Anna Terri Tremaine had been doing her homework. Two years earlier she'd been inside the interdiction field at a pickup.

'Where the hell did they go, dammit!' Anna's girlfriends, Stacy and Donna, were supposed to meet her, here at the food court. The problem was, when shopping, those two had the attention span of two squirrels on a diet of coffee beans. And the Tri-state area's largest outlet mall did not help.

'WTF! Why is everything outside gre ... Oh shit! It's a pick-up! I told those bimbos to be here. It's not my fault I'm going and they're having to stay.'

"Ok, think. I've got my CAP card. Damn a 6.1 score. Now to get nekkid.' She was down to her bra and panties when she saw a man slap his wife, bend his 15 year old daughter over a table and start to rape her. The girl was screaming "NO!" when a female marine cold-cocked him with one blow. Anna stood in shock.

Another marine asked if she was undressing or staying behind.

She looked up. Way up. And up some more. "If ... If, huh ... If I ... If I went up with somebody, could they ... could he do that to me?"

"If you say yes, he can do that or give you away to somebody else to do it." With that he wandered toward some folks who were getting aggressive around a woman and her pre-teen daughters.

After that, what little she had taken off went right back on. She watched in shock at what was happening. Some of the sponsors had turned into animals. Most were giving test drives but not being really mean. But some, they were just plain assholes. It was settling down but was going to take some time to finish this.

The marine had wandered to a nearby booth to keep his back to the field.

She walked over and stood by the next booth. "I know my score ain't that good but any suggestions?"

"Sure but..."

"You got a job to do. I understand but I do not want to end up with one of those beasts."

"Let me see your card. Sex scores on high side of the average. Intelligence is above average. Problem solving skills are only fair." He would glance at the reader and, while scanning the room, describe what he found. "Leadership, on the low side of average. Loyalty is on the plus side. Work ethic is very good. Physical conditioning is average. Aggression is poor. For motherhood, it looks good. It's just above average by the way. Your confidence is fair. As it stands, if you were a few years older and had a kid or two, you make a pretty good Head Bitch."

"Huh?"

"You've got two or more concubines in a household. One's gotta be the straw boss. The one in charge when the sponsor's not there. The Head Bitch."

"What if I want to be a sponsor?"

"You're going to have to push that work ethic to the limit."

"That's why it's there!" She felt a little spark start to burn inside.

"Alright, the Reader's Digest version. Take some martial arts. Join Toastmasters International. Sign up for Outward Bound or NLS and go on a solo adventure in the wild. If you're in school, enroll in ROTC."

"Ok. I know I'm not ugly but is there anything I should do?"

"Actually, don't do anything. Use your looks to your advantage."

Anna crinkled her eyes. "Being average looking is better than being a beauty queen?"

"A sponsor can make you look like Marilyn Monroe or Hillary Clinton. His call. If he or she is smart, he'll grab average or even ugly concubines. He lets them have input but makes them beautiful. So if you're average, the shallow sponsors will pass you by. The smart ones know they can get loyalty points right away. And Nurses, Paramedics, and Docs are a plus as concubines."

He gave her a card. "If you get your score above 6.5, call this number. For 18, you're smarter than most of your peers. Retest annually. In the mean time, look for a sponsor who will support you becoming a sponsor. It's not well known but you can negotiate with a sponsor."

"What about you?"

"I'm at my limit, sorry."

They talked intermittently when the lance corporal wasn't busy. Anna watched the different sponsors and how they treated potential and selected concubines. Some were getting a test drive and rejecting the girl so they could justify another test drive.

One woman was taking one female and one male. She had narrowed it down to two women and two men. She had a wicked grin when she ordered each male to pair with one female and have anal sex. The two women did not look happy but each bent over a chair and accepted the assault from behind. One was fairly gentle and used spit with cum from his partner's first test drive to make things easier. The other just used what happened to be dripping out of his partner's pussy to get himself slicked up and then just pushed in as hard as he could. When he finished, she was shaking and crying. The sponsor then ordered the men to clean each other off using oral sex. All four candidates walked off with the sponsor screaming at them.

The Marine pointed to two couples. Each wife was saying good-bye to her husband. They then turned around, switched places, and kissed their new sponsor.

"Why would they switch wives?" Anna asked.

"I have no idea. I never saw that before."

He remarked that that was probably a good thing. "It seems like every trip, at least one former spouse gets recycled because they wouldn't change. The spouse can't or won't accept that they are no longer married and are just another concubine. He or she will start refusing his or her sponsor's orders. Or worse, the ex would hit the sponsor. That was an immediate and irrevocable death sentence."

"When a concubine hits a sponsor, how long does the trial take?"

"There is no trial. A concubine is property. A concubine has no rights, no privileges unless allowed by the sponsor. The AI is a witness to everything. The first NCO or officer there will review the actions and will make the call. Usually it means recycling."

Anna almost threw up.

The Marine turned and headed over to a sponsor and a screaming selectee. She alternated the screaming with begging and crying.

"You." Pointing at the concubine, "Shut up!" He looked at the sponsor, "Explain."

"The stupid bimbo believed me when I said we could take her kids. I'll be damned if I'm gonna be responsible for somebody else's bastards. Hell, I'm not even taking my own. And she said yes, she would be my concubine." He looked at the woman. "So there, bitch. I own you. And we'll straighten you out when we get on that ship."

The lance corporal cocked his head and stood still while the AI replayed the conversation.

From him "Do ya wanna be with me? You understand that I will own you."

Her reply "I'm not going to go with you or anybody else unless my kids go with me. If you're taking my kids, I'll go."

His answer "Yeah, I'll take yer brats and they'll be with you wherever we go. Keep'em outta my way. I don't wanta hear 'em either!"

The Marine shook his head and straightened up. "Ma'am, you are free to go. You may try..."

"What the hell! That bitch is mine; you can't take her away."

The lance corporal held up his hand. "I didn't, the AI did. You broke a contractual agreement. She specifically stated she would only go if the sponsor agreed to take her children. You stated, and I'm quoting you now, "Yeah, I'll take yer brats and they'll be with you wherever we go." So she is no longer obligated to travel with you or anyone else." He turned back to the woman. "As I was saying, you can try to find another sponsor or just stay here."

"Bullshit! Where's your boss. This gets fixed now!" By time the volunteer finished, he was shouting. "She's going with me."

Anna saw that the lieutenant was already on the way over. Somehow, the Marine called for him without saying a word.

"Lance Corporal, what seems to be the problem?"

The sponsor jumped in. "That slut agreed to be mine. Now your piss-ant is telling me I can't have her. Bullshit!"

The LT cocked his head. About thirty seconds later he smiled. "My Marine is correct. You said you would take her kids. This was after she specifically stated she would not go with anybody unless he took her children. The AI determined you had a caveat to the standard sponsor – concubine agreement. Find somebody else."

The sponsor took a swing at the senior Marine. Faster than she thought possible, Anna saw the officer block the roundhouse and slap the man so hard he was stunned. "Have fun, Marine." With that, he walked off.

"Thanks, LT." He pulled out his stinger and zapped the man. Before the man fully hit the ground, the lance corporal snatched his CAP card along with the card of his former concubine.

"Ma'am?"

"I gotta get my kids away safe. Please. Lemme ... I'll try again."

He gave her CAP card back. "You've still got some time, but don't wait too long, OK?"

With that she stopped sobbing and tried to settle down.

The lance corporal started heading back toward Anna but veered off to speak to the two sponsors who had traded wives. They talked for a few moments and he pointed toward the woman who hadn't moved yet. As he left them, one couple moved to the woman.

"What was that all about?" from Anna.

"Remember when I said you can negotiate?"

"Yeah."

"He had agreed to take her kids. She accepted his sponsorship based on that agreement. He then told her she couldn't bring her kids. The AI had recorded the agreement. The AI agreed she'd been lied to so her agreement was null and void. That ass didn't like it and took a swing at the LT."

"I saw that. Are all you Marines that fast?"

"Pretty much. Anyway, I got to zap the idiot and the AI said to take his CAP card. Now, he'll have to retest. He was on the border already. I suspect he'll score lower but you never know."

"What about the couples?"

"Believe it or not, they were neighbors and friends but both couples were headed for divorces. The wives figured if each stayed with her husband, things could go south real fast. They put their heads together and swapped. At least they have idea what their new sponsors are like."

"About the first woman? Why did they go over there?"

"Each of the sponsors has a slot left. She gets a father for her kids and he gets an experienced mother for all the kids. That is, if she's a good fit for them."

An hour later, Anna was still at the booth where she and the lance corporal had talked. The Marines had been gone a while.

Stacy and Donna jumped into the booth with her, squealing. "What happened?" "What was it like?" "Did you do any test drives?"

"STOP! Stop, dammit! Stop!"

Stacy and Donna were shocked. Anna had never spoken to them like that. She was the mediator. She was the one who fixed things.

"Look, it's not exactly like the TV videos, OK. There was a dad trying to rape his own daughter."

"Eeww!" from both of them.

"There was a woman who told two men to suck each other's dick."

Stacy spoke up. "So what. Bobby wants me to do that all the time. It's gross thinking about two men, but, Jeez!"

"Yeah, but she wanted them to do it after they each did anal with a woman!"

"Eeeeewwwww."

"If you volunteer, your sponsor can make you do anything he wants. I'm NOT going with a pig. I've got a lot to think about. Give me some time to process this. There's some really weird shit here."

Donna drove Anna's car when they headed home. It took Anna a while to be able to describe what happened, but she couldn't explain it.

"When I saw the field come down, I looked for you guys. At first, all I could think of was you're gonna miss this. I TOLD you to meet me here at 11:30."

Stacy defended her and Donna's actions. "There was a sale at Dooney and Burke. How can you not go?"

"I guess it's just as well you weren't there."

"But why didn't YOU go?"

"I was almost naked when I saw that man trying to rape his daughter. I asked a Marine if my sponsor could do that to me? Not only could he do that, but he could give me to anybody he wanted to. And they could do it!"

"But still, there had to be somebody nice there."

"They got taken up real quick! And I need a good sponsor ... if I can't be one myself!"

Anna rambled through her experience, starting and stopping as stray thoughts bounced through her head. "Did you know your sponsor can change how you look?".

"Like from blond to brunette?"

"No, like from Italian to Chinese."

"What? No way," from Donna.

Stacy started laughing. Anna and Donna were giving her strange looks but she couldn't stop. Finally she spit out, "Broom Hilda and Margareta Johnson swap bodies."

Now all three cracked up. Margareta was the designated class beauty queen, destined for pageants and world peace. Broom Hilda (Ms. Broomfield) was the Freshman Math teacher/girls PE instructor. She was nice enough but looked like she wrestled with large alligators for fun.

"Wait. So if I went with Bobby, he could make me look like Mila Kunis and I'd have to suck him off whenever he wanted?"

"Wherever he wanted, too."

"I'm going to kick his ass." Stacy's thought processing wasn't always grounded in reality.

Two years later

Krav Maga got her fit and more aggressive. Toastmasters built her confidence. Nine months later, she tested up to a 6.3. She had never camped a day in her life but got hooked up at an REI. For a year, she built her skills until she was able to do a six week Outward Bound Wilderness Course. Anna pushed herself and got qualified to assist instructing self defense courses. She had upped her score to 6.4 when she tested earlier that year on her twentieth birthday. She knew she should be good to go next year. But she was still looking for a sponsor though, and studying pickups.

She collected news on every pickup in the Midwest. She found some trends. Restaurants were probably the most common, but they were fairly small and incredibly random. There were over 7,300 in Chicago alone. Even if they hit ten a day, every day, it would take two years to reach all of them. If you picked one, would it be the right one or one of the 7290 that didn't see an Interdiction Field.

Anna concentrated on the larger venues. First, there must be a crowd of some form, usually with more women and children than men. The important factor seemed to be having a large ratio of non-sponsor females to male sponsors. Second, the venue was often highly athletic or pertained to an intellectual activity. Third, it must be securable, as in some type of enclosed area, usually fenced or surrounded by open fields.

Four times she just missed extractions. First, she picked an athletic event over the college regional Geography Bee playoffs. The next time, she chose to go to the Midwestern Invitational Chess Challenge. Unfortunately, there was a high school girls volleyball district meet just two blocks away. The third time, she had the right venue but was off by a week. The last time, she was dead on but at the wrong end of the building. She planned on one being at the mall but it was at Macy's not Carson's.

Instead of getting discouraged, she realized she was getting closer every time. She had about 7 months before she could test again. She would keep trying. Her research indicated some good possibilities on the coming weekend. Three were less than three hours away. The closest was less than an hour from her apartment and, for some reason, it felt right.

Southeast of Chicago in Merrillville, Indiana was the Indiana Challenge, a premier ballroom dancing contest. Anna thought about the criteria. Rule one: It was a large amateur event with lots of couples (read male sponsors), and Dance Moms with highly motivated teens and siblings (think concubines). Rule two: An athletic event. This was athletic without the jock mentality. The adult dancers were mostly white collar, which meant better education. Rule three: While it was next to an interstate, the building was surrounded by parking lots (clear field of view so the Marines could spot the Earth First idiots). The only problem was that the contest started Thursday afternoon and lasted until Sunday evening.

She told her boyfriend William she'd be gone for the weekend. He knew of her hobby, as he and his friends joked about it, and he wished her luck. They both knew that they had no destiny together but they had fun and each tolerated the other's idiosyncrasies. Anna joked with him as being Will Dofernow (not Mr. Right), and he addressed her as Yvonna B N Space.

She decided to leave straight from work on Friday afternoon. She made good time and got to Merrillville before 6 PM. Dinner had started at five but continued until six thirty. She parked and went directly to the food court near the center of the venue. It was pretty crowded but she grabbed a Chicago dog and a pop. She moved between the food court and the dance floor. All the young amateurs had finished and Anna was starting to get discouraged. She was sure this was the one. 'Damn it. Oh hell, move on. Go back to the floor one last time, tonight. The contest goes on till Sunday. There's still time.'

With that, she headed back to the ballroom, excusing herself to pass by a tall but chunky dance couple. 'They look out of place. What! Wait, that's an Interdiction Field. They're Marines Yes!' she thought to herself. 'Now let's see who's laughing, Will Dofernow?'

She looked around, ignoring the additional 6 foot 6 inch Marines who appeared out of nowhere. Young kids, moms, dads, teens. Teens. 'Whoa, teen couple. She's clinging. Concubine, for sure. Him. standing a bit in front. Protective. Confident. Sponsor material.' She started edging toward them. 'Careful, Anna. he's young. Don't scare him. Go slow. Slow down, don't scare him.'

A middle aged woman charged out of the kitchen. Her shirt was gone and her bra was not far behind. She was towing a big kid behind her. Her tits were flopping and when she got close, she pulled a cigarette out of her mouth. That boy she was dragging had to be 18. The kid in front of the girl put his arm out to keep her at bay.

"Young man, you need somebody with experience. She's cute but she doesn't know shit about fucking. Now my boy here, he looks older but he's only 13. He can take care of her while I'm doing you."

The girl cringed. Anna couldn't hear what she said but it looked like "No, ????, please no."

He whispered something back and she looked a little better. Anna slapped a Marine's arm to get his attention but he was busy keeping two sponsors away from twin sisters who didn't want either one of them.

The witch started up again, "And when you're gone on a mission, he'll be there to protect us."

With the four of them distracted, Anna was able to move closer. Without looking at the couple, Anna stepped between them and the shrew. As she did, she realized that he really didn't need any help at all but she'd already committed.

"Ma'am, this is his choice. Neither you nor I get to make it for him."

"Get out of my way, bitch!" the woman screamed. "You ain't no better for him than that skinny, fuckless wonder hiding behind him. Tommy, move this bitch."

The boy got a feral grin on his face and charged Anna. Anna had time to yell "Marine!" and then braced herself. She knew she could defend herself but would rather the Marines stepped in. 'Arms up ... Bend knees ... Brace.'

She was suddenly pulled aside and spun so she was facing the girl.

"Chuck! Don't!" from the girl.

Anna spun back in time to see the gorilla take a slap at Chuck. She also got to see Chuck (evidently the young man) nearly break Tommy's left arm and move him face down on the floor. He cocked the back of Tommy's right hand on the ground, bent 90 degrees at the wrist. Chuck rocked Tommy's elbow back. Another half inch and Chuck would break his wrist. Chuck rocked Tommy's elbow forward until he screamed. Anna could see where his shoulder could be dislocated. "Don't move." Chuck shifted his foot so his heel rested on Tommy's fingers.

About that time the Marine arrived, the one Anna tried to get the attention of. He looked at Chuck, Anna, and then Tommy and back to Chuck.

"Nice take down, kid." Then to Anna "The AI was monitoring and felt the twins needed more help. I didn't think so but as usual the AI was right."

"Take a step back." When Chuck moved away, the Marine used the Stinger on Tommy. Tommy's mom screeched and attacked. The Marine pulled the overbearing witch away and asked Chuck if he wanted either one. Anna had her back to Chuck and the girl and missed what he replied. The bitch saw something behind Anna and tried to attack Anna and then the Marine. He just smiled as he stung her.

"Hey kids, are you going to take a test drive?"

The girl turned white while Chuck turned red. Chuck's eyes bounced back and forth between the two women.

"Let's see if they're compatible with you first."

Anna pulled her card and handed it to Chuck. He already had the girl's card. The Marine pulled him away.

Anna stepped up to the girl "Scared?" She nodded.

"How old are you guys?"

"I'm fourteen and he turns fifteen in a month and a half."

"Still got your cherry?"

She shook her head no. "Lost it in gymnastics but we never, you know, never did it."

"Were you two planning to?"

"We're ballroom dancing partners and we don't get to be alone very much. But we were going to."

"And this was one of your dream settings?" Anna said with a wry smile. "I'm Anna, by the way."

The girl relaxed and giggled, shaking her head. "I'm LeAnn. But call me Lee."

Anna nodded her head towards her boyfriend. "Are you going to be mad at..."

"Chuck."

"Chuck. Then, you know, are you going to be mad if he gives me a test drive?"

"I'm more scared that he's going to give me one. He's never done anything either." She turned a little pink and smiled. "I almost got to give him a blowjob last week but Mom showed up early after practice. It was going to be our first sex thing."

At that point, Chuck returned and Anna could see his emotions were running wild.

Anna pulled him in close with LeAnn. "Chuck, excited?" Anna whispered. He nodded his head, too nervous to speak.

"Lee, can I kiss Chuck?" asked Anna.

"Can I kiss him first?"