Chapter 38: Unexpected Returns

“How the fuck does anyone put up with this?” Gene grumbled. The darkness of the tunnel was becoming a prison, the only lights along the tracks hung every quarter mile or so, and the instruments and interior lights in the train car did little to push back the blackness around them. It was making him moody even as he’d napped a couple of times.

They’d been in the tunnel for almost a day already. The train seemed to randomly slow and stop, sometimes for an hour at a time, no station or platform in sight. Silver cautioned them to stay on board, that the stops and slowdowns could signal that someone was carefully planning the train’s movements to avoid snoops or above-ground areas which might be able to detect its passing. There had been no further explosions after their first hour, so as far as Gene knew, the tracks were no longer being blown.

“Easy, Gene,” Marisa said wearily. “Trust me, this shit isn’t my favorite either. We’ll get there when we get there.”

They had all slept along the way, though the bench seats and hard metal floor had offered little comfort. There were no blankets and only bare air flow, and the car alternated being cold and hot below the surface. Gene was beginning to have his doubts that the creaking, rumbling tram would hold together long enough to get anywhere before it broke into a million little pieces. Each time it rounded a corner, the whole thing shifted and leaned, loud metallic groans making it clear that the old train car had seen better days.

Gene hated the waiting. There was nothing to do, and he’d had no interest in responding to Holly’s advances even when she’d pulled up her shirt and exposed her lovely breasts while straddling his knees a few hours earlier. The young woman was insatiable, he knew, but his mood had soured quickly in the darkness, and he couldn’t be coaxed to do anything more than growl at her and push her from his lap. Holly had sulked a moment before playing with herself in the darkness. Gene did his best to ignore her and get some sleep.

Wherever they were headed, they were all feeling the stress from the waiting, the endless darkness, and the strange sense of being pushed through the earth by forces beyond their control.

“Hey, getting something new,” Silver yelled over the rattle and hum of the car’s movement. Gene’s eyes opened and he moved with Holly to stand over the man’s shoulder where he pointed to the laptop screen. “Listen...”

Silver unplugged his earpiece and Gene heard a series of beeps interleaved with static and pops. To Gene, it meant nothing. Silver explained, “no signal down here for sats, and not much else since we left. I can sometimes pick up the feed coming into the train car, but it’s not terribly interesting, probably just giving it control orders to slow or stop or speed up. This is different.”

“What is it?” Holly asked, staring at the waves moving across the laptop screen.

“Unsure. But, it’s different. The signal’s getting stronger by the minute. We may be getting closer to something interesting.”

Gene stared ahead quietly. Holly’s arm snaked around his waist. He looked at her and saw the young blonde grinning. “Interesting is good, right, Gene?”

He groaned. “Not usually.”

“Aww, party pooper. Come on, Gene. We’ve been down here for a day or so. I know you’re ready to see something other than this tunnel.”

“Of course. But I think you and I define ‘interesting’ very differently, Holly. You’re just a bit crazy, you know.”

She purred and slid her hand over his ass. “Crazy, sure. I’ve been called worse. Just crazy enough, I like to think. Getting wet just thinking about whatever comes next.”

“Is there anything that doesn’t make you wet, Holly?”

She stared into the dark tunnel ahead. “Hmm ... I’ll have to think about that. Tough question.”

Gene shook his head and his eyes caught a slight increase in the dim lighting a good distance down the straight tracks in front of them, “hey...” he started.

“I see it,” Marisa said, “something definitely up ahead.”

Bendal shifted in his seat and already had his pack over his shoulders, his firearm slung over his neck. “We should be ready for anything.”

Gene nodded, growing tense. Holly slid his pack onto his back and he tested the cool metal of his pistol on his hip. She grinned at him, barely visible in the darkness, “mmm ... I’m ready for anything,” she said, running a hand between her legs.

Gene closed his eyes and exhaled.

Holly laughed and put her arm around his waist again. “Gene, Gene, Gene ... will you ever loosen up?”

“Not until I find my family.”

He heard genuine sympathy in her response. “We’ll find them ... I promise.”

Gene wished he could believe her words.

For most of the last day, the van had moved steadily through the mountains in the darkness, then parked well back from the road during the daylight. Henderson had insisted they were safer moving at night, and they made a rough camp in the Italian mountains where they stayed quiet and hidden as best they could. Finch had heard only a few vehicles on the nearby roads, and he noticed that either Henderson or Panthea stayed alert even as the others napped.

He found himself awake an hour or so before dusk. Only Panthea was outside the tents, leaning back against a tree a quarter mile or so from where they had pulled off the road and hidden along the backside of a ridge.

She saw him approach and nodded in his direction, moving the gun around so that it was not pointed in his direction. The woman’s wounds were still obvious, and her movements suggested she still suffered a great deal of pain.

Panthea said nothing as he walked up and stood next to her in silence. He hadn’t really thought about what to say to the woman who had saved his life many days earlier, but he tried to express his thoughts anyway. “Thanks ... for helping us.”

She nodded, looking at him a moment, “you’re welcome.”

“Did you know? That ... people might try to kill you because of us?”

“People always try to kill me. I’m used to it.”

“Why?”

She smiled slowly. “Because of what I do. Who I know. Things I’ve done.” She didn’t offer to explain.

“Oh,” Finch said quietly, “well ... thanks. I’m sorry you got hurt ... I’m glad you didn’t die.”

“You and me both, boy. It was close.”

“How’d you survive? When we left ... we were sure you were dead...”

“Luck, mostly. I managed to patch myself up and stop the bleeding. They set fire to my place, which bought me some time since they stopped shooting at me while they approached. I killed two of them near the back door, then headed down the ridge to a spot where I could watch the approaches and I hid for a while, licking my wounds.”

“Wow...” Finch still couldn’t believe the woman had lived. The way she looked when he and his sibling had left suggested she’d have been dead within moments.

Panthea looked at him again. “Glad you three were able to make it to Henderson. He’s a good man.”

“Yeah ... and Juliana’s been really good to us. Their farm was amazing! And ... oh...” Finch remembered how they’d had to rush from that idyllic place when Henderson had feared someone was coming for them.

“Don’t let the past make you suffer, Finch. Remember it, but don’t let it control you. Henderson knew what he was doing bringing you three there. He knew the risks. I have no doubt that once we get you where we’re going, he’ll find a way to make the farm a sanctuary again.”

“Where do you think he’s taking us?”

Panthea shrugged, “Genoa, but to whom ... no idea. Henderson guards his secrets well. That’s one of the reasons I trusted him with your lives.” She shifted against the tree and stood straight. “Do me a favor, Finch, keep your eyes up that way a minute, towards the road. Need to relieve myself.”

“Ok...” Finch stood and gazed to where the ridge rose above their campsite and was covered with a long line of thick trees. Panthea leaned her weapon against the tree, moved just a few feet away, and pulled her pants down to her ankles, panties crumpled inside. Despite her instructions, he was drawn to where the woman’s thin but enticing backside spread out as she began to urinate.

Without turning to watch him, she called back, “you watching your sector, or are you watching me piss?”

“I, uh...” Finch stuttered.

Panthea chuckled, her stream running strong before slowing to a trickle. “You and your sister just can’t stop thinking about sex, can you?”

“Whu... ?”

Panthea stood up and righted her panties and jeans without wiping. “Just what I said. You two are a lot a like that way. No wonder the two of you are committing incest.”

“Whu... ?” Finch repeated, louder.

“Shh ... don’t worry, I’ll not tell your secrets,” the woman said as she picked up her rifle, clearly amused.

Finch remembered that Panthea had encouraged him to join Hannah and his sister in the house before they had headed towards Genoa. She’d not mentioned anything about incest, and he hadn’t realized that the woman knew that he and Lauren were having sex. “Ok ... uh ... thanks...”

Panthea smiled at him a moment before scanning towards the road. “Your sister’s a nice young woman, Finch. A nice young woman. Maybe other people would never understand,” she said, nodding towards where the others slept in pup tents, “but I’ll keep your secret as long as you aren’t harming each other.”

Finch watched her a moment, uncertain how to respond.

She looked back towards the higher part of the ridge where the road ran behind the trees. “Your sister and I have had a few moments, Finch.” She eyed him again, “did you know that?”

“N-no ... no...”

Panthea nodded, “thought not.” She turned towards him a moment, was quiet suddenly. “Doubt we really have anything to worry about here. If you’ll be quick, I’d like to see if you taste like her at all...”

“Wh-what?”

“Keep your eyes up that way ... and try to be quick...”

Panthea rested her gun against the tree again and knelt in front of Finch, her hands moving to unzip his fly. He felt excitement and nerves bouncing inside him as she fished out his cock and quickly slid it between her lips. Finch grew hard quickly, the woman’s mouth so warm and wet, milking him and sucking his length with a slurping sound. He did his best to keep watch, but Panthea’s lips made it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

Only moments later, he started to cum. His cock twitched in Panthea’s mouth and he started to flood her with his warm semen. The woman held still as his seed emptied between her lips, Finch’s penis throbbing out each spurt of sticky cream against her tongue. She waited until he had nearly finished, then pulled back and swallowed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Panthea tucked his cock back in his pants and gave his crotch a pat. “Mmm ... your dick tastes a lot like your sister’s pussy, but your cum is more salty ... see anything to worry us?”

Finch buzzed, could only shake his head. She smiled at him, “hope that was alright, Finch.”

“Of ... of course, yeah ... any time...”

“Maybe we’ll get a chance for you to return the favor. Another time.” Panthea picked up her rifle and nodded towards the tents. “Get them roused, we should eat and then move out soon.”

Finch stumbled as best he could back down to where the camp had been set, still not believing Panthea had sucked his dick and swallowed his load.

“What do you mean you caught him ... who?” Tamara had been ordered into a small, nondescript office in a plain grey building after walking most of the afternoon around the compound’s perimeter fence. Major Danielson came in a few minutes after her. “Who?”

“Your partner. The man who you were with in Istanbul.”

“Hannigan?” Tamara blurted out, immediately regretting using his name.

“Perhaps. He has a lot of names, it seems.”

“I don’t understand. You caught him ... how? Where?”

Danielson shrugged. “He came to us on his own. We’re ... talking ... with him now. That’s really all I can tell you.”

“Is he here? Can I see him? Please?” News that Hannigan had resurfaced made her heart leap into her throat. She thought she’d never see him again.

Danielson shook her head. “No ... not at this time. I’ll let you know should that change.”

“But why? He saved my life, many times! He’s a good guy!”

Danielson narrowed her eyes. “Good guy ... Bad guy ... not much distinction these days, Mrs. Polanski.” She seemed to understand the reasons Tamara’s glances shot from door to window back to the door. “Don’t get any ideas, Tamara, please.” Her voice softened a touch. “I know he was your friend, but I doubt you know as much about him as I do. I have ... reason to doubt his sincerity, regardless. That’s all I can say.”

When Tamara didn’t respond, Danielson’s hand moved to Tamara’s shoulder. “Can I ... can I offer you a moment of comfort, Tamara?”the woman said, clearly unused to offering such a direct kindness.

“What?” Tamara couldn’t believe Danielson was suggesting something intimate. “No ... no...

The Major withdrew her hand and looked uncertain. “Oh, I just thought that ... never mind.”

“I’d really like to see him, Ingrid. Please. If there is any way...”

The woman watched her a moment, then turned towards the door. “I’ll see what I can do, Mrs. Polanski. For now, accept that this is out of your control. I’ll find you if things change.” She left quickly and Tamara boiled in the small room.

She wondered if it was true that Hannigan had come to them on his own. Given how he’d reacted when they’d gotten to the compound near Istanbul, she knew he wished to avoid being caught by the group. He’d said a little about why, but she wondered if there was much more to the story than he’d let on. It worried her to not know. She truly had come to love the man, even after just a few brief days and weeks together.

Tamara took a few long, deep breaths and tried to resolve herself to more boredom and anxiety. It was out of her hands. She left the room and returned to slowly circling around the grounds of the compound.

Logan’s cock was sore. He’d already masturbated four times during the hours spent resting in the mountains. He rode in the middle row of seats in the van on the right side, Hannah to his left, leaning somewhat against him. The sounds of snores behind him suggested that, like the girl beside him, others were sleeping, as well.

Henderson was driving, the last hour of the trip in complete darkness, his wife talking softly to him from the front. Logan had asked the man to tell him about who they would see in Genoa, but Henderson had shaken his head and suggested that Logan would see for himself when they got there.

With no answers, and nothing much to do, he’d masturbated whenever anyone wasn’t looking, and twice while his sister had been half asleep and watching him without much interest. He spurted into his pants each time, and he was aware of how sticky and stinky his clothes were becoming. He wondered if Hannah knew what that smell was.

She was snoring lightly, and appeared not to have noticed it as she shifted more and more to lean against him. Logan liked Hannah a lot. She was soft and he loved her smile. It made him hard again to think about how they’d been together, and he wished they had time to do so right then.

As his cock grew erect, he was aware again of how sore it felt. He was a bit raw, a sensation which wasn’t unfamiliar to him. He kind of liked to get to that point. It was almost a badge of honor. Logan grinned and without another thought, slipped his hand into his underwear and fondled his lightly-hairy balls.

Hannah stirred and stared down at this lap. She leaned up a bit and whispered, “Logan ... someone might see you...”

“Just touching it ... and they won’t if I go slow...”

Hannah looked forward a moment, then turned back with a grin. “Here,” she said, pulling the blanket from the floorboard and covering herself and Logan with it. “You be really, really quiet, okay? Promise...”

“Promise...”

Logan knew he had the freedom to play, and he unzipped his jeans, pulling his sensitive, hard penis out along with his balls, pushing his pants down a few inches.

“Logan,” Hannah said quietly, “what is that ... smell...”

“Oh,” he said, “uh ... I guess ... uh...”

Her fingers ran across his balls and then down to his underwear. “Jeez, Logan ... how many times have you jerked it today?”

He shrugged, chuckling, “four.”

“Four?” Lauren’s tone was one of mild surprise, “and you’re doing it again ... boys!” She laughed quietly. “Well, I’ll catch the next one in my mouth...”

Logan couldn’t believe she was willing to stomach the smell of his drying semen or the taste of his raw, soiled flesh, but he felt Hannah’s soft lips slide over his skin. Even where he burned dully, it felt soothing. Hannah slowly drew her mouth up and down his short shaft, and Logan did his best to suppress his moans.

Up and down she moved, up and down, pausing to slurp quietly, then up and down, up and down. He grew tense and the fire in his little cock boiled to a raging, throbbing pulse of pleasure. He started to ejaculate, the spare drops of semen he produced felt like gallons. Even though he knew he only came a small volume in Hannah’s mouth, his penis swelled with each spurt.