.”